The Origins of
Buddhism
Section 8-1
Standards
• H-SS 6.5.5 Know the life and moral
teaching of the Buddha and how
Buddhism spread in India, Ceylon, and
Central Asia.
• E-LA Reading 6.2.3 Connect and clarify
main ideas by identifying their
relationships to other sources and
related topics.
Language of the
Discipline
• Buddhism- a religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha
Gautama.
• Siddhartha Gautama- an Indian spiritual leader.
• Salvation- escape
• Ascetic- people who practice extreme self-denial as part of
their religious life.
• Mediate- to calm or empty the mind, often by focusing on a
single object.
• Enlightenment- a state of perfect wisdom.
Anticipatory Set
• Have you ever thought about what happens to
your body when you die?
• Have you ever wondered if your soul will
continue to live?
• Does the afterlife exist?
• Well Buddhism is a religion that was based on
these teachings from an Indian spiritual leader
named Buddha.
The Life of Buddha
(Input)
• Buddha was born as a prince named Siddhartha
Gautama around 563 B.C.
• He ruled the kingdom now known as Nepal, a
country north of India.
• According to the legend, a fortuneteller predicted
two possible fortunes
• 1. He could become a mighty king a rule all of India
• 2. He could become a religious leader.
The Life of Buddha
(Input)
• Siddhartha was raised in wealth and luxury.
• As he grew up his father protected him from
everything unpleasant.
• He never saw anyone who was poor, sad, or
sick.
• Guards always traveled ahead of him our of the
palace and made sure there wasn’t anything
unpleasant for him to see.
• Siddhartha married young and had a son
The Four Passing Sights
(Input)
• One day when Siddhartha rode out of the palace with
no guards he came upon “Four Passing Sights.”
•
•
•
•
1. An old man being sick.
2. A man shrunken by disease.
3. A man who had died and his family crying nearby.
4. A wandering holy man who was homeless but
content.
• Siddhartha was shocked and horrified.
• “All the joy of life which was in life died within me.”
The Search for Truth
(Input)
• Siddhartha decided to search for the truth about life,
suffering, death.
• He studied with Hindu gurus who taught him that life
was an endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
• There was also a path of salvation from the endless
cycle.
• Siddhartha then joined religious ascetics where he
was to deny himself and his comforts.
Continued…
(Input)
• He wore scratchy clothes, did not bathe, and
meditated in the same spot for days.
• He also ate less until he was only living on a
“single grain or rice” and “one jujube fruit.”
• After 5 years of this his body was very weak and
he fainted.
• When he woke up he realized this was not the
path to truth.
The Great Enlightenment
(Input)
• Siddhartha renewed his search and meditated under
a fig tree, later known as the Bodhi Tree (Tree of
Knowledge).
• He meditated for 49 days and was visited by Mara,
the god of desire and death.
• Mara tried to tempt him to give up his search by
offering him wealth and other desired things.
• When that failed Mara attacked Siddhartha with rain
and showers of rocks.
Continued…
(Input)
• Siddhartha went back into a deep meditation and
saw his past lives.
• He escaped that which tied him to the world and
entered a new life free of desire and suffering.
• He achieved enlightenment and became Buddha,
“the Enlightened One.”
• For 45 years he traveled across India preaching the
message of truth and hope.
Checking for
Understanding
• 1. By what means did Siddhartha Gautama find
truth and hope?
•
•
•
•
A. by waging war
B. by trading goods
C. through traveling
D. through meditation
• Answer: D.
Checking for
Understanding
• Buddhism was started by a man named
•
•
•
•
A. Mara
B. Bodhi
C. Siddhartha Gautama
D. Asoka
• Answer: C.
Checking for
Understanding
• The Hindus told the Buddha about salvation,
and
•
•
•
•
A. a life of wealth, ease, and pleasure.
B. escape from endless cycles of reincarnation.
C. denying himself and physical comforts.
D. a way to attract many followers t his ideas.
• Answer: B.
Checking for
Understanding
• The first group that Buddha studied with in
order to learn the truth about life was which of
the following?
•
•
•
•
A. ascetics
B. monks
C. gurus
D. kings
• Answer: C.
Guided Practice and
Independent Practice
• Students will work on the Reading
Comprehension side of the 8-1
worksheet.
• Guided Practice: #1, 2 and 3
• Independent Practice: #4 and 5.