Lesson 2

• Theravada Buddhism


  One of the most practical among the world's great religions because its belief system intends to meet basic human needs and solve humankind's spiritual problems without depending on supernatural forces
• Main divisions of Buddhism


  • Mahayana Buddhism - practiced in China, Japan and Mongolia
  • Theravada Buddhism - followed in Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka. A major branch of religion (School of monks) or (School of ancient)
• Buddhism has been in existence for over 2,500 years and has never experienced any drastic or radical schisms in its evolution
• Siddhartha Gautama


  May have been born between 563 B.C.E to 480 B.C.E into the Sakya tribe in Lumbini (Nepal)
• The Buddha's family name

  Gautama or Giotama
• Tipitaka


  Standard collection of scripture of Theravada Buddhist, 1st known the most conservative, complete extant early canon of Buddhist writing
• Siddhartha never intended to start a new religion, especially his teachings die focus primarily on ethics and self-understanding, and people work for their salvation on their own without needing the assistance of any supreme being
• 4 Noble Truths of Buddhism

  • 1st Noble Truth - Identify the origin of the problem, the dukkha (suffering) can be experienced throughout the different stages of a person's life from birth, sickness, old age to ultimate death
  • 2nd Noble Truth - This explains the cause of suffering or somodaya in craving or desire (tanha) in the perpetual thirst of humans to consume things, experience or ideas
  • 3rd Noble Truth - This asserts that there is a cessation or rinodha the sufferings and bondage by elimination of craving and desire
  • 4th Noble Truth - Leading to the termination of craving and desire and eventual assertion of pain