Siddhartha

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Siddhartha
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Herman Hesse

• Born in Claw in the Black Forest July 2, 1877
• He underwent psychiatric analysis with Carl Jung
• He became interested in Eastern philosophy,
  spirituality, and religions because his family
  did lots of missionary work and he went to India
  in 1911

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Herman Hesse

• His parents originally thought he would go into
  theology like so many of his family members.
• He wrote books entitled Siddhartha, Steppenwolf,
  Demian, The Glass Bead Game, Journey to the East,
  Narcissus and Goldmund, Beneath the Wheel, Peter
  Camenzind, and Poems.
• He won the Nobel Prize in 1946 for The Glass Bead
  Game

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Herman Hesse

• He called his books Biographies of the soul
• Several of his novels depict a protagonists
  journey into the inner self. A spiritual guide
  assists the hero in his quest for self-knowledge.

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Hinduism

• It is the worlds 3rd most popular religion, with
  around 900 million followers
• Those who follow are called Hindus
• 80 of India regards themselves as Hindus
• It is over 3,000 years old, though some elements
  are older
• It is not a unified religion. There is no
  founder, no single teacher, nor prophet.

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Hinduism

• It originated from religious practices of those
  who lived near the River Indus, modern day
  Pakistan
• They believe in the universal soul (Brahman)
• Hindus recognize 3 principal gods

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Hinduism

• Brahman has no form, and is eternal
• Brahman is creator, preserver, and transformer of
  everything
• Brahman appears in the human spirit as atman, or
  the soul

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• Karma is central to Hindu faith
• Hindus believe that the soul passes through a
  cycle of successive lives and its next
  incarnation is always dependent on how the
  previous life was lived.

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Varna

• It is the historical division of society into 4
  broad classes
• Brahmins or priests, the highest varna, believed
  to have emerged from Brahmas mouth.
• Kshatriyas, the warrior or ruling class who were
  made from Brhamas arms

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Varna or Caste system

• Vaishyas, merchants or artisans who came from
  Brahmas thigh
• Shudras, unskilled laborers and servants who
  emerged from Brhamas feet. Lowest class
• Untouchables, too lowly to within the system

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Vedas

• The most ancient religious texts which define
  truths for Hindus
• Hindus believe the texts were received by
  scholars direct from God and passed them on to
  the next generation by word of mouth

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Buddhism

• myths about baby Siddhartha are
• He was born fully awake.
• He could speak, and told his mother he had come
  to free all mankind from suffering.
• He could stand, and walked a short distance in
  each of the four directions.
• Lotus blossoms rose in his footsteps
• They named him Siddhartha, which means he who
  has attained his goals.

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Buddhism

• Siddhartha became interested in the old, sick,
  and the dead because he no longer wanted to be
  ignorant.
• Siddhartha realized he was no longer happy with
  his life at age 29. He had discovered suffering,
  and wanted to discover how to overcome suffering.

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Buddhism

• What lead to Siddhartha becoming the Buddha?
• Studied with two famous gurus of the day, but
  found their practices lacking.
• Began to practice the austerities and
  self-mortifications practiced by a group of five
  ascetics. For six years he practiced.
• A young girl begged Siddhartha to eat as he
  looked terrible.

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Buddhism

• He sat under a fig tree and meditated until he
  found answers for suffering. He sat there for
  many days.
• Once he understood the answer, he became the
  Buddha

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Buddhism

• Buddha means he who is awake
• He said that it didnt matter what a persons
  status in the world was, or what their background
  or wealth or nationality, all were capable of
  enlightenment.

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Buddhism

• Buddha achieved enlightenment at the age of 35.
• His last words were Impermanent are all created
  things Strive on with awareness.

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4 Noble Truths

• Suffering exists
• Suffering arises from attachment to desires
• Suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases
• Freedom from suffering is possible by practicing
  the Eightfold path

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Eightfold Path