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BUDDHISM FOUNDER & ORIGINS FOUNDER & ORIGINS • • • • AROSE IN ANCIENT INDIA GUATAMA: MERELY A MAN; NOT A GOD BUDDHA = BUDH MEANS “TO AWAKEN” AWARENESS ON THE NATURE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION AND THE MEANS TO TRANSCEND IT FOUNDER & ORIGINS • STORY MOSTLY KNOWN THROUGH LEGEND • BORN ABOUT 563 BC • GIVEN NAME SIDDHARTHA; FAMILY NAME GUATAMA • KSHATRIYA CASTE • FATHER WAS RULER OF SMALL REGION IN NORTHERN INDIA FOUNDER & ORIGINS • BORN INTO A POSITION OF WORLDLY POWER • TRADITION – UNIVERSAL KING – OFFER WORLD SALVATION FOUNDER & ORIGINS • BIRTH – MOTHER WAS TOUCED BY THE TRUNK OF A WHITE ELEPHANT AND SIDDHARTHA WAS CONCEIVED – CAME OUT OF HIS MOTHER’S SIDE – STRODE SEVEN STEPS AND DECLARED HE WOULD GAIN ENLIGHTENMENT IN HIS LIFETIME – SAGE: SAW HIS “PERFECT FORM” AND SAID HE WOULD GAIN ENLIGHTENMENT AND BECOME A SAVIOR FOUNDER & ORIGINS • FATHER WANTED HIM TO BECOME EARTHLY KING – PAMPERED HIM – SHIELDED FROM WORLD – THOUSANDS OF SEVANTS AND DANCING GIRLS – MARRIED THE FINEST MAIDEN AND HAD A SON FOUNDER & ORIGINS • FOUR PASSING SIGHTS – DECREPIT OLD MAN – DISEASED MAN – A CORPSE • WENT FOR A HORSE RIDE…TOIL OF PEASANTS …UPROOTING LIVING THINGS WITH A PLOW – AN ASCETIC • IN SEARCH OF SALVATION FROM THIS WORLD OF SUFFERING FOUNDER & ORIGINS • GUATAMA AS FILLED WITH HOPE AND ELATION • MEAN OF OVERCOMING DISPAIR • THE GREAT GOING FORTH – AGE OF 29, GAVE UP LIFE AS APRINCE – SECRETLY LEFT FAMILY – PURPOSE WAS TO PUT AN END TO OLD AGE AND DEATH – MENDECANT – OWNED NOTHING & BEGGED FOUNDER & ORIGINS • JOINED FIVE MENDACANTS – TAUGHT HIM HOW TO BE A MENDACANT • NOT SATISFIED WITH RESULTS • EXCELLED IN FASTING – TO POINT OF STARVATION • BUDDHIST TRADITION FOR MEALS: ONE PIECE OF FRUIT; ONE GRAIN OF RICE; & ONE SESAME SEED • BECAME “SKIN & BONES” FOUNDER & ORIGINS • THE MIDDLE WAY – WANDERED FOR SIX YEARS – REALIZED HE WAS NOT MAKING SPIRITUAL PROCESS – ATE RICE AND MILK – FIVE FRIENDS DESERTED HIM – HEALTHY SPIRITUAL LIFE DEPENDS ON A HEALTHY PHYSICAL LIFE FOUNDER & ORIGINS FOUNDER & ORIGINS • SITTING IN A LOTUS POSITION BENEATH A FIG TREE, VOWED NOT TO LEAVE UNTIL HE FOUND COMPLETE AND PERFECT FULFILLMENT • MARA: GOD OF DEATH-WOULD GUATAMA SUCCEED? SENT THREE DAUGHTERS – DISCONTENT; DELIGHT; & DESIRE FOUNDER & ORIGINS • ENLIGHTENMENT – FIRST WATCH (EVENING) • PRECEIVED OWN PREVIOUS LIFETIMES – SECOND WATCH (MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT) • “DIVINE EYE” – DEATHS AND BIRTHS OF ALL LIVING THINGS) – THIRD WATCH (LATE NIGHT) • DISCOVERED THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS – SUMMATION OF HUMAN CONDITION AND MEANS OF TRANSCENDING IT – NOW BECAME THE “AWAKENED ONE”=BUDDHA FOUNDER & ORIGINS • DEER PARK SERMON – FIRST SERMON TO THE FIVE ASCETICS WHO ABANDONED THEM – INDULGENCE OR ASCETICISM WILL NOT RELEASE THEM FROM SAMSARA – MIDDLE WAY LEADS TO MOKSHA • FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS – FOURTH ONE IS THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH