Download buddhism - Faith Cathedral Deliverance Centre

FAITH
CATHEDRAL
DELIVERANCE
CENTRE
Welcomes You
To The Study On
BUDDHISM
INTRODUCTION
In his book ‘The Spirit of Buddhism:
a Christian Perspective,’ David
Burnett informs and I quote “… my
aim is to give a study of the Buddhist
tradition
from
a
Christian
perspective”.
INTRODUCTION cont’d
 The
primary function is to give
understanding about a rich and
elegant religious system, and
try to explain why this has
attracted many millions of
followers over the centuries.
INTRODUCTION cont’d
Only as Christians understand
the fascination of this unique
religion will they be able to
communicate meaningfully with
those
of
the
Buddhist
tradition.’’
WHAT IS BUDDHISM
The English word ‘Buddhism’
is relatively new. It was first
used in the Oxford English
Dictionary of 1801 (spelled
‘Boudhism’) and its spelling
changed to the present one in
1816.
WHAT IS BUDDHISM cont'd
Buddhism is the derived religious
name title from the word
“Buddha.” It is a major global
religion and philosophy with the
complex history encompassing a
variety of traditions, beliefs and
practices.
WHAT IS BUDDHISM cont'd
It is largely based on
teachings attributed to its
founder and is sometimes
loosely described as
“ Hinduism without the gods”.
WHAT IS BUDDHISM cont’d
It is that religion that practices
morality and meditation thus gaining
wisdom to escape from the cycle of
reincarnation and attain Nirvada
(literally no- being) the ultimately
peaceful transformed consciousness.
WHAT IS BUDDHISM cont’d
Buddhism is that philosophy (more
than a religion) of tolerance,
gentleness, respect and with a vision
of the future that attempts to
transcend the present, which sets it
completely apart from western
thought.
WHAT IS BUDDHISM cont'd
It is the embraced religion said to
have existed some five hundred
years before the time of Jesus
Christ and a thousand years
before Mohammed.
WHAT IS BUDDHISM cont'd
It is a religious belief that had its
birth when a wandering sage
found enlightenment with its goal
to have an impact that would
spread throughout the whole of
Asia.
CONTINENTS OF THE WORLD
CONTINENT OF ASIA
The Buddha lived and taught in the
eastern part of India, sometime
between the 6th and 4th centuries BC
Buddhism was finally distinguished
from Hinduism and identified as
one of the great religious traditions
of Asia.
Buddhism remains most popular
within Asia but today, the name of
the Buddha is known around the
world.
He is recognized by the Buddhist
(person who embraces Buddhism)
as an awakened or enlightened
teacher who shared his insights to
Geographical Concentration cont’d
His message steadily entered into the
nations of the West that were
previously Christian. It’s uncertain
why the people of Asia adopted
Buddhism instead of Christianity
which existed about the same time.
Speculation cited psychological and
geographical barriers which forced
Christianity to advance into Asia
Map of Asia Minor
Geographical Concentration cont’d
Estimates
of
Buddhists
worldwide vary significantly
depending on the way Buddhist
adherence is defined. However,
estimates are between three
hundred fifty and five hundred
(350 – 500) million.
Geographical Concentration cont’d
Its introduction to foreign lands
was achieved by the conquest of
ideas – wherever it went, it was
able to accommodate itself to the
ideas of the new land and the
people, thus becoming practically
a new religion.
In every land where Buddhism has
been introduced, the religion has
displayed remarkable elasticity in
adapting itself to local conditions
and in responding to new needs.
Probably no other missionary
religion has this characteristic to
such a remarkable degree.
This elasticity of Buddhism is
undoubtedly one of the sources of
strength of the religion. By being
ready to change and to adjust itself
to new conditions and new ideas,
the religion has managed to keep
itself alive.
It
is
never
bothered
by
inconsistencies, nor is it bound by
loyalty to an authoritarian past, but it
is always free to develop new ideas
and institutions to meet new needs
and is not afraid nor too proud to
learn from even its rivals. This
elasticity of the religion is great asset
as it faces the problems of the modern
world.
BUDDHISM IN THE WEST
Today it is surprising that only 150
years ago there was almost no
knowledge in Europe of the Buddhist
tradition.
It was only during the 19th century that
the ‘Budda’ emerged from the realm of
myth and stepped onto the stage of
Western History.
BUDDHISM IN THE WEST cont'd
Buddhism gained prominence through
the work of Edwin Arnold (an English
Poet and Journalist) who first published
a poem called ‘Light of Asia’, while
teaching in India.
This poem was based upon the life and
philosophy of Sakyamuni Buddha, and
went through at least one hundred
editions in Britain and America. Hence,
Budda’s name became common among
the English speaking people , globally.
Buddhism was presented as the
oldest and wisest religion that
would enable European culture
to step out of gloom into a new
and glorious century.
 A demand by western people for
a new and radically different
philosophy of life.

