Buddhism• Siddhartha Gautama was a prince born in Nepal in 560

BCE.– Raised in palace & was never allowed to leave.– One day he decides to leave palace walls w/out his dad’s

permission– he sees disease, poverty. Realizes there is suffering in the

world.– Decides to give up being a prince & tries to find cause of

suffering/ misery. Searches for 6 yrs. – Finally sits under bodhi tree & meditates & reaches

enlightenment

• He takes the name Buddha = a person who is awakened.

• Once he knew what causes suffering, he began to teach about it.

Teaches The 4 Noble Truths:

1) life is suffering (everyone experiences pain)

2) Source of suffering is desire

3) You can end suffering by ending desire

4) Way to end desire is by following the 8 Fold Path(A list of 8 ways to live based on right actions & right attention)

8 Fold Path summarized:

• Siddhartha Gautama was previously Hindu so religion is somewhat similar.– Belief in reincarnation & karma.

• Buddhists believe in the anatman = no soul. Instead of a soul you have karmic residue that gets reincarnated. You can’t have an unchanging soul b/c the entire universe is in a constant state of change. Nothing is permanent.

• Goal of Buddhists is to reach nirvana= a passing out of existence & a freedom from suffering. You can only reach nirvana once you have become enlightened.

• Buddha denied existence of god. There is no divine help. Work it out on your own through determination

• Buddha did not accept the caste system.

• Buddha= the man/ prince Siddhartha

• buddha= anyone who has reached enlightenment

The 3 Jewels of Buddhism

• I take refuge in the Buddha

• I take refuge in the dharma (the truth Buddha taught)

• I take refuge in the sanga (the nuns & monks)

Buddhism: The spread & division

• Theravada- stressed monastic life as a way to reach enlightenment; Buddha is teacher, not god. Spread to Burma & Thailand

• Mahayana- Buddhism & enlightened ones are god-like. Spread to Tibet, Japan, China, Korea

Statues of Buddha