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Unit 1.3 Buddhism Section 1.2 Buddhism Read Chapter 6 on Buddhsm in Exploring the Religions of our World pages 117-137. It has been said that, “as Judaism is to Christianity, so is Hinduism is to Buddhism” because Buddhism finds its roots in Hinduism. Buddhism is defined as the “middle way of wisdom and compassion” It is a 2500 year old tradition that began in India and 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 founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, was born of the warrior caste in India in 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. Rejected this extreme, sat in meditation, 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. The “Three Jewels” of Buddhism Buddha – the teacher Dharma – the teachings Sangha – the community The Four Noble Truths 1.Life is Filled with Suffering: Humans sleep away their lives in senseless and self-centered preoccupations; this self-centeredness only leads both physical and mental suffering. All life is impermanent so there is “no self.” 2.The Cause of Suffering is Desire: Humans are so focused on ourselves; we constantly want things that are impermanent in life. These ignorant cravings are the source of suffering. 3. To Cease Suffering One Must Cease Desiring: Suffering ceases when we free ourselves of the bondage of desires and cravings and stop believing that our individual self is real. This is to achieve Nirvana (which is the only thing that is real) which is freedom form samsara ( the suffering cycle of death and rebirth). This truth is not a belief, it is an action. 4. The Path to the End of Suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path: This is the Middle Way between indulgence and self denial. The Noble Eightfold Path is the moral standard of Buddhism. The Eightfold Path Wisdom 1. Right Understanding – know the truth 2. Right Thought – resist self-centeredness Ethical Conduct 3. Right Speech – refrain from unkind, negative speech 4. Right Conduct – live morally 5. Right Livelihood – work for the good of others Mental Discipline 6. Right Effort – replace ones bad thoughts with good ones 7. Right Mindfulness – one must be aware of every mental and physical action they are doing 8. Right Concentration – practice the discipline of meditation Nirvana: The Result of the Eightfold Path Although Buddha’s immediate goal was to eliminate the cause of suffering, his ultimate goal was to become liberated from the cycle of death and rebirth. This was to be accomplished by teaching how we can cease craving and thereby eliminate our attachment to and beliefs in the existence of the illusory self (that is, the self tied to existence here on earth). When we are successful in eliminating such attachment, then the effects of karma cease to matter because all is seen for what it is – no longer are we tied to the longings of the earth. At that moment, the moment of enlightenment, the person achieves the state of nirvana – the ultimate goal of the Buddhist, and Buddhism’s equivalent of salvation or heaven. Wheel of Samsara The Wheel of Life, otherwise called the Cycle of Samsara (material existence) explains this process of death and rebirth. In the very center, there is a rooster chasing a pig chasing a snake chasing the rooster -- craving, hatred, and ignorance. Around that are people ascending the white semicircle of life, and others descending the black semicircle of death. The greatest portion of the Wheel is devoted to representations of the six realms -the realm of the gods, the realm of the titans, the realm of humans, the realm of animals, the realm of the hungry ghosts, and the realm of demons -- each realm looked over by its own boddhisattva. The outermost circle is the 12 steps of dependent origination. Major Beliefs in Buddhism Rebirth (reincarnation) results from attachments (karma) Nirvana is a peaceful, detached state of mind Achieving Nirvana means escape from the cycle of rebirth Once Gautama Buddha died, after 80 years of life in this world, having achieved Nirvana and teaching multitudes his way of life, he ceased to exist as a distinct being Buddhism is non-theistic: Buddha is not the Buddhist God – he is just a revered teacher How does Buddhism differ from Hinduism? Buddhism rejects… Authority of the ancient Vedic texts The Vedic caste system The Vedic and Hindu deities The efficacy of Vedic worship and ritual The concept of Brahman Buddhist Sacred Scriptures: Tripitaka – means the “Three Baskets” - the Pali Cannon Vinaya – means “discipline” - rules for monastic life Sutta – means “discourse” - sermons of the Buddha Abhidhamma – means “teachings” The Spread of Buddhism Within two centuries after the Buddha died, Buddhism began to spread north and east into Asia By 13th century Buddhism had disappeared from India Schools of Buddhism - Theravada The “Way of the Elders” (a.k.a.: the “small vehicle”) Oldest school of Buddhism Found in southern Asia (Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, etc.) 