Buddhism
 Buddhism is a 2,500 year old set of teachings by Siddhartha Gautama about the Truths of Life and the Universe
Liberation of and from one’s ‘Self’, Compassionate Living, Termination of Suffering, Experiences give one a Better
Perspective & Teaches Valuable Skills
Gautama was a Prince who left his palace and lavish lifestyle to seek Enlightenment- though he is not the only
Buddha in existence, he is the Founder of Buddhism and Original Buddha
Gautama’s Core Beliefs Consist of: Karmic Actions ‘Karma’- Letting Go of Your Ego & Living a Wholesome &
Balanced Life According to The Vinaya ‘Buddha’s 5 Precepts’- The Cycle of Rebirth ‘Reincarnation’- The Truths of
Suffering- it Exists, it has a Cause, it has an End, and it has a Path to the End ‘Buddha’s 4 Noble Truths’- Specific
Actions/Thoughts Cause Continued Suffering ‘3 Poisons/Fires’- Liberation from Suffering and Reincarnation is
Possible Through Enlightenment ‘Buddha’s Threefold Practice & Buddha’s Eightfold Path to Nirvana’
 Karma
The belief that your ‘Karmic’ Good and Bad Actions of Previous Lifetimes & the Present Lifetime determine
Where and When a being will experience Reincarnation (Duhkha) or experience Enlightenment (Nirvana)
 Good or bad karma may affect a being right away, thousands of years from now, or in 5 lifetimesdepending on when the effects are meant to occur
 Negative Karma results from bad actions/thoughts- killing, stealing, or lying
 Positive Karma results from good actions/thoughts- generosity, kindness, and positivity
 Neutral Karma results from actions that have no real effect- breathing, sleeping
 Buddha’s 5 Precepts
The embodiment of The Vinaya ‘Rules for Monastics’- to help guide you on how to live a Wholesome & Balanced
Way of Life
 When you recite the precepts, you are saying this is what you aspire toward-remember it is your Intention that
matters in Buddhism, which includes the reasons you may break the precepts
 Violating any of these precepts means you have deviated from the Buddhist path- and as delusional human
beings, we will violate these at various levels and when that happens, we need to reflect on what we did, and
how it conflicts with the Buddhist teachings
 Sometimes we are in places or situations which make these very difficult to follow-the key point is to make
efforts to eventually get to this level or as close to it as possible
 I will refrain from killing, harming, or violating others
 I will refrain from stealing or taking what is not mine
 I will refrain from sexual misconduct
 I will refrain from lying, gossip, or harsh speech
 I will refrain from intoxicants, stimulants, or illegal drugs
 Reincarnation
The belief that sentient beings live multiple lives- once a being dies, they are reborn into a new life- this cycle of
living and dying continues eternally
 A being can be reborn in a variety of forms and conditions of life
 Buddha’s 4 Noble Truths of Duhkha
The belief that Suffering Exists through each Cycle of Reincarnation- There is a Cause and an End to SufferingThere is a path to End Suffering
 Duhkha- The Truth of Suffering
 Trishna- The Truth of the Cause of Suffering
 Nirvana- The Truth of the End of Suffering
 Marga- The Truth of the Path that Leads to the End of Suffering
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Duhkha Exists, Duhkha has a Trishna- results of Craving, Clinging, Greed, Anger, & Ignorance, Duhkha has a
Nirvana, Duhkha has a Marga to Nirvana ‘The Noble Eightfold Path’
 3 Poisons/Fires
The Main Causes of our Continued Suffering that all Buddhists try to put an End to
 Greed- Self, Craving, Clinging
 Anger Ignorance- Delusion
 Buddha’s Threefold Practice
The 3 groups of Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path- its specifically designed to help us eliminate the 3 Poisons- once
eliminated, we are Awakened, Enlightened, and Realize our True Nature- Nirvana
 Morality- The Precepts ‘Rules’- purpose is to prevent Unwholesome conduct and wrongdoing
 Meditative Concentration- The ability to face the 8 Winds of Gain, Loss, Defamation, Honor, Praise, Ridicule,
Sorry, Joy- once proficient, you become unmoved by anger or joy and not encumbered by happiness or
suffering
 Wisdom- The ability to identify right from wrong and truth from falsehood is through development of
wisdom. This goes beyond just faith, as we must strive to break down the delusion that blinds us from the
truth
 Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path
The Path to Nirvana
 Panna- Wisdom, Discernment
 Right View
 To have the right concepts and right ideas
 Observations that lead us away from delusion and wrong views
 It is Wisdom that truly comprehends Cause and Effect
 The right understanding that results from contemplating phenomena through the 3 Dharma Seals, 4
Noble Truths, & 12 Links of Dependent Origination
 Right Thought
 To have the right determination, right differentiation, right awareness, or right intention
 Eliminates the 3 Poisons- by keeping your thoughts in accord with the right Dharma at every moment
 Shila- Virtue, Morality
 Right Speech
 Wholesome verbal karma- refers to 4/10 Wholesome Actions.
