Buddhism

Siddhartha was a prince in India that was shielded from the bad in life like aging and sickness, by his father. After almost thirty years, Siddhartha left the castle to roam and he saw an old man, a sick man, a dead man, and a spiritual seeker. He had a life of pure pleasure but now knew that there was suffering in the world that was inevitable and it troubled him. He left his wife and newborn son and became a spiritual seeker, trying to reach enlightenment. He tried everything all the way down to starving himself to near death for six years before he realized that it wasn’t working. Finally, while meditating under a tree, Siddhartha defeated the god of desire and reached enlightenment or nirvana. He then proceeded to teach others starting with his friends and eventually had many followers and created a community where monks could stay and learn.

Three Jewels:

1.      I take refuge in Buddha

2.      I take refuge in Dharma

3.      I take refuge in Sangha

4 Noble Truths:
       1. All is suffering (dukkha). 
       2. Suffering is caused by desire. 
       3. If one can eliminate desire, they can eliminate suffering. 
       4. The Noble Eight-fold Path can eliminate desire. 

Noble Eight-fold Path:

1. Right Views.

2. Right Intent.

3. Right Speech.

4. Right Conduct.

5. Right livelihood.

6. Right effort.

7. Right mindfulness.

8. Right concentration.