Buddhism originated in India with Siddhartha Gautama, who became Buddha. The essence of Buddhism is the middle way of wisdom and compassion. The three jewels are Buddha, the teacher; Dharma, the teachings; and Sangha, the community. According to Buddhism, desire is the fundamental cause of all suffering, so one must extinguish the self and not obsess about oneself. The Four Noble Truths explain that suffering exists, its cause is desire and attachments, the solution is to eliminate desire through following the Eightfold Path to reach nirvana.

2. Religions of South Asia

3. Buddhism in the
Subcontinent

4. The essence of
Buddhism
 The “middle way of wisdom
and compassion.”
 2,500 year old tradition.
 The 3 jewels of Buddhism:
 Buddha, the teacher.
 Dharma, the teachings.
 Sangha, the community.

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

6. What is the
fundamental cause of
all suffering?
Desire!
 Therefore, extinguish the self,
don’t obsess about oneself.

7. Four Noble Truths
1. There is suffering in the
world. To live is to
suffer. (Dukkha)
 The Buddha found this
out when he was young
and experienced
suffering and death in
others.

8. Four Noble Truths
2. The cause of
suffering is self-
centered desire and
attachments. (Tanha)

9. Four Noble Truths
3. The solution is to
eliminate desire and
attachments.
(Nirvana =
“extinction”)

10. Four Noble Truths
4. To reach nirvana, one
must follow the Eightfold
Path.

11. Eightfold Path
Nirvana
 The union with the ultimate
spiritual reality.
 Escape from the cycle of
rebirth.