1. Read the following text and take notes on the last page of your worksheet.
The truths that the Buddha discovered under the Bodhi tree are the basic principles of Buddhism. Instead of keeping what he found to himself, the Buddha decided to teach these basic principles to others. They are often called the Four Noble Truths. The Buddha would spend the rest of his life sharing these truths with the people of India. After the Buddha's death in 483 BCE, Buddhism spread rapidly throughout Southern and Eastern Asia.
Behind Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths is the idea that all things change. The Buddha saw that even when one finds pleasure, it does not last forever, and one suffers when it is lost. To end suffering, he taught, people should travel the Eightfold Path. This path follows the “middle way.”
The Buddha could have selfishly escaped into enlightenment. Instead, he chose to teach others the path that he had found. In time, his followers spread his teachings throughout India and other parts of Asia.
The Buddha could have selfishly escaped into enlightenment. Instead, he chose to teach others the path that he had found. In time, his followers spread his teachings throughout India and other parts of Asia.