Transcript Section 3 Lectures

Chapter 5 Section 3
Origins of Buddhism
Origins of Buddhism
The Big Idea
Buddhism began in India
and became a major religion.
Main Ideas
• Siddhartha Gautama searched for wisdom in many ways.
• The teachings of Buddhism deal with finding peace.
• Buddhism spread far from where it began in India.
Siddhartha's Search for Wisdom
• Siddhartha Gautama, was a
prince born in the Himalayas
around 563 BC.
• He was a Kshatriya, part of the
ruler and warrior caste
• He saw human suffering, and began
to ask questions about the meaning
of human life.
The Quest for Answers
• Siddhartha Gautama left his home around the age of 30, to search for
the meaning of human life.
• He had discussions with priests and wise men, however they could not
answer his deepest questions.
The Buddha finds Enlightenment
• Siddhartha spent many years trying to free his mind from daily concerns.
• He fasted and meditated to find his answers.
• According to legend, Siddhartha spent six years wandering through India and
then meditated under the Tree of Wisdom for 7 weeks.
The Buddha finds Enlightenment
• Finally at last, he figured out the problems of human suffering.
• Wanting what we like but do not have
• Wanting to keep what we like and already have
• Not wanting what we dislike but have
• He described his ideas to his followers and titled it he First Sermon
The Buddha finds Enlightenment
• Siddhartha was 35 when he found
enlightenment under the Tree of
Wisdom
• From that point on, he would be
called the Buddha or the “Enlighten
One.”
• The Buddha spent the rest of his life
traveling around India and teaching
people his ideas.
Teachings of Buddhism
• As he travelled, he gained followers among the merchants and artisans class.
• Many of his views reflected Hindu beliefs
• Like Hindus, he believed that people should act morally and treat others well.
Teachings of Buddhism
Buddha’s Guiding Principles were called Four Noble
Truths
1.
2.
Suffering and unhappiness are a part of human life. No one
can escape sorrow.
Suffering comes from our desires for pleasure and material
goods. People cause their own misery for wanting what they
cant have.
3. People can overcome desire and ignorance and reach
nirvana, a state of perfect peace.
People can overcome ignorance and desire by following an
4. eightfold path that leads to wisdom, enlightenment, and
salvation.
The Eightfold Path
• The Buddha believed that the Eightfold Path was a middle way
between human desires and denying oneself any pleasure.
• He believed that people should overcome their desire for material goods.
• They should, however, be reasonable, and not starve their bodies or cause
themselves unnecessary pain.
Challenging Hindu Ideas
• The Buddha taught that following the Vedic texts was unnecessary, for
example that animal sacrifices were not to needed.
• The Buddha challenged the authority of Hindu priests
• He did not believe that their rituals were needed for enlightenment, and instead
everyone must work for his or her own salvation.
• However, he did support the idea of reincarnation
Challenging Hindu Ideas
• The Buddha was opposed to the caste system.
• He believed that people should not be confined to a particular place in
society.
• Everyone who followed the Eightfold Path would achieve nirvana, despite
the varna they are born into.
Challenging Hindu Ideas
• The Buddha’s opposition to the caste system won him support from
the lower classes.
• Buddhism made people feel that they had the power to change their lives.
• The Buddha also gained favor of the upper classes, they welcomed his ideas
about avoiding extreme behavior while seeking salvation.
• The Buddha would die in 483 BC
Buddhism Spreads
• After his death, Buddhism
began to spread to other
areas
• A council was formed to
make sure his teachings were
remembered correctly.
• 200 years after his death,
Buddhism had to spread to
all of India.
Buddhism Spreads
• Asoka, one of the most powerful kings in India, became a Buddhist and
spread Buddhism in India and foreign lands
• Asoka sent Buddhist missionaries, people who work to spread
religious beliefs, to travel the world and to teach enlightenment.
• Buddhism reached as far east as China and Japan, and as far west as Syria and
Egypt.
A Split within Buddhism
• Buddhism split into two main sects: Theravada and Mahayana.
• Members of the Theravada followed the Buddha’s teachings exactly.
• Members of the Mahayana believed that individual interpretation was
important.
Questions pages 136-141
Answer in a complete sentence
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Who was Siddhartha Gautama?
What did the Buddha conclude about the cause of suffering?
What are the Four Noble Truths?
How did Buddha’s teaching agree with Hinduism?
What is one reason why Buddhism spread so quickly?