LIFE OF SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA
 Buddha is a general term meaning one who is
enlightened or awakened (usually applied to the
founder of Buddhism)
 • Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) was a prince of a
small kingdom spanning northern India and Nepal.
 • Buddhism was founded in approximately the 5th
century B.C.E.
 • Siddhartha left home at the age of 29 to seek religious
insight and a solution to the suffering in human life.
LIFE OF SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA
CON’T...
 He practiced extreme self-
denial.
 • While meditating by the
Bodhi Tree (tree of perfect
knowledge) he reached
enlightenment and began
to teach his followers
about it.
 • His teachings are
equalitarian, accessible to
all who wish to be
enlightened.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT BUDDHISM
 About 300million Buddhists world wide
 Approximately 163, 000 in Canada
 Approximately 7000 in Ottawa
 Advocates the search for truth about existence as the way to
escape the essential fact of our existence; suffering.
 Buddhism grew out of Hinduism
 Some aspects of Hinduism were kept but many were
discarded
 Buddha retained: Samsara, karma, dharma, and nirvana

WHAT THE BUDDHA REJECTED
FROM HINDUISM...
 The caste system because it was contrary to the Buddhist
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notion of the equality of all individuals.
Hindu Rituals: saw them as insignificant activities that
dominated the religion.
Questioned Theories about Creation: Buddha believes that
these questions can’t be answered and that is pointless to try.
Sanskrit Language: was used by the Brahmins and very few
people understood it which left the Priests in control.
Rejected the Hindu belief that you could only reach Nirvana
after thousands of lifetimes and upon reaching the Brahmin
caste.
BUDDHISM
 A SHORT VIDEO THAT SHOWS THE WAY IN
WHICH BUDDHISM WAS BORN OUT OF
HINDUISM...
 IT ALSO PROVIDES A QUICK SUMMARY OF
BUDDHISM WHICH WE WILL EXPLORE THIS
UNIT!
BUDDHISM CON’T...
 The Buddha spoke in Pali
which was the language
common to people in his
region.
 Enlightenment can be
achieved through selfeffort and can be achieved
in one lifetime, regardless
of position in society.
 Ultimate Goal: THE END
OF HUMAN SUFFERING
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