Buddhism: Beliefs, Buddha and the Eightfold Path

Golden statue of the Buddha seated in the lotus position with an alms bowl in his lap. — Siddhartha gave up wealth and lived simply. The alms bowl in his lap recalls the simple life he chose after leaving his palace and becoming a wandering teacher. He sits cross-legged in the lotus position, a traditional pose for meditation. The gold on this statue represents the honor later Buddhists gave the Buddha and his teachings.

More than 2,500 years ago, a prince who became the Buddha realized that everything changes, and suffering comes from clinging to things. He believed that people cannot control everything that happens to them, but they can train their minds to respond without being controlled by anger, fear, or craving. These ideas are at the heart of Buddhism.

Siddhartha Gautama

Buddhism began on the Indian subcontinent about 2,500 years ago. Its founder, Siddhartha Gautama, was born into the ruling family of the Shakya people near the foothills of the Himalayas in present-day Nepal. Buddhist tradition says Siddhartha grew up surrounded by wealth and privilege.

When he was about thirty years old, Prince Siddhartha realized that we all get old, sick, and eventually die. He wanted to understand why people suffer and how to escape it.

The Ascetics

Siddhartha left his privileged life in search of answers. He became an ascetic, giving up comforts and possessions. Siddhartha fasted until he became dangerously thin, but eventually concluded that extreme self-denial would not lead him to enlightenment.

Golden eight-spoked Dharma Wheel, an ancient symbol of Buddhism and the Buddha’s teachings. — The dharmachakra, or Dharma Wheel, is one of Buddhism’s oldest and most widely recognized symbols. The wheel represents the Buddha’s teachings and the path to enlightenment. Its eight spokes are commonly understood to represent the Eightfold Path, the eight practices Buddhists follow to overcome suffering and craving.

Enlightenment

According to Buddhist tradition, Siddhartha sat under a fig tree to meditate on what he had learned. To meditate is to calm your mind. As he meditated, the prince reached a state of heightened wisdom Buddhists call enlightenment.

Under the fig tree, Siddhartha believed he finally understood the problem that had troubled him since leaving home. Aging, sickness, death, and change cannot be avoided. He now understood that much of what people suffer from comes from holding on to what was never going to last. His philosophy can be explained by the expression, “Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die.” Someone can ruin your day, but only if you let them after they are gone.

The Middle Way

Siddhartha returned to the ascetic community where he once fasted. He explained that the path to enlightenment is neither through indulgence nor denial, but a Middle Way. He taught the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path (see box) as a route to Nirvana, or liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth.

Buddhist monk in orange robes meditating on a rocky ledge overlooking a green valley. — In many Buddhist communities, becoming a monk does not have to be a lifelong commitment. Men may enter a monastery for weeks, months, or years to study Buddhist teachings, meditate, practice self-discipline, and deepen their faith. Later, they may leave the monastery and return to ordinary family and working life.

Some ascetics accepted his teachings and formed the first sangha, or community. In time, people began referring to Siddhartha as the Buddha, or “Enlightened One,” and the sangha and other followers became known as Buddhists.

The Tripitaka

The Buddha left no writings. His teachings were passed down orally and eventually preserved in collections known as the Tripitaka, or “Three Baskets.” The Tripitaka is not one book you can hold in your hands. It is a library of many Buddhist writings.

Those writings are organized into three “baskets.” The first contains teachings of the Buddha. The second contains rules for monks and nuns. The third contains detailed explanations of Buddhist philosophy. As Buddhism spread, different traditions developed their own sacred collections, but the Tripitaka remains the oldest and most prominent.

Buddhist woman in traditional dress turning a row of golden prayer wheels. — Buddhism developed different traditions as it spread across Asia. Prayer wheels became important in Tibetan Buddhism and other Himalayan traditions. The wheels contain mantras, words or phrases repeated during prayer or meditation. Like the Dharma Wheel, a circle has no beginning or end, symbolizing the continuing path of the Buddha’s teachings.

Buddhism Spreads

Today, more than 320 million people worldwide adhere to the Buddha’s philosophy. Buddhism gradually declined in India over many centuries but spread to China, Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

The Four Noble Truths

1. There will always be suffering in life.
2. Suffering is caused by craving and clinging.
3. Suffering can end when craving and clinging end.
4. The way to end craving and clinging is to follow the Eightfold Path.

