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Buddhism
"One thing I teach: suffering and the end of
suffering.
It is just ill and the ceasing of ill that I proclaim."
-- The Buddha
Origins
• Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha
Gautama (the Buddha) in approximately
520 BCE in Northeast India.
Origins - Siddhartha Gautama
Siddhartha Gautama
Chinese Zen Master
Laughing Buddha
Chinese origin
Adherents
• Buddhism is the fourth largest world
religion with approximately 360 million
followers.
Views
• Buddhists do not believe
that this world is created
and ruled by a God.
• Buddha urged his
followers to focus instead
on the Four Noble Truths
by which they can free
themselves from
suffering.
The Four Noble Truths
• Suffering Exists.
The Four Noble Truths
• Suffering arises from attachment to
desires.
The Four Noble Truths
• Suffering ceases when attachment to
desire ceases.
The Four Noble Truths
• Freedom from suffering is possible by
practicing the Eightfold path.
Eight-Fold Path
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Contemplation
Right View
Right Thought
The Eightfold Path - Morality
• Right Speech –
Speaking in a
non hurtful, not
exaggerated,
truthful way.
• Avoid lies and
gossip.
The Eightfold Path - Morality
• Right Action –
Avoiding
harmful
actions.
• Don’t steal from
or harm others.
The Eightfold Path - Morality
• Right
Livelihood - Not
harming in any
way oneself or
others; directly or
indirectly.
• Reject work that
hurts others.
The Eightfold Path - Meditation
• Right Effort –
Making
constant effort
to improve
oneself.
• Prevent evil and
do good.
The Eightfold Path - Meditation
• Right
Mindfulness Mental ability to
see things for what
they are with clear
consciousness.
• Control your
feelings and
thoughts.
The Eightfold Path - Meditation
• Right
Contemplation Being aware of the
present reality
within oneself,
without any
craving or
aversion.
• Practice
meditation.
The Eightfold Path - Wisdom
• Right View Understanding
reality as it is, not
just as it appears
to be.
• Incline towards
goodness and
kindness.
The Eightfold Path - Wisdom
• Right Thought Change in the
pattern of thinking.
• Believe in the
nature of existence
as suffering and in
the Four Noble
Truths.
Views
• However, disbelief in a creator God does
not mean that Buddhism is atheistic.
• Some are atheistic while others are
polytheistic (I told you this stuff was
confusing!)
Life’s Purpose
• In Buddhism, the purpose
of life is to end suffering.
Buddha = Enlightened One
The Middle Way:
Correct way to live your life.
Afterlife
• Buddhists believe
people are
reincarnated when
they die.
• This is different than
reincarnation in
Hinduism because
Buddhists do not
believe the soul
passes on to the next
body.
Afterlife
• Nirvana – the candle is
“blown out” as you are
extinguished from the
cycle of death and rebirth
and freedom from the
effects of karma
General Practices
• Meditation
• Mantras
(sacred sounds)
Holy Text(s)
• Tripitaka - is the earliest
collection of Buddhist
teachings