Group 3: Origins
1. In approximately what year and place did this belief system originated?
Buddhism started around 2500 years ago (550 bce.) since the Buddhism enlightenment. Enlightenment is new ways of thinking or ideas. Buddhism started in India, the founder was Siddhartha Gautama. After seeing an ill old man he started a new life and became a monk.
2. Who is the founder and how did the belief system originated?
The founder was Siddharta Guatama he was born into royality and became a warrior of the king and queen. A legend says that a soothsayer predicted that he might become a founder of Buddhism the father. The king wanted to stop this by spoiling with luxuries then grew into a young man and saw severe forms of human suffering like old age illness and death. Then realized that all pleasures were transit. After that he went into the forest to the point of starving. Siddharta realized that he added only suffering.
3. Explain who is the super being(s) (if there is one).
The Guatama Buddha or simply Buddhism believe in many deity or gods. In most Buddhism tradition people think that Siddharta Buddha is regarded as supreme Buddha. Buddhists believe that a supreme being created the universe. The Guatama Buddha believe to have lived and taught mostly eastern part of India subcontinent all sometimes between sixth and fourth centuries bce.
4. Are there any religious leaders or leaders in general of the belief system? (Example: priest, shamans) Explain their role, whether it be from the past or present?
The Dalai Lama is the head monk of Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama traditionally has been responsible for governing Tibet, until the Chinese government took control in 1959. The current Dalai Lama is Tezin. Just like all Buddhist, they all believe in he idea of “no self”, which means that you don't live for your own desire, luxury, etc.
5. What is the symbol of the belief system? Explain why this symbol is used to represent the belief system.
The symbol of Buddhism is the Eight Spoked Wheel represents Buddha. The 8 long strip refers to the story that shortly after the Buddha achieved enlightenment. Brahma came down from heaven and requested him a Dharmachakra. Dharmacakra is one of the Ashtamangala of Indian religious such as Hinduism, Janis and Buddhism, Janism and Buddhism. It also represents the “Eightfold Path” (a set of codes/rules that Buddhists follow).
6. How did this belief system spread to other regions? If the belief system did not spread to other regions, explain why.
India started Buddhism but it was spreading slow. The Mauryan emperor Askoa had Buddhism spread faster by sending Buddhists missionaries as far as Syria. The religion had spread tro the eastern provinces the Seleucid empire then the missionaries went farther to the Hellenistic kingdoms of the mediterranean. The greatest spread of Buddhism went to the Persian and Greek civilization later no to China 2nd century then Korea and Japan which the Buddhists monks translated into Chinese. Also went from India to Tibet and Mongolia.
Buddhism started around 2500 years ago (550 bce.) since the Buddhism enlightenment. Enlightenment is new ways of thinking or ideas. Buddhism started in India, the founder was Siddhartha Gautama. After seeing an ill old man he started a new life and became a monk.
2. Who is the founder and how did the belief system originated?
The founder was Siddharta Guatama he was born into royality and became a warrior of the king and queen. A legend says that a soothsayer predicted that he might become a founder of Buddhism the father. The king wanted to stop this by spoiling with luxuries then grew into a young man and saw severe forms of human suffering like old age illness and death. Then realized that all pleasures were transit. After that he went into the forest to the point of starving. Siddharta realized that he added only suffering.
3. Explain who is the super being(s) (if there is one).
The Guatama Buddha or simply Buddhism believe in many deity or gods. In most Buddhism tradition people think that Siddharta Buddha is regarded as supreme Buddha. Buddhists believe that a supreme being created the universe. The Guatama Buddha believe to have lived and taught mostly eastern part of India subcontinent all sometimes between sixth and fourth centuries bce.
4. Are there any religious leaders or leaders in general of the belief system? (Example: priest, shamans) Explain their role, whether it be from the past or present?
The Dalai Lama is the head monk of Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama traditionally has been responsible for governing Tibet, until the Chinese government took control in 1959. The current Dalai Lama is Tezin. Just like all Buddhist, they all believe in he idea of “no self”, which means that you don't live for your own desire, luxury, etc.
5. What is the symbol of the belief system? Explain why this symbol is used to represent the belief system.
The symbol of Buddhism is the Eight Spoked Wheel represents Buddha. The 8 long strip refers to the story that shortly after the Buddha achieved enlightenment. Brahma came down from heaven and requested him a Dharmachakra. Dharmacakra is one of the Ashtamangala of Indian religious such as Hinduism, Janis and Buddhism, Janism and Buddhism. It also represents the “Eightfold Path” (a set of codes/rules that Buddhists follow).
6. How did this belief system spread to other regions? If the belief system did not spread to other regions, explain why.
