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Introduction
• Hello class, today we will enlighten you
with our wonderful religion. Buddhism!
Historical Background
• About 2500 years ago, a prince named
Siddhartha Gautama started to question his
luxurious lifestyle in his palace. So one day he
left the palace and saw 4 sights: a sick man, an
old man, a dead man and a monk.
Historical Background Part 2
• After seeing those sights it made him realize that
even a prince like himself cannot escape illness,
suffering and death. This realization happened
after sitting under a poplar-fig tree in Bodha Gaya
India for many days, in deep meditation. He gained
enlightenment or Nirvana and was given the title of
Buddha, which meant enlightened one.
Basic Belief
• We believe that there is one God. His
name is Siddhartha Gautama, also known
as Buddha.
Sacred Texts
• After Buddha died, his teachings were gradually
written down from what people remembered. "The
Ripitaka" or "The Three Baskets”, is a collection of
Buddha’s sayings, his thoughts about them, and
rules for Buddhist monks, which were originally
written on palm leaves and were collected in
baskets.
Sacred Places and Spaces
• Buddhists visit places associated with Buddha's
life. These places include his birthplace, Lumbini
Grove, the place of enlightenment, Bodha Gaya,
the place of his first sermon, Sarnarth, and the
place he died, Kusinara. There are also other
sacred places, special to the various branches of
Buddhism.
Key Leader
• One famous leader in Buddhism is the
14th Dalai Lama, who is the best known
Buddhist leader, and figure in the world.
He is the spiritual leader of Tibet.
Rituals
• Buddhism incorporates a variety of rituals and practices,
which are intended to aid in the journey to enlightenment
and bring blessings on oneself and others. The practice
of meditation is central to nearly all forms of Buddhism,
and it derives directly from the Buddha’s experiences and
teachings. Meditation is the central focus of Zen
Buddhism and the only way to liberation.
Services
• Services are often held several times each
week, or even daily, but at times that are
convenient for visitors to the temple.
Although there are many different varieties
of Buddhism, most temple services
include: bowing, chanting of sutras and
30 minutes to one hour of meditation
Ceremonies
•
They are many Buddhist
ceremonies, but a very
popular one is for a new
house. In Thailand when a
new house is built, the
Buddhist ceremony called
"KEUN BAAN MAI" happens.
The aim of this ceremony is
to bless the new house and
its inhabitants. Monks are
invited to the house. In fact
the house's owner must pay
to have monks to come to his
house.
Symbols
• Some Buddhist symbols are: the stupa, the
dharma wheel, and the lotus flower. The lotus
flower is a symbol of purity and can be any color,
except blue. The dharma wheel is the wheel of
the law. The stupa is a symbolic grave
monument where relics of a holy monk are kept.
Wesak
• Wesak is the celebration of Buddha's birth. For
Theravada Buddhists, it is also the celebration of
Buddha's enlightenment and death. During this
celebration, statues of Buddha are decorated. Offerings
are taken to monasteries, and sometimes there are
fireworks.
Vassa
• Vassa is a time to meditate and study. In
Buddha's time, it was during the rainy season,
which meant it was hard to travel and teach, so it
was a good time for meditation and study.
During Vassa, all Buddhists are supposed to set
aside some time for study and meditation. At the
end of Vassa, people bring new robes to monks.
Demographics
• About 1.2 to 1.6 billion people throughout the
world practice the religion of Buddhism.
Meditation
• Meditation is important to most Buddhists.
Buddhists look beyond themselves for the
understanding and truth of Buddha’s
teachings. They seek enlightenment or
nirvana.
The Eightfold Path/ The Wheel of Life
• The eightfold path
and the wheel of life
are examples of
things we Buddhists
have to live by. It is
like the 10
commandments in the
Catholic religion, but
for Buddhists.
The Eightfold Path
Nirvana
• Most schools of Buddhism explain Nirvana
as a state of peace, and this state may be
experienced in life, or it may be entered
into at death.
•
Did you know????
• Did you know there is such thing as a
Buddhist flag?