Buddhism

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Buddhism

• Siddhartha Gautama and his teachings

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Questions to answer

• What is religion? Is Buddhism a religion?
• Describe how Buddha lived and his teachings.
• What were the basic principles of Buddhism?

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Siddhartha

• Siddhartha Gautama born in Himalayas (present day
  Nepal).
• Son of rich and powerful parents he was a
  prince.
• Married, had a son

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Awakening

• Siddhartha traveled the world and saw things that
  made him question the world
• Sickness
• Old Age
• Death

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Search

• Siddartha gave up all of his wealth and his
  family, and set out to find the answer to human
  suffering
• Rejected Hinduism and the caste system as unjust
• Gave up most food and practiced strict meditation

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Enlightenment

• Near starvation, meditating under Bodhi tree,
  became enlightened to the Great Truths.
• Suffering caused by desires, one must give up
  desires by seeking the Middle Way.
• The Middle Way reached by accepting the Four
  Noble Truths and following the Eightfold Path
• Goal Nirvana (a state of mind that is free of
  all suffering)

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Teachings The Four Noble Truths

• Life is full of suffering.
• Suffering is caused by worldly things, desires
  (greed, hatred, ignorance).
• Suffering can be ended by stopping desires.
• The only way to stop desires is to follow the
  Eightfold Path.

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Teachings The Eightfold Path

• Right Understanding
• Right Intention
• Right Speech
• Right Action
• Right Livelihood
• Right Effort
• Right Mindfulness
• Right Concentration

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Reincarnation

• Believed in reincarnation, but with a difference.
• A person could stop reincarnation by following
  the Eightfold Path.
• A persons place in life depended on the person.
• Who would like this message?

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Why is the Buddha represented as overweight?

• Buddha a Noble, image of Nobles well fed. Also,
  the idea that fat men jovial, bringers of good
  luck (rub the belly for good luck). First used
  in China.
• 6th Century Chinese monk seen as reincarnation,
  seen as reincarnation of previous Buddhist
  teacher. He was overweight, and represented as
  such.
• 850 C.E., another Chinese monk, overweight with a
  large bag. Often asked how to reach Nirvana,
  would lay bag down. When asked what happened
  when Nirvana reached, picked bag up, never saying
  a word.