Download II. Buddhism

II. Buddhism
A. Origins and Beliefs
• 400 million followers today
• Started in India
• Majority of Buddhist today live in
China and Southwest Asia
• Siddhartha Gautama – Founder of Buddhism
who became known as the Buddha
• Born into a noble family and his dad wanted
him to be a great world leader
• Kept his son isolated within his palace
B. Buddhist Legend
• At age 29, Gautama ventured outside of his palace
for the 1st time
• 4 things that changed his life
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1) Saw an old man
2) Saw a sick man
3) Saw a dead man
4) Saw a holy man
C. Result
• Gautama decided to spend his life in search of
religious truth and end suffering
• Left his life of luxury and wandered around India for
6 years
• While meditating under a fig tree he reached
enlightenment and understood the cause of suffering
• Enlightenment – Complete wisdom
• After he reached enlightenment
Gautama became known as Buddha or
“the enlightened one”
• Started preaching his message
Buddha at Work
D. Four Noble Truths
• 1) All life is suffering
• 2) Suffering is caused by our own desires
• 3) End suffering by ending desires
• 4) Can be accomplished by following the
Eightfold path
E. Buddhist Main Goal
• Also believe in karma and reincarnation
• There is no caste system in Buddhism
• Nirvana – “A state of nothingness,” where one is
released from the endless cycle of pain and suffering
• Takes at least 547 reincarnations to reach nirvana
• Thus, a Buddhist main goal in life
is NOTHING
• Buddhist believe that during this
last stage they rejoin with
Brahma
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama