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Buddhism- The Search for Nirvana
Origins
• Began in India in 400 BCE
• Founded in the teachings of the
leader, Buddha or “the enlightened
one”- was once a Prince
• Prince Saddhatta lived a sheltered
life inside his palace walls
• Emerged from palace to see four
things
•
•
•
•
An old man
A sick man
A funeral procession
A holy man
• Decided to give up all his worldly
possessions and his family to experience
suffering
Origins- continued
• The Prince left his palace to seek
the truth about human suffering
and achieve the peace of mind like
the holy man he had seen
• He wanted to escape the cycle of
suffering, death and rebirth
(reincarnation)
• He tried many things such as
starving himself, cutting all his hair
off (a sign of vanity in India), and
slept outdoors – nothing worked
• Finally he meditated under the
“Bodhi” tree at Bodh Gaya (NE
India) and after 3 days and nights,
he found ENLIGHTMENT
• ENLIGHTMENT means free from
the fear of suffering and and the
cycle of death and rebirth
• He meditated alone for several
weeks and then left to teach
others how to find enlightment
Buddha taught:
Beliefs- The Four Noble Truths
• Suffering: all life is
suffering
• The cause of suffering:
desire and craving
• To end suffering: To stop
craving and desires
• The way to end
suffering: The Noble
Eightfold Path.
Beliefs- Noble Eightfold Path
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
See the world as it really is
Have the right intentions
Speak kindly, warmly, respectfully
Do not kill, harm or steal
Avoid jobs that harm the environment and creatures
Control dangerous desires
Be aware of your thoughts and feelings
Achieve a state of inner calm through meditation
Beliefs- Bodhisattvas
• Bodhisattvas- deities are
supernatural beings who provide
rainfall, good crops, wealth, etc.
• These BODHISATTVAS are people
who have achieved enlightment,
but who have postponed nirvana
to help others find enlightment
• Some Buddhists think that by
praying to a deity their prayers will
be answered
Beliefs- Karma
• Buddhists believe that a person’s
actions give them good or bad
karma
• If a Buddhist does not reach
ENLIGHTMENT in their lifetime,
they will be reborn into one of the
six realms on the Wheel of
Samsara
• You can be reborn into everything
from a god to hell
• The best is to be reborn into a
human so you have a chance to
reach nirvana again
Scriptures
• There are many but best known is:
• Pali Canon
• Text is carved onto wooden blocks
and paper is rubbed over them
• Three parts:
• Explains the rules, explanations and
stories for nuns and monks
• 10,000 sayings from Buddha and his
followers
• Info on Philosophy, science and religious
beliefs
Temples
Laughing Buddha in Richmond (there
are lots of buddhas- those who have
reached Nirvana are a Buddha
Richmond
Prayer Wheels in Tibet
Tibet Temple- watching you! Or meditation?