Buddhism

Question 1

Siddharta Gauthama

Answer 1

• young prince, lived in India, father tried to keep him away from the real world…eventually left the castle and saw things in the world he had never seen before…old age, poorness, illness, death
• realized life is not only joy and pleasure but there is human suffering
• abandoned father’s house to follow ascetic path in hope of reaching enlightenment and stop suffering

Question 2

ascetism

Answer 2

meditation, yoga, live outside in the woods, fasting

Question 3

Nirvana:

Answer 3

• enlightenment
• life without suffering
• Siddharta realized that neither a life of pleasure nor a life of rigid asceticism would extinguish suffering…he decided on a middle path and continued meditation until he reached nirvana

Question 4

Four Noble Truths

Answer 4

1. Suffering exists, to be born is suffering
2. To grow up is suffering. Because we become old, to have and possess produce suffering sorrow, pain
3. the cause of suffering is attachment and desire
   - 4. Suffering can be avoided if we learn to detach totally from possession and desire

Question 5

Eightfold Path

Answer 5

1. Right Understanding –> recognize impermanence of life
2. Right Intention –> my thoughts and motives are pure
3. Right Speech –> speak honestly and kindly in positive ways
4. Right Actions –> actions to not hurt others
5. Right Work –> job does not hurt self or others
6. Right effort –> with moderation I constantly strive to improve
7. Right meditation
8. Right contemplation

Question 6

Zen Buddhism

Answer 6

• Meditation
• here and now, present moment
• impermanent & eternity
• agnostic religion (no religious authority)
• refuse the idea of speculation–> don’t ask about the nature of God or life path
• “letting your mind be full with emptiness”–> consciously be aware of freeing your mind ALWAYS
• realize you will never reach perfection; refuse past and future, be in the present, but everything is changing