1. Aim: What does it mean to be a Buddhist?
Do Now: What do you know about Buddhism? What do you want to know?
NY State Standard 2
Common Core RS 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and WS 1, 2

2. I How did Buddhism begin?
A) Siddhartha Gautama, a Hindu, was born in what is now Nepal in the 6th century BCE. B) A prince, he lived in luxury. Isolated in his palace, he never knew about suffering. He first saw a sick and elderly man at 29 years old! Siddhartha left his palace to find out why people must suffer. C) When Siddhartha found enlightenment (knowledge), he became known as Buddha (the enlightened one).

3. Birth of Siddhartha
Buddhists believe that when Siddhartha was born, he was able to walk and that lotus blossoms grew beneath his feet.

4. Buddhist Beliefs
A) Our five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) are illusions. Only through enlightenment (knowledge) will we find truth.
Just because we could not see x-rays before inventing an x-ray machine, did that mean that x-rays didn’t exist? Is it possible that there are other things in the universe that we cannot see, feel, taste, or smell (like other dimensions of space)?

5. Buddhist Beliefs Continued…
B) Like Hindus, Buddhists believe in reincarnation. UNLIKE HINDUS, Buddhists do not believe in the caste system. C) Siddhartha found enlightenment when he discovered the 4 Noble Truths.
The Four Noble Truths:
1. Suffering exists
2. Suffering comes from desire
3. Suffering stops when desire stops
4. Freedom from suffering is possible by following the Eightfold Path
Did You Know? Some Buddhists believe in God, but you do not have to. *This is why Buddhism is often thought to be a belief system, and not a religion.

6. Buddhist Beliefs Continued…
D) You will find freedom from suffering if you follow the Eightfold Path:
NIRVANA:
Freedom from the cycle of reincarnation, and from suffering (similar to the Hindu goal of moksha)
Right Understanding
Right Intention
Right Action
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
Right Livelihood (your career)
Right Speech
What do I need to do to achieve Nirvana? How difficult will it be?

7. III Buddhist Practices
A) Like Hindus, Buddhists practice meditation. Chanting a mantra (a word or sound that is repeated) is a common form of Buddhist meditation.
Tibetan prayer wheels are covered in mantras written in Sanskrit. You turn the wheel while saying the mantra.

8. Buddhist Practices Continued…
B) Like Hindus, Buddhists pray in temples and at shrines. You must take your shoes off to go inside. Statues of Buddha are there to help you meditate; you are NOT praying to Buddha.
Red Buddhist Temple, Japan

9. Buddhist Practices Continued…
C) Buddhists can become monks or nuns at a young age. They usually live in monasteries, and devote most of their time to meditation and charity. Unlike Catholic monks, they do not have to serve for life. D) Buddhist prayer beads are used to aid in meditation.
Tibetan Buddhist Monastery

10. V Buddhist Sacred Texts
Sutras are believed to be the wisdom of Buddha. “Sutra” = a thread that holds things together

11. VI Buddhist Symbols
Many Hindu symbols are also used by Buddhists, including the mandala, ohm and swastika.
Additionally, Buddhists use the…
Dharmachakra: The 8 spokes represent the eightfold path.
Lotus: Represents the progress of the human soul. The lotus grows in the mud, but its flower grows to reach the sun (enlightenment).

12. VII Buddhist Holidays
A) Vesak celebrates the birth and enlightenment of Buddha.
B) The Festival of Floating Bowls is a Buddhist holiday in Thailand. Buddhists float candles in bowls of leaves for good luck.
Children carry lanterns in Sri Lanka for Vesak.
The Festival of Floating Bowls in Thailand

13. VIII The Spread of Buddhism
A) During the third century BCE, Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Dynasty in India sent missionaries to the northwest of India (present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan). The mission achieved great success, as the region soon became a center of Buddhist learning. When the merchants of Central Asia came into this region for trade, they learned about Buddhism and accepted it as their religion. By the second century BCE some Central Asian cities like Khotan had already become important centers for Buddhism. The Chinese people had their first contact with Buddhism through the Central Asians who were already Buddhists. B) When the Han Dynasty extended its power to Central Asia in the first century BCE, trade and cultural ties between China and Central Asia increased. In this way, the Chinese people learnt about Buddhism. C) As interest in Buddhism grew, there was a great demand for Buddhist texts to be translated from Indian languages into Chinese. This led to the arrival of translators from Central Asia and India. The earliest translators had some difficulty in finding the exact words to explain Buddhist concepts in Chinese, so they made use of Taoist terms in their translations. As a result, people began to relate Buddhism with the existing Taoist tradition.

15. Spread of Buddhism Continued…
D) After the fall of the Han Dynasty, China faced a period of political disunity. Despite the war and unrest, the translation of Buddhist texts continued. During this time, Buddhism gained popularity with the Chinese people. E) In northern China, except for two short periods of persecution, Buddhism flourished under the lavish royal patronage of rulers who favored the religion. By the latter half of the sixth century, monks were even employed in government posts. During this period, Buddhist arts flourished, especially in the caves at Dun-huang, Yun-gang and Long-men. In the thousand caves at Dun-huang, Buddhist paintings covered the walls and there were thousands of Buddha statues in these caves. At Yungang and Long-men, many Buddha images of varying sizes were carved out of the rocks. All these activities were a sign of the firm establishment of Buddhism in China by the end of this period.

16. Thousand caves at Dun-huang, China

17. IX Who is the Dalai Llama?
“His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of Tibet. He was born on 6 July 1935, to a farming family, in a small hamlet located in Taktser, Amdo, northeastern Tibet. At the very young age of two, the child was recognized as the reincarnation of the previous 13th Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of the Bodhisattva of Compassion and the patron saint of Tibet. Bodhisattvas are believed to be enlightened beings who have postponed their own nirvana and chosen to take rebirth in order to serve humanity… His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a man of peace. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet. He has consistently advocated policies of non-violence, even in the face of extreme aggression.” -
“In 1959, he fled Tibet for exile in India after a failed uprising against Chinese rule. Overseas, the Dalai Lama is a celebrated figure. In China, he is a despised troublemaker. Chinese officials have vilified him as a "wolf in monk's clothing" who seeks to destroy the country's sovereignty by pushing for independence. "The Dalai Lama states that he is not seeking Tibetan independence, but Beijing sees this as a mere cover, because he has never openly given up the demand for so-called 'Greater Tibet' autonomy, so Beijing sees his meetings with world leaders as pushing for political goals," said Wenran Jiang, political science professor at University of Alberta.” -By Jaime FlorCruz, CNN Beijing Bureau ChiefFebruary 18, 2010

18. Summary Fill in your religion chart for Buddhism.
Who is the Dalai Llama? How does China feel about him?
Extra Credit: Find at least 2 articles about the Dalai Llama. One must be from the Tibetan perspective and at least one from the Chinese perspective. Summarize the articles and then write an opinion. Cite your sources.

19. Key Vocabulary Buddha Siddhartha Gautama Buddhism Lotus
Buddhist Monks & Nuns
Mantra
Meditation
Dharmachakra
Monasteries
Eightfold Path
Nirvana
Enlightenment
Reincarnation
Festival of Floating Bowls
Sutras
Vesak
Four Noble Truths