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Transcript
DharmaAvenue
INTEGRATED SYLLABUS
for
TERTIARY GROUP
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DharmaAvenue.com
Integrated Syllabus
© www.dharmaavenue.com
Characteristics
And
Contributions Of
Buddhism
TERTIARY GROUP
Level
3B / TG
Lesson
04
Ref : 3B / TG / 04
© www.dharmaavenue.com
Lesson Plan
Module 01
INTRODUCTION
TO BUDDHISM
DAIS-TG
Sub Module
●
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04
CHARACTERISTICS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF
BUDDHISM
• Characteristics – Comprehensive Content
• Characteristics – Graceful Approach
• Agreement by Great Personalities
• Buddhist Contributions to the World
• Showcase of Contemporary Contributions
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Comprehensive Content
●
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 01-21
Excerpts : Buddha & His Teachings – Bhikkhu Narada
Obvious And Irrefutable
The four Noble Truths, which the Buddha Himself discovered and revealed to the world, are the
chief characteristics and the unshakable foundations of Buddhism. They are suffering, its cause,
i.e., craving, its end, i.e., Nibbāna (the summum bonum of Buddhism), and the Middle Way. The
first three represent the philosophy of Buddhism, while the fourth represents the ethics of
Buddhism, in accordance with that philosophy. These Truths are universally obvious, sensible
and irrefutable.
●
Accessible And Verifiable
No blind faith is necessary to understand these four Noble Truths. The first two Truths, which are
mundane (lokiya), can be experienced by worldlings themselves. The second two Truths, which
are supramundane (lokuttara) can be experienced by attaining Saintship. It is on the bed-rock of
these facts, which could be verified by personal experience and tested by anybody, that the
Buddha-Dhamma is built, and not on the fear of the unknown. Buddhism is therefore rational and
intensely practical. In the Dhamma there is nothing that is impractical or irrational. The Buddha
practised what He taught; He taught what He practised. What He most emphasizes in His
teaching is practice, for creeds alone cannot purify a person.
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
●
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 02-21
Comprehensive Content
Realistic And Sensible
Buddhism rests on the pivot of suffering. Although Buddhism emphasizes the existence of
suffering yet it does not follow that Buddhism is a pessimistic religion. On the contrary it is
neither totally pessimistic nor totally optimistic but realistic. One would be justified in calling the
Buddha a pessimist if He had merely emphasized the truth of suffering without suggesting a
means to end suffering and gain eternal happiness. The Buddha perceived the universality of
sorrow and prescribed a remedy for this universal sickness of humanity. The highest conceivable
happiness, according to the Buddha, is Nibbāna, which is the total extinction of suffering.
●
Assuring And Joyful
In the Samyutta Nikāya is found an interesting interpretation of the Dependent Origination
(Paticca Samuppāda) in terms of happiness. This important passage clearly indicates how
suffering can lead to happiness and ultimately to Sainthood. (The doctrine of Dependent
Origination is an elaboration of the doctrine of Four Noble Truths). The Buddha says:
"Suffering leads to Confidence (Saddhā); Confidence to Rapture (Pāmojja); Rapture to Joy
(Pīti); Joy to Tranquillity (Passaddhi); Tranquillity to Happiness (Sukha); Happiness to
Concentration (Samādhi); Concentration to Knowledge and Vision of things as they truly
are (Yathābhūta-ñānadassana); the Knowledge and Vision of things as they truly are to
Repulsion (Nibbidā); Repulsion to Non-attachment (Virāga); Non-attachment to
Deliverance (Vimutti); Deliverance to the Extinction of Passions (Khaye-māna); i. e., to
Arabantship. (S II.32)
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DAIS-TG
●
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 03-21
Comprehensive Content
Universal And Scientific
Because the entire Four Noble Truths are based on verifiable and substantiated existential
experience of a human its doctrine is universal in appeal and scientific in approach. It transcends
color, creed, gender and other artificial boundaries.
●
Practical And Effective
In the Dhamma there is nothing that is impractical or irrational. The Buddha practised what He
taught; He taught what He practised. What He most emphasizes in His teaching is practice, for
creeds alone cannot purify a person. It is a most dependable and reliable teaching.
