Transcript 01-04-2011 - Deans Community High School

Life of the Buddha
Context
• Prince Siddhartha Gautama
• Part of the Shakya Clan (hence name
Shakyamuni)
• Born Kapilavastu in Northern India,
563BCE
• Indian religion at time was Hinduism
• Buddhism part of a revolt against
Hinduism: expensive sacrifices, Caste
System, pessimistic view of salvation,
etc
Siddhartha’s Birth
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Birth stories very symbolic
Queen Maya’s dream: elephant in side
Born in garden at Lumbini
Trees bent down to support Queen Maya
Born out of her side
Golden Skin
Walked seven steps and lotuses grew at his feet
Declared this was his last rebirth
Siddhartha’s Early Life
• A seer called Asita told his father King
Sudohanna that he would either grow
up to be a great leader, or a holy man.
• To make sure he became a king like him,
the King kept Siddhartha in the palace
for his whole life.
• He was surrounded by youth, beauty,
pleasure and wealth, and had no idea
that life could be any different.
The Great Renunciation (The Four Sights)
• Siddhartha began to question life, and asked what
was beyond the palace walls.
• He convinced his charioteer Channa to take him
outside 4 times.
• On these occasions he saw an old man, a sick man,
a corpse, and lastly a holy man (saddhu).
• The first three sights dispirited him, but the fourth
gave him hope that he could figure out how to
stop all the suffering in life (he was moved by great
compassion)
• He decided to leave his family (wife and child too –
also symbolising leaving attachments behind) to
become a wandering holy man in search of the
truth.
Asceticism
• Siddhartha first came across some yogins who taught
him the art of meditation. He stayed with them for a
couple of years, then moved on to join a group of
ascetics.
• Ascetics deny themselves things in order to ‘force’ the
mind to see clearly. For example, a lazy person might
force themselves to stand all the time.
• Siddhartha decided that since he had lived a life of
material luxury, he would starve himself.
• Legend has it that he reduced his food until he was
living on 3 grains of rice a day and almost died.
• He eventually realised that this was not helping him
realise the truth, and (with some help from a local
girl) made himself better.
Enlightenment
• Soon after this, Siddhartha sat under a
pipal tree (commonly known as a bodhi
tree) and decided he would not move until
he had an answer to the world’s suffering.
• For many days Siddhartha meditated,
facing Mara and all of his temptations.
• Eventually Siddhartha came to realise the
truth about reality and became
enlightened.
• He was now the Buddha (enlightened one)
• He spent the rest of his life travelling and
teaching what he had learned.
Buddhist Scriptures
Dhamma
Teachings of the Buddha
• Originally passed on orally
• Meetings of Buddhists at special places during rainy
seasons = passing on of recent teachings and
reminders of others
• People were used to remembering things ‘off by
heart’ as writing was not common practice.
• The rainy season lasts for many weeks – plenty of
time for discussion and learning.
The First Council
• During the first rainy season after the Buddha died (usually
given as around 483BCE), Buddhists met to collate his
teachings and agree on what he said.
• 500 senior members of the Sangha (Buddhist community)
made up what is known as the ‘First Council’ and started to
work through all of the Buddhist teachings to decide which
ones were definitely taught by the Buddha
• This work was confirmed almost one hundred years later by
a second council at Vaisali in around 386 BCE
Canonisation
• By the first century CE, the works were officially
collated and organised (canonised)
• These original teachings are known as the Pali
Canon, and are the main scriptures of Theravada
Buddhism.
• The Pali Canon is accepted by all Buddhists, although
schools other than Theravada also accept later
works.
• The Pali Canon is made up of the Tripitaka (Three
Baskets). These are three different collections of
writing.
Tripitaka (Three Baskets)
Other Scriptures
• There are also non-canonical works that are
considered important teaching aids in Buddhism.
• For example, “The Questions of King Milinda” is
famous in Buddhism
• Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism accept many
other scriptures (as well as the Tripitaka) as
‘canonical’ texts – they are written in many
languages and are considered as ‘newer’ revelations
of the Buddha’s teaching, still carrying the authority
of the Buddha.
• Theravada Buddhists would usually not accept these
as authentic.
The Dhammapada
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Part of the Pali Canon (Sutta Pitaka ‘basket’)
Used by all Buddhists
Said to be the actual words of the Buddha
It ‘argues’ between the foolish person, and the
wise person who understands the path of
Buddhism
• It aims to ‘win’ the reader over to Buddhism by
logic, verse, prose, and clever argument!
• This is the main text you will need to understand
for this section of the course.
Anicca 1
(Impermanence)
Anicca
1. Literally means “impermanence”
2. It is the idea that everything is constantly
changing (even if you can’t see it)
3. This concept is at the root of all Buddhist
belief – if you accept and understand anicca,
you are on the road to enlightenment!
Impermanence seen in life of Buddha:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The Four Sights
Great Renunciation
Search for correct ‘path’
Travelling and teaching
His Death
Why so important?
Buddhists believe life is full of suffering. This suffering is mainly caused
by people’s unrealistic EXPECTATIONS of things – wanting more
money / wanting to be happy forever / not wanting to get old / etc.
We resist change and are upset by it, we get upset when we don’t get
what we want, etc.
If we understand that everything is impermanent and will always
change, we shouldn’t have these unreasonable expectations. We
will always realise that good things come to an end, and also that
bad things will also pass.
