1. ORIGINS OF BUDDHISM

2. WHAT DID THE BUDDHA TEACH?

3. The lotus is a symbol of Buddha. It represents purity.
Buddhism: a religion founded in India based on the teachings of Buddha which teaches that the most important thing in life is to reach peace by ending suffering.
The lotus is a symbol of Buddha. It represents purity.

4. Buddhism began in India and became a major religion.
The Big Idea
Buddhism began in India
and became a major religion.
Main Ideas
Siddhartha Gautama searched for wisdom in many ways.
The teachings of Buddhism deal with finding peace.
Buddhism spread far from where it began in India.

5. Siddhartha Gautama
Ancient Indian prince who became a religious leader known as The Buddha or Enlightened One, who founded Buddhism.

6. Kosala: an ancient kingdom in northern India where Siddhartha Guatama is said to have been born

7. Siddhartha Gautama
The Buddha, began his life as a prince in India.
Birth: Was born into the wealthy warrior caste.
It is believed that before his birth his mother had a dream of an elephant piercing her side with its tusk. This was interpreted to mean that he would be a great leader or a wandering holy man.
Childhood
His mother died shortly after his birth. His father lavished him with wealth so he would never want to leave the palace. He was completely sheltered from the outside world.

8. Siddhartha had never before been aware of human suffering.
The Three Visions
Siddhartha grew up never knowing much about the outside world.
He married young and had a son.
When he was in his 20’s he went outside the palace and experienced three visions which changed his life.
Siddhartha saw someone in advanced old age.
He saw a very sick person
He saw a dead body.
Siddhartha had never before been aware of human suffering.
He felt his life was a lie and abandoned it to become an ascetic, or wandering holy man in an attempt to find a way to end human suffering.

9. Siddhartha tried many different ways of achieving enlightenment.
Seeking Truth
Siddhartha tried many different ways of achieving enlightenment.
Enlightenment: A blessed state in which the individual transcends desire and suffering and attains Nirvana.
He tried meditation, fasting, physical discomfort, but none alone worked for him.
He almost starved himself to death at one point.
After that he knew he needed to try something different.
Siddhartha decided that he would meditate until he discovered the way to end human suffering.

10. Bodhi Tree: He sat under a Bodhi tree and said that he would not get up until he had achieved enlightenment.
He medtiated for 40 days, and at the end said that he was “awake” he had achieved, Nirvana, or Enlightenment. This is when he became the Buddha, or “Enlightened One.”

11. Siddhartha Quest for Answers
Siddhartha was born a Hindu prince, but he questioned the meaning of life.
Determined to find answers using:
Meditation
Fasting
Learning from different teachers
Enlightenment
Found it under the Tree of Wisdom while meditating
Called the Buddha (Enlightened One)
Spent the rest of his life traveling and teaching his ideas

13. Four Noble Truths: the principles that rule life and promise an end to suffering.

14. Four Noble Truths Teachings of the Buddha
The Buddha gave his first sermon in the deer park where he taught the four main ideas of his teachings.
Four Noble Truths
All life is full of suffering.
We suffer because we desire things that are illusions. We want material possessions.
The way to not suffer is to overcome our desire.
To do that one must follow the Eightfold path, or Middle Way.

15. Middle Way: A way of life neither too strict nor too easy that results from following the Eightfold Path

16. Eightfold Path: The basic rules of behavior and belief leading to an end of suffering

17. Reincarnation: The Buddha taught the belief of Samsara, or Reincarnation. As long as one is tied to material possessions of this earth and does not achieve enlightenment, then one will have suffering.
Nirvana: The ultimate goal of Buddhism is to be released from the cycle of death and rebirth.

18. Karma: the result of all of a person’s good and bad acts, which determines rebirth.

19. Challenging Hindu Ideas
Ancient Ways
The Buddha taught that following the Vedic texts was unnecessary.
Challenged the authority of Hindu priests
Changing Society
A more individualistic approach to enlightenment
Rebirth as a means to evolve
Caste System
Opposed caste system
The Eightfold Path could lead any individual to nirvana.
The Buddha’s teachings reached all classes.

20. Buddha believed that the most important thing in life was to reach peace by ending suffering.

21. Spread of Buddhism
Convents and Monasteries: The Buddha had many followers, both men and women. He did not discriminate based on gender.
Death of the Buddha: He died of food poisoning at the home of a friend.
Scriptures: His teachings were collected in the Tripitika, or three baskets of wisdom.
Teachings
Caste System: The Buddha rejected the caste system. He said all people were capable of achieving enlightenment in one lifetime. Although not everyone did so ,Buddhism does believe in reincarnation.
Ahinsa: Taught non-violence, same as Hinduism
Meditation: Taught that one should meditate. Yoga and Martial arts are seen as a form of mediation.

22. Buddhism began in India and then became a major religion.
Buddhism branches out
Asoka, one of the most powerful kings in India, became a Buddhist and spread Buddhism in India and foreign lands.
Buddhist missionaries traveled the world to teach enlightenment.
Buddhism splits
Buddhism split into two main sects: Theravada and Mahayana.
Members of the Theravada followed the Buddha’s teachings exactly.
Members of the Mahayana believed that individual interpretation was important.

23. Asoka: King who united India in the 200s B. C
Asoka: King who united India in the 200s B.C. and made Buddhism the state religion. Asoka built temples and schools , and sent missionaries to other areas of Asia

25. Monk: A man who devotes his life to a religious group, often giving up all he owns.

26. Monastery: A community in which monks lead lives devoted to religion.

27. The Dalai Lama