This document provides an overview of Buddhism, including its founder Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Buddha, teachings such as the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, concepts like karma and rebirth, symbols, followers, and places of worship. Key facts are that Buddhism has over 350 million followers worldwide, teaches that life involves suffering and there is a path to end it through moral behavior and wisdom, and has influenced many cultures across Asia.

1. Buddhism By Donald Johnson

2. Founder Siddhartha Gautama (566 - 480 BC) Became known as Buddha , which means “enlightened one” Birthplace Nepal

3. Siddhartha Gautama

4. The Ajanta Caves (India) and Buddha

5. Buddhism Buddhism explains a purpose to life, it explains apparent injustice and inequality around the world, and it provides a code of practice or way of life that may lead to true happiness (nirvana).

6. Painting of Buddha Gautama going into Nirvana.

7. Buddhist proselytism at the time of emperor Aśoka the Great (260–218 BCE).

9. Teachings/Beliefs The four noble truths The eightfold path Karma Dharma Shangri-la Shambala (Cycle of rebirth) (Nirvana)

10. The Four Noble Truths Life is suffering Suffering is caused by desire Desire can be overcome There is a path that overcomes desire and ends suffering

11. The Eightfold Path Right understanding Right thought Right speech Right action Right livelihood Right effort Right mindfulness Right concentration

12. Four Themes of the Path Right thought is the true desire to free oneself from attachment, ignorance, and hatefulness. Right speech involves abstaining from lying, gossiping, or hurtful talk. Right effort is a matter of exerting oneself in regards to the content of one's mind: Bad qualities should be abandoned and prevented from arising again; Good qualities should be enacted and nurtured. Right mindfulness is the focusing of one's attention on one's body, feelings, thoughts, and consciousness in such a way as to overcome craving, hatred, and ignorance. .

13. Karma Karma - good or bad actions a person takes during their lifetime results in the same The weight that actions carry is determined by five conditions: frequent, repetitive action; determined, intentional action; action performed without regret; action against extraordinary persons; and action toward those who have helped one in the past What goes around comes around Neutral Karma - derives from acts such as breathing, eating or sleeping. Neutral karma has no benefits or costs.

14. Shangri-la A place of bliss and peace

15. Shambala A mythical, hidden “paradise in earth”

16. Gods of Buddhism: Do they believe in god(s) or not? Also, Buddha taught that "Whatever a person experiences... is all caused by a supreme being's act of creation.” In early Buddhism, the Buddha clearly states that "reliance and belief" in creation by a supreme being leads to lack of effort and inaction. That being said, they still believe that there are several powerful beings known as Brahma and Indra.

17. Where and when did religion begin? 3000B.C. Sumerian Civilization 3000B.C. Egypt Civilization 5000B.C. Yellow River 2000-1000B.C. Judaism 566B.C. Buddhism Hinduism

18. Symbols Buddha, Bodhi Tree

19. Number of followers 350 million (6% of world’s population)

20. Place(s) of worship: Temples, shrines, anywhere you can meditate (This is the typical interior of a temple in Korea)

21. Days of worship There is no weekly day of observance like the Moslem Friday, Jewish Saturday or Christian Sunday. Meditation is a daily act of “worship”.

22. After-life Ideas Buddhists maintain that rebirth takes place without an unchanging self or soul passing from one form to another. The type of rebirth will be conditioned by the moral tone of the person's actions (kharma).

23. The Cycle of Birth Karma plays out in the Buddhism cycle of rebirth. There are six separate planes into which any living being can be reborn -- three fortunate realms, and three unfortunate realms. Those with favorable, positive karma are reborn into one of the fortunate realms: the realm of demigods, the realm of gods, and the realm of men. While the demigods and gods enjoy gratification unknown to men, they also suffer unceasing jealousy and envy. The realm of man is considered the highest realm of rebirth. Humanity lacks some of the extravagances of the demigods and gods, but is also free from their relentless conflict. Similarly, while inhabitants of the three unfortunate realms -- of animals, ghosts and hell -- suffer untold suffering, the suffering of the realm of man is far less. The realm of man also offers one other aspect lacking in the other five planes, an opportunity to achieve enlightenment, or Nirvana. Given the sheer number of living things, to be born human is to Buddhists a precious chance at spiritual bliss, a rarity that one should not forsake.

24. Holy book The Tripitaka The Tripitaka writings were originally memorized and recited orally by disciples. They include a code of ethics and accounts of Buddha’s teachings.

25. Holy Day Every May, on the night of the full moon, Buddhists all over the world celebrate Vesak for the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha such a long time ago. They meditate, observe the eight-fold path, partake in vegetarian food, give to charity and “bathe” the Buddha.

26. Religious Leaders There is no central leadership for Buddhism. In Tibet, however, they believe that the monk, the Dalai Lama, is their spiritually reborn leader on earth.

27. Buddhist monks True monks spend their lives meditating to achieve Nirvana When grandparent/parent dies a child may become monk for a month or more to help them reach heaven

28. Dalai Lama In Tibetan Buddhism, the successive Dalai Lamas form a lineage of allegedly reborn (tulku) magistrates which traces back to 1391. 1st Dalai Lama, (left) Genden Drub 1391-1474 The 14th and current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (born 1935).

29. Young Tibetan Buddhist monks of Drepung

30. Links http://www.losangdragpa.com/losangdragpa1buddhism.html http://chinapage.com/map/map.html http://idp.bl.uk/education/buddhism/index.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism http://uwacadweb.uwyo.edu/religionet/er/buddhism/index.htm