Who was the Buddha

1. Who was the Buddha Activity Working with the person beside you use the flip chart paper to write down as many stages of the Buddha life. Try it first without looking at your notes – put a mark to show the ones you managed to remember….if any…..it has been a while!! 

2. Buddhism • What was the Buddha’s “real” name? • How long ago did he live (and where)? • Why did his father not want him to be a religious • Teacher? • 4. How did his father “protect” him? • 5. What were the four sights? • 6. What did the Buddha learn about the human • condition? • 7. What is an ascetic? • 8. What is meant by the middle-way? • 9. Who or what was Mara? • 10. What does enlightenment mean?

3. Buddhism “The three Marks of Existence”

4. The three marks of existence are sometimes described as the 3 universal truths. This basically means that the Buddha had 3 things to say about the human condition that are always true. My Personal 3 Universal Truths 1. You will never win an argument with a woman, so for an easier life…..just don’t. 2. People that snore always fall asleep first. 3. You can’t breathe through your nose with your tongue sticking out.

5. Buddhists believe that you can sum up all existence with three descriptions. This is what is called the Human Condition. Every religion has a different way of describing our condition.

6. The First Mark The first mark is called Anicca. It means that everything changes. Example Some good examples to use for this are fruit rotting over time, the weather always changing etc. Hiya, my name’s Mark, Mark Anicca. My girlfriend just dumped me and booted me out the house. I love her so much but she doesn’t love me. She said it was just time for a change.

7. Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes Activity 1 Make a list of things that have changed since yesterday. They can be good or not so good. They can have changed a huge amount, or just a tiny wee bit, it doesn’t matter. They can be near or very far away, important or insignificant.

8. Activity 2 You are going to watch the video for the song “hurt”. Once you have watched it you will be given a copy of the lyrics to look at in your pairs and you will be asked to highlight any of the lyrics that support the idea that everything comes to an end, nothing is permanent (Annica). Once you have completed this, can you think of any songs That also describe the idea of Annica – do you have any on your phones we could hear?

9. The Second Mark The second mark is Anatta,that means we don’t have a permanent soul – Anicca applied to humans!! What Buddhists mean is that everything about us changes. If that’s true then you really can’t be a you. It’s just an illusion that you are who you think you are Ahh!! I’m Mark, Mark Anatta. I’ve just heard that I don’t exist cos I’m changing all the time. Ahh!! It’s terrible. I thought I had a good sense of humour and I was a good dancer. But now I realise that I don’t… ……COS I DON’T EXIST

10. It’s very strange thing to think about, but the more you do think, the more you see that there really is no such thing as an individual person. Agghh!!!!!!!! Don’t believe me? OK, try and think of something about you, that doesn’t change over time. Go on, try. Maybe it’s your personality? – But that changes How about your body? – that definitely changes Maybe your memories? – We lose them over time

11. The Five Skhandas Buddhists don’t want you to just take their word for it. Buddhist teaching says that everyone is made up of five factors. None of them stay the same over time. Activity 3 In your jotter can you make a note of the five factors which Buddhists think we are made of? Clue:Ever look in a mirror?

12. The Five Skhandas Activity 3 Rupa – The physical body Vedana – Sensations and feelings Sanna – Cognitions (thoughts and memories) Sankhara – Character traits (likes and dislikes) Vinnana – Consciousness (being awake) **Need to know the description of the five – not the Sanskrit **

13. The Third Mark The third mark of existence is Dukkha. This basically means suffering. Buddhists believe that because everything changes we can never hold on to our pleasures. We’re always left wanting more. I’m Mark, Mark Dukkha. This is terrible, it’s all terrible. I’m always miserable and it never gets any better. So now there’s nothing left to do but pull my hair out. It doesn’t hurt when your insane!!!!!!!!

14. Keef, you know what I can’t get? Errrr, no An inner sense of peace and well being You mean satisfaction I like it a lot Now I know what you’re going to say. Some people have great lives filled with money and fame and everything they could ever want. But Buddhists say that whenever you want something it never does the trick. Think back to something you really wanted to buy, but when you got it, you didn’t use it. Well that’s because of Dukkha. It makes us continually search for a way of getting rid of it, but we can’t. Not yet anyway.

15. ANICCA ANATTA DUKKHA Anicca – Anatta – Dukkha – My Explanation My Explanation My Explanation An Example An Example An Example

16. Activity 4 • Examples of suffering • Using the newspapers supplied, computers or your phones (if possible) find stories which describe example of suffering. • In your jotter you should answer the following questions relating to your stories. • Summary of story • Who is suffering • What has caused it? • How could this have been avoided. • Try to complete more than one.

17. Three Marks of existence - Summary • Buddhist believe the Human Condition can be broken • down into three parts. • These three parts are Anicca, Anatta & Dhukka • Anicca is the idea of impermanence • (nothing lasts forever) • Anatta is the impermanence of human beings. • The Five Skhandas are the five factors which make up • all human beings. • Dhukka is suffering – this is what happens to humans • during their existence.