 Words of Truth- words that are true, honest, and not duplicated
 Words of Compassion- words that are kind, soft, and give confidence
 Words of Praise- words that encourage and bring joy
 Words of Altruism- words that help and benefit others
 Right Action
 Wholesome bodily karma- refers to 3/10 Unwholesome Actions: not killing, not stealing, and not
engaging in sexual misconduct- behavior that is right and in accord with the truth
 Following this is just passively not committing unwholesome deeds. The active meaning of right
action is to protect life, be compassionate, and give to charity
 Right Livelihood
 The right occupation and right way to make a living
 Having a moral profession in life is extremely important because most unwholesomeness comes
from doing things that harm others and ourselves
 Samadhi- Meditation, Concentration
 Right Effort
 To have the right diligence, right skillful means, and caring for the Dharma
 it means that we should move in the direction of truth with courage and diligence
 To prevent unwholesome states that have not arisen
 To end unwholesome states that have arisen
 To develop wholesome states that have not arisen
 To strengthen wholesome states that have arisen
 Right Mindfulness
 To have true contemplation- to have a mind that is pure, aware, and does not give rise to
unwholesome thoughts- contemplating the right path
 Contemplate the Impurities of the Body
 Contemplate the Suffering of Feelings
 Contemplate the Impermanence of the Mind
 Contemplate the Non-Selfhood of Phenomena
 Right Concentration
 To have the Right Meditative Concentration- using Samadhi to focus the mind and settle the
distracted body to better cultivate ourselves- true Samadhi is not merely a matter of sitting in
meditation; it is also developing and exploring our inner capacity
 Cultivating the Right Meditative Concentration should bring us good health- help us focus on single
mindedness and attain peace- clarify the mind and lead us from ignorance to the state of awakeningreveal our Buddha nature and allow us to discover our true self
 A primary goal of a Buddhists is to stop Reincarnation, become Enlightened & attain Nirvana- like Buddha
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difficult to achieve for most simply due to having too many attachments in life to make meaningful progress and
built-up delusion we have
Eventually one will have the opportunity to become Enlightened- We understand this thanks to Buddha’s prior
lives where he consistently made progress and vows to achieve Enlightenment. And he did in his final life- and
helped others achieve Nirvana
Even if you don’t achieve Enlightenment in this life, Buddha’s teachings allow us to live our lives closer to how it
should be lived- and in turn, we are helping to transform the suffering of others in the process
Buddhists see Wisdom as a set of Stepping Stones
 Level 1- Listen, Study, Learn
 Level 2- Contemplate All the Knowledge You Gained
 Level 3- You Gain Enlightenment
 This means You need to Focus on Learning- Put what You Learn to Practice (Deep Study of Dharma,
Philosophy, Psychology, Science, History, or any subject that gives insight into how the world functions)
Primary goals of Buddhists are the notions of Anatman ‘to Let Go of Our Ego’ and Impermanence ‘Recognizing
our minds are constantly changing & most things don’t really matter in the end
 Ego is ingrained deep in our psyche because it evolved as a way to survive- its our instincts and thought
patterns that developed to help us navigate the complex world- it's primary goal is to keep us alive and
reproducing
 However, many mechanisms that were meant to ensure our survival are also the root of our pains and the
goals of our ego often clash
 The ego drives you to always want more, but this striving is also the cause of your suffering
 There is an entrenched belief in your own fixed identity, where the ego becomes intertwined with your sense
of “I am”- this rigidity is the source of many of your mental miseries
 The way to get away from this type of thinking is to realize that your mind is in a state of constant fluxImpermanence
 Things are fluid- they change- you are not the same person you were a few years ago, and in the future, you
won't remain the same person as now
Buddhist Schools
 Both Theravada & Mahayana Buddhism have the same basic beliefs, but there are differences in the teachings they
focus on
 Theravada Buddhism- Focuses on teaching the Dharma- the goal is to become a monastic in another life if you
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cannot become one now
Mahayana Buddhism- Focuses heavily on becoming a being on their way to Enlightenment ‘Bodhisattva’
