Buddhism

-Siddhartha Gautama: founder of Buddhism
-He meditated for 49 days on why we suffer, and found an answer, he then became the Buddha
-originated in India and spread to other countries
-Three Baskets of Wisdom (Tripitaka) : the holy text that encourages people to live a moral life
-monasteries grew into major centers of learning
-had shrines of elaborate carvings of Buddha
-buddhism split into two major sects (a subgroup of a major religious group) : Theravada (believe Buddha is spiritual god) and Mahayana (believe Buddha is a god)
-the religion eventually declined in India

The Four Noble Truths

1. All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow
2. The cause of suffering is negative deeds and mindsets (non-virtue) such as hatred and desire
3. The only way to cure suffering is to overcome non-virtue
4. The way to overcome non-virtue is to follow the Eightfold Path

The Eightfold Path

"right views, right aspirations, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right contemplation."

-understand the four noble truths
-commit oneself to the Eightfold Path
-middle way between a life devoted to pleasure and one devoted to self-denial
-moral principles:
-honesty, charity, and kindness to everything