Presentation Transcript
Buddhism: Buddhism Eastern Geography
Buddha from ancient NW India: Buddha from ancient NW India
Siddhartha Gautama: Siddhartha Gautama Years of life: 563 BCE to 483 BCE
Born into wealthy family, prince
Married young, had one son
Left palace and encountered:
An old man
A diseased man
A decaying corpse
An ascetic – a begging monk
Revelation: Revelation Disturbed by this suffering
Life is a fleeting thing
Life is full of Suffering (dukkha)
How can we overcome “dukkha”?
Knew that wealth would not preserve him
He left family, became a begging monk
Wandering India : Wandering India Student of several spiritual masters
Not satisfied with teachings, moved on
Starved himself, nearly died
Reconsidered path
Practiced meditations
Separated “Maya” from reality
Recognized deeper truths
The Awakened One: The Awakened One Realized his “middle way”
No extremes = starvation, indulgence
Sat for 49 days in meditation
Achieved “enlightenment” at age 35
Understood cause and solution of suffering
4 Noble Truths: 4 Noble Truths 1. All people suffer
2. Desire is the cause of suffering
3. End suffering by ending desire
4. Eliminate suffering by following 8 fold path
Eightfold Path: Eightfold Path 1. Know the truth
2. Resist evil
3. Say nothing to hurt others
4. Respect life
5. Work for good of others
6. Free your mind of evil
7. Control your thoughts
8. Practice mediation
The Goal: The Goal Nirvana = "to cease blowing"
No longer touched by desire
No longer reincarnated
“They do not age, nor do they die, they do not perish”
Released from cosmic cycle of rebirth
Buddha’s Life and “Death”: Buddha’s Life and “Death” 45 years teaching to nobles, outcasts
“Dies” around 80 years of age
Enters ultimate state of Nirvana, bodiless
Tells disciples to not follow leaders, only path
Buddhism: Beliefs: Buddhism: Beliefs Rejects Hindu gods
Rejects caste system
Believes in reincarnation (and its end)
Varied beliefs developed over time
Forms of Buddhism: Forms of Buddhism Southern Asia = Theravāda Buddhism
Traditional form: Buddha as teacher
Eastern Asia = Mahayana Buddhism
Buddha as God
Northern Asia = Tibetian Buddhism
Accelerated path to Nirvana
Written Beliefs: No formal “bible” of Buddhism
But most have in common:
discourses of the Buddha
Many other writings
Commentaries
Not accepted by all traditions Written Beliefs