BUDDHISM - BUDDHISM I THE BEGINNINGS OF BUDDHISM THE LIFE...

BUDDHISM
I. THE BEGINNINGS OF BUDDHISM – THE LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
i.) Buddhism is one of the world’s OLDEST and MOST SIGNIFICANT religions.
ii.) Buddhism had its beginnings in India and came from the experience of
SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA (563-483) who came to be known as THE
BUDDHA.
iii.)Siddhartha was raised by his aunt. Upon his birth, Siddhartha was inspected by a
sage. The sage found marks on his body and declared that the child would either
become a world ruler or, if he was exposed to suffering, a world teacher . Because
his father wanted him to become a world ruler, he spoiled Siddhartha and kept
him away from suffering. One day, however, Siddhartha left the royal grounds
and saw the Four Passing Sights:
a. An old man, crooked and toothless
b. A sick man
c. A corpse
d. A sannyasin, a wandering holy man, who had no possessions but seemed
to be at peace.
iv.)At age 29, Siddhartha decided to escape. He went out into the world with nothing
but questions. This is called the Great Going Forth:
a. First Siddhartha went from teacher to teacher asking questions, learning
the arts of meditation, and discussing philosophy. However, he was still
unsatisfied.
b. Next, Siddhartha gained the company of five other nomadic “seekers”
and practiced great austerity. He lived on so little water, food, and sleep
that he eventually collapsed from weakness. He realized that his
austerities had not helped him find the answers he sought. Siddhartha’s
five companions, believing that he was “backsliding,” abandoned him.
c. Siddhartha decided to adopt a practice of moderation . He resolved to sit
under the Bodhi tree , facing east, until he came to the understanding he
needed. An evil spirit, Mara , and his daughters tempted Siddhartha;
however, he resisted, and during one night he entered an increasingly
profound state of awareness. It was at dawn that he reached a state of
profound understanding, called his Awakening , or Enlightenment
( bodhi ). He realized that suffering, aging, and death were inevitable parts
of life, but there was a possibility of release. He then became the
Buddha , or the Awakened One .
v.) The Buddha reunited with his five companions and spent the rest of his life
traveling from village to village teaching his insights and his way of life. He
gained many followers and donors gave land, groves, and buildings to the
movement. Thus, the Buddha began an order of monks called sangha . The
Buddha’s way was a path of moderation , or a middle path .
vi.)Finally Buddha passed. His last advice: “Trust your own insights, and use self
control to reach perfection and inner peace.

II. THE BASIC TEACHINGS OF BUDDHISM
i.) The teachings of the Buddha were not recorded until several hundred years
after his death. They are written in Pali and Sanskrit.
ii.) At the core of Buddhism are the Three Jewels :
a. The Buddha : the ideal human being whom other human beings should
imitate. He is a model of self-control and mindfulness and exists in a
timeless dimension beyond this world.