Buddhism &
Confucianism
Already
KNOW
NEED to Know
Will Learn
Words to Know
• Siddhartha Gautama
• Ascetic
• Middle Way
• Buddha
• Four Noble Truths
• Eightfold Path
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Confucius
Tao
Ying/Yang
Ethnic group vs.
Religious Group
• Ethnic groups share many common
characteristics such as language, physical
features, customs, and traditions
• Religious groups share a common belief
system but are not necessarily composted
of a single ethnic group.
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Background
• Buddhism is
described as a
religion and a
collection of
philosophies, based
on the teachings of
Siddhartha
Gautama,
• known as Buddha.
• Gautama, is believed to have been born in the city of Lumbini,
Nepal. Born a prince, his father, King Suddhodana, was
supposedly visited by a wise man shortly after Siddhartha was
born and told that Siddhartha would either become a great
king or a holy man. Determined to make Siddhartha a king, the
father tried to shield his son from the unpleasant realities of
daily life. Despite his father's efforts, at the age of 29, he
discovered the suffering of his people, first through an
encounter with an elderly man then he saw the sufferings of a
diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. These are
often termed 'The Four Sights.'
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Siddhartha
Gautama
• Gautama, deeply depressed by
these sights, sought to
overcome old age, illness, and
death by living the life of an
ascetic. Gautama escaped his
palace, leaving behind this
royal life to become a beggar.
For a time on his spiritual quest,
Buddha "experimented with
extreme asceticism, which at
that time was seen as a
powerful spiritual practice...such
as fasting, holding the breath,
and exposure of the body to
pain...he found, however, that
these ascetic practices brought
no genuine spiritual benefits
and in fact, being based on
self-hatred, that they were
counterproductive."
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Siddhartha
Gautama
Became
an ascetic
Interactive Notebook Question
(Left Side)
• Think-Pair-Share
• Why would someone think living an Ascetic
life would be spiritual?
Enlightenment
• After abandoning asceticism and
concentrating instead upon meditation
Gautama is said to have discovered
what Buddhists call the Middle Way—a
path of moderation that lies mid-way
between the extremes of selfindulgence and self-mortification. He
accepted a little milk and rice pudding
from a village girl and then, sitting under
a tree ,he vowed not to arise until he
had found the Truth. His five
companions, believing that he had
abandoned his search and become
undisciplined, left. After 49 days
meditating, at the age of 35, he
attained bodhi, also known as
"Awakening" or "Enlightenment". After
his attainment of bodhi he was known
as Buddha or Gautama Buddha and
spent the rest of his life teaching his
insights. According to scholars, he lived
around the fifth century BCE. He died
around the age of 80.
Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE)
 Born in NE India
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(Nepal).
Raised in great luxury
to be a king.
At 29 he rejected his luxurious
life to seek enlightenment
and the source of suffering.
Lived a strict,
ascetic life for 6 yrs.
Rejecting this extreme, sat in
meditation, and found nirvana.
Became “The Enlightened One,” at 35.
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Siddhartha
Gautama
Became
an ascetic
Enlightenment
Middle Way
• The guiding idea of Buddhist
practice the Middle Way which
was discovered by the Buddha
prior to his enlightenment
(bodhi). The Middle Way or
Middle Path is described as the
practice of non-extremism;
DON’T SELF INDULGE
• It also describes the state of
nirvana and perfect
enlightenment.
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Siddhartha
Gautama
Became
an ascetic
Enlightenment
Middle Way
The Four Noble Truths
• The Buddha taught that in life
there is sorrow/suffering, that is
caused by desire and it can
be stopped by following the
Noble Eightfold Path.
• There is suffering
• There is a cause of
suffering—craving
• There is the cessation
of suffering
• There is a way leading
to the cessation of
suffering—the Noble
Eightfold Path
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Siddhartha
Gautama
Became
an ascetic
Enlightenment
Four Noble
Truths
Middle Way
The Noble Eightfold Path
• The Noble Eightfold Path is the way to end suffering, the fourth part of the
Four Noble Truths. This is divided into three sections:
• Śīla is morality—abstaining from unwholesome deeds of body and
speech. Within the division of sila are three parts of the Noble Eightfold
Path:
• Right Speech—One speaks in a non hurtful, not exaggerated,
truthful way
• Right Actions—Wholesome action, avoiding action that would do
harm
• Right Livelihood—One's way of livelihood does not harm in any
way oneself or others; directly or indirectly
• Samadhi is developing mastery over one’s own mind. Within this
division are another three parts of the Noble Eightfold Path:
• Right Effort/Exercise—One makes an effort to improve
• Right Mindfulness/Awareness—Mental ability to see things for
what they are with clear consciousness
• Right Concentration/Meditation—Being aware of the present
reality within oneself, without any craving or aversion.
The Eight Fold Path
Buddhism Holy Texts
The religious text of
Buddhism is the Tripitaka
which is the early
teachings of Buddha.
Types of Buddhism
 Therevada Buddhism
 Mahayana Buddhism
 Tibetan Buddhism
 Zen Buddhism
Buddhism Holy Place
Bodhgaya, in the state of Bihar in India, is
considered by many adherents of Buddhism to
be their most holy site. Gautama Buddha is
said to have attained enlightenment while
sitting under a tree located in Bodhgaya.
Interactive Notebook Question
(Left Side)
• Think-Pair-Share (You pick one question)
1. How is Buddhism different from Hinduism?
2. How did Buddhism spread throughout
Asia?
3. How is Buddhism different from Islam?
Confucius (Kung Fu-Tzu)*
(551-479 BC)
“Never kiss a fool, or be fooled by a
kiss.”
*Family name = Kung (Kong)
Personal name = Zhong-ni
Kung Fu-Tzu (Kong Fu-zi) = “Master Kung”
“Confucius” = Latinization of “Kung Fu-Tzu”
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Kung Fu-Tzu
The Life and Legacy of
Confucius
• Born in 551B.C.E. to a
noble but poor family.
• Confucius died in 479
B. C. E.
• Confucius was an
exceptional student
who later became a
teacher and a
government official.
• His writings deal with individual morality and
ethics, and the proper exercise of political
power by the rulers.
• Confucianism does not contain all of the
elements of some other religions, like
Christianity and Islam. It is primarily an
ethical system to which rituals at important
times during one's lifetime have been
added.
• Texts:
• The Si Shu or Four Books:
• The Wu Jing or Five Classics:
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Kung Fu-Tzu
Government
Official
Anthem
The ancient
State of Lu
That’s where Confucius
was born & spent most
of his life.
Confucianism originated in China,
but its influence spread to Korea &
Japan over the centuries.
Central concepts in Confucian
thought
• TAO (“Way”) - the Ultimate; the
One; the Absolute; the underlying
Power; the Source
• Yin/Yang - the dual expression of
TAO; neither is superior to the
other
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Kung Fu-Tzu
Government
Official
Spread to
China, Korea,
and Japan
Tao
Yin/Yang
Confucian Holy Place
• Qufu, China is the birthplace of Confucius
Stop and Summarize!
• 1. Who founded Buddhism? Give both
names.
• 2. What are the religious texts for Buddhism
and Confucianism?
• 3. Where did the two faiths begin?
Bibliography
• Buddhism. Religious tolerance.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism.htm. January 2008
• Buddanet. http://www.buddhanet.net/. January 2008