●
Open And Transparent
A rational and practical system cannot contain any mysterious or esoteric doctrine. In the
Parinibbāna Sutta the Buddha emphatically declares: "I have taught the truth without making any
distinction between esoteric and exoteric doctrine; for in respect of the truth Tathāgata has no
such thing as the closed fist of teacher who keeps something back.“
●
Gradual And Measured
It is a teaching that is structured and gradual – not disorganized and steep, the Buddha give the
simile of the ocean to illustrate this feature. It is also exact and precise and not abstract and
vague, to that extent that ideas and words can conveyed – these are obvious to those who had
peruse and study the scripture.
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DAIS-TG
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Graceful Approach
●
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 04-21
Excerpts : Buddha & His Teachings – Bhikkhu Narada
Harmless And Peaceful
No coercions, persecutions, or fanaticisms play any part in Buddhism. To the unique credit of
Buddhism it must be said that throughout its peaceful march of 2500 years no drop of blood has
been shed in the name of the Buddha, no mighty monarch has wielded his powerful sword to
propagate the Dhamma, and no conversion has been made either by force or by repulsive
methods. Yet the Buddha was the first and the greatest missionary that lived on earth. Buddhism
has spread, and is still spreading rapidly throughout the world, and is making peaceful
penetration to all countries mainly owing to the intrinsic merit and unsurpassing beauty of its
teachings and not at all with the aid of Imperialism, militarism or any other indirect proselytizing.
In the name of the Buddha no sacred place was reddened with the blood of innocent women, no
sincere thinkers were burnt alive, and there was no merciless roasting of heretics. agencies.
The boundless kindness of the Buddha was directed not only to all human beings but also to the
dumb animals as well. It was the Buddha who banned the sacrifice of animals and admonished
His followers to extend their loving-kindness (Mettā) to all living beings -- even to the tiniest
creature that crawls at one's feet. No man, He taught, has the right to destroy the life of another
as life is precious to all.
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
●
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 05-21
Graceful Approach
Tolerant And Persuasive
No blind Buddhism is saturated with this spirit of free inquiry and complete tolerance. It is the
teaching of the open mind and the sympathetic heart which, lighting and warming the whole
universe with its twin rays of wisdom and compassion, sheds its genial glow on every being
struggling in the ocean of birth and death.
So compassionate and tolerant was the Buddha that He did not exercise His power to give
commandments to His lay-followers. Instead of using the Imperative -- Thou shalt or thou shalt
not -- He says-- It behoves you to do this, it behoves you not to do this. The ordinary precepts
which Buddhists are expected to observe are not commandments but modes of discipline
(sikkhāpada) which they take of their own accord.
●
Compassionate And Liberating
It was the Buddha who, for the first time in the known history of mankind, attempted to abolish
slavery and "invented the higher morality and the idea of the brotherhood of the entire human
race and in striking terms condemned" the degrading caste-system which was firmly rooted in
Indian Society at that time. The Buddha declared:
"By birth is not one an outcast,
By birth is not one a brahmin.
By deeds is one an outcast,
By deeds is one a brahmin.“ (Vasala Sutta)
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
●
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 06-21
Graceful Approach
Honorable And Equitable
According to Buddhism caste or color does not preclude one from becoming an adherent of the
Buddha or from entering the noble Order of the Sangha where all are treated as Nobles.
Fishermen, scavengers, courtesans, together with warriors and brahmins, were freely admitted
into the Order and were also given positions of rank.
Upāli, the barber, was made, in preference to all others, chief disciple in matters pertaining to the
Vinaya discipline. Sunīta, who was honored by Kings and nobles as an Arahant, was a timid
scavenger. The philosophic Sāti was the son of a fisherman. The courtesan Ambapāli joined the
Order and attained Arahantship. Rajjumālā, who was converted by the Buddha as she was
about to commit suicide, was a slave girl. So was Punnā whose invitation to spend a rainy
season was accepted by the Buddha in preference to that of the millionaire Anāthapindika, her
own master. Subhā was the daughter of a smith. Cāpā was the daughter of a deer-stalker. Such
instances could be multiplied from the books to show that portals of Buddhism were wide open
to all without any distinction. The Buddha provided equal opportunities for all and raised, rather
than lowered, the status of people.
In Buddhism one finds milk for the babe and meat for the strong, and it appeals equally to both
the rich and the poor.
