Buddhism, Daoism and
Confucianism Notes
Buddhism
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Prince, Siddhartha, was born
Father wanted him to be a business man
Dad sheltered Sid from suffering
One day Sid went for a carriage ride
Saw an old man
Saw a sick man
Saw a dead man
Story of Buddha continued..
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Realized there was a lot of pain the world
Pain is inescapable
Left castle and meditated
Ate a grain of rice a day
Almost died
Realized that all the suffering is caused by
suffering.
• To find the meaning of life you have to give up all
desires.
(current) Dalai Lama
Buddhism Notes
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Dalai Lama is leader of Buddhism
Basic belief: wants and desires cause suffering
e.g.: Money, power, fame, love are all traps
Need to stop wanting and you will find
happiness.
• 1950: Chinese conquered region of Tibet
• Buddhist beliefs influenced Southeast Asia
(e.g. India, China, Japan…)
Taoism (Daoism) notes
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Live your life in harmony with nature
Principle: Live in the moment (like a dog)
Yin Yang: The Balance of life
Popular in Southeast Asia
Symbol of Yin Yang
South Korea Flag
Some famous Taoist Proverbs
• “When you are content to simply be yourself
and don’t compare or compete, everybody
will respect you.”
• “Care about people’s approval and you will be
their prisoner.”
Confucianism Notes
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No god – an approach to living life
Popular in Southeast Asia
Developed by Confucius (Kong Fuzi)
Emphasizes order and respect
E.g.  children respect their parents
Community is more important than any one
person.