REMEMBER! Nirvana is a state of complete happiness and inner peace.
The Buddha died at the age of eighty in 483 BCE. Shortly before his death, he chose to share a meal with a poor peasant woman rather than accept a dinner invitation from a wealthy prince. The Buddha did so because he believed that wealth and status are not the most important things in life.
The Buddha passed away in a grove of trees at Kushingara. His body was cremated. Then his ashes were divided up and placed in stupas (i.e. burial mounds) built at different locations dotted across India. However, his teachings lived on. Today, they are followed by millions of Buddhists across the world.
The title ‘Buddha’ means the
Enlightened One.
ACTIvITIES
1. Say what it means! (a) Enlightenment means _______________________________________________________ . (b) To meditate means _________________________________________________________ . (c) The Sacred Night was when __________________________________________________ . (d) The title ‘Buddha’ means _____________________________________________________ . (e) Nirvana is ________________________________________________________________ .
2. Think about it! (a) What do you think the Buddha meant by ‘selfish desire’?
(b) Look at recent news stories. How much suffering do you think is caused by what the Buddha called ‘selfish desire’? Explain your answer.
(c) What advice would the Buddha offer us today if we really wanted to reduce the suffering caused by our ‘selfish desires’?
(d) How difficult would it be for us to follow the Buddha’s advice? Explain your answer.