Nichiren Shoshu BuddhismZen BuddhismPure Land Buddhism-
Why I feel the need to adopt a new Faith different than my Christianity Roots
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While other religions tell you what to think, in Buddhism you are meant to discover things by yourself
Being able to incorporate Eastern Teachings into my own philosophy of life has allowed me to reframe my
mindset- the principal take away for me has been a set of tools to overcome the most difficult challenges a
person can face
Buddhism sees existence as a series of pains- many of them are self-created- by keeping a few simple Buddhist
concepts in mind, you acquire a set of guiding principles to help solve the various challenges a chaotic world
throws at you
 You don't have control over what happens to you, but you can influence what you think about it
 First Verse of Dhammapada states, “All that You are is a Result of Your Thoughts”
 The teachings of Buddha show you a path to channeling these self-destructive tendencies
 You gain Discipline from Buddhism- a trait that can be applied in all aspects of your life
Buddha reminds us that THIS Human Existence is a Rare and Wonderous thing
Buddhism is about YOUR Effort and Practice
 Nobody else is going to do this for you
 An Opaya ‘Daily Practice’ is your constant faith, effort, and determination to continue the path towards
Enlightenment
All journeys begin with the first step on a path or road, and that first is up to you
Need-To-Know-Lingo (Buddhist Version)
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Abhidharma- The analytical and commentary, helps cultivate wisdom
Anatman- Letting go of your Ego
Arhat- A being who has attained Nirvana
Bodhisattva- A being who is on the way to Enlightenment
Buddha- An awakened being who has achieved perfect Enlightenment- the ultimate goal of Buddhism
Dharma- Teachings of Buddha (Religion/Faith)
Karuna- Compassion, wanting to alleviate the suffering of others- the key to living a happy life- feeling concern
for the suffering of others, no matter who they are by putting yourself in their shoes & trying to see the world
through their eyes (Mostly people deny the suffering of others and instead focus on their own suffering)- help
others when they fall down
Mettla- Compassion and Loving-Kindness, proactively wanting to make someone happy- making others happy
while they are still standing up
Mudita- Enjoy the little thing and be happy for others- the feeling of Unrestrained Joy for other people- being
happy purely for another person and appreciating their deeds and fortune with nothing to gain, moments that
give you calmness and perspective (Dancing in the Rain)
Nirvana- Spiritual bliss that transcends beyond duality, language, time, space, and perception- the result after
attaining Enlightenment
Prajna- Study of how the world works, and act according to that knowledge- the Right UnderstandingWisdom, the profound understanding of how the world really works
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Sangha- The Buddhist Community
Shila- Don’t engage in actions because they are good for you- do them because they are the right thing to doEngaging in Just Action & living in an Ethical way- not lying, stealing, or doing things that profit others- respect
everyone, do kind things, & live in a virtuous way
Sutras- Sacred Buddhist Texts
Upaya- Skillful Means, also considered as your Daily Buddhist Practice- includes several practices, ceremonies,
etc
Venerable- The title of an ordained monk or nun, seen wearing specific colored robes of their tradition and sect
Vinaya- The discipline ‘Rules’ for Morality
Duhkha- Suffering
Opaya- My Daily Buddhist Practice
Meditation Station
 Meditation Station & Alter should include:
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Meditation Cushion- Beanbag
Buddha in Lotus Position Statue
Pictures of loved ones and respected teachers, Cross
 Sit on Meditation Beanbag facing towards Alter/Wall
 Give Offerings- Incense, food/water, flowers
Recite The Triple Gem
 A way of refilling our reservoir of faith in Buddhism and the Buddha’s teachings as you begin each day
 Buddha- Doctor
 Dharma (His Teachings)- Prescription to Cure us
 Sangha/Temple (His Monastic Community)- Nurses/Hospital
*Bow after each:
 I take refuge in the Buddha, wishing that all sentient beings understand the
Dharma and make the supreme vow
 I take refuge in the Dharma, wishing that all sentient beings study the Sutras
diligently and obtain an ocean of wisdom
 I take refuge in the Sangha, wishing that all sentient beings lead the masses in
harmony without obstruction
The Vinaya- Recite The 5 Precepts