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 (some cultural differences) Theravada Schools of Buddhism - Mahayana The “Great Vehicle” Developed first century C.E. Found in Northern Asia (China, Japan, etc.) Lay Buddhism – Buddhism “for the masses” Devotional – seek guidance from Bodhisattvas (“wise beings”) & heavenly Buddhas Focus on compassion Goal is to become a bodhisattva and assist others toward enlightenment (the “Bodhisattva Ideal”) Mahayana 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 Tibetan Schools of Buddhism – Zen The “meditation” school: Lay and monastic Seeks sudden enlightenment through meditation, arriving at emptiness Use of meditation masters Koans (paradoxical riddles to confound reason) Beauty, arts & aesthetics – gardens, archery, the tea ceremony, calligraphy, etc. Zen 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 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 The Dalai Lama Today’s Dalai Lama is the 14th reincarnation of one of the original Bodhisattvas. He is the exiled religious and political leader of Tibet. Student Homework Read Chapter 6 on Buddhism in Exploring the Religions of our World pages 117 -137. Then complete the following questions for next class. Pg. 123 1-5 Pg. 128 1-3, 5 Pg. 131 2-3 Pg. 135 1-2 Answers for Buddhism Questions from your textbook Exploring the Religions of our World. Pg. 123 1. Siddhartha Gautama was born into the warrior caste in India during the sixth century before the Common Era. He was raised a prince, but upon seeing suffering on an outing, he gave up his earthly wealth and family and became an ascetic. One day under a Bodhi tree, Siddhartha was tempted by Mara, but to no avail. It was there under the tree that Siddhartha was enlightened. It was the Middle Way between asceticism and indulgences that brought moksha. He articulated his enlightenment in the Four Noble Truths, of which the fourth is the Noble Eightfold Path, that is, practices necessary for enlightenment. He formed a monastic community called the sangha and preached enlightenment to all who would listen. 2. The First Council attempted to preserve the Buddha’s teachings through oral recitation to one another. The Second Council dealt with questionable practices of some “liberal” monks who sought a relaxation of monastic discipline. The Third Council was called by King Ashoka to purify the sangha of its various irregularities. It was at the Third Council that the Tipitaka was compiled. King Kaniska of Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) called the Fourth Council to rectify the problem of the emergence of various interpretations of Buddhist scriptures. Monks were assigned to edit the Tipitaka, making references and remarks for clarification. This task took twelve years to complete; the final document is known today as the Pali Canon and is used by the Theravada branch of Buddhism. 3. King Ashoka was attracted to the Buddhist ideals of pacifism. 4. Japanese soldiers in particular were attracted to Zen Buddhism because they were interested in overcoming the fear of death. 5. The head of Tibetan Buddhist monastic leaders is known as the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama ruled over Tibet until Communist Chinese forced the present Dalai Lama and thousands of his followers to leave Tibet in 1959. He and his followers fled to Northern India and Nepal where they set up an exiled Tibetan government in Dharamsala, India. In Tibet, Vajrayana Buddhism, a branch of Mahayana Buddhism, emerged in the seventh century CE. Vajrayana Buddhism puts a great emphasis on the person doing mantras, rituals, and meditations as a way to strive for enlightenment. In the fourteenth century Tibetan Buddhists came to believe that the leaders of heir monasteries were reincarnations of great bodhisatvas who literally paused in the door before nirvana to muse over the suffering of those left behind. Pg. 128 1. Life is filled with suffering, the cause of suffering is desire, to cease suffering one must cease desiring, and the path to the end of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path. 2. Right understanding, right thought, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. 3. The Three Jewels of Buddhism are: 1) “I take refuge in the Buddha,” 2) “I take refuge in the Dharma,” and 3) “I take refuge in the Sangha.” 5. The Theravada monastic order tends to be much more traditional than the Mahayana monastic order. Theravada monks are celibate and provide spiritual nourishment to the laity. The laity provide physical nourishment to monks who seek their daily food through begging at the household of Buddhist devotees. Mahayana monks abide by the same rules as Theravada monks. However, they add to the rules by witnessing about Siddhartha Gautama, his way of life, and emulating his attitudes of peace and compassion to others. Pg. 131 2. A pagoda is a large stupa. While an ordinary stupa is a simple, small mound, pagodas are large, elaborately decorated domes. 3. The four major sites of pilgrimage related to the life of Siddhartha are Lumbini Gardens, the traditional site of the birth of Siddhartha; Bodhi Gaya, the site of the Bodhi Tree; Sarnath, the Deer Park where the Buddha gave his first sermon; and Kushinara, the traditional place of the death of Siddhartha. Pg. 135 1. Meditation is important for Buddhists because it is a means to enlightenment. 2. Mindfulness of Breathing is a meditation that focuses on one’s breathing. This allows a person to gain power in concentration and calm as a person.