Buddhism
World History
Mrs. Davies
Ms. Krall
Unlike Christianity or Hinduism:
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Buddhists do not believe in the idea of an eminent
being, such as God.
They believe, instead, that the path to enlightenment
is a cycle of reincarnation where the soul moves from
birth to death and back to birth until it reaches
Nirvana.
In order for a person to achieve Nirvana, the body
must be detached from all human needs and desires.
Buddhism was founded in 535 BC
Spread of Buddhism
Buddhists believe that there are 10 qualities
that humans have that must be perfected:
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Generosity
Morality
Renunciation
Wisdom
Energy
Patience
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Truthfulness
Resolution
Loving-Kindness
Equanimity
The Story of Buddhism
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Life of Prince
Siddhartha Gautama
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Born the son of a king in
563 BCE in foot-hills of
Himalayas (Nepal)
Prediction: Ruler of
World or Savior of the
World
Siddhartha’s royal
upbringing: sheltered
from suffering until his
29th year.
Becoming Buddha (the enlightened one)
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Leaving the palace, Prince
Siddhartha sees four
signs: old age, illness,
death, and a monk.
The Prince decides to
leave the palace and to
find a way beyond
suffering.
For six years he practiced
asceticism (renouncing
earthly pleasures)
Becoming Buddha
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Discovery of the Middle
Way
Meditation under the
Bodhi Tree on the full
moon of May
In spite of attacks by Lord
Mara, the god of desire,
Siddhartha breaks
through to nirvana. The
earth is his witness.
“The Enlightened One”
The Four Noble Truths
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Suffering Exists Humans are pre-occupied with selfcenteredness. This leads to pain, misery, sorrow, and
unfulfillment.
Desire Causes Suffering We suffer because our ego dupes us
into believing that we need that which is not permanent
Ending of Desire Brings the end to Suffering One must see
things as they really are, not simply as they are for ourselves.
We need a universal compassion toward all living creatures.
This is not a belief, it is an action.
Ending of Desire Is Found Through the Eightfold Path:
The observance of the truths of the Eightfold Path is at the
heart of the Buddhist life.
Different versions of the Buddha!
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Thai Buddha
Japanese Buddha
Chinese Buddha
Korean Buddha
Indian Buddha
Laotian Buddha
Tibetan Buddha
Vietnamese Buddha
Balinese Buddha
Indonesian Buddha
Mongolian Buddha
Sri Lankan Buddha
The Noble Eightfold
Path
Wisdom (Panna)
1. The Right View
2. The Right Thoughts
(know the truth and resist self-centeredness)
Morality (sila)
3. The Right Speech
4. The Right Action
5. The Right Livelihood
(refrain from unkind, negative speech, respect
all life and work for the good of others)
Meditation (Samadhi)
6. The Right Effort
7. The Right Mindfulness
8. The Right Contemplation
(freeing the mind of evil, elevate one’s thoughts beyond the haze
of emotion and mood, practice the discipline of meditation)
Nirvana
Although Buddha’s immediate goal was to
eliminate the cause of suffering, his ultimate
goal was to become liberated from the cycle of
death and rebirth.
This was to be accomplished by teaching how
we can let go to our existence here on earth.
Once successful, karma no longer matters. We
have reached enlightenment and therefore have
experienced Nirvana.
The Wheel of Samsara (or Life)
According to Buddhism, the following things
interfere with a person’s ability to achieve
Nirvana:
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Self-Delusion
Doubt
Clinging to Ritual
Sensuous Lust
Ill Will
Greed for material
existence
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Greed for nonmaterial
existence
Conceit
Restlessness
Ignorance
Activity!
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In pairs, Take the Story of Buddha, his quest for
enlightenment, the four noble truths, and the noble eightfold
path and create a children’s story.
Create at least 5 illustrations (pictures) with your book. These
pictures will be of your OWN creation.
Your book should have a cover/title page
Your book should be at least 15 pages long.
Objective: To teach children about Buddha’s life and the
importance of following the four nobles truths/eightfold path.
Story can be typed or NEATLY Handwritten
Make sure you proofread. Watch your grammar and spelling!