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THE LIFE OF BUDDHA
• Much of what is known about
life of the Buddha from
accounts in Buddhist literature
• Gautama born 500s BC
• Prince of small kingdom in
what is now Nepal
– Led sheltered life
– Unaware of hardship
– Life changed when learned
people got old, sick, died
BUDDHA’S ENLIGHTENMENT
•Gautama resolved to
find way to overcome
age, sickness, keep
people from suffering
•Gave up possessions,
left palace
•Sought enlightenment,
spiritual understanding
for six years
•Studied with gurus,
monks but decided they
could not teach way to
enlightenment
Sat under tree, no teachers,
no companions, determined
not to arise until he found
way
 Stories say he meditated all
night
 Resolve tested by violent
storms, earthly temptations
 At daybreak, had been
transformed, found
enlightenment, became the
Buddha, Enlightened One
 Temple built where he
meditated, Bodh Gaya, one of
Buddhism’s most sacred
places
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
 There is suffering in
the world
 The cause of self
suffering is self
centered desire
 The solution is to
eliminate desire and
attachments
 To reach nirvana you
must follow the
Eightfold Path
BELIEFS OF BUDDHISM
A major change in Gautama’s thinking was when he decided to
stop looking outwardly to understand the cause of suf fering.
Instead, he decided to look within his own mind.
Instead of worshipping gods or a god, Buddha taught his
followers that the answer to human suf fering was in right
thinking and self-denial.
A big dif ference between Buddhism and other major religions is
that in Buddhism you do not worship many gods or even one
god.
GIVING UP DESIRES
 According to Buddha, human suffering happens because of our
selfish desires for things like power, wealth, and pleasure. The
way to be happy was to give up those selfish desires.
 He called this path to happiness the Middle Way = MODERATION
 In Buddhism, people are to act unselfishly, treat people fairly,
tell the truth all the time, avoid violence and the killing of any
living thing
 When people learned to follow this Buddhist Middle Path, they
would find lasting peace, called nir vana. Once a person reached
this point, that person would no longer need to go through
reincarnation
THE EIGHTFOLD PATH
SPREAD OF BUDDHISM
Theravada Buddhism
 The oldest school of Buddhism.
 The “Way of the Elders” or the “Small
Vehicle.”
 Found in southern Asia.
 The monastic life is the best way
to achieve nirvana.
 Focus on wisdom and meditation.
 Goal is to become a “Buddha,” or
“Enlightened One.”
 Over 100,000,000 followers today.
Theravada Buddhism
Mahayana Buddhism
 The “Great Vehicle.”
 Founded in northern Asia (China, Japan).
 Buddhism “for the masses.”
 Seek guidance from Boddhisatvas, wise
beings.
 Goal: Not just individual escape from the
wheel, but the salvation of all humanity
through self-sacrifice of those enlightened
few.
Tibetan Buddhism
 The “Diamond Vehicle.” [Vajrayana]
 Developed in Tibet in the
7c CE.
 A mix of Theravada and Mahayana.
 Boddhisatvas include
Lamas, like the
Dalai Lama.
 The Tibetan Book
of the Dead
[Bardo Thodol].
Zen Buddhism
 The “Meditation School.”
 Seeks sudden enlightenment [satori]
through meditation, arriving at emptiness
[sunyata].
 Use of meditation masters [Roshi].
 Beauty, art, and aesthetics:
 Gardens.
 Archery.
 Tea ceremony.
 Calligraphy.