FOUNDER & ORIGINS • FIVE DISCIPLES FORMED A COMMUNITY • CALLED A SANGHA • GUATAMA PREACHED & TRAVELLED • AT AGE 80, 483 BC, DIED OF FOOD POISONING – NOTHING IS PERMANENT; WORK OUT OWN SALVATION – RELICS = STUPAS/MOUNDS FOUNDER & ORIGINS • THE FIVE MENDCANTS FORMED THE BASIS OF THE BUDDHIST COMMUNITY; THE SANGA • THEY BECAME ENLIGHTENED; WERE CALLED – ARHATS OR SAINTS – SPECIFIC ROLES FOR MONKS AND NUNS AND A DEFINED RELATIONSHIP WITH LAYPEOPLE – MONSOON – RETREAT – 3 MONTHS BUDDHIST BELIEFS • THE THREE JEWELS – BUDDHA – THE DHARMA (BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS) – THE SANGHA COMMITMENT TO BEING A BUDDHIST – REPEATING RITUAL FORMULA THREE TIMES BUDDHIST BELIEFS • DHARMA – NOT THE SAME AS THE HINDU TERM – GAINED THRU PROFOUND MEDITATIVE EXPERIENCES – GUATAMA RECOMMENDED FOR ONLY THOSE “FIT FOR THE TASK” – INSIGHTS OF HUMAN BEINGS – DOES NOT DEPEND ON DIVINE REVELATION – INWARD REFLECTIONS/ANYONE – MOST PSYCHOLOGICALLY ORIENTED OF ALL RELIGIONS BUDDHIST BELIEFS • HINDUISM & BUDDHISM – TIME IS CYCLICAL – BUDDHISTS BELIEVE GUATAMA WAS NOT THE FIRST OR THE LAST BUDDHA – SOME HINDUS THINK GUATAMA WAS AN AVATAR – SAMSARA THE SAME – MOKSHA = NIRVANA BUDDHIST BELIEFS • BUDDHA’S RECTION AGAINST EARLY HINDUISM – NO SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY AND SACRIFICIAL RITUALS OF THE BRAHMINS – DEVOTION TO GODS USELESS – ACCEPTS CERTAIN GODS BUT HOLDS ONLY HUMAN MIND CAN WIN SALVATION – REJECTED THE CASTE SYSTEM – EARLIEST TEXTS USED PALI – LANGUAGE OF THE PEOPLE BUDDHIST BELIEFS • THE INDIVIDUAL IS THE CENTER OF ALL THE INNER UNDERSTANDING • EVERYTHING THE BUDDHA DISCOVERED IS DISCOVERABLE IN ONESELF • THE PARADOX: – TO EXAMINE COMPLETELY THE REALM OF SELF LEADS TO THE DISCOVERY THAT THE SELF DOES NOT EXIST. BUDDHIST BELIEFS • GUATAMA DISCOVERED CHANGE – ALL IS IN A STATE OF FLUX…SUMMARIZED AS THE THREE MARKS OF EXISTANCE ANATTA ANICCA DUKKHA BUDDHIST BELIEFS • ANATTA – “NO SELF” – THERE IS NO ULTIMATE REALITY WITHIN – NO ESSENCE UNDERLYING EXISTENCE – “THE ESSENCE OF BUDDHISM IS, THERE IS NO ESSENCE” – WHERE WERE YOU TEN YEARS AGO?...THE YOU THAT EXISTS NOW DID NOT EXIST TEN YEARS AGO – BEFORE AND AFTER LUNCH BUDDHIST BELIEFS • ANICCA – IMPERMANENCE – SIMILAR TO ANATTA; FOCUSES ON THE IDEA THAT EXISTENCE IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING – RIVER FLOWING…OR …FLOWING IS THE RIVER – ALL THAT APPEARS TO BE REAL AND UNCHANGING IS INFACT AN ONGOING FLOW OF THOUGHTS , PERCEPTIONS, FEARS, HOPES, ETC. BUDDHIST BELIEFS • DUKKHA – SUFFERING – NATURAL RESULT OF ANICCA & ANATTA – ONE OF THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS BUDDHIST BELIEFS • SAMSARA – IF THERE IS NO SELF, WHAT IS REBORN? – TRANSFER OF ENERGY…FLAME OF CANDLE – PATTERNED ACORDING TO ONE’S KARMA BUDDHIST BELIEFS • KARMA – GENERALLY THE SAME AS THE HINDU BELIEF – KARMA CONSTANTLY AFFECTED BY THE MORAL ADEQUACY OF ONE’S ACTIONS – CONCERN FOR BUDDHISM – EMPHASIZE THE ETHICAL DIMENSION THE FIVE PRECEPTS BUDDHIST BELIEFS • FIVE PRECEPTS – APPLIES TO ALL BUDDHISTS – 1. DO NOT TAKE LIFE – 2. DO NOT TAKE WHAT IS NOT GIVEN – 3.DO NOT ENGAGE IN SENSUOUS MISCONDUCT – 4. DO NOT USE FALSE SPEECH – 5. DO NOT DRINK INTOXICANTS BUDDHIST BELIEFS • PRECEPTS ADDED FOR MONKS AND NUNS – 1. DO NOT EAT AFTER NOON – 2. DO NOT WATCH DANCING OR SHOWS – 3. DO NOT USE GARLANDS, PERFUMES, OR ORNAMENTS – 4. DO NOT USE A HIGH OR SOFT BED – 5. DO NOT ACCEPT GOLD OR SILVER BUDDHIST BELIEFS • BUDDHIST MORALITY EMPHASIZES INTENTIONS – DEGREE THAT AN ACT IS IMMORAL DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL’S INTENTION TO COMMIT IT • SHOOTING DEER & MISSING=IMMORAL • KILLING DEER WITH CAR=OK BUDDHIST BELIEFS • THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS 1. 2. 3. 4. TO LIVE IS TO SUFFER (DUKKHA) SUFFERING IS CAUSED BY DESIRE (TANHA) SUFFERING CAN BE BROUGHT TO CESSATION THE SOLUTION TO SUFFERING IS THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH BUDDHIST BELIEFS • DUKKHA - UNAVOIDABLE – SUFFERING; DISLOCATION; FRUSTRATION; DISCOMFORT; ETC – DISJOINTED…OFF CENTERED WHEEL – HAPPINESS DOES NOT CONTINUE – FIRST SERMON • CITES FOUR PASSING SIGHTS • ATTACHMENT TO PLEASANT THINGS SETS US UP TO SUFFER BUDDHIST BELIEFS • TANHA (CAUSE OF SUFFERING – DESIRE; THIRST; OR CRAVING – SELFISH DESIRE/ORIENTATION – ALSO UNAVOIDEABLE – VICIOUS CIRCLE – FICTICIOUS SELF THAT GOES ON THINKING OF ITSELF AS REAL – BE AWARE OF THE DISEASE AND ITS CAUSE BEFORE PROCEEDING BUDDHIST BELIEFS NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH 1. 2. RIGHT VIEWS – LEARN CONTENT OF BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS/FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS RIGHT INTENTION – ABANDON GREED, HATE, & DELUSION. NURTURE GENEROSITY, FRIENDSHIP, & INSIGHT BUDDHIST BELIEFS NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH 3. RIGHT SPEECH – AVOID GOSSIP, LYING, ABUSIVE TALK, AND IDLE TALK 4. RIGHT CONDUCT – LIVE MORALLY: FIVE/TEN PRECEPTS 5. RIGHT LIVELIHOOD- ABSTAIN FROM OCCUPATIONS THAT HARM LIVING THINGS: SELLING WEAPONS; BUTCHERING; SELLING LIQUOR; BEING A SOLDIER BUDDHIST BELIEFS NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH 6. RIGHT EFFORT – MENTAL ALERTNESS TO CONTROL THE EFFECT OF THE SENSES…DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN WISE AND UNWISE MENTAL ACTIVITY 7. RIGHT MINDFULNESS – ATTENTION TO HELPFUL TOPICS; DEVELOP MENTAL FOCUS NEEDED FOR MEDITATION BUDDHIST BELIEFS NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH 8. RIGHT MEDITATION – FOUR LEVELS OF TRANCE…REACHING PERFECT TRANQUILLITY; SENSE OF INDIVIDUAL EXISTANCE PASSES=NIRVANA BUDDHIST BELIEFS NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH • BUDDHIST TRAINING • WISDOM – 1. RIGHT VIEW – 2. RIGHT INTENTION • MORALITY – 3. RIGHT SPEECH – 4. RIGHT CONDUCT – 5. RIGHT LIVELIHOOD • CONCENTRATION – 6. RIGHT EFFORT – 7. RIGHT MINDFULNESS – 8. RIGHT CONCENTRATION BUDDHIST BELIEFS NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH • ENLIGHTENMENT AND NIRVANA – “BLOWING OUT” – FINAL NIRVANA AWAITS THE