World Religions:
Buddhism : From the Sanskrit word “Buddhi”, to awaken.

Prepared by Keith Haines

February 19, 2008
Buddhism…
The “middle way of wisdom and compassion”
 A 2500 –year-old tradition that began in India &
spread and diversified throughout the Far East
 A philosophy, religion, and spiritual practice
followed by more than 300 million people
 Based on the teachings of the Buddha
The “Three Jewels” of Buddhism
Buddha – the teacher
Dharma – the teachings
Sangha – the community
Who was the Buddha?
 Born Siddhartha Gautama – of noble caste in India, 563 B.C.E.
 Raised in great luxury to be a king
 Empathy for the suffering of others; at age 29 rejected the life of
luxury to seek enlightenment and the solution to suffering
 Followed a strict ascetic lifestyle for six years
 Achieved Nirvana – an awakening to the truth about life, becoming
a Buddha, the “Awakened One” at the age of 35
 Spent the remaining 45 years of his life teaching others how to
achieve the peace of mind he had achieved
Buddha’s Meditation

“Mara (Lord of Illusion who symbolizes
the delusions of one's own mind) tried
tirelessly to distract Siddhartha during
his meditation - first by sending his
daughters - "Blissful to Behold,”
"Pleasurable to Others,”, and "Lust."
They came, revealed their bodies and
assumed various poses. But the mind of
Siddhartha did not move for even a
moment.”

“When Mara’s army of demons attacked
Siddhartha, their stones and arrows
turned into flowers through the power of
compassion.”
http://www.psych.csuci.edu/psy344/buddhism.pdf
Enlightenment
 “Siddhartha then
touched the earth,
thereby calling it to
witness the countless
lifetimes of virtue that had
led him to this place of
enlightenment, he entered
into a state of deep
meditation. Three days
and nights passed.”
http://www.psych.csuci.edu/psy344/buddhism
.pdf
Enlightenment
http://www.psych.csuci.edu/psy344/buddhism.pdf

“On the final night, Siddhartha
developed the mental power to
recollect his past lives, the power to
see the past lives of others, and
understood the law of karma.

Buddha realized that suffering is
caused by desire and ignorance.
Therefore, when these are removed,
suffering does not arise.

After this realization, he became
enlightened – free from desire and
ignorance and Siddhartha achieved
Nirvana becoming the Buddha,
meaning the ‘Enlightened One.’”
What did the Buddha teach?
The Four Noble Truths:
 To live is to suffer.
 The cause of suffering is self-centered desire & attachments.
 The solution is to eliminate desire and attachment, thus
achieving Nirvana (“extinction”).
 The way to Nirvana is through the “Eight-Fold Path.”
What is the Eight-Fold Path?
Wisdom:
•Right understanding
•Right motivation
Moral discipline:
•Right speech
Mental discipline:
•Right action
•Right effort
•Right livelihood
•Right mindfulness
•Right meditation
What do Buddhists believe?
 Rebirth (reincarnation) results from attachments
(karma).
 Nirvana is a peaceful, detached state of mind.
 Achieving Nirvana means escape from the cycle of
rebirth.
 Buddhism is non-theistic: Buddha is not the Buddhist
God – he is just a revered teacher.
Karma
Karma
What are some Buddhist texts?
 Tripitaka (the Pali Cannon) – the “Three Baskets”:
 Vinaya (“discipline”) – rules for monastic life
 Sutta (“discourse”) – sermons of the Buddha
 Abhidhamma (metaphysical “teachings”)
 Dhammapada – collected sayings of the Buddha
 Other texts used by specific schools
The Spread of Buddhism
 Within two centuries
after the Buddha died,
Buddhism began to
spread north and east
into Asia.
 By the 13th century,
Buddhism had
disappeared from India.
Schools of Buddhism - Theravad
The “Way of the Elders” (a.k.a.: the “small vehicle”)

Oldest school of Buddhism

Found in southern Asia (Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand,…)

Monasticism is the ideal life for achieving Nirvana.

A “do-it-yourself” approach to enlightenment

Focus on wisdom and meditation

Goal is to become a Buddha.

