Members in Group

1 .Le Thi Hanh

2. Vu Thi Hong Dung
3 .Nguyen Thi Khanh Ly
BUDDHIM
!"er"ie#
The Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of the
Sakya tribe of Nepal, in approximately 566 BC !hen he was
twentynine years old, he left the comforts of his home to
seek the meanin" of the su#erin" he saw around him $fter
six years of arduous yo"ic trainin", he abandoned the way of
self%morti&cation and instead sat in mindful meditation
beneath a bodhi tree
'n the full moon of (ay, with the risin" of the mornin" star,
Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha, the enli"htened
one
The Buddha wandered the plains of northeastern )ndia for *5
years more, teachin" the path or +harma he had reali,ed in
that moment $round him de-eloped a community or San"ha
of monks and, later, nuns, drawn from e-ery tribe and caste,
de-oted to practicin" this path )n approximately *.6 BC, at
the a"e of ./, the Buddha died 0is last words are said to
be
)mpermanent are all created thin"s
Stri-e on with awareness
I.The main $hough$s
T01 T0211 3N)412S$5 T23T0S
+urin" his enli"htenment, the Buddha found the answer to
these 6uestions 0e disco-ered three "reat truths 0e
explained these truths in a simple way so that e-eryone
could understand them
7 Nothin" is lost in the uni-erse
The &rst truth is that nothin" is lost in the uni-erse (atter
turns into ener"y, ener"y turns into matter $ dead leaf turns
into soil $ seed sprouts and becomes a new plant 'ld solar
systems disinte"rate and turn into cosmic rays !e are born
of our parents, our children are born of us
!e are the same as plants, as trees, as other people, as the
rain that falls !e consist of that which is around us, we are
the same as e-erythin" )f we destroy somethin" around us,
we destroy oursel-es )f we cheat another, we cheat
oursel-es 3nderstandin" this truth, the Buddha and his
disciples ne-er killed any animal
8 1-erythin" Chan"es
The second uni-ersal truth of the Buddha is that e-erythin"
is continuously chan"in" 5ife is like a ri-er 9owin" on and
on, e-er%chan"in" Sometimes it 9ows slowly and sometimes
swiftly )t is smooth and "entle in some places, but later on
sna"s and rocks crop up out of nowhere $s soon as we think
we are safe, somethin" unexpected happens
'nce dinosaurs, mammoths, and saber%toothed ti"ers
roamed this earth They all died out, yet this was not the end
of life 'ther life forms like smaller mammals appeared, and
e-entually humans, too Now we can e-en see the 1arth
from space and understand the chan"es that ha-e taken
place on this planet 'ur ideas about life also chan"e :eople
once belie-ed that the world was 9at, but now we know that
it is round
; 5aw of Cause and 1#ect
The third uni-ersal truth explained by the Buddha is that
there is continuous chan"es due to the law of cause and
e#ect This is the same law of cause and e#ect found in
e-ery modern science textbook )n this way, science and
Buddhism are alike
The law of cause and e#ect is known as karma Nothin" e-er
happens to us unless we deser-es it !e recei-e exactly
what we earn, whether it is "ood or bad !e are the way we
are now due to the thin"s we ha-e done in the past 'ur
thou"hts and actions determine the kind of life we can ha-e
)f we do "ood thin"s, in the future "ood thin"s will happen to
us )f we do bad thin"s, in the future bad thin"s will happen
to us 1-ery moment we create new karma by what we say,
do, and think )f we understand this, we do not need to fear
karma )t becomes our friend )t teaches us to create a bri"ht
future
The Buddha said,
<The kind of seed sown
will produce that kind of fruit
Those who do "ood will reap "ood results
Those who do e-il will reap e-il results
)f you carefully plant a "ood seed,
=ou will >oyfully "ather "ood fruit<
T01 ?'32 N'B51 T23T0S
7 There is Su#erin" Su#erin" is common to all
8 Cause of Su#erin" !e are the cause of our su#erin"
; 1nd of Su#erin" Stop doin" what causes su#erin"
* :ath to end Su#erin" 1-eryone can be enli"htened
7 Su#erin"@ 1-eryone su#ers from these thin"
Birth% !hen we are born, we cry
Sickness% !hen we are sick, we are miserable
'ld a"e% !hen old, we will ha-e ache and pains and &nd it
hard to "et around
+eath% None of us wants to die !e feel deep sorrow when
someone dies
'ther thin"s we su#er from are@
Bein" with those we dislike,
Bein" apart from those we lo-e,
