Buddhism

1. Buddhism

2. Siddhartha Gautama • Siddhartha Gautama was a young, wealthy prince • He was sheltered by his parents • 500 BCE he encounters suffering: • an old man, a sick man, a poor man, and a corpse He is shocked and horrified! • Runs away, meditates under a tree, and vowed not to move until he had attained enlightenment • Days later, he arose as the Buddha - the "enlightened one.“ • He spent the remaining 45 years of his life teaching the path to liberation from suffering and establishing a community of monks

3. Buddhism • Today there are more than 360 million practicing Buddhists in the world • Although Buddhism began in India, there are few practicing Buddhists in India • Today, most people in India are Hindu or Muslim

4. Buddhist Beliefs • Buddha = "Enlightened One“ • He taught that the way to eliminate suffering begins with understanding the true nature of the world. • Buddha rejected ideas of God, the nature of the universe, and the afterlife. • He taught followers to focus instead on the Four Noble Truths by which they can free themselves from suffering.

5. The 4 Noble Truths • Life is full of suffering. • People suffer because they desire worldly things and self-satisfaction. • The way to end suffering is to stop desiring things. • The only way to stop desiring things is to follow the Eightfold Path.

6. The Eightfold Path • Know and understand the Four Noble Truths. • Give up worldly things and don’t harm others. • Tell the truth, don’t gossip, and don’t speak badly of others. • Don’t commit evil acts, like killing, stealing, or living an unclean life. • Do rewarding work. • Work for good and oppose evil. • Make sure your mind keeps your senses under control. • Practice meditation as a way of understanding reality.

7. Buddhist Wheel - Dharmachakra • "wheel of law" • "wheel of transformation" • Eight spokes symbolize the Eightfold Path • The wheel also represents the endless cycle of reincarnation which can only be escaped by means of the Buddha's teachings

8. Swastika • In Buddhism, the swastika represents good fortune as well as the Buddha’s footprints and heart. • The swastika is said to contain the whole mind of the Buddha and can often be found imprinted on the chest, feet or palms of Buddha images. • The swastika has also often been used to mark the beginning of Buddhist texts. In China and Japan, the Buddhist swastika was seen as a symbol of eternity, abundance, prosperity and long life. • The swastika is used as a mark on Buddhist temples and is very common in Korea. It can often be seen on the decorative borders around paintings, altar cloths and banners. In Tibetan Buddhism, it is also used as a clothing decoration.

9. Buddhist Festivals and Holidays • Buddhists celebrate many holidays and festivals • Most commemorate important events in the life of the Buddha or various Bodhisattvas • Dates of holidays are based on the lunar calendar and often differ by country and tradition • Buddhist holidays are joyful occasions • The day begins with a visit to the local temple • Offerings of food or other items to the monks and listening to talks; walking around the temple 3 times, chanting, meditation • Many distribute food to the poor

10. Some festivals and holidays: • Buddhist New Year • Vesak (Buddha Day) • Sangha Day (Magha Puja Day) • Dhamma Day • Observance Day (Uposatha) • Kathina Ceremony (Robe Offering Ceremony) • Festival of Floating Bowls (Loy Krathong) • Elephant Festival • The Festival of the Tooth • Ancestor Day (Ulambana)