 When you recite the precepts, you are saying this is what you aspire toward-remember it is your intention that
matters in Buddhism, which includes the reasons you may be breaking the precepts
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I will refrain from killing, harming, or violating others
I will refrain from stealing or taking what is not mine
I will refrain from sexual misconduct
I will refrain from lying, gossip, or harsh speech
I will refrain from intoxicants, stimulants, or illegal drugs
Recite The 5 Remembrances
 These 5 Reflections show us our fears (they can seem dreary, scary, and unnerving), but also give us ways to face
them head on- when we recite our fears, we are confronting them to accept and overcome them
 The first step onto the Eightfold Path
 Reflections 1-3 Include Buddha’s 4 Sights- it was these Sights that fundamentally shocked Buddha to his core
and prompted him to seek the path towards Enlightenment
 Reflection 4 focuses on Buddhists entire practice of not just removing the false concept of self, but also truly
understanding Impermanence and when understood, both are intertwined
 Reflection 5 is Empowering- it tells us that WE, not anything else, have full control over our actions while we
cannot escape the consequences of our actions, we can ensure they are wholesome, not unwholesome
 I am subject to aging (I am going to grow old)
 There is no way to avoid aging (There is no way to escape growing old)
 I am subject to ill health (I am going to get sick)
 There is no way to avoid illness (There is no way to escape getting sick)
 I am subject to die (I am going to die)
 There is no way to avoid death (There is no way to escape death)
 Everyone and Everything I love is subject to die (Everyone and Everything that
I love will die)
 There is no way to avoid being separated from them (There is no way to escape
being separated from them)
 My only true possessions are my actions (My actions are the ground upon
which I stand)
 I cannot avoid their consequences (I cannot escape their consequences)
Read Sutra
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The Lotus SutraThe Heart SutraThe Diamond SutraThe Great Perfection of Wisdom SutraSigalovada Sutta- Buddha provides instructions for laypersons
Anapanasati Sutta- Basics of Breath Meditation
Maha-Satipatthana Sutta- Basics of Mindfulness
Sabbasava Sutta- Overcoming External Influences that Pollute the Mind
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Ambalatthika-Rahulovada Sutta- Teaching on Virtue
Samadhanga Sutta- Teaching on Concentration
Dhatu-Vibhanga Sutta- Teaching on Wisdom
Karaniya Metta Sutta- Practice of Loving-Kindness
Meditation
 Sitting Meditation
 Sit with your back straight- neck aligned with spinal column
 Relax every muscle in your body
 Observe if there is any tension in the body
 As your body relaxes, the attention will automatically go to your breath
 Observe the nature of your breath; is it long or short; obstructed or not?
 Observe how you feel in your body as you breathe in
 As you keep doing this, your body begins to Relax
 Then you began to experience the comfortable feeling of Relaxation
 Then you begin to experience Satisfaction
 Focus your attention on the experience of Satisfaction and Comfort
 Observe any thoughts that arise in your mind and let them go
 Observe the mood of your mind
 Maintain attention on your breath and the tranquility that arises from it
 Remain in this state of Tranquil Observation of your body and mind as long as possible
 Chanting Meditation
 Walking Meditation
Dedication of Merits
 A highly symbolic and meaningful practice where the benefits you gain are not retained by you, but instead
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given away- you are dedicating the wholesome merit you accumulated not just by doing this daily practice,
but what you acquire through your constant actions, to other sentient beings
Buddhism is centered around breaking down the false concept and belief in “self”- if you are doing all this
for “you” to benefit, you are just reinforcing the “self” rather than breaking it down
Dedicate to loved ones, deceased loved ones, Friends, someone treating you poorly
 Make kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity pervade all worlds
May we cherish and build affinities to benefit all beings
May Chan, pure land, and precepts inspire equality and patience
May our humility and gratitude give rise to great vows
 For all sentient beings, I dedicate the meritorious actions of this practice or
action so they may be guided and liberated from delusion and suffering with
the light of the Buddhas Dharma