Transcript: Buddhism is the 4th largest religion in the world. As of 2002, it had 360 million adherents, or 6% of the world’s population. Siddhartha Gautama, an Indian prince, founded Buddhism in Northeastern India in 520 BCE. He is more commonly known as the ‘Buddha’. Which means, ‘the enlightened one’. According to tradition, he lived a fairly wealthy and sheltered life until he went on a journey that exposed him to the harsh realities of life. It is said that on the journey, he saw an old man, a sick man, a poor man and a corpse. He felt so repulsed and distressed by these images, that he decided to leave his father’s palace and find enlightenment through asceticism. After not being able to obtain enlightenment after many attempts, he made a decision to sit at the foot of a tree and not move until he had obtained enlightenment. A few days later, he rose as the Buddha. Buddhists don't worship the Buddha as a god, but merely pay respect to him as he was a man who taught a path to enlightenment. Buddhism teaches that the primary purpose of life is to end suffering. The Buddha taught that humans suffer because we continually strive after things that do not give lasting happiness. Buddhists also believe in the "Four Noble Truths" which form the foundation of belief for all branches of Buddhism:
1. All of life is marked by suffering.
2. Suffering is caused by desire and attachment.
3. Suffering can be stopped.
4. The way to end suffering is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path.
Buddhists believe in the afterlife through the ideas of Reincarnation and Nirvana. The Buddha described reincarnation as lighting successive candles using the flame of the preceding candle. On the other hand, nirvana is the state of final liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth. It is also therefore the end of suffering. A key daily practice for Buddhists is to meditate and follow the teachings of the Buddha. The sacred book that all Buddhists follow is called the Tripitaka. Its written in an ancient Indian language called Pali.
