Transcript Buddhism

Buddhism
Life of Siddhartha
Gautama
• Born in the 5th century BCE in northern India
• Kshatriya
• Important people in his family:




Father – Sudhodana, ruler of Kapilavastu
Aunt and step-mother – Maha Prajapati
Wife – Yashodhara
Son – Rahula
• The Four Passing Sites:




An old man
An ill person
A corpse
A sannyasin
 Leaves home at the age of 29; achieves
Enlightenment at the age of 35 while meditating
under a bodhi tree
• First sermon – in the Deer Park at Benares
• Sangha – community of Buddhist monks and nuns
• Siddhartha’s aunt, wife and son all became
Buddhists monks or nuns
• Died at the age of 80; body cremated and ashes
divided among various sites
• Stupa – the burial place of the Buddhist saint
Buddhist Teachings
Three Marks of Existence
1. Anatta – “no self”; there is nothing that makes me
uniquely “me”
2. Anicca – impermanence; nothing remains the
same
3. Dukkha – suffering; we suffer because we do not
understand anatta and anicca
The Four Noble Truths
1. Life is suffering
Suffering is the result of anatta and anicca – we suffer because things r
constantly changing
2. Suffering is caused by selfish desire
We suffer because we are constantly wanting things – relationships,
objects, accomplishments. Greed and self-centeredness bring about
desire.
3. Suffering can be brought to an end
If we are aware of the cause of suffering, we can end it
4. Suffering can be ended by following the Middle
Way and Eight Fold Path
The Eight-Fold Path
1. Right Understand; Right Views
Learn the Buddha's teachings
See things as they really are; not as we would like them to be
Recognize those thought that come from desire
2. Right Intentions
Avoid evil thoughts and get rid of evil attitudes
Nurture good attitudes
Avoid dwelling on the past or the future
3. Right Speech
Recognize that what we say can cause a great deal of harm to others
Avoid gossip, lying, abusive talk; speak kindly and truthfully
4. Right Conduct or Action
Act kindly towards all living things
Obey the Five Precepts
Do not be attached to the results of your actions
The Eight-Fold Path
5. Right Livelihood
Do not have a job that hurts others – people, animals or the environment
6. Right Effort
Cleanse your mind and control your senses
Make an effort to follow the Buddha and give up your attachment to
things that cause suffering
7. Right Mindfulness
Always be aware of what you are doing and why
Develop mental focus
8. Right Concentration; Right Meditation
Learn to meditate without losing concentration
It is usually through meditation that a Buddhist attains Enlightenment
The Five Precepts
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Do not take life
Do not take what is not given
Do not engage in sensuous misconduct
Do not use false speech
Do not drink intoxicants
Other Buddhist Teachings:
• Samsara – Buddhists do not believe in the Atman
(soul) – what is reincarnated is karmic energy
(analogy of a flame – if you light one candle from
another, then blow out the first, is the second
candle flame the same as the first?)
• Karma – same as in Hinduism
• Nirvana – awakening or enlightenment; final
Nirvana happens at the death of an Enlightened
One but Buddhism does not describe what it is like
• Compassion – one of Buddhism’s most important
teachings
• Dharma – in Buddhism, dharma refers to the
teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, The Buddha
Divisions in Buddhism
• After the death of Siddhartha, disputes arose over
exactly how to follow his teachings
• Many different schools –or denominations – of
Buddhism developed
• Today, the two main denominations are Mahayana
and Theravada Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism
• The original; it’s teachings are the closest to those of
The Buddha
• “Doctrine of the Elders” or “The Lesser Way”
• Smaller than other denominations because its
disciplines are more difficult
Teachings:
• Not much emphasis on
the Divine – more on
how to achieve
Enlightenment
• Reveres the idea of
renunciation as a path
to Enlightenment
• Emphasis on
monasticism
• Belief in arhats = saints;
holy men and women
who serve as examples
Monastery and temple in
Bangladesh
• Sacred texts include the Tripitaka (“Three Baskets”)
o Vianaya Pitaka – monastic regulations
o Sutta Pitaka which includes the Dhamapada – teachings of Siddhartha
o Adhidamma Pitaka – ethical discussions
• Today, most Theravada Buddhists live in Myanmar
(Burma), Thailand, Laos and Cambodia
Mahayana Buddhism
• “The Greater Way” – because it is larger
• First developed during the first century BCE
• Found mostly in Tibet, Nepal, China, Korea and
Japan
• Establishment of a priesthood with temples; less
emphasis on monasticism
• Monasticism – becoming a monk
or nun – is an important option
Buddhist nuns in
Vietnam
Teachings:
• Belief in The Divine (may be monotheistic or
polytheistic, depending on the branch)
• All beings are part of the Supreme Reality – they just
do not realize it
• Belief in bodhisattvas who can help us attain
Enlightenment
o Enlightened beings who have put off entering
Nirvana in order to help others attain
Enlightenment
o Most important is Avalokitesvara – the Buddha
of Compassion
• Worship of The Divine
• Sacred texts include:
o The Lotus Sutra –
o The Diamond Sutra
o The Heart Sutra
Tibetan Buddhism
• A form of Mahayana that developed in the Himalayan
region around 700 CE
• Led by the Dalai Lama – who is believed to be a
reincarnation of the bodhisattva of compassion,
Avalokiteshvara
• The first Dalai Lama was Gendon Drub, the abbot of a
monastery in central Tibet
• The current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the 14th Dalai
Lama
• Between 1642 and 1959, the Dalai Lama was both the
spiritual and political leader of Tibet
• In 1959, the Chinese invaded and took over Tibet and
the Dalai Lama fled into India for safety
The 14th Dalai Lama
Age 18; in Tibet
Contemporary
Teachings
• Incorporates Buddhism into indigenous beliefs of
Tibet – so worship of many bodhisattvas, Buddhas,
and Dharma Protectors (mythic figures incorporated
from the ancient Bohn religion of Tibet and
Hinduism)
• Sacred books include the Bardo Thodol – The
Tibetan Book of the Dead
• Use of mandalas and prayer wheels
• Use of sacred dance
• Strong emphasis on monasticism
Bodhisattvas
• In Mahayana Buddhism a bodhisattva is someone
who has achieved Enlightenment but chooses to
delay entering Nirvana in order to help others
• “Celestial Bodhisattvas” are those who live in
“heaven” and help those who pray to them
• There are many hundreds of Bodhisattvas
worshipped throughout Asia. Many are primarily
local. The following are worshipped by all
Mahayana Buddhists (although sometimes under
different names.)
The Buddha of Compassion
• Avalokiteshvara – a
companion of Siddhartha
• Postpones entering Nirvana
to help others
• Earthly manifestation of
Amitabha Buddha, who
represents mercy and
wisdom. The bodhisattva is
said to appear anywhere to
help all beings in danger
and distress.
• Worshipped in all branches
of Mahayana Buddhism
Guan Yin
In the Far East, especially
China and Japan, the
Buddha of Compassion is
worshipped as a goddess
– Guan Yin (China) or
Kannon (Japan)
“The Laughing Buddha”
• historically, he was a
Chinese monk named
Buddai (Hotei) who lived
around 1000 CE
• known for his humor and
good disposition
• as a bodhisattva, is
patron of happiness and
contentment
• legend (not part of
Buddhist teaching) says
rubbing the belly of his
statues brings happiness
and prosperity
Maitreya
• the “Buddha to come”
• the successor to
Siddhartha Gautama
• will be born into the
world when the
teachings of Siddhartha
have been corrupted or
lost
• currently exists in
heaven, where he waits
for the time when the
world will need him