Transcript Document

Buddhism
and Other Responses
to Suffering
A presentation by
Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D.
to the
Buddhist Student Association
Berea College
March 17, 2003
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SUFFERING: THE BEGINNING
AND END OF BUDDHISM
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When asked what he
taught, the Buddha said:
“I teach suffering and the
end of suffering.”
When asked if he was
divine or human, the
Buddha said: “I am
awake.”
When asked to
summarize his teaching,
the Buddha said: “To
avoid evil; to do good; to
cleanse one’s mind.”
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SHAKYAMUNI GAUTAMA
SIDDARTHA (c. 550-450 BCE?)

1.
2.
3.
Shakyamuni (Buddha:
“awakened one”)
inherited an ancient
Indian worldview:
Cyclical existence of
endless rebirth
(samsara)
Conditioning of rebirth
by moral results of one’s
actions (karma)
Presumption of eternal
self (atman) underlying
transitory physical form 3
SUFFERING AND SELFHOOD

1.
2.
3.
The Buddha taught that:
Although samsara can
be pleasant and karma
profitable, ultimately
there is no satisfaction in
either
Samsara and karma
ultimately are illusions
produced by attachment
to false views of self
(atman)
The self is impermanent
(anatman, “no-self”)
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UNDERSTANDING ANATMAN
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The self is not a holistic, permanent entity
Instead, it is a composite entity, composed of five skandhas
(“clusters”) or elements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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Physical body (outward, sensory form of self)
Emotions (raw responses to sensory data)
Ideas (processed responses to sensory data)
Biases (orientations produced by sensory data)
Consciousness (awareness of self and senses)
The self is interdependent & impermanent; no basis for ego
Realizing anatman =
1.
2.
3.
Awakening to suffering
Compassion in suffering
Liberation from suffering
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BUDDHISM AS A
RESPONSE TO SUFFERING
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Buddhists express their
central insights into reality
as the “Four Noble
Truths”:
Life is suffering
Self-centered attachment
is the root of suffering
Suffering can be ended
There is a path by which
to end suffering
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Each “Noble Truth”
represents an imperative
to respond to reality as it
truly is:
Understand suffering
Let go of its origins
Realize its cessation
(nirvana – “blowing out”)
Cultivate the path toward
its cessation
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WHAT ABOUT HINDUISM?
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HINDUISM AS A
RESPONSE TO SUFFERING

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Hindus accept the
worldview of samsara
(cycle of birth and death),
karma (ethical
conditioning of rebirth),
and atman (permanent
essence or self) critiqued
by Buddhists
For Hindus, there are
many deities (polytheism),
but ultimately only one
absolute deity (monism) –
Brahman, of which atman
(and all) is a part
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
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A Hindu thus must:
Understand that one is
part of an eternal whole,
life after life
Let go of alienating
selfishness that causes
suffering and rebirth
Realize one’s liberation
from rebirth (moksha)
Cultivate the path toward
moksha through study
(jñana), devotion (bhakti),
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and/or action (karma)
WHAT ABOUT CHRISTIANITY?
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CHRISTIANITY AS A
RESPONSE TO SUFFERING
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Christians affirm a very
different worldview:
Life is linear and finite
One omnipotent and
loving God created all life,
giving humans free will
Human choices that
prioritize self over God
(sin) lead to alienation and
suffering
God’s selflessness (in
Jesus) overcomes human
selfishness (in sin)
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A Christian thus must:
Understand that one is
made by God to know and
enjoy God forever
Let go of selfishness that
causes suffering & eternal
separation from God
Realize one’s salvation by
God’s love in Jesus
Cultivate the path to
salvation by prayer,
selfless love (agape), and
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thanksgiving
WHAT ABOUT ISLAM?
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ISLAM AS A
RESPONSE TO SUFFERING
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Muslims assert that:
Life is linear and finite
One omnipotent and
loving God (Allah) created
all life, gave humans free
will and revealed himself
in Qur’an
Human refusal to submit
to Allah leads to
lawlessness and suffering
Submission (Islam) is the
proper response to Allah
and offers redemption
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A Muslim thus must:
Understand that one is
powerless before Allah
Let go of proud resistance
to Allah by submitting
Realize one’s dependence
on Allah’s mercy & power
Cultivate the path to
submission through faith
(shahada), prayer (shalat),
charity (zakat), fasting
(Ramadan), and
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pilgrimage (Hajj)
TYPES OF RESPONSES TO
SUFFERING
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Some responses are
theistic (Christianity),
while others are
nontheistic (Buddhism)
Some responses are
dualistic (humanity/God,
self/other), while others
are nondualistic
(atman/Brahman,
interdependence of
self/other)
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1.
2.
3.
All responses profiled
here call upon us to:
Understand suffering
Let go of its origins
Realize its cessation
Cultivate the path
toward its cessation
And all identify:
A common curse (suffering)
A common cause (selfishness)
A common cure (selflessness)
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