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Buddhism
An Overview of the Major Religion
of the East
Buddhism
• Comes from the word
“budhi” which means
“to awaken.”
• Religion of more than
400 million people
around the world.
• Is more than a
religion – it is also a
way of life or
philosophy of living.
Siddhartha Gautama
• Lived 2,500 years ago
in Nepal.
• Royal Hindu prince
who gave up the
luxuries of the palace
to find the true
meaning of life after
he observed the
suffering in his
father’s kingdom.
Enlightenment
• After many years of searching, Siddhartha meditated
under a Bodhi tree for 49 days and 49 nights.
• He gained enlightenment when he realized that people
where unhappy because they were never content with
what they had and always wanted more.
Dharma
(teaching)
• Buddha (the
enlightened one)
traveled throughout
India to teach people
how to end suffering
and be free from
greed.
• He died at age 80,
and entered nirvana –
a state of perfect bliss
and happiness.
• 400 million people are
practicing Buddhists.
• Majority live in Asia, but
Buddhism has spread to
every other continent as
well.
• Buddhism follows 3
schools of thought or
teachings:
– Theravada (Sri Lanka,
Burma, Thailand,
Cambodia, Laos)
– Mahayana (Nepal, China,
Japan, Vietnam& Korea)
– Tantric (Tibet, Bhutan,
Mongolia)
Buddhism
Today
The Middle Path
• Buddha taught a “middle path” existed between
the extremes of luxury and hardship.
• His teachings were a guide to help people lead
better lives.
• Each person is responsible for gaining their own
enlightenment through:
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Meditation
Wisdom
Self-control
Helping others
Wheel of
Life
The Four
Noble
Truths
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Human life has suffering
The reason for suffering is greed
It is possible to find an end to suffering
The way to end suffering is to follow the
Middle Path, or Noble Eight-Fold Path.
Noble Eightfold Path
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•
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•
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Right understanding
Right attitude
Right speech
Right action
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right thoughts
Right mediation
The Three Jewels
• Buddha- the teacher
• Dharma- the teaching
• Sangha – the Buddhist community
All Buddhists make a commitment to these
ideals and take them as their guides.
The Five Precepts
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•
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•
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Not harming or killing living things.
Not taking things unless they are freely given.
Have a sensible, decent lifestyle.
Not speaking unkindly or deceitfully.
Not taking drugs or drinking alcohol.
Buddhists believe in caring for others and not
wanting things for themselves is the path to
happiness.
Tibet
• Tibetans follow Tantric
Buddhism.
• Spiritual teachers are called
lamas.
• Buddhists monks live in
monasteries.
• In 1959, China invaded Tibet
and destroyed many
monasteries and killed or
arrested many monks.
• The leader of Tibet’s Buddhists
is the Dalai Lama (“ocean of
wisdom”) who is in exile in
India.
Tibetan Prayer Wheels
• Buddhist temples are
places of meditation and
honoring Buddha.
• Buddhists will walk
around a temple
clockwise and spin prayer
wheels located around
the temple with their
hands.
• Prayers written inside are
released to the four
corners of the world.
Tibetan Prayer Wheels
A Buddhist Prayer
May all beings be happy wherever they are,
weak or strong, tall, broad or medium,
small or large.
May all without exception be happy,
Beings seen or unseen,
Living near or far,
Those born and those about to be born.
May all beings be happy.
Symbols of Buddha
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Footprints
A Lotus flower
A Wheel
A Bodhi Tree
A Stupa
An empty throne with
an umbrella held
above it.
Stupa
Sacred Thangkas
• Sacred Tibetan
paintings that show
the life and teachings
of Buddha.
• Have ancient rules
that the artists follow
in their design.
Meditation
• Meditation is training your mind and
bringing your thoughts and feeling under
control to gain awareness and
enlightenment.
• Meditation can be done anywhere.
• Focused on breathing and concentration.
• Use a mantra or simple sacred verse said
over and over again.
Mandala
• Means circle and is used by monks to focus their
meditation.