How Buddhism Began and Who

Founded Buddhism?
Buddhism began at around 580 BC in
Lumbini a town/city in southern Nepal.
Buddha or Siddhartha Gautama the
founder of Buddhism left his home at the
age of 29 on a search for enlightenment.
“After going through a life of self-denial,
discipline and meditation, he attained
enlightenment, which resulted in the
alleviation of all his pain and suffering”.
After he attained his goal on
enlightenment he went on a journey to
teach others the path to enlightenment.
Eventual his teachings now known as
Buddhism spread to numerous countries
around the world.
 The Four Noble Truths
#1
Life means suffering.
“To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not
perfect and neither is the world we live in. During our
lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical suffering
such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and
eventually death; and we have to endure psychological
suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and
depression. Although there are different degrees of
suffering and there are also positive experiences in life that
we perceive as the opposite of suffering, such as ease,
comfort and happiness, life in its totality is imperfect and
incomplete, because our world is subject to impermanence.
This means we are never able to keep permanently what
we strive for, and just as happy moments pass by, we
ourselves and our loved ones will pass away one day, too.”
#2
The origin of suffering is attachment.
The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and
the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include
the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and
-in a greater sense- all objects of our perception. Ignorance
is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to
impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire,
passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for
fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging.
Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their
loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow.
Objects of attachment also include the idea of a "self"
which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What
we call "self" is just an imagined entity, and we are merely
a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe.
#3
The cessation of suffering is attainable.
“The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirodha.
Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and
conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the
idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion.
Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment.
This means that suffering can be overcome through human
activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering.
Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many
levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana.
Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles,
complexes, fabrications and ideas. Nirvana is not
comprehensible for those who have not attained it.”
#4
The path to the cessation of suffering.
“There is a path to the end of suffering - a gradual path of
self-improvement, which is described more detailed in the
Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the two
extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and
excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to
the end of the cycle of rebirth. The latter quality discerns it
from other paths which are merely "wandering on the
wheel of becoming", because these do not have a final
object. The path to the end of suffering can extend over
many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirth
is subject to karmic conditioning. Craving, ignorance,
delusions, and its effects will disappear gradually, as
progress is made on the path.”
 Important Terms
• Nirvana “Is the state of being free from suffering’ or Reaching the
ultimate form of enlightenment. Being at peace with your self.
• Karma is the law of moral causation or The law of cause and effect
in Buddhism.
• Dharma is "For many Buddhists, the Dharma most often means the
body of teachings expounded by the Buddha. The word is also
used in Buddhist phenomenology as a term roughly equivalent to
phenomenon, a basic unit of existence and/or experience.”

Wheel of Wheel of Dharma

Nirvana Karma
 Important People
• Buddha- The founder of Buddhism he
also laid the basics of the religion
and the practices.
 Important Writings
• Tripitaka, or the Three Baskets- The Tripitaka is a
collection of writings from most of if not all the early
Buddhist schools, which originally were memorized
and then recited orally by disciples. It was Divided into
3 categories:
1. The Vinaya Piṭaka Which is the rules or code of ethics
for Buddhist monks to follow.
2. The Sūtra Piṭaka Which is the different accounts of
Buddha’s Teachings.
3. And the Abhidharma Piṭaka which is basically a
collection of things related to Karma and other things
like elements. This Category contains 7 books in it.
 Asoka
• Asoka- Ruler of India. He Converted
to Buddhism and helped the religion
spread in India and help promoted
peace and end wars. He also sent
Buddhist missionaries to spread the
religion around India.
 How Buddhism Spread
• Buddhism Spread through different cultures and Asoka's
missionaries, Trade and different cultures.
• There Are two main types of Buddhis Theravada and
Mahayana.
 Theravada And Mahayana
Buddhism Theravada Mahayana

Location Southern (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Northern (Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan,
Laos, Cambodia, parts of Southeast Korea, Mongolia, parts of Southeast
Asia) Asia )

Schools and Sects One surviving school (as many as 18

existed at one time)

Buddhist Scriptures Pali Canon/Tripitaka only Books of the Theravada Tripitaka plus
many other sutras (e.g. Lotus Sutra)

Buddhas Historical Buddha (Gautama) and past Gautama Buddha plus Amitabha,
Buddhas only Medicine Buddhas, and others

Bodhisattvas Maitreya only Maitreya plus Avalokitesvara,

Mansjuri, Ksitigarbha and
Samanthabadra

Goal of Training Arhat Buddhahood via bodhisattva-path

3 Buddha Bodies (Trikaya) Very limited emphasis; mainly on Emphasized, including the samboga-
nirmana-kaya and dharma-kaya kaya or reward/enjoyment body

Original Language Pali Sanskrit

Language of Transmission Tripitaka is only in Pali. Teaching in Scriptures translated into local
Pali supplemented by local language. language.

Buddha's Disciples Historical disciples described in Many bodhisattvas that are not
Scriptures historical figures

Mantras and Mudras Some equivalent in the use of Parittas Emphasized in Vajrayana; sometimes
incorporated in other schools

Bardo (Limbo) Rejected Taught by all schools

Non-Buddhist Influences Mainly pre-Buddhist Indian influences Heavily influenced by local religious
like concepts of karma, sangha, etc. ideas as transmitted to new cultures
(China, Japan, Tibet).
 Important Holidays
• Nirvana Day (Mid February)- Masks the
Death Of Buddha
• Vesak or Visakah Puja (Buddha Day
April/May)- Important Holiday
Celebrates Birth and Death of Buddha.
• Vassa (month period July-October)-
People try to live simple and give up
bad habits.
 Important Rituals
• Meditation- The way of Worship
• Offerings- Can be Food, Flowers
incense & more
• Pilgrimage- Trip to the holy site.
Increases Karma
 Review Questions
• What is the main purpose/focus Of
Buddhism?
• Who was the most important Buddhist figure
and what did he do that was so special?
• Why is Buddhism an important religion today
not only in Asia but in the rest of the World?