WHY WESTERNS ACCEPT BUDDHISM cont'd

It claims to offer peace in a stressfilled life. American culture is so hectic
and busy and stressful and the various
kinds of Buddhism meditation technique
are an antidote they hadn’t found in the
Christianity that they had grown up with.

People are looking for answers to the
question of suffering. In the midst of
material prosperity they still feel a lack
of satisfaction.
BUDDHISM COMES TO JAMIACA
1982 - The United Nations Volunteer
Programme saw the shipment of
Burmese, to work in the health sector
in Jamaica.
They brought their religious belief
(Buddhism) which was barely group
gathering or praying at home with no
leader or specific place of worship.
BUDDHISM COMES TO JAMIACA cont’d
This was contrary to their custom
which has 90% of the population
being Buddhist (Theravada
Buddhist), numerous temples,
monasteries and golden Pagodas.
Buddhists could gather peacefully
to pray and meditate.
1997 – The first senior monk (the
Most Venerable U Silananda USA) visited Jamaica and gave
series of lectures on the teachings
of Buddha and techniques of
meditation, and did radio talk
shows and television programs for
interviews and discussion on
Buddhism.
1998 – The Theravada Buddhist
Association of Jamaica (TBAJ) was
formed with about 80 members,
mainly Burmese.
2000(March) – Venerable U Lokanata
moved from United Kingdom to
Jamaica to serve the need of Burmese
community and to spread Dhamma
(teachings.)
BUDDHISM COMES TO JAMIACA cont’d
2002 – The head office and official
Buddhist Monastery (Damadipa
Vihara) established at 1 Duquesnay
Avenue.
2009 – The new Dhammanata Sima
Hall on the premises officially opened
(holds lectures, significant ceremonies
and also a place for silent meditation.)
BUDDHISM COMES TO JAMIACA cont’d
There are about 300 Burmese
including one (1) monk. Ninety
percent (90%) of them being
doctors and who are dispersed in
almost every capital.
There are about three hundred (300) Burmese
including one monk . Ninety percent (90%) of
them being doctors and who are dispersed in
almost every Capital.
They speak Burmese and meet
mostly on Sunday afternoons.
Their aim is not to convert, but
to establish their practices for
anyone who desires, since they
are therapy for stress.
HOW WAS IT? LET’S SEE!!
Review
(Watch and Listen)
HOW WAS IT? LET’S SEE!!
1.Review
2. Assessment
3. Christian Link
(a) Questions & Answers
(b) Comments
Assessment
Put one word on each line to
make the statement true
• Buddhism is from the word ------• Buddhism became a dictionary
word in the year ----• Buddhism existed ----- years
before Christ and ----- years
before Mohammed
Assessment cont’d
• The goal of Buddhism was to
have an impact on the Continent
of -----• Estimates of Buddhists globally
are between 350 – 500 -----• There are ----- Buddhists in
Jamaica
• The practices of the religion gives
HOW WAS IT? LET’S SEE!!
1.Review
2. Assessment
3. Christian Link
(a) Questions & Answers
(b) Comments
Christian Link
Questions
&
Answers
(b) Comments
Christian Link
Do you agree that only when
Christians understand
Buddhisn that they will be
able to dialogue
meaningfully with them?
Justify with Scriptures.
(b) Comments
Christian Link
Which Christian
practice may be linked
with the spread of
Buddhism?
Justify with Scriptures.
Christian Link
In light of the Scriptures,
what is your take on any
of the pointers given as
reason Westerns accept
Buddhism?
Christian Link
How would you refute the
Buddhist’s claim that
Christians are violent?
(b) Comments
THANKS FOR
YOUR
PARTICIPATION
UNTIL NEXT
WEEK, BE
BLESSED!!
PART TWO
THE HISTORICAL
BUDDHA
Introduction
 Writing
was uncommon in India
at the time Buddha lived . So
everything known about him was
carefully memorized and passed
on orally until it was written
down, probably during the first
century B.C.
Introduction cont’d
 In
writing her biography of Buddha,
Karen Armstrong noted, “It is
obviously difficult, therefore, to
write a biography of the Buddha
that will meet modern criteria,
because we have very little
information that can be considered
historically sound…
Introduction cont’d
…but we are reasonably
confident Siddhatta
Gotama did indeed exist
and that his disciples
preserved the memory of
his life and teachings as well
as they could”
HIS FATHER
The name of his father was King
Suddhodana Gautama. He was a chief
(raja) of the Sakya clan and an Indian
warrior King. He was of a proud
independent people (Sakyas) who were
probably already great economically. He
reigned over a small region between India
and Nepal
FATHER cont’d
He won a battle against his father,
and gained permission to marry the
two sisters of his cousin
Two sisters of his eventually marry
that same cousin.
HIS MOTHER
Queen
Maha Maya of the
Sakyas group was the birth
mother of the historical Buddha.
Maha means ‘great’
Maya means ‘illusion’ or
‘enchantment’ (in Sanskrit and
Pāli).
His Mother Cont’d
Also called Mayadevi (‘devi’
means goddess).
She was born in one of the
areas (kingdom) of Nepal
and has been compared
with Mary, Jesus’ mother.
CONCEPTION
Queen Māyā and King Suddhodhana
did not have children for twenty years
into their marriage.
Conception cont’d
 According
to some accounts the
Buddha-to-be chose her to be his
own mother because of her faith
and purity. While she slept he
took the form of a white elephant
and entered her side. Maha Maya
was blessed with the immaculate
conception.
Conception cont’d
 Another
account said that one full
moon night, while sleeping in the
palace, the queen had a vivid
dream. She felt herself being
carried away by four devas
(spirits) to a Lake.
 After
bathing her in the lake, the
devas (spirits) clothed her in
heavenly cloths, anointed her
Conception cont’d
with perfumes, and bedecked her
with divine flowers.
Conception cont’d
 Soon
after a white elephant with
six tusks, holding a white lotus
flower in its trunk, appeared and
went round her three times,
entered her womb through her
right side.
Conception cont’d
 Finally
the elephant disappeared
and the queen awoke, knowing
she had been delivered an
important message, as the
elephant is a symbol of greatness
in Nepal.
Conception cont’d
According to Buddhist tradition, the
Buddha-to-be was residing as a
Bodhisattva, in the Tuṣita heaven, surveyed
the world and when he found that
conditions were ripe for his descent to
earth, to be reborn for the last time, he
changed himself and entered the womb of
Maya while she was sleeping.
BIRTH
Maya’s pregnancy lasted ten months.
Following custom, the Queen returned
to her own home in order to give the
birth.
On the way, she stepped down from her
palanquin
Birth cont’d
to have a walk under the Sal tree,
in the beautiful flower garden of
Lumbini Park, (Lumbini Zone,
Nepal).
Maya Devi was delighted by the
park and gave birth
standing while holding onto a sal
branch.
Birth cont’d
Legend has it that the baby emerged
from her right side to the
accompaniment of flowers blooming
out of season, and of happiness
pervading the world.
.
Birth cont’d
All
hatred, struggle
jealousy, sadness,
selfishness and fear
disappeared, sickness was
healed, hunger satisfied and
thirst quenched.
Birth cont’d
 There
are stories of the whole
earth being flooded with light, of
the blind being able to see, of the
lame being able to walk, of
prisoners chains being snapped
opened, and of the baby walking
seven steps as soon as he was
born, and being bathed in
Birth cont’d
 One
version indicates that on the
sole of his feet were wheels and
his fingers and toes were joined
by webs.
Birth cont’d
 Some
accounts say Maya gave
him his first bath in a pond in
Lumbini Zone.
 But legend has it that devas
caused it to rain to wash the
newborn babe.
Birth cont’d
 Maya
died seven days after giving
birth and ascended to one of the
Buddhist heavens to be reborn
there as a deity.
Birth cont’d
 Buddhist
theologians say that
absolute rule/law states that the
mother of a future Buddha must
die seven days after birth. This
law would imply that Buddha is
omniscient, knowing what woman
would die at a given time
Birth cont’d

It was also held that the mother
must die since the womb must
not have another occupant, also
that it was better for her to die
and avoid heart break when her
son would have left home.
Birth cont’d
After
she died, Saddohdana
took her two sisters as his
wives. The Buddha was
therefore brought up by his
maternal aunt.
BIRTH DATE, PLACE AND
NAME
 The
information for this should
be given with certainty, however,
chronology never comes easy in
India for historical record were
not kept.
Birth Date, Place And Name cont’d
His
biography was not
written during his life time.
Based on historical and
legendary descriptions the
earliest account of his life
were collected some three
hundred years after his
Birth Date, Place And Name cont’d
 Calculations
based on traditional
events have been used to
approximate his date of birth to be
563 BC. He was born in the
geographical area Lumbini in
modern day Nepal. (Theravada
Scriptures – Pali)
 He was later named Siddhartha
NAMES (TITLES)
Siddhartha is known by a
number of names. This can
cause confusion to a person
first seeking to understand the
religious tradition.
Names (Titles) cont’d
Siddhartha – (Pali language, Siddatha)
Birth Name
Meaning “he who hath accomplished his
objectives” or “Goal achieved/wish granted”
Gautama- (Pali: Gotama)
Clan name
Surname
Family name
Names (Titles) cont’d
Sakyamuni
 Named after the ‘Sakya’ tribe
 Regarded as their Sage
Bodhisattva (Pali: Bodhisatta)
 A being destined for enlightenment
Names (Titles) cont’d
Buddha
One who had attained bodhi or
enlightenment
Awakened
one
This name was given after the
experience of enlightenment.
Names (Titles) cont’d
Tathagata
 An
honorary title
 Synonymous
with title ‘The Buddha’
– ‘Thus-gone’. It indicates that he
followed the way to liberation to the end as
other Buddhas had done before him.
 Meaning
Names (Titles) cont’d
Bhagavan
 The Blessed One

