Founding Story:
Begins in the 6th century B.E. Siddhartha Gautama was a man born in the Kshatryia caste system. The son of the king was Siddhartha Gautama. He was born about 23,000 to 25,000 years ago between 300 to 500 B.C at Kapivalastu. For most of his youth, the prince led a sheltered existence within his palace, where he enjoyed court life, married a princess at 16, and had a son. A wise man informed the king that his son was going to be a great king, one who could be a military leader, or a religious leader all depending on if the king was going to keep him sheltered or not. The king did not want his son to become a religious leader, he wanted him to inherit the throne so he raised him inside his palace never allowing him to see the outside world. At the age of 29, Siddhartha gave up his tittle as prince, left his wife and son and ventured to figure out a way to end suffering.
Classification:
Buddhists do not worship god Buddha or pray to him, but they do acknowledge the thousands of god in Hinduism.
Key Figures:
Siddhartha Gautama:
Since the king chose to keep his son sheltered Siddhartha didn't know what was going on outside of his shelter. One day he went out with his chariot driver. He saw a very old man and asked about the man. The chariot driver said that all people grow old. After that day he started going out more and saw people who sickness, old age, death, and a mendicant ascetic. The prince finally renounced his worldly life, to confront human suffering and the continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara). He was a prince that was curious about the outside life and why were others suffering. The prince left his title and his family to find an answer. For about a month, Siddhartha spent his time under a Bohdi tree meditating, while starving himself in order for him to find the answers to suffering.
Since the king chose to keep his son sheltered Siddhartha didn't know what was going on outside of his shelter. One day he went out with his chariot driver. He saw a very old man and asked about the man. The chariot driver said that all people grow old. After that day he started going out more and saw people who sickness, old age, death, and a mendicant ascetic. The prince finally renounced his worldly life, to confront human suffering and the continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara). He was a prince that was curious about the outside life and why were others suffering. The prince left his title and his family to find an answer. For about a month, Siddhartha spent his time under a Bohdi tree meditating, while starving himself in order for him to find the answers to suffering.
Religious Authority:
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The Buddha wrote the principles of enlightenment into a doctrine known as The Four Noble Truths. The Four Noble Truths are
The Noble "Eightfold Path" is:
Sacred Writings:
The Tipitaka is the most sacred of Buddhist scriptures. Tipitaka means three baskets and it comes from the early Buddhist practice of writing on palm leaves that were then stored in baskets. There are two important versions of Tipitaka are Pali Canon and Sanskrit Canon. Pali Canon is an old Indian language that was the native language of Buddha. Sanskrit Canon is another ancient language. Buddha delivered his sermons in Pali because he considered Sanskrit the language of intellectuals. When he talked to common people, he wanted everyone to understand what he was saying.
The Vinaya Pitaka is the Basket of Discipline that applies to Buddhist monks and nuns. This is the oldest but the smallest section of Pali Canon. It has 227 rules for monks and 311 for nuns. At first there was no written set of rules governing the actions of Buddhist monks. When one of the robed holy men behaved in an unbecoming manner. The Buddha's form of punishment was to severely rebuke the offender. The Buddha embarrassed the monk as "foolish man."
The Sutta Pitaka deals with the teaching of Buddha and his close disciples. It includes over 10,000 talks delivered during Buddha's lifetime. The Sutta Pitaka is the most important part of Pali Canon. The suttas have five different groups which are referred to nikayas. The most important is called Khuddaka Nikaya. Dhammapada is considered themost popular part of the Tipitaka because it contains 423 of Buddha's verses that he believes in.
The Abhidhamma Pitaka contains writings that explain Buddha's teachings. This is a part of Tipitaka that is serious for study. The novice monks do not disturb the elder monks when in Abhidhamma Pitaka.
- Life is suffering.
- Suffering is caused by desire, greed, jealousy
- It is possible to end that suffering. To end the suffering caused by desire and ego, one must eliminate the cause.
- Suffering can be ended by following the Noble Eightfold Path, a set of resolutions characterized by a concern for morality, concentration, moderation, positive action, and wisdom.
The Noble "Eightfold Path" is:
- Right View
- Right Intention
- Right Speech
- Right Action
- Right Livelihood
- Right Effort
- Right Mindfulness
- Right Concentration
Sacred Writings:
The Tipitaka is the most sacred of Buddhist scriptures. Tipitaka means three baskets and it comes from the early Buddhist practice of writing on palm leaves that were then stored in baskets. There are two important versions of Tipitaka are Pali Canon and Sanskrit Canon. Pali Canon is an old Indian language that was the native language of Buddha. Sanskrit Canon is another ancient language. Buddha delivered his sermons in Pali because he considered Sanskrit the language of intellectuals. When he talked to common people, he wanted everyone to understand what he was saying.
The Vinaya Pitaka is the Basket of Discipline that applies to Buddhist monks and nuns. This is the oldest but the smallest section of Pali Canon. It has 227 rules for monks and 311 for nuns. At first there was no written set of rules governing the actions of Buddhist monks. When one of the robed holy men behaved in an unbecoming manner. The Buddha's form of punishment was to severely rebuke the offender. The Buddha embarrassed the monk as "foolish man."
