Buddhism Review Project
By: Patra, Quinn, Kyle, Andrea and Ken
Essential Questions
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What is the human condition?
-Humans are caught in Samsara: the endless cycle of existence, characterized by
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maya (illusion), tanha (craving), and hatred/aversion leading to dukkha (suffering
or unsatisfactoriness)
Where are we going ?
- To a favorable or unfavorable birth after death
- To enlightenment through entering Nirvana/nibbana
-To Bodhisattvahood (Mahayana Buddhism)
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How do we get there?
-acknowledging the Three Jewels: Buddha, dharma, and sangha
- accepting the Four Noble truths
- following the Middle Way/ the Noble Eightfold Path
- following the precepts consistent with a lay or monastic way of life
-developing wisdom and compassion
- following the path of the Bodhisattva
Rituals
Lifetime Rituals and Rites of Passage
Theravada Buddhism: rituals and ceremonies of Theravada
Buddhism is based on the veneration of Buddha's relics
o Has death, funeral, and illness ceremonies but do not have
birth or marriage ceremonies
o Has initiation ceremonies for males entering the sangha and
ceremonies for becoming bhikkhu
Mahayana Buddhism: beliefs and rituals based off of expansive
interpretations of secret Buddhist teachings
o lay-oriented sangha and more elaborate funeral ceremonies
Both:
o Recite Three Jewels (Buddha, dharma, and sangha), follow
Eightfold Path (right views,intentions,speech, action,
livelihood, effort, and mindfulness), and living the Five
Precepts (puja-daily devotion, meditation, pilgrimmage,funeral
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Rituals (cont.)
Worship
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Theravada:
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Must achieve enlightenment through meditation and reliance on one's self
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Detached, begging monk is ideal and Lay Biddhists support monks to be
reincarnated as a monk in their next life
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Worship in thr wat, bot, and stupas
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Types of meditation: Sammatta (intense concentration) and Vipassana (effort
to gain sudden realization of Budddhist truths)
Mahayana:
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believe in bodhisattvas (future Buddhas)
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Pure Land: worship amitabha and pure land
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Intuitive: meditation and asceticism
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Zen Buddhists hit each other or themselves to achieve sudden
enlightenment
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Rationalists: study and reason of Buddhist scriptures
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Sociopolitical: study Lotus Sutra
Tibetan: Dalai Lama (Yello Hat school) and pratices to help dying move to Nirvana
Rituals (cont.)
Festivals:
Theravada:
o Wesak (commemorating Buddha's birth, Enlightenment, and
death)
o Asala (celebrates Buddha's conception, renunciation, and first
sermon)
Mahayana:
o Vassa (rain retreat)
o Obon Matsuri (homage to the dead in Japan)
Both:
o Wesak, Asala, New Year (carnivals), Buddha's birthday
(children dress up like little Buddhas), Festival of Souls
(offerings to wandering spirits), Robe Offering (monks recieve
new yellow robes)
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Rituals (cont.)
Gender:
Theravada:
o bhikkhus (male monks) are superior to bhikkhunis
(nuns)
o women have to be reborn as a male monk to reach
enlightenment
Mahayana:
o females can be bodhisattvas
o give identical meditation exercises
Society:
Individual meditation and worship at home andin temples
Festivals involve puja at home and in temples
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Sacred Texts
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Pali Canon
- It is called the Tipitaka/Tripitaka or "Three Baskets"
because it includes the Vinaya Pitaka or "Basket of
Discipline," the Sutta Pitaka or "Basket of Discourses,"
and the Abhidhamma Pitaka or "Basket of Higher
Teachings"
- Compiled at the First Buddhist council following the
Buddha's death
-Used by both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhists,
though Theravada believes that it was passed down
orally from the Buddha to the five arhats while
Mahayana argues that the Pali Canon was recited by the
arhats but other scriptures are attributed to the
Theravada Texts
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Rely mainly on the Pali Canon, which was passed on
through the monastic order.
-Scriptural knowledge and wisdom (panna/prajna) are
important pursuits
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-Read in Pali, closely related to the language which the
Buddha spoke
The Dhammapada is part of the Suttana Pitaka
-Collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form
-Regarded as one of the most widely spread and best
known Buddhist scriptures, most translated Buddhist
text
Mahayana Texts
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Focus on Scriptures about the many Buddhas
-Prajnaparamita literature "The Perfection of Wisdom"
-Diamond Sutra sets forth the doctrines of Sunyata (emptiness)
and Prajna (wisdom), emphasizes the practice of non attachment.
