Buddhism Beliefs and Teachings

• Buddha


  The awakened one or the enlightened one
• Buddha


  • Born into a wealthy Indian royal family
  • His birth name was Siddhartha Gotama
• Buddha's birth


  1. Mother had a dream of a white elephant entering her womb

  2. Buddha stood and walked 7 steps after birth

  3. Buddha announced "I am the most honored one, I shall get rid of the suffering that fills the world"

  4. Buddha's mother died 7 days after his birth
• Atheta


  A wise teacher who predicted Siddhartha would either become a great ruler or the greatest teacher
• Siddhartha's father


  Wanted Siddhartha to become a great ruler, so kept him sheltered in the palace
• Siddhartha's four sights


  1. Saw an old man

  2. Saw a sick man

  3. Saw a dead man

  4. Saw a holy man
• Siddhartha's realisation


  All beings suffer, there is no escape from suffering
• Great renunciation


  Siddhartha left the palace, his family and wealth to become a holy man and find a cure for suffering
• Siddhartha's spiritual practices


  Spent 6 years practicing meditation and severe self-discipline (asceticism) with 5 holy men
• Middle way


  The balanced path between the extremes of luxury and severe self-discipline
• Enlightenment


  The state of wisdom, contentment, compassion and peace attained by the Buddha
• Buddha is seen as a human who attained enlightenment, not a god</b>
• Buddha nature


  The idea that all people have the potential to attain enlightenment
• After enlightenment, Buddha spent 45 years teaching his followers the middle way and the path to enlightenment
• Buddha nature


  The idea that we all have the potential to attain Enlightenment like the Buddha
• The Buddha gained a large following over the 45 years after his Enlightenment
• Middle way


  Balancing between overindulgence and severe self-discipline
• The Buddha's followers were committed disciples known as Bhikkhus
• The Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path in his first sermon
• Dharma


  The teachings of the Buddha
• The Buddha's teachings are recorded in scriptures such as the Dhammapada
• When the Buddha was 80 years old, he gave a final teaching on how everything is subject to decay
• The Buddha died surrounded by his most loyal followers
• The Buddha's life story is in contrast to the common narrative of going from poverty to wealth
• Buddha: 'Do not do what is evil, do what is good, keep your mind pure'
• Dependent arising


  The idea that all things come into existence and then go out of existence
• The Buddha taught that one should not get overly attached to people or possessions
• The Buddha taught that the hunger of passions is the greatest disease</b>
• The Buddha taught that every person must take responsibility for their own practice and quest for Enlightenment
• Nirvana


  The extinguishing of the fires of greed, hatred and ignorance
• Four Noble Truths


  1. Life is suffering

  2. The origin of suffering is greed, hatred and ignorance

  3. The cessation of suffering is Nirvana

  4. The path to the cessation of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path
• Noble Eightfold Path


  • Right understanding
  • Right thought
  • Right speech
  • Right action
  • Right livelihood
  • Right effort
  • Right mindfulness
  • Right concentration
• The Buddha is often described as the great physician who diagnosed the problem of suffering and prescribed the cure