Who was the Buddha
Activity
Working with the person beside you use the flip chart
paper to write down as many stages of the Buddha
life.
Try it first without looking at your notes – put a mark
to show the ones you managed to remember….if
any…..it has been a while!! 
Buddhism
1. What was the Buddha’s “real” name?
2. How long ago did he live (and where)?
3. Why did his father not want him to be a religious
Teacher?
4. How did his father “protect” him?
5. What were the four sights?
6. What did the Buddha learn about the human
condition?
7. What is an ascetic?
8. What is meant by the middle-way?
9. Who or what was Mara?
10. What does enlightenment mean?
Buddhism
“The three Marks of Existence”
The three marks of existence
are sometimes described
as the 3 universal truths.
This basically means that the
Buddha had 3 things to say
about the human condition
that are always true.
My Personal 3 Universal Truths
1. You will never win an argument with a woman,
so for an easier life…..just don’t.
2. People that snore always fall asleep first.
3. You can’t breathe through your nose with your
tongue sticking out.
Buddhists believe that
you can sum up all
existence with three
descriptions.
This is what is called
the Human Condition.
Every religion has a
different way of
describing our condition.
The First Mark
The first mark is called Anicca. It means that everything
changes.
Example
Some good examples to use
for this are fruit rotting over
time, the weather always
changing etc.
Hiya, my name’s Mark, Mark
Anicca. My girlfriend just
dumped me and booted me
out the house. I love her so
much but she doesn’t love
me. She said it was just
time for a change.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Activity 1
Make a list of things that have changed since
yesterday. They can be good or not so good.
They can have changed a huge amount, or
just a tiny wee bit, it doesn’t matter. They
can be near or very far away, important or
insignificant.
Activity 2
You are going to watch the video for the song “hurt”.
Once you have watched it you will be given a copy of the
lyrics to look at in your pairs and you will be asked to
highlight any of the lyrics that support the idea that
everything comes to an end, nothing is permanent
(Annica).
Once you have completed this, can you think of any songs
That also describe the idea of Annica – do you have any
on your phones we could hear?
The Second Mark
The second mark is Anatta,that means we
don’t have a permanent soul – Anicca applied to
humans!!
What Buddhists mean is that everything about
us changes. If that’s true then you really can’t
be a you. It’s just an illusion that you are who
you think you are
Ahh!! I’m Mark, Mark Anatta.
I’ve just heard that I don’t
exist cos I’m changing all the
time. Ahh!! It’s terrible. I
thought I had a good sense of
humour and I was a good
dancer. But now I realise that
I don’t…
……COS I DON’T EXIST
It’s very strange thing to think about, but the more you do
think, the more you see that there really is no such thing
as an individual person.
Don’t believe me? OK, try and
think of something about you,
that doesn’t change over time.
Go on, try.
Agghh!!!!!!!!
Maybe it’s your personality? – But that changes
How about your body? – that definitely changes
Maybe your memories? – We lose them over time
The Five Skhandas
Buddhists don’t want you to just take their word
for it. Buddhist teaching says that everyone is
made up of five factors. None of them stay the
same over time.
Activity 3
In your jotter can you make a note of the five
factors which Buddhists think we are made of?
Clue:Ever look in
a mirror?
The Five Skhandas
Activity 3
Rupa – The physical body
Vedana – Sensations and feelings
Sanna – Cognitions (thoughts and memories)
Sankhara – Character traits (likes and dislikes)
Vinnana – Consciousness (being awake)
**Need to know the description of the five – not the
Sanskrit **
The Third Mark
The third mark of existence is Dukkha. This
basically means suffering. Buddhists believe that
because everything changes we can never hold on
to our pleasures. We’re always left wanting more.
I’m Mark, Mark Dukkha. This
is terrible, it’s all terrible.
I’m always miserable and it
never gets any better. So
now there’s nothing left to do
but pull my hair out. It
doesn’t hurt when your
insane!!!!!!!!
Keef, you know
what I can’t get?
An inner sense
of peace and
well being
Errrr, no
You mean
satisfaction
I like it a lot
Now I know what you’re going to say. Some people have
great lives filled with money and fame and everything they
could ever want. But Buddhists say that whenever you want
something it never does the trick. Think back to something
you really wanted to buy, but when you got it, you didn’t
use it. Well that’s because of Dukkha. It makes us
continually search for a way of getting rid of it, but we
can’t. Not yet anyway.
ANICCA
ANATTA
DUKKHA
Anicca –
Anatta –
Dukkha –
My Explanation
My Explanation
My Explanation
An Example
An Example
An Example
Activity 4
Examples of suffering
Using the newspapers supplied, computers or your phones
(if possible) find stories which describe example of
suffering.
In your jotter you should answer the following questions
relating to your stories.
1)
2)
3)
4)
Summary of story
Who is suffering
What has caused it?
How could this have been avoided.
Try to complete more than one.
Three Marks of existence - Summary
•Buddhist believe the Human Condition can be broken
down into three parts.
•These three parts are Anicca, Anatta & Dhukka
•Anicca is the idea of impermanence
(nothing lasts forever)
•Anatta is the impermanence of human beings.
•The Five Skhandas are the five factors which make up
all human beings.
•Dhukka is suffering – this is what happens to humans
during their existence.