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Buddhism
Buddhism was introduced in northern India by Siddhattha Gautama who later became know as the Buddha or
Enlightened One. At this time Hinduism was the religion of India which taught of a life of unending cycles of
birth and rebirth - reincarnation with misery and sadness. The Buddha taught that the misery was due to
people's desire for pleasure, or power.
The Buddha was born the son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maha Maya Dewi and at his birth it was
predicted that he would be a world leader or a Buddha. This would depend upon his coming into contact with
sickness, aging and death. His father tried to keep him from this part of life. The King was not able to do this
and one day his son came into contact with an old man, a sick person, and a funeral. He then met a monk who
was begging and he saw a person who had freed himself from this world.
At 29 years of age the Prince renounced worldly life and for six years he lived a rigorous, and austere life. He
found that this life of starvation was not the way and he took up what he called "the Middle Way," which
represents a rejection of all extremes of thought, emotion, action, and lifestyle. At this time he attained
Enlightenment, and became a Buddha.
He said that he now understood the "Four Noble Truths" which he taught at the Deer Park in Sarnath as his
first teachings.
Fence in Seoul, Korea representing the Deer Park
Discourse on the Four Noble Truths:
1. The noble truth of suffering:
anicca (not lasting) Everything is in constant change and not lasting
dukkha (suffering or discontentment) Change (a death or unpleasant circumstance)
brings suffering to those who hold on to it.
anatta (without self or ego-lessness) Through the idea of self brings pride,
suppression, exuberance, aggression, violence and war; we can not always
be positive. We can be negative or unhappy, therefore we can not always be
controlled by a self.
2. The noble truth of the cause of suffering:
tanha The cause of suffering is desire. We are caught up in ourselves and the
things outside of ourselves.
3. The noble truth of the end of suffering:
To be free of desire, break through ignorance, the illusion of a self.
4. The noble truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering
The Noble Eightfold Path is the means that leads to the end of suffering:
1. Right view
To be free of desire, break through ignorance, the illusion of
a self.
2. Right thought
to think without selfishness, anger and cruelty
3. Right speech
to speak the truth, not to gossip or slander, not to use rough
or harsh language and not to talk uselessly;
4. Right action
not to kill or harm humans and animals, not to steal directly
or indirectly, not to have pleasure at the cost of others;
5. Right livelihood
to practice an honest and wholesome profession;
6. Right effort
the effort to let the wholesome arise and increase, and to
decrease and remove the unwholesome;
7. Right mindfulness
mindfulness of that which arises in the here-and-now;
8. Right concentration to be directed and concentrated on a wholesome object or at
what is taking place in the here-and-now.
Many forms of meditation are used in Buddhism to control your state of mind.
The teachings of Buddha are an ethical system determined by our motives for our actions. For those who do
things with pure intentions, they will have happiness. For those do things with negative motivations or ill-will
will have suffering. In Buddhism there are no commandments and therefore no guilt. You are encouraged to
do good rather than harm. We are responsible for our actions and the results. This is Karma.
Karma is an important part of Buddhism. It is a law of Cause and Effect. We are the builders of our own
circumstances. The Buddha says that we brought about our own circumstances. He encourages the rich to help
the poor and for the poor not to give in to their situation but to work to improve their conditions. The Noble
Eightfold Path will develop Morality, Concentration and Wisdom. When you arid yourself are of Karmic
energy there will be no rebirth - you will be Enlightened. This is also known as Nirvana, the cessation of
desire and rebirth.
The spread of Buddhism:
Buddhism spread from India across to Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Java, and Burma; but the basic teachings of
Buddha remain the same. Great architectural monuments and temples have been built in honor of Buddha. But
this Buddhism seemed severe.
But as Buddhism spread along ancient trade routes to China, such as the east-west Silk Route, Buddhism
underwent many changes shaped by the cultures of these countries. They wanted Buddhism for the masses,
not just for the few holy men. With a broader accessible doctrine, many texts, sculptures and art spread to
Afghanistan, central Asia to China, Korea, and then to Japan. This Buddhism was warm and easy to
understand.
Buddhism in Southeast Asia was known as Theravada, "The Teaching of the Elders." The rest of Asia, is
Mahayana, the "Large Vehicle" which also includes Tibetan Buddhism which began in the 9th century and
emphasizes monks led by reincarnated lamas, the Dalai Lama. Tibetan Buddhism uses meditation with
chanting, the use of prayer wheels, and circumambulations.
The Mahayana also includes Zen Buddhism which is popular in Japan and includes Chinese Buddhism which
includes sayings of the Patriarchs.
Every country developed its own form of Buddhism as they blended their own culture, but the teachings of
Buddha remained the same.
Buddha did not appoint a successor to himself as the leader. Rather, he told the monks to be "lamps unto
themselves and to make the Dharma (his teachings) their guide." His followers began to build their
monasteries and temples. They also went on pilgrimages to visit Buddha's birthplace, to the bodhi tree under
which he became enlightened, and to various temples and stupas where relics of his body have been placed.
Legends tell of the Indian King Ashola distributing the ashes of the Buddha to be place inside 84,000 stupas.
Objects such as the Buddha's staff, or alms bowl (a bowl used to collect offerings), or a tooth were also put in
stupas.
The Theravada school has compiled the Buddhist teachings into the Tripitaka. In Korea from 1236 to 1251,
over 80,000 printing woodblocks were carved for the Tripitaka Koreana. These are stored in four storage
buildings at the Haeinsa Temple. The buildings were designed to control humidity and for ventilation to
protect the blocks.