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Buddhism
Buddhism is a world religion that began on the
peace, though he owned nothing.
Indian subcontinent, but unlike Hinduism,
The young prince left his palace and lived with
Buddhism spread to many faraway lands. While
Hindu gurus as an ascetic. He prayed and fasted.
Hinduism does not have a single founder, we can
To fast is to eat little or no food. Siddhartha fasted
trace Buddhism back 2500 years to Siddhartha
so strictly that he became very weak. This made the
Gautama, a prince who lived in Shakya, a small
prince realize that self-denial was not the path to
kingdom at the foothills of the Himalayas in present
truth.
day Nepal.
Finally, Siddhartha sat down under a bodhi tree
A legend says that before Siddhartha was born, a
to meditate. To meditate is to calm your mind, often
holy man told his father, King Suddhodana, that if
by focusing on a particular object. After many days
Siddhartha remained in his father’s palace, he would and nights of contemplation, he reached
become a great king, but if he learned of the
enlightenment—a state of heightened wisdom.
suffering of the outside world, Siddhartha would
Siddhartha realized that by putting aside one’s
become a great teacher.
own selfish desires, a person can escape the cycle of
Because Suddhodana wanted Siddhartha to one
death and rebirth to reach a state of peace and
day rule his kingdom, he
happiness called Nirvana.
The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism
shielded his son from anything
Siddhartha told other
unpleasant or disturbing.
people
of his enlightenment
Upon reaching enlightenment,
Siddhartha was raised in
and
he
became well known for
Siddhartha realized what Buddhists
luxury. Palace gardeners
his
teaching.
He taught his
now call the Four Noble Truths:
picked flowers soon after they
followers
to
seek
balance in
1. There will always be suffering in
blossomed so the young prince
their lives. The path to
life.
would never see death. When
happiness is neither through
2.
The cause of suffering comes from
Siddhartha rode from the
indulgence nor denial, he said,
our desire to continually search for
palace, guards cleared beggars
but a “middle way.”
something outside ourselves.
and sick people from the
Siddhartha’s students
3. The way to end suffering is to
streets before his chariot
called him “the Buddha,” which
approached.
means “the Enlightened One,”
overcome selfish desires.
One day, Siddhartha saw
and the followers of
4. The way to overcome selfish desires
two old men who had
Siddhartha’s teachings are
is to follow the eightfold path.
wandered into the path of his
called Buddhists.
The Eightfold Path of Buddhism
chariot; as the curious prince
The Buddha did not want
Right View—Accept the world as it is
pursued these men he came
his teachings to replace other
and not as you want it to be.
across some people who were
religions, though today over
Right Intention—Be motivated by good
very ill. Then, he saw a funeral
three hundred million
procession, and for the first
Buddhists in all parts of the
will, kindness, and empathy rather than
time in his life, the prince
world adhere to his philosophy.
anger, resentment, or greed.
encountered death. His chariot
His ideas traveled to China,
Right Speech—Strive for your word to
driver broke the news to
Korea, Japan, and Southeast
be helpful; do not lie or gossip.
Siddhartha that all of us get
Asia. Buddhism lost most of its
Right Conduct—Be aware of your
old, sick, and eventually die.
influence on the Indian
behavior and always work to be better.
The prince was confused by
subcontinent by the eighth
Right Livelihood—Choose a career
what he had seen, so one night
century, partly because its
that results in joy rather than suffering.
he put on a simple robe and
ideas were absorbed into
Right Effort—Avoid anger, jealousy
secretly left his father’s palace.
Hinduism, and partly due to
As Siddhartha wandered the
the rise of Islam. Buddhism is
and other negative thoughts.
streets, he encountered an
a major religious and moral
Right Mindfulness—Be aware and
ascetic—a holy man who had
force in the world, but it has
control your thoughts and emotions so
given up all comforts and
been all but unknown in its
your thoughts and emotions do not
pleasures.
homeland for over one
control you.
Siddhartha observed
thousand years.
Right Meditation—Focus your mind
that his new
and body so that you can find the path
acquaintance was at
to enlightenment.
Buddhism Questions
1. How are Buddhism and Hinduism similar?
2. According to the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, why is there suffering and what can we do to end
suffering?
3. How would you summarize the Eightfold Path of Buddhism?
1. According to Buddhism, a prophecy foretold
that when he grew up, the Buddha would become
either a holy man, or...
5. According to the Buddha, what happens when we see
suffering as something that we have in common with all
living things?
a. the emperor of India
b. a doctor
c. a powerful general
d. a god
2. What does it mean to reach a state of nirvana?
6. What is The Middle Way?
a. to reach a state of enlightenment where
you no longer need to eat or sleep
b. to reach a state where you have
everything you want
c.
to reach a state of enlightenment where
all your questions are answered
d. to reach a state of enlightenment where
you aren't ruled by desire
3. What does the word "Buddha" mean?
a. God
b. Siddhartha Gautama
c. Prince
d. The Awakened One
7. Think of three aspects of your life that cause you to feel
anger or dissatisfaction. For each example, think of a way
you could focus on changing your outlook, rather than your
circumstances.
1)
2)
4. What is the Noble Eightfold Path?
a. the fourth Noble Truth
b. a path to moving beyond suffering
c. a series of aspects of behaving right, or
wisely
d. all of the above
3)