Not "ettin" what we want,
$ll kinds of problems and disappointments that are
una-oidable
The Buddha did not deny that there is happiness in life, but
he pointed out it does not last fore-er 1-entually e-eryone
meets with some kind of su#erin"

8 The cause of su#erin"
The Buddha explained that people li-e in a sea of su#erin"
because of i"norance and "reed They are i"norant of the
law of karma and are "reedy for the wron" kind of pleasures
They do thin"s that are harmful to their bodies and peace of
mind, so they can not be satis&ed or en>oy life
?or example, once children ha-e had a taste of candy, they
want more !hen they canAt ha-e it, they "et upset 1-en if
children "et all the candy they want, they soon "et tired of it
and want somethin" else $lthou"h, they "et a stomach%
ache from eatin" too much candy, they still want more The
thin"s people want most cause them the most su#erin" 'f
course, there are basic thin"s that all people should ha-e,
like ade6uate food, shelter, and clothin" 1-eryone deser-e a
"ood home, lo-in" parents, and "ood friends They should
en>oy life and cherish their possessions without becomin"
"reedy
; The end of su#erin"
To end su#erin", one must cut o# "reed and i"norance This
means chan"in" oneAs -iews and li-in" in a more natural and
peaceful way )t is like blowin" out a candle The 9ame of
su#erin" is put out for "ood Buddhists call the state in which
all su#erin" is ended Nir-ana Nir-ana is an e-erlastin" state
of "reat >oy and peace The Buddha said, <The extinction of
desire is Nir-ana< This is the ultimate "oal in Buddhism
1-eryone can reali,e it with the help of the BuddhaAs
teachin"s )t can be experienced in this -ery life
* The path to the end of su#erin"@ The path to end su#erin"
is known as the Noble 1i"htfold :ath )t is also known as the
(iddle !ay
T01 N'B51 1)G0T?'5+ :$T0
7 2i"ht 4iew The ri"ht way to think about life is to see the
world throu"h the eyes of the Buddha%%with wisdom and
compassion
8 2i"ht Thou"ht !e are what we think Clear and kind
thou"hts build "ood, stron" characters
; 2i"ht Speech By speakin" kind and helpful words, we are
respected and trusted by e-eryone
* 2i"ht Conduct No matter what we say, others know us
from the way we beha-e Before we critici,e others, we
should &rst see what we do oursel-es
5 2i"ht 5i-elihood This means choosin" a >ob that does not
hurt others The Buddha said, <+o not earn your li-in" by
harmin" others +o not seek happiness by makin" others
unhappy<
6 2i"ht 1#ort $ worthwhile life means doin" our best at all
times and ha-in" "ood will toward others This also means
not wastin" e#ort on thin"s that harm oursel-es and others
B 2i"ht (indfulness This means bein" aware of our
thou"hts, words, and deeds
. 2i"ht Concentration ?ocus on one thou"ht or ob>ect at a
time By doin" this, we can be 6uiet and attain true peace of
mind
$ll reli"ions ha-e some basic rules that de&ne what is "ood
conduct and what kind of conduct should be a-oided )n
Buddhism, the most important rules are the ?i-e :recepts
These ha-e been passed down from the Buddha himself
7 No killin" 2espect for life
8 No stealin" 2espect for othersA property
; No sexual misconduct 2espect for our pure nature
* No lyin" 2espect for honesty
5 No intoxicants 2espect for a clear mind
Buddhists also do not belie-e that death is the end of life
!hen one dies, oneAs consciousness lea-es and enters one
of the six paths of rebirth
ii.Bu%%hism #as %i"i%e% in$o $#o s&hoo'
)n the centuries followin" the BuddhaAs lifetime, his followers
faithfully preser-ed his teachin"s and spread them to many
countries in $sia Today, there are two main schools of
Buddhism@ Thera-ada and (ahayana Thera-ada means Athe
teachin" of the 1ldersA Thera-ada monks follow the
practices that ha-e been passed down by the senior monks
from the BuddhaAs time, such as li-in" in the forests and
meditatin" The "oal in Thera-ada Buddhism is to become
an $rhat, a person who is free of su#erin" Thera-ada is
practiced mainly in southern $sian countries such as Sri
5anka, Thailand and (yanmar CBurmaD
(ahayana stresses followin" the BuddhaAs example of "oin"
out into the world and doin" "ood (ahayana means AGreat
4ehicleA The "oal in (ahayana Buddhism is to follow the
Bodhisatt-a :ath $ Bodhisatt-a is one who enli"htens
oneself as well as others )n (ahayana Buddhism, there are
