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(However, he is not actually worshipped as a God, Buddhists follow his teachings.) |
Tripataka (three Baskets)
Written in ancient Pali or in Sanskrit, like baskets of food, the three baskets of wisdom should be passedfrom one person to another. |
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(However, he is not actually worshipped as a God, Buddhists follow his teachings.) |
Tripataka (three Baskets)
Written in ancient Pali or in Sanskrit, like baskets of food, the three baskets of wisdom should be passedfrom one person to another. |
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| 6th Century BC. | Northern India | Prince Siddhartha Gautama - born a Hindu in Nepal. |
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| The Three Jewels - the Buddha- the
enlightened one (physician);
the Dhamma - the Buddha's teachings (remedy); the Sangha - the Buddhist community, including the monks and nuns (nurse). The Four Noble Truths 1. There is unhappiness in life. 2. People are unhappy if they only want their own way. 3. There is a way to end this. 4. The way is called the Noble Eightfold Path. It shows people how to live wisely and happily. The wheel with eight spokes represents - right beliefs; right aims; right speech; right conduct; right occupation; right effort; right thinking; right concentration. Reincarnation - All is impermanent. Depending on how you lived your life, so you will come back in another form. Death is not an end, but part of the chain of existence. The main goal is to reach Nirvana. |
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| Buddhist Temples.
Inside a temple, there is a shrine and often a statue of the Buddha either meditating or lying down. If someone puts goldleaf on a Buddha statue or on the temple it is said to 'gain them merit'. Monks and Nuns may live at the Temple. Stupas. These are ancient burial mounds of great religious teachers. |
Meditation - Often kneeling or crosslegged.
Still and quiet, eyes closed or slightly open, breathe calmly. Either in
a temple or at home.
Puja - sit or kneel in front of a shrine, bow and say the Three Jewels. Offerings - of flowers and lighting candles and incense in front of a buddha staue. Dhana - saying thanks to monks and nuns by offering food and robes. Buddha rupas - pictures or images of Buddha |
Meditation - a special kind of concentrated
thinking to make your mind clear and bright.
Mandalas - usually a circular 'map' which helps you to meditate as you go through the 'gateways at the edges towards the centre. Tibetan monks have created sand mandalas in Fremantle. When it was finished it was tipped into the ocean as an act towards world peace. Mantras - a single sound such as Om or Aum constantly repeated. Gardens - Zen buddhists (Japan) make gardens of rocks, raked sand, stones and maybe a few trees to help them meditate |
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| Coming of Age | In Theravada tradition (Southeast Asia), boys abd some girls between the age of 8 and 12 years, are initiated into adulthood to become a novice monk or nun. To begin with they are dressed as princes and princesses like Prince Gautama. They take the Three Jewels, then have their heads shaved and change into the saffron robes. They may then stay with the monks from one night to a few years . |
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The state of mind of the person at death is an important influence on the state of rebirth. Friends and family will say special prayers to help them travel to their next life. Cremations are usually held three days later. |