Blessed with happiness
Jina
 The
victorious
Devote Buddhists avoid the use of his personal
name Siddhartha and refer to him as the
Buddha
BELIEVE IT OR NOT!!!!!!
 On
the day of birth, a sage named
Asita saw the gods dancing in
glee. When asked the reason for
their delight he learned that a
bodhisatta was born.
Believe it or not!!!!!!
 Asita
surveyed the land with his
divine sight (one of the attributes
of a sage) and saw him at home
and flew through the air to
where the bodhisatta was.
Believe it or not!!!!!!
 When
he saw the child endowed
with the thirty-two major and
eighty minor marks of a great man
he immediately realized that this
child when grown up would either
become a universal monarch, ruling
over the entire realm or an
enlightened one. At this thought,
the sage wept.
Believe it or not!!!!!!
 Suddhodana, (father), surprised
to
see Asita weeping, thought
something wrong so asked the
reason for his strange behaviour.
Asita said because he would not
live long enough to see the infant
grow up to become the Buddha
and to hear his teachings.
LIFE IN THE PALACE
 According
to narrative, shortly after his
birth, an astrologer (Asita for some)
prophesied that Siddartha would either
be a great king, if he dwelt in his father’s
house, or renounce the material world
to become a holy man (Buddha), a
remover of ignorance from the world
depending on whether he saw what life
was like outside the palace wall.
Life in the Palace cont’d
 Another
story states that his father
asked eight wise men what would
become of his son in later life. They
all agreed he would become a great
ruler unless he witnessed the four
signs of what life is really like –old
age, sickness, death, and a
wandering ascetic –then he would
become a great religious leader.
Life in the Palace cont’d
 King
Suddhodana knew that the
sight of human misery would cause
his son to leave and to seek for
truth. Since the king wanted his son
to follow his footsteps to the
throne, he issued strict orders to
his subjects that the young prince
was to be protected from these
sights. (Called ‘The Four Passing
Life in the Palace cont’d
At
sixteen he secured the
hand of his cousin,
Yashodara, in marriage, by
demonstrating twelve
marvelous feats in the art
of archery.
Life in the Palace cont’d

He might have had other wives,
but legend says she was the most
beautiful of women dressed in the
finest fabrics.
Life in the Palace cont’d
 They
had a son whom they called
Rahula (chains) because Gautama
felt thaat in spite of his life of
luxury, he was in chains. Life
offered him no pleasure or
happiness. He longed to see how
ordinary people lived but was
trapped behind the walls of the
palace.
Life in the Palace cont’d
 Suddhondana
surrounded his son
with a life of extreme luxury in the
palace.
 He built for them three palaces –
one for the rainy season, one for
winter, and one for he heat of
summer. Each palace was filled with
every kind of enjoyment for the five
senses according to the season of
Life in the Palace cont’d
 His
son expressed: ‘Monks I was
delicately nurtured, exceedingly
delicately nurtured. For instance in
my father’s house lotus pools
where made thus, one of blue
lotuses , one of red, another of
white lotuses, just for my benefit.
Life in the Palace cont’d
 No
sandle wood power did I use
that was of Kasi; of Kasi cloth
was my turban made; of kasi
cloth was my jacket, my tunic, and
my cloak. By night and day a
white canopy was held over me,
less cold or heat, dust or chaff or
dew, should touch me.
Life in the Palace cont’d
 More
over I had three palaces,
one for the winter, one for
summer and one for the rainy
season. In the four months of the
rain, I was waited upon by
minstrels, women all of them. I
came not down from my palace
in three months.
Life in the Palace cont’d
 Gautama
drew less and less
satisfaction from these pleasures
as time went by, and he began to
look for a deeper meaning to life.
 Then one day when he was
twenty nine years old he went
out with his charioteer driving in
the park when