Buddhis

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Video
 How Buddhism Began and Who
Founded Buddhism?
 Buddhism began at around 580
BC in Lumbinia town/city in
southern Nepal. Buddha or
Siddhartha Gautama the
founder of Buddhism left his
home at the age of 29 on a
search for enlightenment.
“After going through a life of
self-denial, discipline and
meditation, he attained
enlightenment, which resulted
in the alleviation of all his pain
and suffering”. After he
attained his goal on
enlightenment he went on a
journey to teach others the
path to enlightenment.
Eventual his teachings now
known as Buddhism spread to
numerous countries around
the world.
 The Four Noble Truths
#1


 Life means suffering.

“To live means to suffer, because the human nature is

not perfect and neither is the world we live in. During

our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical
suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old
age, and eventually death; and we have to endure
psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration,
disappointment, and depression. Although there are
different degrees of suffering and there are also
positive experiences in life that we perceive as the
opposite of suffering, such as ease, comfort and
happiness, life in its totality is imperfect and
incomplete, because our world is subject to
impermanence. This means we are never able to keep
permanently what we strive for, and just as happy
moments pass by, we ourselves and our loved ones
will pass away one day, too.”
#2


 The origin of suffering is attachment.

The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things

and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only

include the physical objects that surround us, but also
ideas, and -in a greater sense- all objects of our
perception. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of
how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The
reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour,
pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and
popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because
the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss
is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow.
Objects of attachment also include the idea of a "self"
which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self.
What we call "self" is just an imagined entity, and we
are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the
universe.

#3
 The cessation of suffering is attainable.
“The cessation of suffering can be attained

through nirodha. Nirodha means the unmaking

of sensual craving and conceptual attachment.
The third noble truth expresses the idea that
suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion.
Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and
attachment. This means that suffering can be
overcome through human activity, simply by
removing the cause of suffering. Attaining and
perfecting dispassion is a process of many
levels that ultimately results in the state of
Nirvana. Nirvana means freedom from all
worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and
ideas. Nirvana is not comprehensible for those
who have not attained it.”
#4


 The path to the cessation of suffering.

“There is a path to the end of suffering - a gradual path

of self-improvement, which is described more detailed

in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the
two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism)
and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it
leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth. The latter
quality discerns it from other paths which are merely
"wandering on the wheel of becoming", because these
do not have a final object. The path to the end of
suffering can extend over many lifetimes, throughout
which every individual rebirth is subject to karmic
conditioning. Craving, ignorance, delusions, and its
effects will disappear gradually, as progress is made
on the path.”

 Important Terms
• Nirvana “Is the state of being free from suffering’ or
Reaching the ultimate form of enlightenment. Being
at peace with your self.
• Karma is the law of moral causation or The law of
cause and effect in Buddhism.
• Dharma is "For many Buddhists, the Dharma most
often means the body of teachings expounded by
the Buddha. The word is also used in Buddhist
phenomenologyWheel
as aofterm roughly equivalent
Wheel of Dharma to
phenomenon, aKarma
Nirvana basic unit of existence and/or
experience.”
•
 Important People
• Buddha- The founder of Buddhism he
also laid the basics of the religion
and the practices.

 Important Writings
• Tripitaka, or the Three Baskets- The Tripitaka is
a collection of writings from most of if not all
the early Buddhist schools, which originally
were memorized and then recited orally by
disciples. It was Divided into 3 categories:
1. The Vinaya Piṭaka Which is the rules or code of
ethics for Buddhist monks to follow.
2. The Sūtra Piṭaka Which is the different accounts
of Buddha’s Teachings.
3. And the Abhidharma Piṭaka which is basically a
collection of things related to Karma and
other things like elements. This Category
contains 7 books in it.
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
 Asoka
• Asoka- Ruler of India. He Converted
to Buddhism and helped the
religion spread in India and help
promoted peace and end wars. He
also sent Buddhist missionaries to
spread the religion around India.
•
 How Buddhism Spread
• Buddhism Spread through different
cultures and Asoka's missionaries,
Trade and different cultures.
• There Are two main types of Buddhis
Theravada and Mahayana.
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 Theravada And Mahayana
Buddhism Theravada Mahayana

Location Southern (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Northern (Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea,
Cambodia, parts of Southeast Asia) Mongolia, parts of Southeast Asia )

Schools and Sects One surviving school (as many as 18 existed at one
time)

Buddhist Scriptures Pali Canon/Tripitaka only Books of the Theravada Tripitaka plus many
other sutras (e.g. Lotus Sutra)

Buddhas Historical Buddha (Gautama) and past Buddhas Gautama Buddha plus Amitabha, Medicine
only Buddhas, and others

Bodhisattvas Maitreya only Maitreya plus Avalokitesvara, Mansjuri,

Ksitigarbha and Samanthabadra

Goal of Training Arhat Buddhahood via bodhisattva-path

3 Buddha Bodies (Trikaya) Very limited emphasis; mainly on nirmana-kaya Emphasized, including the samboga-kaya or
and dharma-kaya reward/enjoyment body

Original Language Pali Sanskrit

Language of Transmission Tripitaka is only in Pali. Teaching in Pali Scriptures translated into local language.
supplemented by local language.

Buddha's Disciples Historical disciples described in Scriptures Many bodhisattvas that are not historical figures

Mantras and Mudras Some equivalent in the use of Parittas Emphasized in Vajrayana; sometimes
incorporated in other schools

Bardo (Limbo) Rejected Taught by all schools

Non-Buddhist Influences Mainly pre-Buddhist Indian influences like Heavily influenced by local religious ideas as
concepts of karma, sangha, etc. transmitted to new cultures (China, Japan, Tibet).

Buddha Nature Not taught Emphasized, especially in practice-based schools

Rituals Very few; not emphasized Many, owing to local cultural influences
 Important Holidays
• Nirvana Day (Mid February)- Masks
the Death Of Buddha
• Vesak or Visakah Puja (Buddha Day
April/May)- Important Holiday
Celebrates Birth and Death of
Buddha.
• Vassa (#month period July-October)-
People try to live simple and give
up bad habits.
 Important Rituals
• Meditation- The way of Worship
• Offerings- Can be Food, Flowers
incense & more
• Pilgrimage- Trip to the holy site.
Increases Karma
 Review Questions
• What is the main purpose/focus Of
Buddhism?
• Who was the most important
Buddhist figure and what did he do
that was so special?
• Why is Buddhism an important
religion today not only in Asia but
in the rest of the World?
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