India started Buddhism but it was spreading slow. The Mauryan emperor Askoa had Buddhism spread faster by sending Buddhists missionaries as far as Syria. The religion had spread tro the eastern provinces the Seleucid empire then the missionaries went farther to the Hellenistic kingdoms of the mediterranean. The greatest spread of Buddhism went to the Persian and Greek civilization later no to China 2nd century then Korea and Japan which the Buddhists monks translated into Chinese. Also went from India to Tibet and Mongolia.
Group 4: Beliefs
1) What are the major beliefs of the belief system?
Siddhartha Gautama major belief was that he should make his inspiration about the nature of life available to others for their betterment. By doing this he talked about his experience and wrote it into a doctrine called the "Four Noble Truths". These truths are the basis of all school of Buddhism.
2) What are the values of the belief system?
Buddhism may include gods, ancestors, and the afterlife, but the most important Buddhist beliefs about suffering and how to escape it. One cannot achieve perfection unless one keeps the right company. A Buddhist is supposed to associate with other seekers of truth in a spirit of love.
3) What does the place of worship look like? What is the name of the structure? Why is this the place of worship?
Buddhist worship at home or at a temple. Worshipers may sit on the floor barefoot facing an image of Buddha and chanting. It is very important that their feet face away from the image of Buddha. They listen to monks chanting from religious texts and take part in prayers.
4) What are some of the holy/important/symbolic places that are associated with the belief system?
The first of these is Lumbini, the place where Gautam Buddha was born as Siddharta to Suddhodhana, the chieftain of Sakya clan. In Bodhgaya, the second of the four holy sites in Buddhism, He attained enlightenment and became the Buddha. Post His enlightenment, the Buddha met His five friends/disciples and delivered His first sermon at Deer Park in Sarnath. The Buddha preached for the next 45 years and finally died at Kushinara, the last of the four holy sites in Buddhism.
5) Describe the belief system’s views about death and the afterlife. If there are any important ceremonies that take place include them also.
There are variations among the Buddhist views of what occurs after death. However, the unifying feature of each is that the cycle of death and rebirth (reincarnation) is to be avoided by achieving nirvana. Nirvana, which means “extinction” or “blowing out”, also often translated as “bliss”, is the letting go of individual identity and desires (Ashton and Whyte, p 46). Thus, in the state of nirvana (the state toward which enlightenment drives one) there is no longer an ‘individual’ and there is no survival of subjective experience. However, this is desirable from the Buddhist perspective because, according to Gautama Buddha (the supreme Buddha) the essential nature of embodied life is suffering caused by desire for (in part) permanence and identity (in general for earthly things).
6) Is there a central administration for the belief system? If yes, how is it organized?
Yes, the buddhism is organized by the Chinese and the Indian people by praying at temples, homes and other places. The Tibet is the central administration for both belief system of China and India.
Siddhartha Gautama major belief was that he should make his inspiration about the nature of life available to others for their betterment. By doing this he talked about his experience and wrote it into a doctrine called the "Four Noble Truths". These truths are the basis of all school of Buddhism.
2) What are the values of the belief system?
Buddhism may include gods, ancestors, and the afterlife, but the most important Buddhist beliefs about suffering and how to escape it. One cannot achieve perfection unless one keeps the right company. A Buddhist is supposed to associate with other seekers of truth in a spirit of love.
3) What does the place of worship look like? What is the name of the structure? Why is this the place of worship?
Buddhist worship at home or at a temple. Worshipers may sit on the floor barefoot facing an image of Buddha and chanting. It is very important that their feet face away from the image of Buddha. They listen to monks chanting from religious texts and take part in prayers.
4) What are some of the holy/important/symbolic places that are associated with the belief system?
The first of these is Lumbini, the place where Gautam Buddha was born as Siddharta to Suddhodhana, the chieftain of Sakya clan. In Bodhgaya, the second of the four holy sites in Buddhism, He attained enlightenment and became the Buddha. Post His enlightenment, the Buddha met His five friends/disciples and delivered His first sermon at Deer Park in Sarnath. The Buddha preached for the next 45 years and finally died at Kushinara, the last of the four holy sites in Buddhism.
5) Describe the belief system’s views about death and the afterlife. If there are any important ceremonies that take place include them also.
There are variations among the Buddhist views of what occurs after death. However, the unifying feature of each is that the cycle of death and rebirth (reincarnation) is to be avoided by achieving nirvana. Nirvana, which means “extinction” or “blowing out”, also often translated as “bliss”, is the letting go of individual identity and desires (Ashton and Whyte, p 46). Thus, in the state of nirvana (the state toward which enlightenment drives one) there is no longer an ‘individual’ and there is no survival of subjective experience. However, this is desirable from the Buddhist perspective because, according to Gautama Buddha (the supreme Buddha) the essential nature of embodied life is suffering caused by desire for (in part) permanence and identity (in general for earthly things).
6) Is there a central administration for the belief system? If yes, how is it organized?
Yes, the buddhism is organized by the Chinese and the Indian people by praying at temples, homes and other places. The Tibet is the central administration for both belief system of China and India.