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
●
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 07-21
Graceful Approach
Just And Supportive
It was also the Buddha who raised the status of women and brought them to a realization of their
importance to society. Before the advent of the Buddha women in India were not held in high
esteem. The Buddha did not humiliate women, but only regarded them as feeble by nature. He
saw the innate good of both men and women and assigned to them their due places in His
teaching. Sex is no barrier for purification or service.
Sometimes the Pāli term used to connote women mātugāma which means 'mother-folk' or
'society of mothers.' As a mother a woman holds an honourable place in Buddhism. The mother
is regarded as a convenient ladder to ascend to heaven, and a wife is regarded as the 'best
friend' (paramā sakhā) of the husband.
The Buddha founded the Order of Bhikkhunis (Nuns). It was the Buddha who thus founded the
first society for women with rules and regulations. Arahants Khemā and Uppalavannā were
made the two chief female disciples in the Order of Bhikkhunis. Many other female disciples, too,
were named by the Buddha Himself as amongst most distinguished and pious followers. To
women who were placed under various disabilities before the appearance of the Buddha, the
establishment of the Order of Bhikkhunis was certainly a blessing. Queens, princesses,
daughters of noble families, widows, bereaved mothers, helpless women, courtesans - all
despite their caste or rank met on a common footing, enjoyed perfect consolation and peace,
and breathed that free atmosphere which was denied to those cloistered in cottages and palatial
mansions. Many, who otherwise would have fallen into oblivion, distinguished themselves in
various ways and gained their emancipation by seeking refuge in the Order
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Admiration by Great Personalities
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 08-21
Excerpt : Great Personalities On Buddhism – Ven. K. Sri Dhammananda
On Philosophy
●
Albert Einstein. The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend
a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it
should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all. things, natural and
spiritual, as a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description.
●
Bishop Gore. It is Buddhism as we find it actually recorded, not a hypothetical primitive
system, which still forms a challenge to other religions.
●
Prof. Carl Gustay Jung. As a student of comparative religions, I believe that
Buddhism is the most perfect one the world has ever seen. The philosophy of the Buddha, the
theory of evolution and the law of Karma were far superior to any other creed.
●
H. G. Wells. Over great areas of the world it still survives. It is possible that in contact
with Western science, and inspired by the spirit of history, the original teaching of Gotama,
revived and purified, may yet play a large part in the direction of human destiny.
●
H. G. Wells. Buddhism has done more for the advance of world civilization and true
culture than any other influence in the chronicles of mankind.
●
Sir Edwin Arnold. I have often said, and I shall say again and again, that between
Buddhism and modern Science there exists a close intellectual bond.
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
●
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 09-21
Admiration by Great Personalities
Hazrat Inayat Khan. The mission of the Buddha was quite unique in its character,
and therefore it stands quite apart from the many other religions of the world. His mission was to
bring the birds of idealism flying in the air nearer to the earth, because the food for their bodies
belonged to the earth.
●
Arthur Schopenhauer. If I am to take the results of my philosophy as the
standard of truth I should be obliged to concede to Buddhism the pre-eminence over the rest.
●
Prof. Max Muller. Buddhism is the highest expression of philosophic thought. The
highest spiritual conceptions are to he found therein.
●
Dr. S.N. Dasgupta. The contributions of the Buddhist thought seem at the same time
to be the most ancient as well as the most modern; its theory of causation, its relativism, its
doctrine of sense-data, its pragmatism, its emphasis on morals, its disbelief in any permanent
soul and its unconcern about God and its denial of the validity of scriptures and denial of rituals
and its anti-metaphysical character and its appeal to experience all tend to establish its superior
claim to modernity.
●
George Grimm. Unlike anyone else, Buddha not only laid bare the great practical
problem of how we can make ourselves perfectly free from sorrow and absolutely full of bliss,
but he has referred his essential problem directly to the primary problem of our deepest nature.
What wholly unique is that he has referred it to a simple syllogism of such simplicity that, with
goodwill, even an intelligent shepherd can in the end experience it in all its overwhelming
certainty.
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
●
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 10-21
Admiration by Great Personalities
Jawarhalal Nehru. His message was one of universal benevolence, of love for all. It
was an ideal of righteousness and self-discipline. Buddha relies on reason and logic and
experience and asks people to seek the truth in their own minds. It is remarkable how near this
philosophy of the Buddha brings us to some of the concepts of modern physics and modern
philosophic thought. Buddha's method was one of psychological analysis and, again, it is
surprising to find how deep was his insight into this latest of modem science.