Fairly unified in belief & practice with some cultural differences
Buddhist Holidays
 The Theravada tradition celebrates four days every month as uposatha
days.
 Theravada Buddhists continue the practice of vassa, a three-month retreat.
 Three major points in the life of the Buddha are celebrated in all Buddhist
countries:
 His birth, Enlightenment, and his death or final Nirvana.
Schools of Buddhism - Mahayana
The “Great Vehicle”

Developed first century C.E.

Found in Northern Asia (China, Japan, …)

Lay Buddhism – Buddhism “for the masses”

Devotional – seek guidance from Bodhisattvas (“wise beings”) & heavenly Buddhas (kwan Yin,
Amida, …)

Focus on compassion

Goal is to become a bodhisattva and assist others .toward enlightenment (the “ Bodhisattva
Ideal”)

Diverse schools and sects including:

Pureland, Nichiren, Tendai, Shingon, and others
Schools of Buddhism - Tibetan
Vajrayana – the “Diamond Vehicle”
 Developed 7th century C.E.
 A mix of Theravada & Mahayana:
 Rituals (Tantra):



Mantras (chanting)
Mandalas & Thankas (symbolic images)
Mudras (hand gestures)
 Bodhisattvas, including living Lamas (Dalai Lama)
 Meditation, monasticism, wisdom & compassion
 Bardo Thodol -Tibetan Book of the Dead
Schools of Buddhism –Zen
The “meditation” school:
 Lay and monastic
 Seeks sudden enlightenment (satori) through meditation, arriving
at emptiness (sunyata) and the “Buddha Nature”
 Use of meditation masters (Roshi)
 Koans (paradoxical riddles to confound reason)
 Beauty, arts & aesthetics – gardens, archery, the tea ceremony,
calligraphy, …
STUPA
http://www.buddhanet.net/stupa.htm
RUWANWELISEYA,
"GREAT STUPA"
http://www.b
uddhanet.net/
stupa.htm
DHARMACHAKRA MUDRA
(TEACHING)
http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/tantra_symbols.html
DHYANA MUDRA
(MEDITATION)
http://static.flickr.com/16/23544749_7ed3b34
c90_m.jpg
http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/zn
73.jpg
NAMASKARA MUDRA
(PRAYER)
http://users.telenet.be/yoga/tekenin
gen/namaskara%20mudra.gif
http://www.p4a.com/item_images/medium/06/39/
22-01.jpg
VITARKA MUDRA
(DEBATE, DISCUSSION)
http://www.dharmanet.com.br/vajrayana/vitar
ka.gif
http://www.arcavigraha.com/bts7.jpg
VARADA MUDRA
(BLESSING, COMPASSION)
http://www.buddhanet.net/images/h_var
ada.gif
http://images.exoticindiaart.com/nepalese/ea
75.jpg
BHUMISPARSHA MUDRA
(CALLING EARTH TO WITNESS)
http://www.dharmanet.com.br/vajrayana/bhumisparsha.gif
http://www.artandarchaeology.com/india/ratna/ei373.jpg
VAJRA MUDRA
(SUPREME WISDOM,
KNOWLEDGE)
http://www.bellaterreno.com/art/a_reli
gion/buddhism/buddhist_mudra.aspx
ABHAYA MUDRA
(FEARLESSNESS)
http://www.ganesh.com.br/imagens/abhaya.jpg
http://lotussculpture.com/images/6ss5c.jpg
Buddhism in the West
Over the past two centuries, especially since the later half of
the 20th century, Buddhism has made inroads into the
Western world through…
 Immigration of Asian peoples in the 1800’s who have brought their
diverse forms of Buddhism to the West
 Western followers who tend to adopt meditation practices and the
philosophy rather than more devotional forms of Buddhism
 Many such western followers remain within their own faith
traditions, finding Buddhism to be a complement to rather than in
conflict with other religions.
Buddhist Thoughts
 “Nirvana may be the final object of attainment, but for the moment, it is difficult to
reach. Thus, the practical and realistic aim is compassion, a warm heart, serving
other people, helping others, being less selfish. “
Dalai Lama
 “In Buddhism there is no place to apply effort. Everything in it is normal- you put
on clothes to keep warm and eat food to stop hunger- that’s all.”
Yuan-s’ou
 “Believe nothing, O monks, merely because you have been told it…or because it is
traditional, or because you yourselves have imagined it. Do not believe what your
teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due
examination and analysis, you find to be conducive to the good, the benefit, the
welfare of all beings-that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.”
Buddha