Buddhism

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Buddhism
Symbols
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The Wheel represents the teachings of Buddha
its motion is a metaphor for rapid spiritual
change the spokes symbolize the Noble Eightfold
Path
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The Lotus progress of the soul, from primeval
mud of materialism through the waters of
experience, and into the bright sunshine of
enlightenment
Buddha Eyes a.k.a. Wisdom Eyes, look in four
directions to symbolize the omniscience
(all-seeing) of a Buddha
Endless Knot symbolizes Buddhas endless wisdom
and compassion the intertwined lines represent
how all phenomena are joined together as a closed
cycle of cause and effect
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Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy
others. He who envies others does not obtain
peace of mind. Buddha
Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by
love this is the eternal rule. Buddha
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.
Buddha
We are shaped by our thoughts we become what we
think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a
shadow that never leaves. Buddha
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Fast Facts

• Who founded Buddhism?
• The Buddha (the enlightened one) Siddhartha
  Gautama
• Name of Deity?
• The Buddha did not teach a personal deity
• Name of Holy Book?
• No one book, but a collection of sacred texts,
  including Dhammapada
• Where is Buddhism found in the world?
• Founded in Northeastern India
• Practiced in India, China, Japan, Korea, most of
  Southeast Asia today

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• How many people practice Buddhism?
• Approximately 362 million
• Who are the leaders of Buddhism?
• Buddhist monks and nuns
• Accepts the ideas of
• Reincarnation
• Cyclical or repetitive view of history, where the
  world is created and destroyed over and over
  again
• Sangha Buddhist religious order at first was a
  community of Buddhist monks and nuns
• Today refers to the entire religious community
• Dharma Buddhist doctrine or teachings
• Three Jewels of Buddhism the religious
  community, Buddha, and dharma
• Nirvana The release from selfishness pain

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History

• Siddhartha Gautama was born to a noble family
• Prophecy indicated he would become a spiritual
  leader if he ever left home
• Left home 4 times when he was 29, encountered
  different men
• An old man
• A sick man
• A corpse
• A wandering holy man who seemed at peace with
  himself
• As a result, he decided to spend his life
  searching for religious truth an end to lifes
  suffering

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Beliefs
Noble Eightfold Path

• Persons achieve complete peace and happiness
  (nirvana) by eliminating their attachment to
  worldly things
• Nirvana is reached by following the Noble
  Eightfold Path

Right views Right resolve
Right speech Right conduct
Right livelihood Right effort
Right mindfulness Right concentration
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Four Noble Truths
First Life is filled with suffering and sorrow
Second The cause of all suffering is peoples selfish desire for the temporary pleasures of the world
Third The way to end all suffering is to end all desires
Fourth The way to overcome such desires and attain enlightenment is to follow the Eightfold path, which is called the Middle Way between desires and self-denial
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Hinduism
Brahma Creator of the Universe
Vishnu Preserver of the Universe
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Indian Cow symbol of fertility and nurturing
Ego is the biggest enemy of humans. Rig Veda
A person can achieve everything by being simple
and humble. Rig Veda
Shiva Destroyer of the Universe
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Swastika symbol of the sun god, Surya, a
representation of all four directions, and a
symbol of Brahma
Aum three states of human consciousness waking
state, dream state, and deep sleep (unconscious)
state pronounced om, most scared syllable, and
is often used in prayers
Bindi symbolizes female energy and is believed
to protect from evil
Lotus symbol for the person seeking release, a
person living without worldly attachments
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Lord Ganesh
Symbols
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Fast Facts

• Who founded Hinduism?
• No one person founded Hinduism
• Name of Deity?
• Three main gods Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva
• Name of Holy Book?
• No one book sacred texts include the Vedas
  the Puranas
• Where is Hinduism found in the world?
• Founded in India
• Practiced in India, Indonesia, parts of Africa,
  Europe, and the Western Hemisphere

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• How many people practice Buddhism?
• Approximately 820 million
• Who are the leaders of Buddhism?
• Guru, holy men, Brahmin priests
• Accepts idea that karma reincarnation
  strengthened the caste system
• Karma good and bad deeds influence life
  circumstances, such as the caste one is born
  into, state of health, wealth, poverty
• Brahma the creator God no longer worshiped as a
  major god
• Brahman the world soul, that contains and unites
  all atmans
• Brahmin name of one of the four major castes
  all Hindu priests are Brahmins

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Beliefs

• The soul never dies, but is continually reborn
• Persons achieve happiness and enlightenment after
  they free themselves from their earthly desires
• Freedom from earthly desires comes from a
  lifetime of worship knowledge, and virtuous acts
• Hindus see religion as a way of liberating the
  soul from the illusions, disappointments, and
  mistakes of everyday existence
• Moksha state of perfect understanding of all
  things
• Atman individual soul of a living being
• Determine what one could eat and how to eat it,
  personal cleanliness, the people one could
  associate with, and how one dressed

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History

• Aryans settled in India prior to 2000 B.C.
• Vedas sacred literature of the Aryans four
  collections of prayers, magical spells, and
  instructions for performing rituals
• Most important Rig Veda, 1,028 hymns to Aryan
  gods
• Between 750 550 B.C. Hindu teachers tried to
  interpret explain hidden meaning of Vedic hymns
• Comments written down known as Upanishads
  explore how a person can achieve liberation from
  desires and suffering
• Gods have taken on different forms meanings
  over last 2500 years
• Today Hindus are free to choose the deity they
  worship or choose none at all

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Aryan Caste System
Mouth Brahmins (priests)
Arms Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors)
Legs Vaishyas (landowners and traders)
Feet Shudras (laborers and peasants)
The person desirous of success and strength
should perform good karma continuously. Rig Veda
One has to be humble if he desires to acquire
knowledge. Rig Veda