Buddhism Lecture Notes Siddhartha - 1701 Words

Buddhism Lecture Notes Siddhartha Gautama was born around 500 BC, roughly the same time that Hinduism was shifting into the more meditative and spiritual form found in the Upanishads and breaking away from the old Vedic tradition. Siddhartha himself was raised within a Hindu community, and thus Buddhism, it can be said, began as an outgrowth of Hinduism very much like Christianity began as an outgrowth of Judaism. In fact, you’ll likely notice some amazing similarities between the life of Christ and the life of Siddhartha. Before he was born, Siddhartha’s mother, Maya (yes, like the Hindu term for â€Å"illusion†), had a vision of a white elephant entering her side. Nine months later, Siddhartha was born in what many claim was an immaculate conception. Siddhartha’s father was a prince of the region with vast wealth and power. When he was born, Siddhartha had very odd markings on his skin and his father, concerned about the well-being of his heir to the great fortune and kingdom, sought the counsel of two wise men, Brahmins of a sort, who were called in to decipher the markings on the baby’s body. The wise men said that the child was destined for a truly amazing life: he was destined for greatness. However, the way in which that destiny was to be fulfilled depending upon one thing: if Siddhartha ever experienced or witnessed firsthand the reality of human suffering. In fact, the wise men said there were two possibilities as to how his greatness would unfold: (1) If SiddharthaShow MoreRelatedHindu and Buddhist Gender Roles and Ideals: the Household and Abstract Concepts1820 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Gender roles and ideals in Hinduism and Buddhism are diverse. A number of texts regarding household gender roles exist in Hindu traditions, and little to none are appear to exist in Buddhist traditions. The gendering of abstract concepts in both Hinduism and Buddhism may also occur. The cases sited indicate that male dominance is significantly more common than female dominance in ancient and Classical Hindu texts while regional variations may continue to exist. Buddhists appear to internalize