-Heart Sutra emphasizes emptiness, and is one of the most
popular Buddhist scriptures.
-Sukhavati literature describes the "Pure Land" in which the
Buddhas reside
-Lotus Sutra teaches the identification of the historical Buddha with
the Transcendental Buddha, and is the basis for Zen and
Sociopolitical sects of Buddhism.
-Texts often in Sanskrit, which was used India as Buddhism
developed
Shastras and Agamas are texts not given by Buddha but follow the
sutras
Other Texts
-Vajrayana Buddhists read sacred texts in Tibetan and
developed and extended body of texts, though much has
been lost
- Tibetan Buddhist canon includes Mahayana texts in
Tibetan along with other tantric texts
-Divide into "translated words", which are works
directly from the Buddha, and "translated treatises",
which includes commentary on the translated words
-In Thailand, local texts written in the Thai language
have been composed to summarize the teachings of the
Pali Canon
Doctrines and Beliefs
Origin of Doctrines
Theravada Buddhism: Believes that the doctrines came from Siddharth
Gautama himself.
Mahayana Buddhism: Also believe in the influence of Buddha, but also take
into account the teachings of prominent Boddhisattvas
(i.e. Avalokitesvara who embodies the compassion of all buddhas).
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Pure Land: Mahayanist development of Dhyani Buddhas
Intuitive: Buddhs's time of under bo Tree, teaching of monk Bodhidharma
Rationalist: Chih-I, use of not only Mahayana or Thereavada
scriptures/doctrines, but both
Sociopolitical- Nichiren, Lotus Sutra the only important scripture
Tibetan- "The Diamond Vehicle"
Doctrines and Beliefs cont.
Basic Beliefs
The Three Jewels: Also known as the Three Treasures, are what Buddhists
seek to look toward for guidance which are the Buddha, Dharma, and
Sangha
The Four Noble Truths: Said to be the very first teachings that Buddha
explained after he reached enlightenment, which are dukkha(suffering),
Tanha(craving) and avijja(ignorance), understanding how to avoid and
remove dukkha from ones life, and the path to the ceasing of dukkha aka
the Noble Eightfold Path(right view, intention,speech, action,livelihood,
effort, mindfulness, concentration)
The Five Precepts: the commitment (moral ethics) of Buddhists to abstain
from harming liviing beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and
intoxication.
The Three Marks of Existence: anicca(impermanence),
dukkha(suffering), anatta(non-self).
Doctrines and Beliefs cont.
Basic Beliefs cont.
Skandhas: the five functions or aspects that constitute human being,
consisting of form or matter, sensation, perception, mental formations, and
conciousness
The Three poisons: ignorance, desire, and aversion
Authority
Theravada Buddhism: Since they hold to the belief that one must
reach enlightenment for themselves w/out the reliance of gods or higher
powers, monks are seen to be held at highest esteem and aim to reach nirvana,
whereas those who are not monks seek their paths to nirvana by becoming a
layperson and hoping to achive merit and progress to become a monk.
Mahayana Buddhism: Also has great esteem for monks, but also
claims that anyone can reach nirvana regardless of direct participation in the
Sangha aswell as aim for Buddhahood.
Tibetan Buddhism: believe in a system of lamas who are reborn(system
mainly in yellow hat school).
Doctrines and Beliefs cont.
Schools of Thought
Thereavada Buddhism: "Way of the Elders", reflects the belief that ther
most closely follow the original beliefs and practices of the Buddha and the
early monastic elders.
Mahayana: "The Great Vehicle" refering to the path of seeking
enlightenment for the benefit of all sentinet beings.
o Pure Land Buddhism: Believe in Dhyani Buddhas who preside over
heaven-like lands, worship of these Buddhas will lead to reincarnation
in their lands
o Intuitve Sect:Zen Masters koans(case studies/riddles) to help students
reach a flash of enlightenment(satori)
o Rationalist: Tiendai, all Buddhist scriptures
o Sociopolitical- Nichiren, Lotus Sutra
o Tibetan- Monks
Doctrines and Beliefs cont.
Eschatology
Theravada: The original teachings of the Buddha state that there is only
birth, death, an rebirth into samsara(the cycle of life). Tanha (Desires)
causes suffering(Dukkha) therefore karma and rebirth. Enlightenment
releases one from samsara and defeats maya(illusion). The body is made up
of Five Skandhas.
Mahayana: Also believe in the cycle, but also include bodhisattvas, those
who attain Nirvana not for oneself but Buddhahood fro the sake of others.