The Sutta Pitaka deals with the teaching of Buddha and his close disciples. It includes over 10,000 talks delivered during Buddha's lifetime. The Sutta Pitaka is the most important part of Pali Canon. The suttas have five different groups which are referred to nikayas. The most important is called Khuddaka Nikaya. Dhammapada is considered themost popular part of the Tipitaka because it contains 423 of Buddha's verses that he believes in.
The Abhidhamma Pitaka contains writings that explain Buddha's teachings. This is a part of Tipitaka that is serious for study. The novice monks do not disturb the elder monks when in Abhidhamma Pitaka.
Belief About the Afterlife:
When someone dies their souls are reborn into another body. This process is called reincarnation. This process is similar to Hinduism except there is no caste system. People do not have to move up or down on the caste system. Some people who believed in Hinduism starting believing Buddhism as they felt that is was not fair that they had to move up one by one in the caste system. Most of the people that left where the Sudras and Vaishyas. Only because it would take many years for them to reach Nirvana since they are at the bottom and close to the bottom of all classes. In Buddhism, you can reach Nirvana in one lifetime. They thought it was unfair they had to be reincarnated multiple times to reach Nirvana when they could just reach it in one lifetime. If you are born a Kshatriyas you don't have to live a life as a Brahmin you could reach Nirvana.
Goal of Religion:
Siddhartha concluded that this extreme path was not the correct route to perfect understanding (enlightenment). He proposed that a middle way between extreme austerity and extreme indulgence was the path to wisdom and freedom from suffering. Buddist castes systems were the same as Hindusim caste system but you can reach Nirvana in one life time.
Concept of a Higher Power:
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Buddha is a religious leader that taught for 40 years to other people. He taught them how to free themselves from suffering. The Buddha died when he was eighty years old, and had spent forty years teaching after his Enlightenment. He died in a state of meditation, and attained nirvana, and was release from the cycle of death and rebirth.
Rules/Guidelines for daily life:
Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or 'way of life'. It is a philosophy because philosophy 'means love of wisdom' and the Buddhist path can be summed up as:
-To lead a moral life
-To be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions
-To develop wisdom and understanding.
-To lead a moral life
-To be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions
-To develop wisdom and understanding.
Key Holidays:
Losar- Losar is a three day festival. On the first day celebrations are usually restricted to the family, with the second and third days being the time to visit and exchange gifts with friends and more distant relatives.
Sangha Day- It is a celebration in honor of the Sangha. It is a chance for people to reaffirm their commitment to Buddhist practices and traditions. The Sangha is precious in Buddhism as without those in the community to look up to or share aspirations with, the spiritual life would be very challenging. Sangha Day is a traditional time for exchange of gifts. Kathina- Occurs at the end of the rainy season. Celebrates the largest alms-giving ceremony of the Buddhist year. This is also called Robe Offering Ceremony only because people take cloth and other gifts to monks. Buddhist monks usually remain in one place for three months, and the Kathina celebration marks the time for them to move on. Buddhist New Year- Occurs at different times in different Buddhist countries. In southeast Asian nations it is celebreated in April. In Northern Buddhist countries the New Year falls in either late January or early February. Wesak- At Wesak Buddhists show respect of the birth of the Buddha-to-be, Siddhartha Gautama. It celebrates Buddha's most important 3 events: his birth, enlightment, and his death. This is celebrated annually on the full moon of the ancient lunar month of Vesakha, which usually falls in May, or in early June. |
Holy Sites and Symbols:
Bodh Gaya in the contemporary state of Bihar, which is one of Buddhism’s great pilgrimage sites. People go there to meditate
Lotus Flower symbolizes purity of the body, speech, and mind as while rooted in the mud. Dharma Wheel is also called the dharma chakra or the dhamma chakka and is often used to represent Buddha himself. The dharma wheel has eight spokes, which represent Buddha’s Eight Fold Path. No Buddhist site is more sacred than a stupa. A stupa is a burial mound. Before Buddha died he gave the exact instructions to his followers that his body was to be cremated and his ashes enclosed in a number of stupas. Temples throughout Asia not only honor Buddha and Buddhists saints but also showcase the talents of the architects and builders from times past. |
Sects and Branches:
Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism are two large schools or groups to which most Buddhists belong.
- Theravada means the teaching of the elders. Theravada is also referred to Hinayana Buddhism which means "lesser vehicle." Theravada Buddhism is the dominant form of Southeast Asia. Theravada Buddhists look to the Pali Canon of the Tipitaka as the authority in scripture. Since they look at Pali Canon they believe heir form of Buddhism adheres more closely to the original teachings of Buddha. The followers of Theravada Buddhism see monks as the perfect models of Buddhism.
- Many Buddhists did not agree with those who followed the Theravada school of the religion so they came up with Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana means "greater vehicle" and this implied that there were different ways to reach Nirvana, which is the opposite of Theravada. Mahayana Buddhists believe that people need the help of others in attaining Nirvana. They do not agree with Theravada counterparts who maintain that each person must find the way to Nirvana alone. Since they have reincarnation birth/death cycle Mahayana Buddhists thinks everyone is related. This belief applies to criminals so they should help a criminal become enlightened because that person might have been your mother or father in your previous life. Mahayana Buddhists rely on a bodhisattva which is someone who has already become enlightened but is willingly postponed his or her entry into Nirvana.