Buddhism
Focus on Peace
Origins
C. 500 B.C.E. a time of upheaval in India
Many Hindus respond to the chaos by
seeking a more spiritual life
Sidhartha Gautama, a Kshatriya prince,
had a sheltered childhood
On a tour of his estate as an adult he sees
sickness, poverty, & death
Foundation of beliefs
Leaves his wife & infant son to find a way
to end suffering
After seven years of wandering &
meditation he finds the answer
4 Noble Truths (Beliefs)1. Life is filled with sorrow & suffering.
2. The cause of all suffering is people’s
selfish desire for the temporary pleasures
of this world.
3. The way to end all suffering is to end all
desires.
4. The way to overcome such desires &
attain enlightenment is to follow the
Eightfold Path, which is the Middle Way
between desire & self-denial.
Eightfold Path
“What is the Middle Way?...It is the Noble
Eightfold Path-Right Views, Right Resolve,
Right Speech, Right Conduct, right
Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness,
& Right Concentration. This is the Middle
Way.” Buddha-from Samyutta Nikaya
Put this into your own words.
Other Beliefs
Buddhists share the belief in reincarnation
& karma
Nirvana, release from the cycle of rebirth,
is the goal of all Buddhists
There are two forms of Buddhism:
Theravada (south & SE Asia) & Mahayana
(China, Korea, & Japan)
Impact on daily life…
Your choices determine your current
status
Rewarded or punished based on actions
Rejects strict social structure of Hinduism