Buddhism
Siddhartha
http://www.dakiniunlimited.com/images/birth_siddhartha.jpg
The Four Passing Sights
Prophecy Fulfilled
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1. An old man
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2. A sick man who was
diseased ridden
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3. a corpse on the way
to being cremated
4. a holy man who had
no possessions but was
at peace
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http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.frankossen.com/Old_Man_from_Hampi__India.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.frankossen.com/Portraits-2.htm&h=529&w=352&sz=24&tbnid=iWAemuvxI8J:&tbnh=129&tbnw=85&hl=en&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dold%2Bman%2Bindia%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3D
en%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG – slide 3
http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/11/23/india.aids.bollywood/tz.sick.man.afp.jpg - slide 3
http://members.chello.se/harryperonius/dod/indien/dead_head.jpg - slide 4
http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/bhiksha/sadhu02.jpg - slide 4
http://zteecher.com/img/siddhartha.jpg - slide 6
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/depend.htm#Ageing – slide 8
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/depend.htm#Craving – slide 8
http://birminghambuddhistcentre.org.uk/index_files/3js.jpg - slide 17
http://www.shambhalabay.ca/images/bodhisattva.jpg - slide 19
http://www.metta.lk/english/APcakra.jpg - slide 20
http://www.harekrsna.it/karma_e_reincarnazione/immagini/reincarnazione.jpg - slide 21
http://seasiancrafts.com/spiritworld/Images/enlightenment%20mural.JPG – slide 22
http://www.zenandbusiness.com/buddha_nirvana.jpg - 23
http://www.info4india.com/indian-personality/images/ashoka.jpg - slide 26
The Path to the Buddha
What was his “Pah”
Four Noble Truths
Embody the idea that craving is the
source of suffering and the cessation
from craving releases suffering .
Four Noble Truths
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1. Duhkha or suffering is
everywhere
2. Tanha or craving or desire is
the source of suffering
3. Relieving craving ceases
suffering--when craving ceases
entirely through dispassion,
renunciation, and
nondependence, then suffering
ceases
4. The path leading to cessation
of suffering is the Eightfold Path
Eight Fold Path
Like spokes in a wheel
Eight Fold Path
The Way to Inner Peace
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Three Main Goals
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face life objectively
live kindly
cultivate inner peace
Some Things to Remember
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The steps or recommendations are not to be
practiced sequentially but all together
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The word “right” might be better translated as
“correct” or “complete.”
Eight Fold Path
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1. Right views
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5. Right livelihood
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2. Right intention
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6. Right effort
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3. Right speech
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7. Right mindfulness
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4. Right action
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8. Right concentration
Eightfold Path Enunciated
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1. Right views or Right understanding
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I recognize the impermanence of life, the
mechanism of desire, and the cause of
suffering.
2. Right intention
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My thoughts and motives are pure, not tainted
by my emotions and selfish desire.
Eightfold Path Enunciated
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3. Right speech
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I speak honestly and kindly, in positive ways,
avoiding lies, exaggeration, harsh words.
4. Right action
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My actions do not hurt any other being that can
feel hurt, including animals; I avoid stealing and
sexual conduct that would bring hurt.
Eightfold Path Enunciated
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5. Right work or livelihood
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My livelihood (occupation) does no harm.
6. Right effort
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With moderation, I consistently strive to improve.
Eightfold Path Enunciated
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7. Right mindfulness
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I will keep my attention, awareness, and mind
focussed on the Four Foundations of
Mindfulness: the body is impure, sensations
result in suffering, the mind is impermanent and
all dharma do not have a substantial self.
8. Right concentration
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I use the disciplines of meditation (dyana) and
focused awareness to contemplate the nature of
reality more deeply.
The Core of Basic Buddhism
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The Three Jewels
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The Buddha
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Is an ideal whom people should imitate and his
image of sitting and meditating with self-control
and mindfulness.
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The Dharma
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is the sum total of Buddhist teachings about
how to view the world and how to live properly.