Cosmogony and Cosmology
Theravada Buddhism: cycle of existence
Mahayana Buddhism: Not are there only Buddhas here on earth, but also
other realms have Buddhas as well. Lokas (31 planes within 3 realms)
Religious Experience
Deer Park
Monastery
Religious Experience
Buddhism is a religion that can be practiced independently, but is more
common to be worshiped and engaged in as a group or sangha.
In a sangha (school of monks, nuns or other group of followers) different forms
of meditation are practiced:
Breathing Meditation: concentration on slowing and pacing breathing, focusing on
every motion and sensation each inhale and exhale brings while being able to stay
mindful of being in the moment and maintaining awareness of the sounds around
you.
Walking Meditation: Walking slowly with another friend, follower or your sangha so
as to be moving as one being instead of many separate, individual people. Involves
breathing meditation and also a more heightened awareness of your environment
and exactly how you are connected to the earth- the way your foot arches as you
step, point of connection between your feet and the ground as well as how it seems
to support you and keep you balanced.
Eating Meditation: Eating meditation involves being mindful of where your food
came from, appreciating it and noticing how you break it down as you chew it
slowly. During a meal at a sangha (or home of any Buddhist who utilizes this
practice) there is a period of silence to recall the day's events and eat (slowly
chewing food at least 30 times) while considering mindful/engaging
thoughts(smiles may be exchanged between people), followed by a time to converse
Religious Experience cont.
Gender:
Theravada (traditional): males are required to join a sangha and live in a monastery
for a duration of their lives, though they are welcome to leave the sangha whenever
their stay is finished (monastic life is not permanent if wished). Though women are
allowed to live in a monastery with the males, they are sent to pray separately and
the nuns are sometimes seen as lower than the monks because of some connections
of women leading to temptation and 'suffering'. This is mainly in Asia, whereas in
the West female Buddhists are more likely to be treated equally (though the sect of
Buddhism still depends on how much equality and leniency they are shown). They
are also thought to be more superior because of the Buddha's past lives were all
men.
Mahayana (more lenient and accepting): Both men and women attend daily prayer
and perform rituals together- there is no segregation or division amongst them.
Women are seen as very significant (much like in the Tibetan sect) and even have
female Bodhisattvas (taras).
-comp. West to Southeast Asia coping w/ modernization
Prosecution of the Khmer
Rouge
The quest for justice in a land of
pacification
Background
•Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge ran nation of Democratic
Kampuchea murdered nearly 2 million innocent political
rivals, non-Cambodians, Muslim Chams, and Buddhists
for the sake of ensuring a secure “socialist” society.
•This occurred from 1975-1979 in Cambodia and small
parts of Vietnam.
The trial for Khmer Rouge
leaders
•Some top officials of the Khmer Rouge were prosecuted
by a UN ran trial in 2009.
•Many are suspected to still be living or hiding in Cambodia
and surrounding Indochinese nations.
•Numerous collaborators of the regime, such as
complacent civilians, are also untouched by the
Cambodian justice system.
Buddhism in Cambodia
•Cambodia’s population is 95% Buddhist and the majority
of those Buddhists practice Theravada Buddhism.
•Cambodia is also a center for Buddhists culture as a
whole, not just Cambodian Buddhists.
•Hundreds of Buddhist temples reminiscent of Buddhism’s
antiquity lie in the jungles and fields of Cambodia.
A Buddhists’ perspective of
justice
•One of the Buddha’s main titles was “He who can forebear”. This alludes to the
common practice of suppression of redemption amongst Buddhists across
Asia.
•Thus, it would be against Buddhist behavior to prosecute the Khmer Rouge
leadership, even in the face of the latter’s atrocities.
•Theravada Buddhism is also far more “orthodox” in terms of mirroring the
behavior of the Buddha, in comparison to other Buddhist sects of the world.
30 years of injustice
•The Cambodian Genocide occurred more than 30 years
ago, yet only a few Khmer Rouge leaders have been
tried and jailed.
•The lack of speed on behalf of the prosecution can lie in
the fact that many Cambodians do not revolve around a
set justice system, due to the Cambodian ideals of
pacification and forbearance (both Buddhist in source).
The future of the prosecution
•The question lies in whether the Cambodian Buddhists
should set aside their cherished religious values for the
purpose of justice.
•It is hard for a Westerner to envision the difficulty in this
idea of justice, yet it is ever present in the Cambodian
Buddhists who survived the onslaught of the Khmer
Rouge.