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Buddhism – Quick Facts • One of the four largest religions in the world today with over 350 million followers • Followers are known as Buddhists • Followers are located primarily in Asia • (China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, etc.) • Based on pursuit of enlightenment (Nirvana) • Key Beliefs: The Four Noble Truths The Eightfold Path Buddhist Shrine in Japan Founder: Siddhartha Gautama • Born in India, raised in luxury, was overcome with the suffering that exists in the world • Set out to find enlightenment through physical deprivation – found it didn’t work • Found enlightenment through the “Middle Path” – moderation and getting rid of desires • Got followers and became known as Buddha (“The Enlightened One”) Main Beliefs • Goal: to end the cycle of rebirth and suffering : Attain Nirvana! • Attained by: discarding desires • How: Meditating on the Four Noble Truths Four Noble Truths • 1. The world is suffering • 2. The cycle of reincarnation is a result of desires “The thirst for existence leads from rebirth to rebirth . . .” • 3. suffering ends by eliminating desires “Nirvana”literally means “Snuffing Out” as greed, hatred, desire, and delusion are all extinguished • 4. One can eliminate desire by following the Eightfold Path The Eightfold Path •RIGHT VIEW: Accepting Buddhist views. •RIGHT RESOLVE: A serious commitment to developing the right attitudes. •RIGHT SPEECH: telling the truth and speaking in a thoughtful and sensitive way. •RIGHT ACTION: Abstaining from wrongful behavior or over indulgence. •RIGHT LIVELIHOOD: Avoiding a livelihood that harms others. •RIGHT EFFORT: Controlling one’s thoughts and cultivating positive states of mind •RIGHT MINDFULNESS: Cultivating constant awareness •RIGHT MEDITATION: Developing deep levels of mental calm through various techniques which concentrate the mind and integrate the personality. Places of Worship • Places of Worship include Stupas, Temples, and Shrines A Temple in Japan A Stupa in Thailand Leaders • There are two types of leaders in Buddhism, priests and monks Bodhisatvas: Those who’ve attained enlightenment but experience rebirth to help others (a saint) Symbols • Wheel of Life 8 spokes remind people of the Eightfold path and the wheel represents the cycle of life, death, and rebirth • Lotus Flower symbolizes purity Holy Book • The Tripitaka – Written down from what oral tradition said about Buddha’s sayings • When written in English, it is over 40 volumes! Divisions • There are two main branches of Buddhism • Mahayana – Believes Buddha was divine • Theravada – Believes Buddha was a great teacher