SS Ch.10 Lesson 3

Chapter 10 Lesson 3
The Beginning of Buddhism

The Birth of Buddhism
By 600s B.C., reincarnation had become a very important idea in Hinduism
A person’s soul could return in a different form- human, animal or plant

In 500s B.C., Siddhartha Gautama introduced new ideas
If people were good and pure, they could break the cycle of reincarnation
This was the foundation of Buddhism
The Birth of Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama
Born to a royal family
Raised inside the royal palace as a rich prince
At 29, he ventured out of the palace. He saw for the first time, realities of human life, sickness, old age, poverty, and death
He meditated and searched for the answers of misery, and when he did, he became the Buddha, or “Enlightened One.”
The Birth of Buddhism


Teachings of Buddhism
Enlightenment: complete understanding of truth
Buddha’s teachings consisted of Four Noble Truth

First Noble Truth
Suffering is part of human life
Second Noble TruthWanting things is the root of all suffering
Third Noble Truth
The way out of suffering is becoming wise to not want things
Fourth Noble TruthGuide to proper living called Eightfold Path

Teachings of Buddhism
Eightfold Path
encourages people to live the Middle Way
Not too much, not too little
Meditation
Buddhism is different from Hinduism in that:
Doesn’t worship one or many gods
Open to people of all castes
No priests & holy language

Teachings of Buddhism
Buddhism accepted many Hindu ideas-
Reincarnation
Ahimsa, “nonviolence”
Led to vegetarianism

Jainism
Religion began by Vardhamana Mahavira
gave up all he owned to live religiously
also believed in reincarnation and ahimsa

Jainism follows the path of “three jewels”
Right faith
Right knowledge
Right conduct
Teachings of Buddhism

The Growth of Buddhism
Buddhist monks closely follow the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the Middle Way
Ashvaghosa wrote Buddha Charita, or Life of the Buddha
As time passed on, Hindusim regained popularity
Buddhism became popular in other places outside of India
Sri Lanka, China, Korea, central Asia, and Japan
Buddhism spread mainly through monks who followed closely