Buddhism & Confucianism

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Words to Know

• Siddhartha Gautama• Ascetic• Middle Way• Buddha• Four Noble Truths• Eightfold Path

Confucius Tao Ying/Yang

Ethnic group vs. Religious Group• Ethnic groups share many common

characteristics such as language, physical features, customs, and traditions

• Religious groups share a common belief system but are not necessarily composted of a single ethnic group.

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Background• Buddhism is

described as a religion and a collection of philosophies, based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, • known as Buddha.

• Gautama, is believed to have been born in the city of Lumbini, Nepal. Born a prince, his father, King Suddhodana, was supposedly visited by a wise man shortly after Siddhartha was born and told that Siddhartha would either become a great king or a holy man. Determined to make Siddhartha a king, the father tried to shield his son from the unpleasant realities of daily life. Despite his father's efforts, at the age of 29, he discovered the suffering of his people, first through an encounter with an elderly man then he saw the sufferings of a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. These are often termed 'The Four Sights.'

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Siddhartha

Gautama

• Gautama, deeply depressed by these sights, sought to overcome old age, illness, and death by living the life of an ascetic. Gautama escaped his palace, leaving behind this royal life to become a beggar. For a time on his spiritual quest, Buddha "experimented with extreme asceticism, which at that time was seen as a powerful spiritual practice...such as fasting, holding the breath, and exposure of the body to pain...he found, however, that these ascetic practices brought no genuine spiritual benefits and in fact, being based on self-hatred, that they were counterproductive."

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Siddhartha

Gautama

Became an

ascetic

Interactive Notebook Question (Left Side)

• Think-Pair-Share• Why would someone think living an

Ascetic life would be spiritual?

Enlightenment• After abandoning asceticism and

concentrating instead upon meditation Gautama is said to have discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way—a path of moderation that lies mid-way between the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification. He accepted a little milk and rice pudding from a village girl and then, sitting under a tree ,he vowed not to arise until he had found the Truth. His five companions, believing that he had abandoned his search and become undisciplined, left. After 49 days meditating, at the age of 35, he attained bodhi, also known as "Awakening" or "Enlightenment". After his attainment of bodhi he was known as Buddha or Gautama Buddha and spent the rest of his life teaching his insights. According to scholars, he lived around the fifth century BCE. He died around the age of 80.

Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE)

Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE) Born in NE India

(Nepal). Raised in great luxury

to be a king. At 29 he rejected his luxurious life to seek enlightenment

and the source of suffering. Lived a strict,

ascetic life for 6 yrs. Rejecting this extreme, sat in meditation, and found nirvana. Became “The Enlightened One,” at 35.

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Siddhartha

Gautama

Became an

ascetic

Enlightenment

Middle Way• The guiding idea of Buddhist

practice the Middle Way which was discovered by the Buddha prior to his enlightenment (bodhi). The Middle Way or Middle Path is described as the practice of non-extremism; DON’T SELF INDULGE

• It also describes the state of nirvana and perfect enlightenment.

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Siddhartha

Gautama

Became an

ascetic

Enlightenment

Middle Way

The Four Noble Truths

• The Buddha taught that in life there is sorrow/suffering, that is caused by desire and it can be stopped by following the Noble Eightfold Path.

• There is suffering • There is a cause of

suffering—craving • There is the cessation

of suffering • There is a way leading

to the cessation of suffering—the Noble Eightfold Path

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Siddhartha

Gautama

Became an

ascetic

Enlightenment

Middle Way

Four Noble Truths

The Noble Eightfold Path

• The Noble Eightfold Path is the way to end suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. This is divided into three sections: • Śīla is morality—abstaining from unwholesome deeds of body and

speech. Within the division of sila are three parts of the Noble Eightfold Path:• Right Speech—One speaks in a non hurtful, not exaggerated,

truthful way • Right Actions—Wholesome action, avoiding action that would do

harm • Right Livelihood—One's way of livelihood does not harm in any way

oneself or others; directly or indirectly • Samadhi is developing mastery over one’s own mind. Within this

division are another three parts of the Noble Eightfold Path:• Right Effort/Exercise—One makes an effort to improve • Right Mindfulness/Awareness—Mental ability to see things for what

they are with clear consciousness • Right Concentration/Meditation—Being aware of the present reality

within oneself, without any craving or aversion.

The Eight Fold Path

The Eight Fold Path

The religious text of Buddhism is the Tripitaka which is the early teachings of Buddha.

Buddhism Holy Texts

Types of BuddhismTypes of Buddhism Therevada

Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism

Zen Buddhism

Bodhgaya, in the state of Bihar in India, is considered by many adherents of Buddhism to be their most holy site. Gautama Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment while sitting under a tree located in Bodhgaya.

Buddhism Holy Place

Interactive Notebook Question (Left Side)

• Think-Pair-Share (You pick one question)1. How is Buddhism different from

Hinduism?2. How did Buddhism spread throughout

Asia?3. How is Buddhism different from Islam?

Confucius (Kung Fu-Tzu)*(551-479 BC)

*Family name = Kung (Kong) Personal name = Zhong-ni Kung Fu-Tzu (Kong Fu-zi) = “Master Kung” “Confucius” = Latinization of “Kung Fu-Tzu”

“Never kiss a fool, or be fooled by a kiss.”

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Kung Fu-Tzu

The Life and Legacy of Confucius

• Born in 551B.C.E. to a noble but poor family.• Confucius died in

479 B. C. E.• Confucius was an

exceptional student who later became a teacher and a government official.

• His writings deal with individual morality and ethics, and the proper exercise of political power by the rulers. • Confucianism does not contain all of the

elements of some other religions, like Christianity and Islam. It is primarily an ethical system to which rituals at important times during one's lifetime have been added. • Texts:• The Si Shu or Four Books:

• The Wu Jing or Five Classics:

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Kung Fu-Tzu

Government Official

The ancient State of Lu

That’s where Confucius was born & spent most of his life.

Anthem

Confucianism originated in China, but its influence spread to Korea & Japan over the centuries.

Central concepts in Confucian thought

• TAO (“Way”) - the Ultimate; the One; the Absolute; the underlying Power; the Source

• Yin/Yang - the dual expression of TAO; neither is superior to the other

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Kung Fu-Tzu

Government Official

Spread to China, Korea,

and Japan

TaoYin/Yang

Confucian Holy Place

• Qufu, China is the birthplace of Confucius

Stop and Summarize!

• 1. Who founded Buddhism? Give both names. • 2. What are the religious texts for

Buddhism and Confucianism?• 3. Where did the two faiths begin?

Bibliography

• Buddhism. Religious tolerance. http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism.htm. January 2008

• Buddanet. http://www.buddhanet.net/. January 2008