Religions of South Asia
Buddhism in the
Subcontinent
The essence of
Buddhism
 The “middle way of wisdom
and compassion.”
 2,500 year old tradition.
 The 3 jewels of Buddhism:
 Buddha, the teacher.
 Dharma, the teachings.
 Sangha, the community.
Siddhartha Gautama (563-483
BCE)
 Born in NE India
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(Nepal).
Raised in great luxury
to be a king.
At 29 he rejected
his luxurious life to
seek the source of
suffering.
Lived a strict,
ascetic life for 6 yrs.
Rejecting this extreme, sat in
meditation, and found nirvana.
Became “The Enlightened One,” at 35.
What is the
fundamental cause of
all suffering?
Desire
Attachments
to material
things
So one should
• Relinquish attachments to material items
Everything on this Earth is everchanging so keeping attachments can
only bring suffering
Actively work to end suffering
Four Noble Truths
1. There is suffering in the
world. To live is to
suffer. (Dukkha)
 The Buddha found this
out when he was young
and experienced
suffering and death in
others.
Four Noble Truths
2. The cause of
suffering is selfcentered desire and
attachments. (Tanha)
Four Noble Truths
3. The solution is to
eliminate desire and
attachments.
(Nirvana = “extinction”)
Four Noble Truths
4. To reach nirvana, one
must follow the Eightfold
Path.
• The Five Precepts
•
•
•
•
1. I undertake the precept to refrain from
destroying living creatures.
2. I undertake the precept to refrain from
taking that which is not given.
3. I undertake the precept to refrain from
sexual misconduct.
4. I undertake the precept to refrain from
incorrect speech.
5. I undertake the precept to refrain from
intoxicants which lead to carelessness.
Karma can be changed s/he is aware of her karma
and thus strive to change the course of events
“All that we are is a result of what we have thought,
it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our
thoughts” –The Dhammapada
There are ten realms of being
10) The Buddha
9) Bodhisattvas* ( enlightened beings remaining on
earth to teach others
8) Pratkyeka Buddha (Buddha for himself)
7) Svartka* (direct disciple of Buddha)
6) Heavenly beings
5) Humans
4) Asura (fighting spirits)
3) Beasts
2) Preta (hungry ghosts)
1) Depraved men (hellish beings)
All are mutually inclusive meaning each one
contains part of the other nine realms
A selfish man can create is own hell and a Buddha
must be able to identify with the other nine therefore
These states of mind are created by humans
actions and words
Consider your motives and intentions and
you can decide what realm you are in
Eightfold Path
Nirvana
 The union with the ultimate
spiritual reality.
 Escape from the cycle of
rebirth.

Types of
Buddhism
Therevada
Buddhism
 Mahayana Buddhism
 Tibetan Buddhism
 Zen Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism
 The oldest school of Buddhism.
 The “Way of the Elders” or the
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“Small Vehicle.”
Found in southern Asia.
The monastic life is the best way
to achieve nirvana.
Focus on wisdom and meditation.
Goal is to become a “Buddha,” or
“Enlightened One.”
Over 100,000,000 followers today.
Theravada Buddhism
Mahayana Buddhism
 The “Great Vehicle.”
 Founded in Southern India adopted
in China
 Buddhism “for the masses.”
 Seek guidance from Boddhisatvas,
wise beings.
 Goal: Not just individual escape
from the wheel, but the salvation
of all humanity through selfsacrifice of those enlightened few.
Mahayana Buddhism
Zen Buddhism
 The “Meditation School.”
 Seeks sudden enlightenment [satori]
through meditation, arriving at
emptiness [sunyata].
 Use of meditation masters [Roshi].
 Beauty, art, and aesthetics:
 Gardens.
 Archery.
 Tea ceremony.
 Calligraphy.
Buddha – 19c
Thailand
Buddha
’s head
:
2c
Pakista
n
Tibetan Buddhism
 The “Diamond Vehicle.” [Vajrayana]
 Developed in Tibet in the
7c CE.
 A mix of Theravada and Mahayana.
 Boddhisatvas include
Lamas, like the
Dalai Lama.
 The Tibetan Book
of the Dead
[Bardo Thodol].
The
Dalai
Lam
a
Brief sketch of the spread of Buddhism in Asia
Mandala: Wheel of Life
Motif
Mandala: Wheel of Life
Motif
Buddhist Altar
Seated Boddhisatva –
16c
Bhutan
boddhisatva
Buddhism in America
(1999)
Distribution of
Buddhism Centers in
the US, 2001
th
10
Annual western
buddhist monastic
conference
California, 2004
• http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2
800782174508351686&ei=GA_GSM30PIn
OwgOtopTIDg&q=boy+in+Nepal+meditate
s&vt=lf&hl=en
•
Ms. Susan M. Pojer
Horace Greeley Hs Chappaqua, NY
www.buddhanet.net