Origins of Buddhism
Chapter 19, Section 3
Main Ideas
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1. Siddhartha Gautama searched for wisdom in many ways.
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2. The teachings of Buddhism deal with finding peace.
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3. Buddhism spread far from where it began in India.
Key Terms
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Fasting- going without food
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Meditation- the focusing of the mind on spiritual ideas
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Nirvana- a state of perfect peace
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Missionaries- people who work to spread their religious beliefs
Siddhartha’s Search for Wisdom
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Not everyone in India was Hindu.
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Siddhartha Gautama was a prince who grew up in the Kshatriya caste.
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He felt something was missing from his life and began looking to answers to
life’s meaning.
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He saw how hard people worked and how much grief they suffered.
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Siddhartha left his home and family to find answers to the meaning of life
but could not find them.
Siddhartha looks for answers…

He did not give up. He wanted to free his mind from daily concerns to look for
answers.
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He traveled from place to place
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He did not clean himself.
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He began to fast (go without food).
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He spent his time meditating (focusing the mind on spiritual ideas).
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He did this for six years. He sat down to meditate close to the Ganges River
Suffering Comes From:
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Wanting what we like but do not have.
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Wanting to keep what we like and already have.
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Not wanting what we dislike but have.
Tree of Wisdom/First Sermon

Siddhartha meditated under the Tree of Wisdom
and told his followers what he had determined in
the First Sermon.

From this point on, he became known as the
Buddha, or “The Enlightened One”.

The Buddha spent the rest of his life traveling
across northern India and teaching people his
ideas.
Teachings of Buddhism: Four Noble Truths

1. Suffering and unhappiness are a part of human life. No one can escape
sorrow.
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2. Suffering comes from our desires for pleasure and material goods. People
cause their own misery because they want things they cannot have.
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3. People can overcome their desires and ignorance and reach nirvana, a
state of perfect peace. Reaching nirvana would free a person’s soul from
suffering and from the need for further reincarnation.
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4. People can overcome ignorance and desire by following an eightfold path
that leads to wisdom, enlightenment, and salvation.
The Eightfold Path
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1. Right Thought- Believe in the nature of existence as suffering and in the Four
Noble Truths.
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2. Right Intent- Incline toward goodness and kindness
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3. Right Speech- Avoid lies and gossip
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4. Right Action- Don’t steal from or harm others.
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5. Right Livelihood- Reject work that hurts others.
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6. Right Effort- Prevent evil and do good.
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7. Right Mindfulness- Control your feelings and thoughts.
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8. Right Concentration- Practice proper meditation
Challenging Hindu Ideas
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The Buddha’s practices went against many Hindu beliefs.
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Buddha opposed the caste system.
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Because of this, many Hindus converted to Buddhism.
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Buddhism allowed people to feel in control of their lives.
Buddhism Spreads
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Buddhism spread thoughout India.
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With the help of Indian king Asoka, Buddhist missionaries were sent to
other countries to teach their religious beliefs.
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Missionaries introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka and other parts of Southeast
Asia, as well as Central Asia and Persia.

It eventually spread to China, Japan, and Korea. In modern times, Buddhism
has become a major global religion.