COMPARATIVE
RELIGIONS
HOUR 2
THE POPULARITY OF BUDDHISM
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Empowering
Balanced Approach
Rational
Clear, with a Simple Goal
THE SPREAD OF BUDDHISM
(THERAVADA)
Clear, Simple Goal
1. End Suffering (Samsara)
• Escape wheel of life/samsara
2. Through 8-fold Path
• Working on “Karma”
SUFFERING
Group
Make a list of examples recently when you have
been unhappy:
When you have felt down, embarrassed, anxious,
upset, stressed, angry, bummed, irritated, etc…
WHAT DID THE BUDDHA DISCOVER?
• The Three Marks of Existence
• Dependent Origination
• The Four Noble Truths
WHAT DID THE BUDDHA DISCOVER?
When he looked at reality,
what did he see?
THE 3 MARKS OF EXISTENCE
1. Dukkha:
Life in this world is filled with
suffering.
Dukkha also connotes
dissatisfaction, frustration,
disquietude (disturbed),
Used to describe a wheel
“…off-center, out of joint.”
THE 3 MARKS OF EXISTENCE
When he looked at reality,
what else did he see?
THE 3 MARKS OF EXISTENCE
2.Anicca:
Everything in this world is in
flux, continually changing,
impermanent.
THE 3 MARKS OF EXISTENCE
When he looked at reality,
what else did he see?
HOW TO END SUFFERING?
Questions:
Where are you?
Who are you?
THE 3 MARKS OF EXISTENCE
3.Anatta:
No permanent self.
No self.
All parts of “you” are continually
changing:
• Body
• Thoughts
• Feelings
• Memories
• Our relationships to the world &
others
Therefore, “I”, “me”, “you”, does not
really exist.
There is no “Anatta” that exists from one moment to the next.
All that exists are moments/experiences. No object, only subject.
DEPENDENT ORIGINATION
“If this exists, that exists;
if this ceases to exist, that also ceases to exist."
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
#1. Life is Dukkha.
Dukkha.
Life in this world is filled with suffering,
dissatisfaction, dis-ease.
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
#2. Cause of Dukkha is Tanha
The cause of suffering is self-centered desire.
Literally, “thirsting for”, “craving”, “grasping”.
Types of Tanha:
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Craving for pleasurable experiences.
Craving to be separated from unpleasant experiences.
Craving for a certain sense of “I”.
Craving to not lose neutral or pleasant experiences.
Based on Ignorance:
• Tanha based on false idea that getting what “I” want leads to happiness.
• When in fact, getting what “I” selfishly want leads to more wanting, and hence,
suffering.
“CRAVING FOR…”
(THE GETTING WHAT YOU WANT APPROACH)
“CRAVING TO BE SEPARATED FROM…”
(THE GETTING RID OF WHAT YOU DON’T WANT APPROACH)
But is this suffering caused from selfish desire & craving?
Suffering vs. Pain
Pain is inevitable.
Suffering is optional.
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
#2. Cause of Dukkha is Tanha
The cause of suffering is self-centered desire.
Literally, “thirsting for”, “craving”, “grasping”.
Common Myths:
• No wants, no motivation.
• No pleasures.