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Buddhism. Goals. Review life of Siddhartha Gautama Examine principal tenets of Buddhism Provide background necessary to understand syncretism as discussed in Old World Encounters. Life of Siddhartha Gotama. ca 563-483 BCE Prince in northern India Lived life of luxury, sheltered from pain
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Goals • Review life of Siddhartha Gautama • Examine principal tenets of Buddhism • Provide background necessary to understand syncretism as discussed in Old World Encounters
Life of Siddhartha Gotama • ca 563-483 BCE • Prince in northern India • Lived life of luxury, sheltered from pain • At age 29 ventured from palace and discovered suffering of world • Began six-year ascetic life • Found no peace or wisdom
Night of Power • Sat under Bodhi tree until he received enlightenment • Saw all his former lives pass before him • Discovered “Dhamma” (universal truth) • Realized that everything is conditional • Individuals have no self or soul • Believing they do causes desire • Became the Buddha, the enlightened one
Four Noble Truths • Life is filled with suffering. • Suffering is caused by desire. • To end suffering, cease desire. • To cease desire, follow the eight-fold path Goal is to end the cycle of samsarsa to achieve nirvana (“extinguishing”), no being
Eight-fold Path • 1. Right knowledge • 2. Right intention • 3. Right speech • 4. Right conduct • 5. Right livelihood • 6. Right effort • 7. Right mindfulness • 8. Right meditation
Unique characteristics of Buddhism • Non-theistic religion, practically • Reform movement within Hinduism • Rejected ritual, prayers, caste system • Not particularly successful in India • Great expansion abroad • Had to be adapted to local situations and existing belief systems
Five Precepts • 1. Do not kill • 2. Do not take what is not freely given • 3. Do not commit unchaste acts • 4. Do not lie • 5. Do not drink intoxicants
Thervada South and southeast Asia Buddha as mortal Provides example Religion of self-reliant works Emphasize wisdom as enlightenment Mahayana North and east Asia Buddha as semi-divine Nirvana is paradise Bodhisattvas Emphasize compassion Two branches of Buddhism
Conclusion • Buddhism has roots in Hinduism • Goal is to escape samsarsa • Based on presumption that life is suffering • Emphasis on mediation and spiritual discipline as means to enlightenment • Complemented indigenous religions in lands where it was planted