BUDDHISM

WHAT IS BUDDHISM?
• Buddhism is a faith that was founded more than
2,500 years ago in India. With about 470 million
followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the
major world religions.
WHAT IS BUDDHISM?
• Buddhism is a tradition that focuses on personal
spiritual development. Buddhists strive for a deep
insight into the true nature of life and do not worship
gods or deities.
 IS BUDDHISM A RELIGION?
• 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:

(1) to lead a moral life, (2) to be mindful and

aware of thoughts
and actions, and

(3) to develop wisdom

and understanding.
WHY BUDDHISM BECAME A RELIGION?
• When Gautama passed away around 483 B.C., his
followers began to organize a religious movement.
Buddha’s teachings became the foundation for what
would develop into Buddhism.
WHY BUDDHISM BECAME A RELIGION?
• The teachings of Siddhartha Gautama are considered the
core of Buddhism: after his death, the community he
founded slowly evolved into a religious-like movement
which was finally established as a state religion in India by
the time of Emperor Ashoka, during the 3rd century BCE.
THE FOUNDER
OF
BUDDHISM
WHO IS FOUNDER OF BUDDHISM?

• Siddhartha Gautama (also known

as the Buddha “the awakened
one”) who is the leader and
founder of Buddhism.
WHO IS FOUNDER OF BUDDHISM?

• Siddhartha Gautama was the

leader and founder of a sect of
wanderer ascetics (Sramanas),
one of many sects which existed
at that time all over India.
WHO IS FOUNDER OF BUDDHISM?

• Gautama was born into a wealthy

family as a prince in in Lumbini
present-day Nepal. Although he
had an easy life, Gautama was
moved by suffering in the world.
BUDDHISM
BELIEFS
Four Noble Truths
1) Human life has a lot of
suffering.

2) The cause of suffering is

greed.

3) There is an end to suffering.

4) The way to end suffering is to

follow the Middle Path
(Noble 8-fold Path).
 NOBLE 8-FOLD PATH
1. Right understanding and viewpoint (based on the Four Noble Truths).

2. Right values and attitude (compassion rather than selfishness).

3. Right speech (don't tell lies, avoid harsh, abusive speech, avoid gossip).

4. Right action (help others, live honestly, don't harm living things, take care of the
environment).

5. Right work (do something useful, avoid jobs which harm others).

6. Right effort (encourage good, helpful thoughts, discourage unwholesome destructive

thoughts).

7. Right mindfulness (be aware of what you feel, think and do).

8. Right meditation (calm mind, practice meditation which leads to nirvana).

 THE FIVE PRECEPTS
All Buddhists follow a set of guidelines for daily life
called the Five Precepts. These are:

1) Do not harm or kill living things.

2) Do not take things unless they are freely given.

3) Lead a decent life.

4) Do not speak unkindly or tell lies.

5) Do not abuse drugs or drink alcohol.

 QUESTIONS
AND
FACTS ABOUT
BUDDHISM
QUESTIONS AND FACTS ABOUT
BUDDHISM
1) Was the Buddha a God?

2) Do Buddhists Worship Idols?

3) Why are so Many Buddhist

Countries Poor?

4) Are Other Religions Wrong?

5) What did the Buddha Teach?

QUESTIONS AND FACTS ABOUT
BUDDHISM
6) What is Karma?

7) What is Wisdom?

8) What is Compassion?

9) Buddha’s thoughts about the

origin of the Earth

10) Why isn't that Buddha statue fat?

QUESTIONS AND FACTS ABOUT
BUDDHISM
11) What is Nirvana?

12) What is a Buddha?

13) Are there other Buddhas other

than Siddhartha Gautama ?
 TYPES OF
BUDDHISM
 TYPES OF BUDDHISM
TIBETAN BUDDHISM

Tibetan Buddhism is a religion in exile, forced from

its homeland when Tibet was conquered by the
Chinese. At one time it was thought that 1 in 6
Tibetan men were Buddhist monks.

The best known face of Tibetan Buddhism is

the Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile in
India since he fled Chinese occupation of his
country in 1959. Tibetan Buddhism combines
the essential teachings of Mahayana Buddhism
with Tantric and Shamanic, and material from an
ancient Tibetan religion called Bon.
 TYPES OF BUDDHISM
Mahayana Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism is strongest in Tibet,

China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia.

Mahayana Buddhism is not a single group

but a collection of Buddhist traditions:
Zen Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism,
and Tibetan Buddhism are all forms of
Mahayana Buddhism.
 TYPES OF BUDDHISM
Theravada Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism is strongest in Sri

Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Burma
(Myanmar). It is sometimes called 'Southern
Buddhism'.

The name means 'the doctrine of the

elders' - the elders being the senior
Buddhist monks.