2. Buddhism

4. Buddha “The Enlightened One” Lumbini - in present day Nepal 563-483 BCE Buddha vacana

5. Indian sub-continent6th century BCE Development of city states, little kingdoms Urbanization, trade, developed economies Technological advances Religious activity Sages - Upanisads Religious teachers, including Jain teachers Parsva & Mahavira Ascetics, religious speculation, techniques

6. The Buddha was among these teachers

9. Names of Buddha Siddharta - he who will obtain goal Gautama - name which identifies kin grouping Gotama Buddha - the enlightened one The Buddha Sakyamuni - sage (=muni) of the Sakya clan Shakyamuni Variant spellings depending on language (Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan) and system of transliteration

11. Life of Buddha Previous lives - jatakas Birth circumstances Prophecies Shuddhodana - father Maya -mother 4 signs Great departure

12. Life of the Buddha, cont. ”Going forth” Teachers Arada Kalama & Udraka Ramaputra deep meditative states Extreme asceticism The night under the Bodhi tree

13. Life of the Buddha, cont. Challenges by Mara Calling the earth as witness Entering into meditative states detachment, one-pointedness mindfulness, awareness Subsequent stages of awareness Freedom

14. Nirvana Understood nature of existence Freed from its bonds

15. The question Do I teach? Yes. Others are capable of knowing First teaching Setting the wheel in motion

16. Went on to teach for the next 45 years Attracted significant following At the age of 80 passed into Parinirvana

23. Life of the Buddha Model of Model for Teachings Note also: there are variant tellings

24. What the life of the Buddha encodes Middle way, between extremes of sensual gratification & self-mortification Shows the path: ethical conduct, cultivation of knowledge and spiritual discipline Illustrates paramitas (moral perfections) Illustrates Buddhist teachings For monks and nuns, it anticipates the ordination ceremony, the passage from lay person to monastic

25. The teachings Understanding of the nature of existence 4 Noble Truths Nature of self - no self theory Impermanence, interdependent existence Ways and means, and nirvana

26. Four Noble Truths 1.Dukkha - Life is suffering 2.There is an arising of suffering: desire, craving, attachment 3.The overcoming of desire leads to the cessation of suffering 4.The Noble Eight-fold path - way out

27. Eight-fold path This path involves ethical conduct, mental discipline, cultivation of wisdom Right belief Right aspiration Right speech Right conduct Right means of livelihood Right endeavour Right mindfulness Right meditation

28. Nature of the selfAnatta (Pali)Anatman (Sanskrit) No self! No permanent self, changing self Self is: dynamic of matter & energy held together by its own force