Buddhism

When desires are few, the heart is happy.

When the desires are gone, peace can be
felt. –Gautama Buddha
Born in 563 BCE in a kingdom at the foot of the Himalayan
mountains (present-day Nepal)
He is known historically as Gautama Buddha Siddharta Sakyamuni.
He is a prince and son of the wealthy king of the Sakyas.
He got married at the age of 19.
 Five days after he was born, it was
prophesied that Siddharta would become
a Universal Emperor. However, he could
also become a Universal Teacher through
the Four Signs that would show him the
suffering of the world.
 Four Signs
 An old man
He learned about the natural ageing process of people.
 A sick man
He learned that everyone goes through some kind of sickness.
 A dead body about to be cremated
He learned the reality of death.
 A monk begging for food
He learned that human beings could live at peace if they turn their back on the world.
He escaped from his kingdom and travelled is search of
enlightenment. He went to the gurus to study the Upanishad, but he
was not contented on what he learned. He lived among the ascetics
in the forest but did not find answers to his questions. He took a
different path and meditate alone. He sat under the Bo tree in the
town of Gaya and promised not to rise until he understood the
mystery of life. After 49 days, his consciousness sharpened and he
was able to attain enlightenment. He became the Buddha, “The
Enlightened One.” He remained seated for another 49 days to reflect
on the mysteries of life that he learned in his meditation. Afterwards,
he travelled to spread his teachings.
 Beliefs: The Buddha propagated the Four
Noble Truths:
 The life is full of suffering (dukkha);
 The reason for suffering is tanha or desire;
 To eradicate suffering, one must eliminate the desire to
reach nirvana; and
 The way to eliminate desire is to follow the Eightfold Path.
  
The Eightfold Path consists of:
1. Right Understanding. People should learn their identity in order to be saved.
2. Right Goal or Motives. People must desire salvation.
3. Right Speech. People must not lie and speak ill of others. This is rooted in selfishness that becomes an
obstacle to salvation.
4. Right Behavior. This refers to the four precepts: do not kill, do not lie and speak ill to others, do not
take alcoholic drinks and maintain a clean life.
5. Right Livelihood. An individual should perform tasks that contribute to salvation – like living a monastic
life.
6. Right Effort. To succeed, one must display initiative and confidence.
7. Right Consciousness. People must always reflect on their actions and confront their motivations to
understand and avoid the causes of evil deeds.
8. Right Meditation. Those who want to achieve salvation should deeply reflect on genuine truths.
The Buddha denied that he was a God and
claimed to only be teaching a philosophy. His
death at the age of 80 left a huge impact. His
disciples divided into two groups:
Theravada (The Way of the Elders) or
Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle) Buddhism
- Remained true to the Buddha’s original
teachings and became popular in Southeast
Asia, particularly in Burma (Myanmar), Thailand,
Cambodia, Laos and Sri Lanka.
 
Mahayana Buddhism (The Greater Vehicle)
- Taught that the Buddha has the power of God. It
also believed that there were individuals on their way
to nirvana but out of their kindness and generosity,
stayed on to help other people to achieve
enlightenment and salvation. They are called
bodhisattvas.