●
Hazrat Inayat Khan. The Buddha taught in the form of religion, and today the
thinkers of the modern world are beginning to find the same solution which Buddha found over
2500 years ago; they call it psychoanalysis. It is the beginning of that which had already reached
its summit in the highest idealism.
●
Swami Vivekananda. Of all the teachers of the world, the Buddha was the one
who taught us most to be self-reliant, who freed us not only from the bondage of four false
values but from dependence on the invisible beings called God or Gods. He invited everyone
into the state of freedom which he called Nirvana. All must attain it, one day, and the attainment
is the complete fulfillment of man.
●
Bertrand Russell. Philosophical conceptions are a product of two factors: one,
inherited religious and ethical conceptions; the other called the Scientific. Seen thus, Buddhism
is a combination of both speculative and scientific philosophy. It advocates the Scientific Method
and pursues that to a finality that may be called the Rationalistic. In it are to be found answers to
such question of interest as "What are mind and matter? Of them which is of greater importance?
Is the Universe moving towards a goal? What is man's position? Is there living that is noble? It
takes up where science cannot lead because of the limitations of the latter's physical
instruments. Its conquests are those of the mind.
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
●
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 11-21
Admiration by Great Personalities
Prof. Hans Driesch. Buddhism seems to me the most philosophical of all religions.
Can also say that some of my metaphysical convictions are in conformity with Buddhist ideas
specially with regard to the idea of the unity of all living beings. Buddhism and Christianity have
many similarities, and there is no reason for mutual enmity, but the idea of the unity of all living
beings comes more into a prominence in Buddhism.
●
Prof. Huxley. Gautama got rid of even that shade of a shadow of permanent existence
by a metaphysical tour de force of great interest to the student of philosophy seeing that it
supplies the wanting half of Bishop Berkeley's well-known idealist argument. It is a remarkable
indication of the subtlety of Indian speculation that Gautama should have seen deeper than the
greatest of modern idealist'. The tendency of enlightened thought of all today all the world over is
not towards theology, but philosophy and psychology. The bark of theological dualism is drifting
into danger. The fundamental principles of evolution and monism are being accepted by the
thoughtful.
●
Rabindranath Tagore. Buddhism was the first spiritual force, known to us in
history, which drew close together such a large number of races separated by most difficult
barriers of distance, by difference of language and custom, by various degrees and divergent
types of civilization. It had its motive power, neither in international commerce, nor in empire
building, nor in scientific curiosity, nor in a migrative impulse to occupy fresh territory. It was a
purely disinterested effort to help mankind forward to its final goal.
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 12-21
Admiration by Great Personalities
On Morality
●
Prof. Max Muller. Buddha was the embodiment of all the virtues he preached. During
his successful and eventful ministry of 45 years he translated all his words into action; and in no
place did he give vent to any human frailty, or any base passion. The Buddha's moral code is the
most perfect which the world has ever known.
●
Prof. Max Muller. The most important element of the Buddhist reform has always
been its social and moral code. That moral code taken by itself is one of the most perfect which
the world has ever known. On this point all testimonials from hostile and friendly quarters agree;
philosophers there may have been, religious preachers, subtle metaphysists, disputants there
may have been, but where shall we find such an incarnation of love, love that knows no
distinction of caste and creed or colour, a love that over- flowed even the bound of humanity, that
embraced the whole of sentient beings in its sweep, a love that embodied as the gospel of
universal 'Maitri' and Ahimsa.
●
Rev. Adolph Thomas. The moral code of Buddhism has given a pure expression
to natural morality.
●
Anagarika B. Govinda. Buddhist morality is based on freedom, i.e. on individual
development. It is therefore relative. In fact there cannot be any morality nor any ethical principle
it there is compulsion or determination from an agent outside ourselves. Therefore the idea of a
Creator and ruler of this world takes away the very foundation of morality and ethics; for how can
we be made responsible for our faults if we have been created with them or in such a weak form
that we cannot resist the evil.
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
●
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 13-21
Admiration by Great Personalities
Prof. Rhys Davids. Buddhist or not Buddhist, I have examined every one of the
great religious systems of the world, and in none of them have I found anything to surpass, in
beauty and comprehensiveness, the Noble Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths of the
Buddha. I am content to shape my life according to that path.
