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Buddhism
Ms. McPeak
Fast Facts
Date founded:
c. 520 BCE
Place founded:
Northeastern India
Founder:
Siddharta Gautama ("the Buddha")
Adherents:
360 million
Size rank:
Fourth largest world religion
Main locations:
China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia
Fast Facts
Major divisions:
Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana
Sacred texts:
Pali Canon (Tripitaka), numerous
Mahayana sutras
Original language:
Pali
Spiritual leader:
Monk (lama in Tibetan Buddhism)
Fast Facts Cont...
Place of ritual:
Temples, meditation halls, shrines
Theism:
Neither confirms nor denies the existence
of God but gives
agency to people over their own destiny
Ultimate reality:
None. Nothing is permanent.
Human nature:
There is no self or soul. Human existence is nothing more
than a combination of five impermanent components
(khandas).
Fast Facts Cont...
Purpose of life:
Theravada - Become an arhat, escape the cycle of
rebirth, and attain nirvana.
Mahayana - Become a buddha and help others
attain enlightenment.
Afterlife:
Rebirth or nirvana. Nirvana is seen simply as the
cessation of suffering by some and as a heavenly
paradise by others.
Holidays:
Vary by region, but often include Buddha's
birthday, Buddha's enlightenment, lunar quarters
The Story of Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama was born into the royal family of a small
kingdom on the Indian-Nepalese border 2,500 years ago.
According to the traditional story he had a privileged and
sheltered upbringing, but was jolted out of his life on realising
that existence includes the harsh facts of old age, sickness,
and death.
The Story of Buddha
This prompted him to puzzle over the meaning of life. Eventually
he felt impelled to leave his palace and follow the traditional
Indian path of the wandering holy man, a seeker after Truth.
After trying various methods, He sat down beneath a pipal tree
and vowed to stay there until he’d gained Enlightenment. After
40 days, on the full moon in May, Siddhartha finally attained
ultimate Freedom.
Buddha's World
What Does Buddha Mean?
Buddha means “Awakened One”
Buddhists believe Siddhartha Gautama reached a state of being that goes
beyond anything else in the world. A Buddha is free from greed, hatred and
ignorance, and characterised by wisdom, compassion and freedom.
Enlightenment brings insight into the deepest workings of life, and therefore into
the cause of human suffering
Was Buddha A God?
The Buddha was not a god, and he made no claim to divinity. He was a human
being who, through tremendous effort of heart and mind, transformed all
limitations. He affirmed the potential of every being to reach Buddhahood.
Buddhists see him as an ideal human being, and a guide who can lead us all
towards Enlightenment.
Is Buddhism a Religion?
To many, Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or “way of life”.
This is because philosophy means “love of wisdom” and the Buddhist path can be
summed up as:
(1) Lead a moral life,
(2) Be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and
(3) Develop wisdom and understanding.
Buddhist Teachings
The Four Noble Truths:
1) The truth of suffering (existence)
2)The truth of the cause of suffering ( craving and attachment- ie desire)
3) The truth of the end of suffering ( Nirvana- suffering ceases at some point- it can be
achieved)
4)The truth of the path that frees us from suffering (“Eightfold Path”)
Five Precepts of Buddhism
Buddhism has a moral code in
which all of its members must
follow:
1)Not to take the life of anything living
2)Not to take anything not freely given
3)To abstain from sexual misconduct/
sensual overindulgence
4)Refrain from untrue speech
5)Avoid Intoxication
Eightfold Path to Nirvana
Meditation
According to Buddhism
meditation is the most
important thing we can do, and
its the only real antidote to our
own personal sorrows, and to
the anxieties, fears, hatreds,
and general confusions that
beset the human condition.
Meditation
Meditation is a means of transforming
the mind. Buddhist meditation
practices are techniques that
encourage and develop concentration,
clarity, emotional positivity, and a calm
seeing of the true nature of things.
Such experiences can have a
transformative effect and can lead to a
new understanding of life.
Would you like to try it?
Celebrity Buddhists
Steven Seagal
“I have been doing serious meditation in my own
pitiful way for probably twenty-seven years.”
Recognised as a Tibetan Lama or spiritual leader in
1997
Celebrity Buddhists
Kate Bosworth
“It’s just a really incredible state
of mind. It’s just a beautiful place
to try and be at. It’s basically
about constantly growing and
making yourself a better person
and focusing on what you want for
yourself and the world and really
putting it out there. It’s amazing.”
Celebrity Buddhists
Richard Gere
Gere is a passionate advocate for human rights in Tibet; he
is a co-founder of the Tibet House, creator of The Gere
Foundation, and he is Chairman of the Board of Directors
for the International Campaign for Tibet.
“It helps me set my motivation
for the day,”
Celebrity Buddhists
Orlando Bloom
“The philosophy that I’ve embraced isn’t
about sitting under a tree and studying
my navel, it’s about studying what is
going on in my daily life and using that as
fuel to go and live a bigger life.”
Celebrity Buddhists
Tiger Woods
“Buddhism has been a major role
in my life. It has given me an
inner peace and calmness that I
think I wouldn’t have achieved at
such an early age.”
Dalai Lama
Dalai Lamas are the head monks of the Gelug school, the newest of
the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in
1989, and is also well known for his lifelong advocacy for Tibetans
inside and outside Tibet. He has since traveled the world, advocating
for the welfare of Tibetans, teaching Tibetan Buddhism and talking
about the importance of compassion as the source of a happy life.
Dalai Lama
He has since traveled the world, advocating for the welfare of Tibetans,
teaching Tibetan Buddhism and talking about the importance of
compassion as the source of a happy life. He has spoken about the
environment, economics, women's rights, non-violence, interfaith dialog,
physics, astronomy,reproductive health, and sexuality, along with various
Mahayana and Vajrayana topics.
Buddhism on PEI
http://www.theguardian.pe.
ca/News/Local/2012-01-16/article2865696/Buddhists-unveil-plans-duringgratitude-tea/1
http://www.gebisociety.org/activities.htm
Buddhist Holiday
If you can find your inner peace the world will
smile with you
http://www.upinspire.com/inspire/252/youwill-be-laughing-by-the-en
Discussion Questions
How might an individual who attains enlightenment in this
lifetime act in the mundane world?
Is meditation training something that should be reserved for
the monk or nun, or might it profitably be taught to
everyone?
Can meditation be effectively practiced in an urban setting,
or must it be reserved for secluded monasteries?
Discussion Questions
What constitutes "being a Buddhist" in Western cultures
and why has it become so popular?
In what ways is the Buddhist worldview similar to or
different from the traditional Western one?
Is western Buddhism too faddish ( a passing phase) to
make a significant impact on Western cultures?
Seven Wonders of the
Buddhist World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=H7ZIpVKZaI4
BBC Radio - The Buddha
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00548br