Buddhism Team Buddhist Members Burl Smith Anthony Martinez Brandi Reed Deisy Mauricio Janelle Enriquez Historical Background  Origins of Buddhism can be traced back to 6th century BCE in Northern India  Siddhartha Gautama (a.k.a. Buddha)-lived between the 6th and 4th century BCE. Attained enlightenment and set forth to spread his teachings  Principle Tenet of Buddhism- humans need to seek enlightenment and by doing so they are able to free themselves from endless cycles of birth, suffering and death  Meaning of word Buddha -Enlightened One Burl Smith Teachings & Tenets  Dharma  Karma  The Four Noble Truths  The Eightfold Path  The Six Precepts Brandi Reed Dharma  Generally known as the teachings of Buddha.  Often called Buddha- Dharma  Interpretations  The ultimate truth to reality  Dharma Wheel Brandi Reed Karma  The effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation Brandi Reed Four Noble Truths 1. Life Means Suffering 2. The Origin of Suffering is Attachment 3. The Cessation of Suffering is Attainable 4. The Path to the Cessation of Suffering Janelle Enriquez The Eightfold Path  The Eightfold Path is how we can rid ourselves of suffering.  Together the Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths make up the bulk of Buddhism. The Four Noble Truths explain why we suffer, and the Eightfold Path helps us to end this suffering. Janelle Enriquez The Eightfold Path 1. Right View (Related to Wisdom) 2. Right Intention (Related to Wisdom) 3. Right Speech (Related to Ethical Conduct) 4. Right Action (Related to Ethical Conduct) 5. Right Livelihood (Related to Ethical Conduct) 6. Right Effort (Related to Mental Development) 7. Right Mindfulness (Related to Mental Development) 8. Right Concentration (Related to Mental Development) Janelle Enriquez The Six Precepts  The six precepts are a list of rules that a soon-to-be nun must agree to follow.  The precepts are against lying, killing, stealing, having sexual relations, eating after noon, or drinking any intoxicants.  Any women novices that are under the age of twenty are called shramaneri. The women who must vow against these six precepts are usually eighteen or nineteen years of age, and they are referred to as shikshamanas. Janelle Enriquez Practices  Zen Meditation  Tibetan Sand Mandala Janelle Enriquez Zen Meditation  Zen meditation puts an emphasis on attaining enlightenment through meditation like Siddhartha Gautama did.  Their primary form of meditation is not to use objects, anchors, or contents. Janelle Enriquez Tibetan Sand Mandala  Intricate design made with colored sand  Ancient Buddhist tradition  Destroyed upon completion to symbolize the impermanence of life Janelle Enriquez Levels of Enlightenment  In Buddhism there are different stages in the progression toward attaining the status of Buddha Buddha (Highest) Bodhisattva Arhat Sangha (Lowest) Anthony Martinez Bodhisattvas  Enlightened and compassionate beings who come to the threshold of nirvana or enlightenment and yet choose to remain in the world of birth and death to help others along the path  An example of a bodhisattva is Kuan Yin who carries a willow branch and vessel and is approached for blessings of health and beneficience Anthony Martinez Arhats A person who has achieved a high level of enlightenment through Buddhist teachings  Anthony Martinez Sangha  Buddhist community  Community of Buddhist monks and nuns  All Buddhists past, present and future  Similar to how Christians use the word “Church” Anthony Martinez Symbols & Signs  The Lotus Flower  The Dharma Wheel  Swastika  Stupa  Mudras Deisy Mauricio The Lotus Deisy Mauricio Dharma wheel  The wheel illustrates the endless cycle of samsara (rebirth), which can be escaped by following Buddha’s teachings. Deisy Mauricio Swastika  The swastika symbol represents luck, good fortune, and well being.  Usually found in Buddha’s palms or the soles of his feet. Deisy Mauricio Stupa  A dome-shaped monument, used to house Buddhist relics or to commemorate significant facts of Buddhism  Shape of a stupa represents the Buddha, crowned and sitting in meditation posture on a lion throne Deisy Mauricio Mudras Mudras are hand symbols used in Buddhism to evoke particular emotions. The most commonly used Mudras  Bhumisparsa Varada Dhyana Abhaya Deisy Mauricio Buddhism Challenges America’s View of Religion  Most Americans believe that a religion without a God is not a religion  When Buddha was asked if he was a God he responded by saying, “No, I am awake” and he spoke often of the useless abstract questions “that lead not to edification.”  This attitude towards the unknown is why Buddhism challenges the very core of how Americans think about religion. Burl Smith Religion or Philosophy?  How religion is defined  Belief in a God or deities  Embodies characteristics of each  Moral Values and Beliefs Brandi Reed Buddhism in The United States of America Today there is an estimated 2 to 3 million Buddhists in the United States of America. Buddhism remained isolated in Asia until the 19th century. Buddhism came to the United States in large numbers in about the 1840’s. Anthony Martinez Most Popular Schools of Buddhism in the United States of America  Western Buddhists  Theravada  Mahayana Vipassana Zen T he Soka Gakkal International (SGI) Anthony Martinez Which of these is not one of the principles of the Eightfold Path? A. Right Mindfulness B. Right Consideration C.Right Concentration D. Right Intention Janelle Enriquez Is Buddhism a religion or philosophy? A. Religion B. Philosophy C.Neither D. Both A. and B. Brandi Reed Which lotus flower color is depicted as the absolute lotus? A. The Pink Lotus B. The Red Lotus C. The Blue Lotus D. The White Lotus Deisy Mauricio Why does Buddhism challenge how Americans think about religion? Burl Smith True or false. Buddhism in the United States has unquestionably changed from its roots in Asia. Anthony Martinez Works Cited "Bhumisparsha (Earth Witness) Mudra - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 09 Nov. 2010. <http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/symbols/mudra_bhummisparsha.htm>. "Buddhism 5." Cal Poly Pomona. Web. 04 Nov. 2010. <http://www.csupomona.edu/~plin/ews431/buddhism5.html>. "Buddhism's Core Beliefs." ReligiousTolerance.org by the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. Web. 04 Nov. 2010. <http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism1.htm>. "Buddhist Studies: Sangha." BuddhaNet - Worldwide Buddhist Information and Education Network. Web. 04 Nov. 2010. <http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd42.htm>. Eck, Diana L. A New Religious America: How a "Christian Country" Has Now Become the World's Most Religiously Diverse Nation. [San Francisco]: HarperSanFrancisco, 2001. Print. "The Eightfold Path." Thebigview.com - Pondering the Big Questions. Web. 09 Nov. 2010. <http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html#Right_Viewhttp://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/ fourtruths.html>. "Mandala Sand Painting." The Mystical Arts of Tibet. Web. 09 Nov. 2010. <http://www.mysticalartsoftibet.org/Mandala.htm>. "SGI Library Online - The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism." Soka Gakkai International - Study Resources Library. Web. 09 Nov. 2010. <http://www.sgilibrary.org/search_dict.php?id=1994>. "Stupa - Definition of Stupa by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia." Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary. Web. 09 Nov. 2010. <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/stupa>. "Stupa: Its Symbolism And Meaning." Buddhist Symbols. Web. 09 Nov. 2010. <http://buddhistsymbols.info/stupa/>.