Buddhism

The Buddha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Qhja4OhdM

Important Figures

The Bodhi tree

• Ocean of Wisdom• The current Dalai Lama is 76 years old

1937 Current date

Choosing of the Dalai Lama

Reincarnation

High LamasDream

Smoke

Oracle Lake

Belongings of the previous Dalai Lama

The Four Noble Truths• The Four Noble Truths contain the essence of the

Buddha's teachings. It was these four principles that the Buddha came to understand during his meditation under the Bodhi tree.

1. The truth of suffering2. The truth of the origin of suffering (the cause of suffering)3. The truth of the cessation of suffering (realising there is a

cure to suffering/making it stop)4. The truth of the path to the cessation of suffering (the

eightfold path, the journey to stop suffering)

Buddhist MeditationA form of mental concentration that leads ultimately

to enlightenment and spiritual freedom.

There are two main types of Buddhist meditation: o Insighto Tranquillity.

• Buddha Day

The Eight Fold Path The Noble Eightfold Path

is extremely important in Buddhism since it impacts on how people live.

Following the Noble Eightfold Path means that believers try and live better lives in accordance with the morality enclosed in it.

1. Harming things2. Taking what is not given3. Sexual misconduct4. Lying or gossip5. Taking intoxicating

substances (drugs, alcohol)

The Wheel of Life

The Wheel of Life

Represents the Buddhists view of the universe. There are 5 sections on the wheel which a soul can be reborn into.

The wheel is held by a demon

known as Yama the Lord of death. Yama symbolises

the impermanence of

everything. Buddhism teaches to not be afraid of death and that it is not the end.

The Three Fires – the 3 main causes

of suffering. Greed, ignorance

and hatred represented in a pig, rooster and

snake.

The realm of humans – the

most fortunate state. They have

the best chance of enlightenment. They suffer the

least but are not in total bliss like

the Gods.

The realm of Gods – live in a state of bliss in

the realm of heaven. They live for a long

time but they too will die. At the bottom there are angry Gods known

as the Titans who dislike the other Gods.

The realm of hungry ghosts – stuck between mortal realms full

of their unfulfilled desires. Symbolised by their huge bellies and tiny mouths that cannot be

satisfied.

The realm of animals- animals are considered to lack the awareness to

become enlightened. Buddhists do not believe it is a good thing to be

reborn as an animal although they do believe in treating every living

thing with kindness.

Hell- at the bottom of the wheel. People

here get tortured but

only until their bad karma has

been worked off.