●
Prof. Rhys Davids. It is not too much to say that almost the whole of the moral
teachings of the Gospels as distinct from the dogmatic teaching will be found in Buddhist
writings several centuries older than the Gospels.
●
Dr. S Radhakrishnan. When we read Buddha's discourses, we are impressed by
his spirit of reason. His ethical path has for its first step right views, a rational outlook. He
endeavors to brush aside all cobwebs that interfere with mankind's vision of itself and its destiny.
●
Dr. S Radhakrishnan. The Buddha gave an ethical twist to the thought of His time.
We find in the early teaching of Buddhism three marked characteristics, an ethical earnestness,
an absence of any theological tendency and an aversion to metaphysical speculation.
●
Bishop Bigendet. Most of the moral truths prescribed by the gospel are to be met
within the Buddhist scriptures --in reading the particulars of the life of the last Buddha Gotama, it
is impossible not to feel reminded of many circumstances relating to our Saviour's life, such as it
has been sketched by the Evangelists.
●
Rev. Joseph Wain. Buddhism taught a life not by rule, but by principle, a life of
beauty; and as a consequence, it was a religion of tolerance. It was the most charitable system
under the sun.
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
●
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 14-21
Admiration by Great Personalities
Prof. Max Muller. Buddha was the embodiment of all the virtues he preached. During
his successful and eventful ministry of 45 years he translated all his words into action; and in no
place did he give vent to any human frailty, or any base passion. The Buddha's moral code is the
most perfect which the world has ever known.
●
Albert Schweitzer, a leading Western philosopher. In this
sphere He gave expression to truths of everlasting value and advanced the ethics not of India
alone but of humanity. Buddha was one of the greatest ethical men of genius ever bestowed
upon the world.
●
Prof. Von Glasenapp, A German Philosopher. As I understand it,
Buddhism is, all throughout a doctrine of salvation for the individual; the idea of human
collectivity which has sinned and can be redeemed, is alien to it. Therefore it has no central
authority which claims the right of issuing orders or proclaiming dogmas binding on all the
Buddhists of the world.
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DAIS-TG
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 15-21
Admiration by Great Personalities
On Method And Approach
●
Aldous Huxley, essayist and novelist. Alone of all the great world
religions Buddhism made its way without persecution, censorship or inquisition. In all these
respects its record is enormously superior to that of Christianity, which made its way among
people wedded to materialism and which was able to justify the bloodthirsty tendencies of its
adherents by an appeal to savage bronze-age literature of the Old Testament.
●
Jawarhalal Nehru, Prime Minister of India. If any question has to be
considered, it has to be considered peacefully and democratically in the way taught by the
Buddha.
●
Dr. Cunningham, Archaeologist. Buddhists propagated their religion by
the persuasive voice of the missionary, many others by the merciless edge of the sword. The
sanguinary career of others was lighted by lurid flames of burning cities; the peaceful progress of
the Buddhist 46 was illuminated by the cheerful faces of the sick in monastic hospitals, by the
happy smiles of travellers reposing in rest houses by the road-side".
