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ORIGINS OF BUDDHISM
WHAT DID THE
BUDDHA TEACH?
Buddhism: a religion founded in India based
on the teachings of Buddha which teaches that
the most important thing in life is to reach
peace by ending suffering.
The lotus is a symbol of Buddha. It represents
purity.
The Big Idea
Buddhism began in India
and became a major religion.
Main Ideas
• Siddhartha Gautama searched for
wisdom in many ways.
• The teachings of Buddhism deal with
finding peace.
• Buddhism spread far from where it
began in India.
Siddhartha Gautama
Ancient Indian
prince who became
a religious leader
known as The
Buddha or
Enlightened One,
who founded
Buddhism.
Kosala: an ancient kingdom in northern India where
Siddhartha Guatama is said to have been born
Siddhartha Gautama
The Buddha, began his life as a prince in India.
Birth: Was born into the wealthy warrior caste.
It is believed that before his birth his mother had a dream of
an elephant piercing her side with its tusk. This was
interpreted to mean that he would be a great leader or a
wandering holy man.
Childhood
His mother died shortly after his birth. His father lavished
him with wealth so he would never want to leave the
palace. He was completely sheltered from the outside
world.
The Three Visions
Siddhartha grew up never knowing much about the outside
world.
He married young and had a son.
When he was in his 20’s he went outside the palace and
experienced three visions which changed his life.
1. Siddhartha saw someone in advanced old age.
2. He saw a very sick person
3. He saw a dead body.
Siddhartha had never before been aware of human suffering.
He felt his life was a lie and abandoned it to become an ascetic, or
wandering holy man in an attempt to find a way to end human
suffering.
Seeking Truth
Siddhartha tried many different ways of
achieving enlightenment.
Enlightenment: A blessed state in which the
individual transcends desire and suffering and
attains Nirvana.
He tried meditation, fasting, physical
discomfort, but none alone worked for him.
He almost starved himself to death at one point.
After that he knew he needed to try something different.
Siddhartha decided that he would meditate until he discovered the way to end
human suffering.
Bodhi Tree: He sat under a Bodhi tree and
said that he would not get up until he had
achieved enlightenment.
He meditated for 40 days, and at the end
said that he was “awake” he had achieved,
Nirvana, or Enlightenment. This is when he
became the Buddha, or “Enlightened
One.”
Siddhartha
Quest for Answers
Enlightenment
• Siddhartha was born a
Hindu prince, but he
questioned the meaning
of life.
• Found it under the Tree
of Wisdom while
meditating
• Determined to find
answers using:
• Meditation
• Fasting
• Learning from
different teachers
• Called the Buddha
(Enlightened One)
• Spent the rest of his life
traveling and teaching
his ideas
Four Noble
Truths: the
principles
that rule life
and promise
an end to
suffering.
Teachings of the Buddha
The Buddha gave his first sermon in the
deer park where he taught the four main
ideas of his teachings.
Four Noble Truths
1. All life is full of suffering.
2. We suffer because we desire things
that are illusions. We want material
possessions.
3. The way to not suffer is to overcome
our desire.
4. To do that one must follow the
Eightfold path, or Middle Way.
Middle Way:
A way of life
neither too
strict nor too
easy that
results from
following the
Eightfold
Path
Eightfold
Path: The
basic rules
of behavior
and belief
leading to
an end of
suffering
Reincarnation: The
Buddha taught the belief
of Samsara, or
Reincarnation. As long
as one is tied to material
possessions of this earth
and does not achieve
enlightenment, then one
will have suffering.
Nirvana: The ultimate
goal of Buddhism is to
be released from the
cycle of death and
rebirth.
Karma: the
result of all of
a person’s
good and bad
acts, which
determines
rebirth.
Challenging Hindu Ideas
Ancient Ways
• The Buddha
taught that
following the
Vedic texts
was
unnecessary.
• Challenged the
authority of
Hindu priests
Changing
Society
• A more
individualistic
approach to
enlightenment
• Rebirth as a
means to
evolve
Caste System
• Opposed caste
system
• The Eightfold
Path could lead
any individual
to nirvana.
• The Buddha’s
teachings
reached all
classes.
Buddha believed that the
most important thing in
life was to reach peace by
ending suffering.
Spread of Buddhism
Convents and Monasteries: The Buddha had many followers, both men and
women. He did not discriminate based on gender.
Death of the Buddha: He died of food poisoning at the home of a friend.
Scriptures: His teachings were collected in the Tripitika, or three baskets of
wisdom.
Teachings
Caste System: The Buddha rejected the caste system. He said all people were
capable of achieving enlightenment in one lifetime. Although not everyone did so
,Buddhism does believe in reincarnation.
Ahinsa: Taught non-violence, same as Hinduism
Meditation: Taught that one should meditate. Yoga and Martial arts are seen as a
form of mediation.
Buddhism began in India and then
became a major religion.
Buddhism branches out
• Asoka, one of the most powerful kings in India, became a Buddhist
and spread Buddhism in India and foreign lands.
• Buddhist missionaries traveled the world to teach enlightenment.
Buddhism splits
• Buddhism split into two main sects: Theravada and
Mahayana.
• Members of the Theravada followed the Buddha’s teachings
exactly.
• Members of the Mahayana believed that individual
interpretation was important.
Asoka: King who united India in
the 200s B.C. and made
Buddhism the state religion.
Asoka built temples and schools ,
and sent missionaries to other
areas of Asia
Monk: A
man who
devotes his
life to a
religious
group, often
giving up all
he owns.
Monastery: A community
in which monks lead lives
devoted to religion.
The Dalai Lama