The Eightfold Path

Right View—Accept the world as it is and not as you want it to be.

Right Intention—Be motivated by goodwill, kindness, and compassion rather than anger, resentment, or greed.

Right Speech— Speak helpfully; do not lie or gossip.

Right Conduct—Watch what you do; notice when you fall short; improve.

Right Livelihood— Earn a living without causing harm to others.

Right Effort—Work to overcome anger, jealousy, and other negative thoughts.

Right Mindfulness—Be aware of your thoughts and emotions so they do not control you.

Right Concentration—Learn to quiet your thoughts and keep your attention on what matters.

A Pampered Prince

There are many stories about the Buddha, but historians treat them as legend rather than objective fact. One of the most famous describes how Siddhartha began his search for answers.

Before Siddhartha was born, a holy man told his father, King Suddhodana, that if Siddhartha remained in his father’s palace, he would become a great king, but if he learned of the suffering of the outside world, Siddhartha would become a great teacher.

Determined to keep his son in the palace, Suddhodana shielded him from anything unpleasant. Gardeners picked flowers before they wilted so the prince would never see decay. When Siddhartha rode from the palace, guards cleared beggars and sick people from the streets before his chariot approached.

One day, Siddhartha saw an old man who had wandered into the path of his chariot. He then encountered a sick man, a funeral procession, and finally an ascetic who had given up worldly comforts in search of answers. His chariot driver explained that everyone grows old, falls ill, and dies.

Meditation

Meditation is the practice of building the skill of paying attention. In a busy world, we can easily become distracted and lose focus. One popular form of meditation has the user focus on a particular object or point, returning attention to it whenever the mind wanders. Another form has a person focus on breathing, noticing each breath and returning attention to it whenever the mind wanders. The idea behind meditation is to clear your mind of distractions so you can focus.

Meditation is an important component of Buddhism and other Eastern religions. But its benefits are not limited to religious practice. The American Psychological Association reports that research has linked mindfulness meditation to reduced stress and anxiety and improved attention. With practice, distracting thoughts can become easier to notice and let go. It is almost as if your mind had its own robot vacuum.

The Smiling Buddha?

The familiar smiling figure with a large round belly is not Siddhartha Gautama. He is Budai, a Chinese Buddhist monk who lived roughly 1,400 years after Siddhartha. His name means “cloth sack,” after the bag he was said to carry. Budai became associated with happiness, abundance, and good fortune. In the West, he is often called the “Laughing Buddha.”

Traditional images of the Buddha look quite different. He is often shown wearing robes, with elongated ears, a composed expression, and a bump or topknot-like feature on his head. These are idealized religious images, not portraits. We have no contemporary image or physical description of Siddhartha Gautama.

Siddhartha probably looked quite different from Budai. He spent years living among ascetics, and even after reaching enlightenment, the Buddha followed the practice of not eating solid food between noon and the following dawn. We cannot know his body shape, but his lifestyle gives us little reason to think he resembled the round-bellied Budai.

Schools of Buddhism

Buddhism developed into different schools as it spread across Asia. The two largest traditions are Theravada and Mahayana. Both follow the Buddha’s basic teachings, including the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, but they differ in some beliefs and practices.

Theravada Buddhism emphasizes following the path taught by the Buddha to overcome suffering and reach Nirvana. Monks and nuns play an important role in preserving the Buddha’s teachings. Theravada is most common today in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.

Mahayana Buddhism places greater emphasis on helping others reach enlightenment as well as seeking enlightenment for oneself. It developed additional sacred writings and many different schools, including Zen. Mahayana Buddhism became especially important in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

Other schools of Buddhism developed over time, each with its own beliefs and practices. Despite their differences, Buddhists share many of the Buddha’s central teachings, particularly the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

Resources

Download this lesson as a worksheet with activities

Editable File (Microsoft Word)
Printable PDF (Adobe Acrobat)

Mr. Donn has an excellent website that includes a section on India.

NEXT

Ashoka and the Mauryan Empire