many Buddhas and Bodhisatt-as )t mainly spread to
northern $sian countries like China, Tibet, Eorea, 4ietnam
and Fapan 2ecently, both Thera-ada and (ahayana
Buddhism ha-e been introduced into the !est
IIi.IN(LU)N*) !( BUDDHIM !N TH) LI() +ND
TH!UGHT !( TH) VI)TN+M))
)n theory there are three main reli"ions in 4ietnam@ Taoism,
Confucianism and BuddhismG but in fact there is only one,
which is an amal"am of these three doctrines, each of which
represents a particular aspect of the whole This state of
a#airs makes it diHcult, if not impossible, to distin"uish
three separate reli"ious communities amon" the
4ietnamese There are perhaps some people who follow
either Taoism or Buddhism but they are in a minority The
bulk of the popolation remains unpre>udiced and is not
interested in sectarian distinctions $ Buddhist family for
example will -isit Taoist temples and perform the rites
belon"in" to the Confucian cult of ancestors
Buddhism has had a particularly stron" e#ect on morals and
beha-iour 1-en uneducated 4ietnamese and non%Buddhists
fear the results of bad actions concei-in" them in the
symbolism of the ITen 0ellsJ and this fear often makes them
a-oid such actions, encoura"in" them instead to be kind
Stren"thened by the ?i-e :recepts, or basic morality of
Buddhism, it is part of the reason for the "entle manners,
which came to per-ade 4ietnamese life, thanks &rstly to the
opportunity for happiness out of the ordinary inherent in
$midism 4e"eterianism is followed by the laity on speci&c
dates and is the standard diet for monks )t has the merit of
miti"atin" the san"uinary instinct common to all
The in9uece of the three reli"ions is clear in the artistic &eld,
where that of Buddhism is predominant $rchitecture,
paintin" and sculpture are often inspired by two of the key
ideas of Buddhism, which are :urity and Compassion The
9ower of the lotus is a fre6uent motif and the -arious
representations of $-alokitesh-ara are "reatly -enerated,
especially by women
IV.*on&'usion
)n 4ietnam, Buddhist in9uence is not limited to the $rt,
5etters and :hilosophy )t inspires the theatre, ser-es as a
basis for certain "ood, customs, inspires stories and le"ends,
pro-ides su""estions for popular son"s and pro-erbs )f
Buddhism is the source at which intellectuals 6uench their
thirst it is also the breast which suckles spirits enamoured of
spiritualityG it is in its school of wisdom that passion%troubled
spirits awakenG it is the 1nli"htenment of its illustrious
founder that 4ietnam is learnin" to &nd herself, to know
herselfG &nally it is under the roofs of her monasteries that
her de-otees meditate de-outly and her unfortunates seek
consolation it pro"ressed by leaps and bounds under the
patrona"e of the rulin" families Since then, in spite of the
anta"onism of other ri-al reli"ions, it continued to expand
almost uniterruptedly both in extent as well as by con-iction
+urin" a particular epoch of history, from K6. to 7*7* it was
"i-en the status of a State reli"ion Se-eral emperors of the
5y and Tran dynasties e-en went so far as to practise what
they preached@ some as faithful followers, some as monks
proper, ha-in" abdicated and chosen the monastic way of
life $ curious fact, this, and it would indeed be interestin" to
study it without necessarily di"ressin" from the sub>ect of
the present paper
4ietnamese Buddhism continues to hold this supremacy in
our own times, not in public life it is true, but in the hearts of
a "ood ma>ority of the people )t is therefore easy to
understand how "reat an in9uence the +harma of Buddha
has had on the 4ietNamese mind, and the "enerous
contribution it has made to the moral and spiritual trainin" of
a people whose "entleness and simple outlook on life
predisposed them to accept the I2eli"ion of CompassionJ
The dominant trait in the person of the Great Teacher made
his teachin" known and felt throu"ht the country The artist,
the philosopher and the poet of those days imbibed it and
many of those of modern times still continue to draw their
inspiration from it
V.*!N(),)N*)
The Teachin" of Buddha Sunday School +epartment,7K6B
Buddhist Studies Curriculum +e-elopment )nstitute of
Sin"apore Sin"apore@ :an :aci&c :ublications :te 5td, 7K.*
Some websites
http@LLwwwwebspaceshipeduLLLbuddhaintrohtml
http@LLenwikipediaor"L
http@LLwwwbuddhanetnet