Buddhism-+Group+5

=Period 2= =http://www.buddhist-tourism.com/four-holy-sites.html=

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1347735.stm
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/weekinreview/01powell.html

= **RESEARCH GUIDE: BUDDHISM** = **1. What are the religion's followers called?** Buddhists a. Sutras- more often used by the Mahayana Buddhists; three important Sutras, first being Lotus Sutra describing the sermon of Buddha, the second being Heart Sutra which is short and a summary of the key concepts of Mahayanism, and third being Land of Bliss Sutra explaining how to reach Nirvana.
 * 2. Religious Text:** (What is it made up of? Give a short explanation.)

b. Tripitaka- "Tripitaka" literally means "three baskets"; first Buddhist teachings collection; seperated into three baskets, or sections, the first being Vinaya Pitaka meaning "discipline basket" with rules for monks and nuns, the next being Sutra Pitaka meaning "discourse basket" with teachings concerning behavior, and the final being Abhidharma Pitaka meaning "higher knowledge basket" about philosophy and psychology of Buddhists but also contains Dhammapada which contains the sayings of the Buddha

a. Wesak Festival- Also known as Buddha Day; most important Buddhist holiday; full moon of May; marks Buddha's birthday, and for some, the day of his enlightenment, and day of death; joyous occasion; "Bathing the Buddha" ceremony
 * 3. Special Days:** (What are they celebrating? Are there any special activities?)

b. Dharma Day- Marks beginning of Buddha's teaching; start of Buddhism; "dharma" means "truths"; marks start of rainy season, where nomadic Buddhists will cease traveling for three months

c. Kathina- Marks end of rainy season, where nomadic Buddhists will resume travels after a three months; celebrates the offering of cloth; a "kathina" is a frame on which the cloth is made into a robe

Siddhartha Guatama- Buddhism's founder; the first Buddha; "Buddha" means "enlightened one"
 * 4. Person:** (What was this person's role?)

Dalai Lama- The spiritual leader of the Tibetans; He chooses to be reincarnated as a human each life cycle rather than go on to nirvana; when the current Dalai Lama dies, the High Lamas search, often for years, to find a child that was born near the death of the Dalai Lama who may be his reincarnation

-Lumbini- Guatama Buddha's birthplace; located in Nepal
 * 5. Sacred Sites:** (Where is this site and why is this site special?)

- Bodh Gaya- Where Siddhartha Guatama became enlightened, and became Buddha; located in Bihar, India

-Sarnath- Where Buddha gave his first sermon; located in Uttar Pradesh, India

-Kusinara- Where Buddha died; located in Uttar Pradesh, India

a. Theraveda Buddhism- Follows the original beliefs of Buddha and the early monastic elders. The later Mahayana Sutras are not recognized. Strict and monastic more philosophical
 * 6. Major Branches:** (what are the differences in beliefs and actions between these sects?)

b.Mahayana Buddhism- More liberal version of Buddhism, North and Far East. They believe in the Theraadons and the Sutras.


 * 7. Primarily Located in the following countries:** (give numbers/percentages if available)

Percentages of Buddhists
 * Thailand || 95% ||
 * Cambodia || 90% ||
 * Myanmar || 88% ||
 * Bhutan || 75% ||
 * Sri Lanka || 70% ||
 * Tibet || 65% ||
 * Laos || 60% ||
 * Vietnam || 55% ||
 * Japan || 50% ||
 * Macao || 45% ||
 * Taiwan || 43% ||

Numbers of Buddhists a. What are the 4 Noble Truths? Duk kha: The truth of suffering; life is not perfect, three most common forms of suffering is old age, ailment, and death Samudaya: The truth of the origin of suffering; root of suffering is desire, ignorance, and hatred Nirodha: The truth of the cessation of suffering; possibility of liberation Magga: The truth of the path to the cessation of suffering; Eightfold Path (the Middle Way)
 * China || 102,000,000 ||
 * Japan || 89,650,000 ||
 * Thailand || 55,480,000 ||
 * Vietnam || 49,690,000 ||
 * Myanmar || 41,610,000 ||
 * Sri Lanka || 12,540,000 ||
 * South Korea || 10,920,000 ||
 * Taiwan || 9,150,000 ||
 * Cambodia || 9,130,000 ||
 * India || 7,000,000 ||
 * 8. Core Beliefs:** (What are the central ideas to the religion?)

b. What is the Middle Way? The eight divisions: -Right understanding: accept Buddhist teachings -Right intention: commitment to have the right thoughts and attitudes -Right speech: speaking truthfully and avoiding abusive speech -Right action: doing what is right -Right livelihood: a job that doesn't harm anything -Right effort: becoming free of evil and preventing future evils -Right mindfulness: becoming aware of state of mind, feelings, sensations, and the body -Right concentration: creating mental focus required for awareness