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 16-21
Buddhist Contributions to the World
●
Philosophy And Science
● Philosophy
●
Excerpts : DharmaAvenue Resources
●
Health Science
●
Other Sciences
●
Human Rights
●
Governance
●
●
Services & Welfare
Environment & Peace
Education
● Knowledge and Education
●
Ethics And Morality
● Values System
●
Social And Welfare
● Arts & Architecture
● Culture & Civilization
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Philosophy
And Science
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 17-21
Buddhist Contributions To The World
Philosophy
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Introduce 4 Noble Truths (as against theo-centric teaching)
Introduce ethics without God
Introduce comprehensive meditation system
Introduce universal orders and law of causation
Introduce doctrine of Dependent Origination
Introduce doctrine of Kamma and Rebirth
Introduce classification of philosophical thoughts
Introduce system of logic, dialogues, etc
Health Science
●
●
Introduce behavioral medicine
Introduce mental health with meditation
Other Sciences
●
●
●
●
Introduce studies on energy as primary ‘particles’
Introduce studies on extra sensory faculties
Introduce studies on the mind and its development
Introduce studies on human and social evolution
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Education
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 18-21
Buddhist Contributions To The World
Knowledge And Education
●
●
●
●
●
●
Establish knowledge as a foundation for practise and realization
(pariyatti, patipatti, pativedha)
Establish code of conduct and responsibilities for various
positions and roles in life – e.g., Sigalovada Sutta
Establish code of conduct, responsibilities and discipline for the
Monastic Order – the Vinaya
Establish mentorship in the training of monks
Establish clear methodology to develop personal qualities and
values
Establish meditation as a method to access supramundane
knowledge
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DAIS-TG
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Ethics
And
Morality
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 19-21
Buddhist Contributions To The World
Value System
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Establish high standard of ethical behavior
Establish openness and transparency
Establish religious tolerance and harmlessness
Establish equitability and equal opportunity
Establish freedom of choice and meritocracy
Establish respect for all forms of life
Establish moderation, denounce extremism
Human Rights
●
●
●
●
●
Establish Freedom of Religious Practice
Establish Freedom of Speech
Uplift Status of Women in Society
Admit Women in Monastic Order
Denounce the Caste System
Governance
●
●
●
Establish code of discipline in the Monastic Order
Establish democracy in the Monastic Order
Establish code of ethics of governing
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DAIS-TG
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Social
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 20-21
Buddhist Contributions To The World
Arts And Architecture
And
●
Welfare
●
●
Art: Japan (Ikebana, tea offering, zen garden), China (Shaolin),
Tibet (Thangkas, Mandala)
Architecture: Potala (Tibet), Borobudur (Indonesia), Sanchi Stupa
(India), Mahabodhi Temple (India), Shwe Dagon (Burma),
Emerald and Ayutthaya Temple (Thailand)
Stone Sculptures and cave temples: India (Ajanta, Udaigiri, Ellora,
Karle), Srilanka (Dambulla, Gal Vihara), Afghanistan (Bamiyam),
China (Magao Caves, Yungang Grottoes, Longmen Grottoes)
Culture And Civilization
●
●
Contribution of King Asoka
Contributions of Fa-hsien and Hsuan-tsang
Services And Welfare
●
See Next Slide
Environment And Peace
●
See Next Slide
© www.dharmaavenue.com
DAIS-TG
Characteristics And Contributions Of Buddhism
Lesson : 3B / TG / 04 / PG 21-21
Showcase of Contemporary Contributions
Collated : DharmaAVenue
● Tibet. The Dalai Lama and the peace movement
● Vietnam. Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh and the peace movement
● Taiwan. Buddhist model of international welfare work – the experience of Tzu Chi
Buddhist Society
● Sri Lanka. Sharing resources, seeking peace – the experience of Sarvodaya
Shramadana Movement
● Thailand-Europe. Harmony of cross cultural integration – Ajahn Chah and the
Western Monastic Order
● Burma. Disseminating Treasures by the Burmese Masters
● India. Kiran Bedi and the reformation of prisoners
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• Buddha And His Teachings. Bhikkhu Narada, Buddhist
Missionary Society
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• Great Personalities On Buddhism. Ven. Dr. K. Sri
Dhammananda, Buddhist Missionary Society
Further Reading
• Contribution Of Buddhism To World Culture. Ven. Soma
Thera, Wheel 44, Buddhist Publication Society
• Knowledge And Conduct. Buddhist Contribution To
Philosophy And Ethics, Wheel 50, Buddhist Publication
Society
• Contribution Of Buddhism To World Civilization And
Other Modules
Culture, P.N. Chopra (Co.Ee.), Tokan Sum (Ed.), S.Chand
& Co
in College & University Series
• Buddhism. The Religion And Its Culture. Ananda Guruge,
World Fellowship of Buddhist
• Introduction To Buddhism
• Four Noble Truths
• Development Of Ethics
• Development Of Tranquility
• Development Of Insight
•
•
•
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•
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Path Of Purification
Dependent Origination
Kamma And Rebirth
History Of Buddhism
Traditions In Buddhism
Scriptural Studies
Credits
• Collated and Edited by: K.L. Hor, including cover design and layout
• Sub-editor: Fong Hong Wai
• Photo credits: Various sources across the Net. May owners of these photos be
blessed with merits of this non-profit Project.
• Copyright © dharmaavenue.com May 2005
© www.dharmaavenue.com