DEATH OF THE BODY – ARHAT – FORTASTE OF NIRVANA • • • • FULLY AWARE OF TRUTH OF BUDDHA’S WISDOM FREE FROM DUKKHA & TANHA ENGAGED IN WORLD BUT NO LONGER ATTACHED PERFECTLY COMPASSIONATE TOWARD ALL LIVING THINGS BUDDHIST PRACTICES • THREE RAFTS FOR CROSSING THE RIVER: DIVISIONS OF BUDDHISM – ONE SIDE OF THE RIVER…REALM OF SAMSARA – THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER…NIRVANA; IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW UNTIL EXPERIENCED – PROCESS OF CROSSING THE RIVER THE TASK OF RELIGION – RAFT…MEANS OF CROSSING BUDDHIST PRACTICES – THERAVEDA • THE LESSER VEHICLE (HINAYANA) – MAHAYANA • THE GREAT VEHICLE – VAJRAYANA • THE VEHICLE OF THE DIAMOND BUDDHIST PRACTICES • THERAVEDA – “THE WAY OF THE ELDERS” – MOST PREVALENT IN CAMBODIA, MYANMAR, SRI LANKA, & THAILAND – FOLLWS EARLIEST TEXTS AND AGREES WITH ORIGINAL TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA – TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA, NOT THE FIGURE OF BUDDHA, MOST IMPORTANT – CULTIVATES WISDOM …FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS/NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH…ESPECIALLY MEDITATION BUDDHIST PRACTICES • THERAVEDA – “THE WAY OF THE ELDERS” – FOCUS ON MEDITATION LED TO EMPHASIS ON MONASTIC LIFE – MONKS/NUNS HAVE MORE TIME TO MEDITATE – RELIGIOUS HIERARCHY…EVEN AMONG ORDAINED, ROLES – MONKS OUTNUMBERS NUNS 10:1 – SERVING AS MONK FOR 3 MONTHS…REQUIRED STEP TO BECOMING ADULT BUDDHIST PRACTICES • MAYAYANA: THE GREAT VEHICLE – LARGEST DIVISION…ASSERTS SUPERIORITY OVER THE THERAVEDA – OVER ½ OF ALL BUDDHISTS – DOMINANT FORM IN CHINA, JAPAN, & KOREA – BUDDHISM FOR MASSES • THERAVADA – INDIVIDUAL PATH OF MEDITATION – FOCUSES ON BUDDHA HIMSELF…AS A DIVINE SAVIOR – OPENS DOOR TO RELIGIOUS DEVOTION AND PRAYER BUDDHIST PRACTICES • MAYAYANA: THE GREAT VEHICLE – OFFERS SALVATION THROUGH INFINITE GRACE OF THE COMPASSIONATE BUDDHA – RECOGNIZES SALVIFIC GRACE OF PAST BUDDHAS – BODHISATTVAS: BUDDAS IN THE MAKING • CAPABLE OF ENTERING NIRVANA, BUT, MOTIATED BY COMPASSION, STOP SHORT TO HELP OTHERS • TRANSMIT MERIT OF THEIR KARMA TO DEVOTEES • ON OCCASION APPEAR IN WORLD AS HUMAN BEINGS BUDDHIST PRACTICES • MAYAYANA: THE GREAT VEHICLE – MAITREYA: BUDDHIST EXPECT HIM TO BE REBORN INTO WORLD – STORIES OF BUDDHA/BODHISATTAVAS MAKE UP LARGE PORTIONS OF MYTHS – BODHISATTAVA NOT AN ARHAT IS THE IDEAL TYPE – THAT BUDDHA TAUGHT IS SIGN OF COMPASSION – “LAST BLADE OF GRASS” BUDDHIST PRACTICES • VAJRAYANA: TIBETAN BUDDHISM – BUDDHA HOLDING THE VAJRA, A DIAMOND SEPTER – STRENGTH AND CLARITY OF THE DIAMOND – INTENSITY…ADHERENTS CAN ATTAIN NIRVANA IN THIS LIFETIME, HERE AND NOW – SMALL MINORITY – SPECIAL INTEREST BECAUSE OF TIBET • PERSECUTION BY CHINESE COMMUNISTS • MANY KILLED/IN EXILE IN INDIA AND ELSEWHERE BUDDHIST PRACTICES • VAJRAYANA: TIBETAN BUDDHISM – FOR CENTURIES, MOUNTAINS SHIELDED FROM REST OF WORLD – 1/6 MONKS…BUDDHISM PREVAILED – SHUT OFF ENERGY OF DESIRE TO STOP SUFFERING – HARNESS ENERGY AND TURN INWARD – SENSUAL ENERGIES OF LIFE • MANDALAS – PATTERN ICONS THAT VISUALLY EXCITE • MUDRAS – CHOREOGRAPHED HAND MOVEMENTS • MANTRAS – RESONATIONG CHANTS MANDALAS MANDALAS BUDDHIST PRACTICES • VAJRAYANA: TIBETAN BUDDHISM – SHARED PRACTICES WITH WESTMANDALAS/MANTRAS – TANTRISM – RITUALIZED SEX • ENERGY FOR FURTHERING SPIRITUAL PROGRESS • REGULATED BY MASTERS BUDDHIST PRACTICES • DALAI LAMA – LAMAS – HIERARCHY OF CLERGY – DALAI LAMA – 14TH IN LINE OF SUCCESSION – ORIGINATED WITH AVALOKITESHVARA – ONE REINCARNATED TO THE NEXT – 1989 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE – EFFORTS TO REGAIN TIBETAN FREEDOM BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES • TIPITAKA – ORIGINALLY PASSED ON ORALLY – WRITTEN IN SANSKRIT IN 100BC – COMPLETE DOCUMENT OF THERAVEDANS IN PALI – PALI CANONS – “THREE BASKETS” • VINAYA PITAKA • SUTRA PITAKA • ABIDHARMA PITAKA BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES • VINAYA PIKATA – CODE OF DISCIPLINE FOR MONKS AND NUNS – 227 RULES FOR MONKS; 311 FOR NUNS – HIGHLIGHT OFFENCES IN DESCENDING ORDER OF SERIOUSNESS – EACH RULE HAS STORY ACCOMPANING RULE – RECORDS LIFE AND MYSTERY OF BUDDHA BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES • SUTRA PITAKA – DISCOURSES OF SIDDHARTHA GUATAMA – PARTS DEALING WITH MORALITY BECAME BUDDHIST DOCTRINE – STORY OF BUDDHA’S BIRTH & ENLIGHTENMENT BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES • ABIDHARMA PITAKA – EXAMINES BUDDA’S PSYCHOLOGICAL TEACHINGS – MORE INTEREST FOR MONKS AND SERIOUS STUDENTS BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES • LOTUS SUTRA (SADDHARMAPUNDARIKA) – POPULAR WITH MAHAYANA BUDDHISTS – FINAL TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA PRAJNAPARAMITA SUTRA - TREATISE ON ACHIEVING THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM OF A BODHISTTAVA BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES • VAJRAYANAS USE MAHAYANA SCRIPTURES – TANTRIC TEXTS ADDED FROM INDIA & CHINA – UNDERSTOOD BY A VERY FEW – TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD – WRITINGS ON DEATH, DYING, AND REBIRTH BUDDHIST TEMPLES (CAITYA) MAE HON SONG BUDDHIST TEMPLE THEAN HOU - MALASIA BUDDHIST TEMPLES BAZAR STUPA PLACES OF PIGRIMAGE BIRTHPLACE OF BUDDHA BUDDHIST MONESTARY (VIHARA) PLACES OF PIGRIMAGE BODH GAYA – PLACE OF ENLIGHTENMENT PLACES OF PIGRIMAGE SARNARTH – DEER PARK PLACES OF PIGRIMAGE DEATH PLACE OF BUDDHA - KUSHINARA BUDDHIST FESTIVALS • VISAKHA – BUDDHA DAY – MOST HOLY DAY OF YEAR FOR THERAVEDA BUDDHISTS – ENLIGHTENMENT – COLORFUL LANTERNS – IMAGE OF BUDDHA DECORATED – FOR MAHAYANA BUDDHISTS – BATHE BUDDHA TO REMIND THAT ALL HAVE FAULTS TO BE WASHED AWAY BUDDHIST FESTIVALS • RAIN RETREAT - CELEBRATING SANGHA – TIME OF HOLINESS – CELEBRATE END WITH GREAT FESTIVAL – MONKS GET NEW ROBES BUDDHIST PRACTICES • NO SPECIFIC BUDDHIST INITIATION CEREMONIES FOR INFANTS • CONNECT BIRTH WITH SAMSARA • MARRIAGE ACCORDING WITH LOCAL CUSTOMS – MAY BE BLESSED BY MONK FROM SANGHA • DEATH – BOOK OF THE DEAD: DYING A SACRED ACT – MOVE PERSON FROM SAMSARA TO NIRVANA