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“I take refuge in the Buddha.”
“I take refuge in the Dharma.”
The Sangha
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is the community of monks and nuns.
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“I take refuge in the Sangha.”
The Writings
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The sacred writings of Buddhism are written
in both Pali and Sankrit as are the writings in
Hinduism and the many offshoots.
Pali a language related to Sanskrit
Sanskrit is called the Latin of India because
of its widespread use.
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(class references will be using Sanskrit)
Bodhisattva
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Being who is to become fully
enlightened (possesses
bodhi); especially as applied to
Gautama, the future Buddha.
More generally, in Mahayana
Buddhism the term applies to
those who have experience
enlightenment (bodhi) but who
have taken a special vow to
continue being reborn into
samsara ["the great runaround"] (rather than entering
nirvana) so as to deliver others
form their suffering by aiding in
the attainment of
enlightenment.
Dhama (Dhamma)
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Has many meanings in
Buddhist texts, the
proper one being
determining by context
and use. However,
some of the meanings
are: the teaching of the
Buddha; the Truth; The
Real; moral law; the
right duty; religion.
Karma (Kamma)
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Act, action, deed
performed by body,
speech, or mind, which,
according to the intention
it embodies, will have a
set consequence
experienced in this or
future rebirth. Good
karma are those things
that are positive; bad
karma is negative.
Mara
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Killing, death,
"Destroyer," "Tempter,"
the personification of
evil or attachment to
transient conditioned
reality (the Wheel of
Life) or to this world as
an obstacle to attaining
of enlightenment; the
god of desire and
death.
Nirvana
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"Blowing out, quenching (as of
a fire)"; the goal of Buddhism,
the extinguishing of passionate
attachment or desire (raga)
fearful hostility or hatred and
anger (dvesa), and confusion
of delusion (moha), the primary
causes of karma and hence
bondage of samsara. It is
equal to the Hindu goal of
moksa (release).
Sangha
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Buddhist community which consist of four
assemblies; monks, nuns, laymen, and
laywomen.
Relation between Sangha, lay
society and government
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The Sangha depends on government
support. However, the government does not
control the Sangha. This community is a
mutual relationship between the "bhiku"
(male and female), lay person and the
government. Through the community one
earns merit; the bhiku teaches dharma.
The Development of
Buddhism
The Energetic King
Ashoka (India circa 250 B.C.E.)
Inspection after the battle
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He becomes so horrified at the carnage that
he decides that he converted to the idea of
nonviolence.
He spread the the principle of nonviolence
throughout India as a way of converting
people.
He built stones which had the principles
carved in them.
Three Schools of Buddhist Thought
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Theravada Buddhism
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Mahayana Buddhism
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The Big Vehicle
Vajrayana Buddhism
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The Way of the Elders
The “Diamond Vehicle”
Zen Buddhism
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Enlightenment through Experience
The Two Great Branches of
Buddhism
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Theravada
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Man as an individual
Man on his own in the
universe – self effort
Key virtue: Wisdom
Religion a full time job
Ideal: the Arhat
Buddha a saint
Avoids metaphysics
Confines prayer to
meditation
Conservative
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Mahayana
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Man as involved with others
Man not alone (salvation by
grace)
Key virtue: karuna, compassion
Religion relevant to life in the
world (for the layman as well)
Ideal: the Bodhisattva
Buddha a savior
Elaborates metaphysics
Includes ritual
Includes petitionary prayer
Liberal
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from Huston Smith
Note about the soul and karma
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Although Buddhist do not really believe in a
soul they do maintain that traits and
characteristics of a person can recombine in a
future life.
Therefore, part of the karma process is where
a persons personality has recombined in the
next life.
(note: nevertheless the ideas of karma and
rebirth were so much part of the thinking that
Buddhism had to accommodate the concepts
in their teaching.
Some Buddhists Sites
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Basics
More
Explanations
Mandalas
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Example 1
Example 2