Transcript Buddhism
LEYEND OF SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA Siddhartha was born around 560 B.C.E. in what is today Nepal. He grew up in a palace protected from the realities of life. He had a lovely family but had grown restless and discontented. • Running away from the palace, he saw people who were old and diseased and wondered how could anyone live in peace and happiness if this was what life had to offer. • He became a homeless man in search of answers and spent time with monks who lived in asceticism, (fasting and committing self-torture) but this did not bring him peace of mind. • He did not find the answer until he sat beneath a wisdom tree and realized that life is characterized by change and that change is the clue to our suffering. At this moment he became enlightened. We suffer because we desire and are attached to things: Youth Health Material goods Persons Life • All existence is characterized by constant change, so this is impossible. • Accepting this reality and realizing that sensual pleasures, money, and power do not bring happiness, is the clue to become enlightened. Become enlightened = Reach the state of nirvana. state of enlightenment in which all pain, suffering, mental anguish, and the need for successive rebirths disappear. • No person and no thing can magically transform us from unhappy to happy. We may fool ourselves for some time but it would not be true happiness. • Happiness is to be found in living a life of virtue, which for Buddha meant to give up our attachment to people and things. • The path to unattachment is given by Buddha in the Noble Eightfold Path. Seed Symbol • Om mani padme hum' (translation: 'hail the jewel in the lotus') is a six syllable invocation (mantra) of avlokitesvara, one who is invoked as the protector from danger. It is claimed that one who recites this mantra will be saved from all dangers and will be protected. Dharma Wheel • The wheel symbolizes the wheel of Buddhist law, the endless cycle of birth and rebirth. These wheels were generally placed on four lions, back to back, and facing the four cardinal points. THE RITUAL BELL • The hollow of the bell symbolizes the wisdom cognizing emptiness. The clapper represents the sound of emptiness. • The eight lotus petals are the four mothers and four goddesses and the vase represents the vase containing the nectar of accomplishment. KARMA • An important aspect in Budhism is karma, which by definition means: the principle that all actions operate according to causal laws and what I do to another I do to myself. • Good and bad actions produce seeds that eventually will come back at you either in this life or in a following rebirth. REBIRTH • Buddhism believes that a person will continue rebirthing as long as he can attain nirvana. • Depending on your karma is how your following rebirth will be: 1. Naraka beings: those who live in one of many Hells 2. Preta: sharing some space with humans, but invisible to most people 3. Animals: sharing space with humans, but considered another type of life. 4. Human beings:one of the realms of rebirth in which attaining Nirvana is possible 5. Devas : gods, spirits, angels. PLACES OF WORSHIP Buddhist worship • Buddhists can worship both at home or at a temple. It is not considered essential to go to a temple to worship with others. At home • Buddhists will often set aside a room or a part of a room as a shrine. There will be a statue of Buddha, candles, and an incense burner. At temples • Buddhist temples come in many shapes. Perhaps the best known are the pagodas of China and Japan. Another typical Buddhist building is the Stupa, which is a stone structure built over what are thought to be relics of the Buddha TEMPLES Buddhist temples are designed to symbolize the five elements: • Fire • Air • Earth, symbolized by the square base • Water Wisdom, symbolized by the pinnacle at the top All Buddhist temples contain an image or a statue of Buddha. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Angkor Wat DIFFERENT FIGURES IN BUDDHISM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9Ao Zj_FPzU Bibliography http://www.buddhanet.net/elearning/history/b_bell.htm http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/nyorai.sht ml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_twentyeight_Buddhas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism