6596-7132-Buddhism

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Buddhism : 

Siddhartha Gautama “Buddha” Buddhism

Introduction to Buddhism : 

Buddhism began with one man – not a god or a supernatural being – he was an exceptional man who had an extraordinary experience. He “woke up” hence the name Buddha which is derived from the word “budh”- to awaken Life is seen as suffering – we are seen as in a constant state of disease. Buddhism is a therapy for living Introduction to Buddhism

From Pampered Prince to Starving Ascetic : 

Full accounts of the Buddha’s life were not written down until hundreds of years after his death, therefore there are no real “facts” about him, only the stories that have been passed down. Siddhartha Gautama was born in approximately 563 B.C.E. His family belonged to the warrior caste (Kshatriya’s) His father was the ruler of a small region in Northern India. Gautama was born into a position of worldly power. From Pampered Prince to Starving Ascetic

Slide 4: 

Siddhartha Gautama was said to have been born out of his mother’s side, to have walked 7 paces and declared that in this lifetime he would gain enlightenment. A sage who was present at his birth said that he would indeed gain enlightenment and become a saviour. Gautama’s father wanted him to become a universal king so he pampered the young prince with all the comforts of the palace.

Slide 5: 

Gautama grew up in luxury, safe from the suffering of the outside world. He was surrounded by thousands of beautiful dancing girls, and servants who provided for his needs. Eventually he married the finest maiden in the kingdom and they had a son, Prince Gautama seemed to be living a life of complete satisfaction.

The Four Passing Sights : 

While on an outing to the countryside Gautama’s chariot passed by a decrepit old man, he had never before seen old age and was troubled that such a fate was in store for him as well. On a second ride the prince saw a diseased man and again was deeply disturbed. On a third trip Gautama saw a corpse for the first time, he was now more devastated than ever before, because with this sight he learned of death. He was terrified by these 3 sightings and knew that never again would he be able to find contentment in the luxuries of the palace. The Four Passing Sights

Slide 7: 

These first three sights were a great lesson about the reality of suffering and the impermanence of life’s pleasures and life itself. He had now learned the truths about old age, disease and death. He got on his horse and rode from the palace, he encountered the fourth sighting – a religious mendicant (someone who has taken a vow of poverty). The mendicant explained to Gautama that he was searching for salvation from the world of suffering. Gautama was elated and filled with hope because he felt that this was a means of overcoming his despair.

The Great Going Forth : 

At the age of 29 Gautama gave up his life as a prince and secretly left home in the night. Gautama renounced a life of power and sensual enjoyment for the austere life of a religious mendicant, this event in his life is known as “The Great Going Forth” Revered by Buddhists as the triumph of the spiritual over the worldly life. Gautama joined a group of 5 mendicants who practiced asceticism. He was so skilled at this that he would he only one piece of fruit, one sesame seed and one grain of rice as a meal. Soon he became skin and bones. The Great Going Forth

The Middle Way : 

Gautama found that starvation did not lead the way to salvation, and so six years after leaving the palace he ate a meal of rice and milk. He left his life as an ascetic and soon he regained his strength and discovered the Buddhist doctrine of the “Middle Way”. A healthy spiritual life depends on a healthy physical life. Contentment is a good thing. Happiness in body, mind and spirit. The Middle Way

The Enlightened One : 

Gautama sat down in a lotus position under a fig tree, he resolved not to leave the spot until he had found complete and perfect fulfillment. He began his enlightenment by encountering the human shortcomings of fear and passionate desire. It is said that Mara, the god of death, sent down his three daughters – the goddesses of Discontent, Delight and Desire – to try to move Gautama from his spot and possibly succeeding in his enlightenment. Gautama was unmoved and Mara and his daughters left. The Enlightened One

Enlightenment : 

Now that the distractions of Mara had gone, Gautama turned his focus inward and entered a deep meditative trance. During the night called the First Watch, from evening until midnight, Gautama saw his own previous lifetimes. Rebirth to death again and again. During the Second Watch – from midnight until 4am) he acquired the “Devine Eye” which is the ability to perceive the deaths and rebirths of all living beings. During the Third Watch, Gautama discovered the Four Noble Truths, the perfect summary of the human condition and the way to escape it. By discovering the Four Noble Truths, Gautama had attained enlightenment and thus had won salvation. Now Gautama had become the Buddha – The Awakened One Enlightenment

Founding the Sangha : 

For many days the Buddha remained under the fig tree ( referred ever since as the bodhi, or “wisdom tree”) He was forever freed from the sufferings of the human condition in a state of tranquility and infinite wisdom. He was tempted to leave his body and pass into a state of nirvana but he decided to stay and share his discoveries with fellow humans. He found the five mendicants whom he had once joined as an ascetic and taught them about the Middle Way and the Four Noble Truths, they too became enlightened and became arhats (saints). For the remaining 45 years of Buddha’s life he continued to teach, attracting more and more people. This community of Buddhists became known as the sangha. To this day being a Buddhist means to “take refuge” in the Three Jewels: The Buddha, the Dharma (the Buddha’s teachings), and the Sangha. Founding the Sangha

Death and Final Nirvana : 

At the age of 80 in approximately the year 483 B.C.E., the Buddha became very ill after eating a meal of rotten food. Buddha’s final words before his death were “All the constituents of being are transitory; work out your salvation with diligence” He was saying that salvation is available to all who seek it. He then died passing into a state of nirvana forever. Death and Final Nirvana

Homework : 

In your textbook “World Religions”, read pages 63 -68. Homework