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Year 8

Siddhartha Gautama as a historical figure

I can describe key events in the life of Siddhartha Gautama, explore divergent interpretations of his life, and evaluate their impact on Buddhists today.

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New
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Year 8

Siddhartha Gautama as a historical figure

I can describe key events in the life of Siddhartha Gautama, explore divergent interpretations of his life, and evaluate their impact on Buddhists today.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. There are different interpretations of the story of Siddhartha Gautama's life.
  2. There are key events in his life story that link to Buddhist practices and beliefs.
  3. There are places of pilgrimage associated with his life that Buddhists may visit today.
  4. The first of the three jewels is the Buddha.

Keywords

  • Buddha - refers to 'the enlightened one'

  • Siddhartha Gautama - the founder of Buddhism; he became known as the Buddha

  • Lumbini - the birthplace of Siddhartha, in what is now Nepal

  • Bodh Gaya - located in north east India; considered to be the place of the Buddha’s enlightenment

Common misconception

The Buddha is God/a God.

The Buddha is a historical figure.

Print out the images of the Buddha statues so pupils can write their observations on or around the images.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which religious worldview is also known as Sanatana Dharma?
the Buddhist worldview
Correct answer: the Hindu worldview
the Sikh worldview
the Christian worldview
Q2.
Which name is often used to refer to God or the 'ultimate reality' in Hindu Dharma?
Allah
Correct answer: Brahman
Waheguru
Q3.
What does the term 'dukkha' refer to in Buddhism?
Correct answer: the belief that all life involves suffering
the belief that nothing is permanent
the aim of gaining enlightenment
the belief that there is no fixed self
Q4.
Who founded Sikhi?
Guru Granth Sahib
Guru Ram Das
Guru Gobind Singh
Correct answer: Guru Nanak
Q5.
How many Noble Truths did the Buddha teach?
Correct Answer: Four, four, 4
Q6.
Match the dharmic worldviews below to the correct meanings of 'dharma/dhamma' in these religions.
Correct Answer:Hindu dharma,the true essence of all living things
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the true essence of all living things

Correct Answer:Buddhist dhamma,the teachings of the Buddha
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the teachings of the Buddha

Correct Answer:Sikhi dharma,living with a good moral code and honouring God
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living with a good moral code and honouring God

Exit quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
According to Buddhists, who is Siddhartha Gautama?
a prophet
a God
Correct answer: a historical figure
Q2.
Where was Siddhartha Gautama born?
Thailand
India
Correct answer: Nepal
Q3.
Why might Buddhists go on a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya?
it is the place of Siddhartha Gautama's birth
it is the place where Siddhartha Gautama's lived as an ascetic
Correct answer: it is the place of Siddhartha Gautama's enlightenment
Q4.
Why is meditation an important practice for most Buddhists?
Correct answer: it is how Siddhartha achieved enlightenment
it is how Siddhartha relaxed when he lived inside the palace
Siddhartha learnt how to meditate when he saw the fourth sight, the holy man
Q5.
Many Buddhists interpret the stories of Siddhartha Gautama as mythical. What does this mean?
the stories are based on factual information
Correct answer: the stories are interpreted as symbolic
Correct answer: the stories contain spiritual truths
the stories are based upon scientific evidence

Additional material

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