BUDDHISM

WHAT IS BUDDHISM?
Buddhism is a religion to about 300
million people around the world.
The word comes from 'budhi', 'to
awaken'. It has its origins about
2,500 years ago when Siddhartha
Gautama, known as the Buddha,
was himself awakened
(enlightened) at the age of 35

 Buddhism is a way of finding peace within oneself.

It is a religion that helps us to find the happiness and
contentment we seek.
Buddhists develop inner peace, kindness and wisdom
through their daily practice; and then share their
experience with others bringing real benefit to this world.
They try not to harm others and to live peacefully and
gently, working towards the ultimate goal of pure and
lasting happiness for all living beings.

SIDDHAR
TA
GAUTAMA

Founder of Buddism
Born on 480 BCE at Lumbini, Nepal
Died on 400 BCE (aged 80) at Kushinagar,
India
Spouse: Yasodhar
Children: Rhula
Became Buddha, the Enlightened one, when he
was 29.
he realized that wealth and luxury did not
guarantee happiness, so he explored the
different teachings religions and philosophies of
the day, to find the key to human happiness.

THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

1. The truth of suffering (Dukkha)
2. The truth of the origin of suffering (Samudya)
3. The truth of the cessation of suffering
(Nirodha)
4. The truth of the path to the cessation of
suffering (Magga)

1. THE TRUTH OF SUFFERING (DUKKHA)

Suffering comes in many forms. Three obvious kinds of
suffering correspond to the first three sights the Buddha
saw on his first journey outside his palace:
1. old age
2. sickness
3. death

2. THE TRUTH OF THE ORIGIN OF SUFFERING

(SAMUDYA)

Buddha taught that the root of all

suffering is desire,tanh. This comes in
three forms, which he described as the
Three Roots of Evil, or the Three Fires,
or the Three Poisons:
1. Greed and desire, represented in art by a
rooster
2. Ignorance or delusion, represented by a pig
3. Hatred and destructive urges, represented by
a snake

3. THE TRUTH OF THE CESSATION OF SUFFERING

(NIRODHA)

The Buddha taught that the way to extinguish

desire, which causes suffering, is to liberate
oneself from attachment.
Nirvana
Nirvana means extinguishing. Attaining nirvana reaching enlightenment - means extinguishing the
three fires of greed, delusion and hatred.

4. THE TRUTH OF THE PATH TO THE CESSATION OF

SUFFERING (MAGGA)

The final Noble Truth is the Buddha's

prescription for the end of suffering. This is
a set of principles called the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path is also called the Middle
Way

1. Right View / Understanding

the belief that there is an afterlife, that not everything ends
with death, that Buddha taught and followed a successful
path to nirvana
Accepting and understanding the Buddhist teachings.

2. Right Intention
To think and do the right things at all times.
A commitment to cultivate the right attitudes.

3. Right Speech
Speaking truthfully, avoiding slander, gossip and abusive
speech.

4. Right Action
Behaving peacefully and harmoniously; refraining from stealing, killing
and overindulgence in sexual pleasure.

5. Right Livelihood
Respecting life
Avoiding making a living in ways that cause harm, such as exploiting
people or killing animals

6. Right Effort
Cultivating positive states of mind; freeing oneself from evil and
unwholesome states and preventing them arising in future.
Always give 100% on everything youre going to do.

7. Right Mindfulness
Developing awareness of the body, sensations,
feelings and states of mind.
Controlling your thoughts

8. Right Concentration
Developing the mental focus necessary for this
awareness
Practicing meditation

FIN