Overview of Buddhism for A2 sociology, including the role of women in Buddhism.

1. Buddhism
By Neelam, Olivia and Toby.

2. Buddhism
• Buddhism is most prevalent in the far East
though there are many western converts.
• Buddhism originated in India from the
teachings of Siddarta Gautama, who, after
achieving enlightenment, became the
Buddha.
• There are an estimated 400 million
Buddhists in the world.

3. Main beliefs of Buddhism
• Gautama the Buddha taught that the way
to achieve enlightenment, and escape
samsara, the circle of suffering which we
all exist in, was to avoid the three poisons;
greed, hatred and delusion.
• This can be achieved by following the
middle way, or eightfold path.

4. The eightfold path
• Right views
• Right intentions
• Right speech
• Right action
• Right livelihood
• Right effort
• Right mindfulness
• Right concentration

5. • This means that Buddhists should follow a
middle path, not going to either extremes
i.e. not starving themselves but not
becoming obese either.
• Buddhists should abstain from certain
professions, such as the production of
weapons, drugs or meat, as these can all
harm people.
• The last three parts of the eightfold path
are right effort, right mindfulness and right
concentration.

6. Meditation
• Meditation is a central part of Buddhism and is
encompassed in the last three points of the
eightfold path.
• There are two main types of Buddhist
meditation, vipissana and samatha.
• Vipissana meditation is about insight;
understanding the role of suffering in the world
and how we can end it.
• Samatha meditation is about tranquillity and
love; in Buddhism love is not about attachment
but about loving all beings equally because
attachment only causes further suffering.

7. Buddhist symbols
• The main Buddhist
symbol is samsara, or
the wheel of life, which
is often depicted on
large silk quilts used by
monks as teaching
aids.

8. Role of women in Buddhism
• The Buddha’s teachings say that women
are to be treated with respect but as with
any religion texts can be interpreted in
different ways.
• There are different denominations of
Buddhism prevelant in different countries
and they do not always treat women well.

9. Buddhism in Thailand
• In Thailand there is a large trade in women, sold
as prostitutes by their communities in the poor
north to brothels in the wealthier south.
• This, apart from economic reasons, is mainly
because of the type of Buddhism practised
there. Women are seen as inferior and may
have been re-born as women because of sins in
past lives. This means that women are valued
less and can be used as commodities.