This gives a realistic and truthful outlook on the world and allows
Buddhists to properly understand other Buddhist teachings.
The Human Condition
The Four Noble Truths – Part One
The Four Noble Truths
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1.
2.
3.
4.
These are the basis of all Buddhist teaching
These were alluded to in the Buddha’s first sermon (The
Sermon at Benares)
Buddhists use a doctor analogy to explain them:
The Buddha is the doctor who makes the diagnosis that
something is ‘wrong’ – Dukkha
The diagnosis of the cause of the illness is craving (tanha)
– Samudaya
There is a cure; it is to achieve nibbana – Nirodha
The prescription is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path Magga
The First Noble Truth - Dukkha
• Also one of the Three Universal Truths / Marks of
Existence
• Means ‘unsatisfactoriness’
• Idea that suffering is everywhere all the time –
even if we think we are happy!
• Caused by failure to understand anicca
Second Noble Truth - Samudaya
• The cause of dukkha (the actual illness) is tanha (craving)
• Because you do not understand anicca, you crave
permanence and possessions
• You want relationships to always be good, you want to
never be ill, you always want money and possessions
thinking they’ll make you happy forever, etc.
• This is also a link with the Three Mental Poisons (or Three
Fires): Greed, Hatred and Ignorance
• All this craving makes you suffer: tanha causes dukkha
• This is the Second Noble Truth of Samudaya
• See Dhammapada 334-342 (Cravings)
The Human Condition
The Three Universal Truths /
Three Marks of Conditioned Existence
1st Mark: Anicca (Impermanence)
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The first key concept you need to know is ‘Anicca’
The word literally means ‘impermanence’
It is the First Mark of Existence / Universal Truth
This means that everything is constantly changing
Nothing stays the same (nothing is permanent)
Everything is changing around you just now: weather,
light, table, chair, apple, Bennachie – everything.
• This applies to relationships and conditions as well.
• See story of Nun Kisagotami (mustard seed story)
2nd Mark: Anatta (No Soul)
• The Second Mark of Existence / Universal Truth is
Anatta
• Anatta literally means ‘no soul’
• This is basically Anicca applied to people!
• If nothing is permanent, and everything changes, then
you also constantly change.
• There is no permanent ‘thing’, so there can be no
eternal / lasting soul or ‘self’
• Buddhists believe we are made up of five changing ‘bits’
/ aggregates called the Five Skandhas.
• The skandhas constantly change, so we are constantly
changing.
• The only thing that stays the same is our ‘label’
• See Questions of King Milinda (Chariot story)
Sunyata (Emptiness) - Higher
• This is NOT a Mark of Existence, but is related
to the first two marks.
• This is Anatta and Anicca taken one stage
further
• Found in the Prajna-Paramita Sutras
• Sunyata is a Mahayana Buddhist concept – you
will not find it in the ‘strict/original’ Theravada
Buddhism
• It states that every time you analyse something
(like you did with a person for anatta) you find
that no object / thing has any inherent
substance – it is ‘empty’.
Sunyata (Emptiness) – Higher [cont]
•Everything is always made up of smaller ‘bundles of bits’
(like humans are made of the skhandas)
•Every named object amounts to the sum of its parts – all an
object is is a particular configuration of it’s parts.
•The name is just a label given to that particular collection of
changing pieces.
•If you analyse everything into small enough bits you find that
everything is empty – has no existence of it’s own.
•Car = mechanical and electrical bits = made up of smaller and
smaller components = made up of basic material = made up of
atoms = made up of subatomic particles = made up of
‘nothingness’!
If everything can reduce down to this nothingness, or
emptiness, then everything is essentially the same, or
linked together.
3rd Mark: Dukkha (Unsatisfactoriness)
• Third mark of existence is ‘Dukkha’
• It literally means ‘unsatisfactoriness’ or ‘suffering’
• Usual interpretation of Dukkha is suffering, but it is
‘more’ than that.
• It is the dissatisfaction with life – the good and bad,
the fact that things change, things failing to live up to
our expectations, etc.
• 3 Types of Suffering: Ordinary suffering, suffering from
change, and from conditioned states.
• Human failure to understand anicca means that we
have a misunderstanding of our ‘human condition’
and live our lives ‘wrongly’, so we ‘suffer’
3rd Mark: Dukkha (cont)
• Not accepting that EVERYTHING changes = We expect / hope for
things to stay the same when they are good; we worry they’ll
never change when they are bad; we strive to achieve goals that
are ultimately meaningless  we are ignorant to the truth of the
world
• We are tied to the reality of samsara (the cycle of life, death and
rebirth) because of our failure to understand the fact that not
accepting anicca leads to dukkha, which in turn stops us
becoming enlightened, and therefore keeps us tied to samsara!
• We are ‘tied’ to the Three Mental Poisons of Greed, Hatred, and
Ignorance which keep this cycle going.
• Understanding anicca and dissolving the Three Poisons is the key
to ridding ourselves of dukkha and becoming enlightened
• See Dhammapada 147-156 (Ageing)
Quick Tasks
1. Write a SHORT paragraph to explain:
1. Anicca
2. Anatta
3. Dukkha
2. Explain briefly how the three marks of
existence are linked. Use a diagram to
illustrate your answer.
3. Higher: Explain the concept of Sunyata
The Goals
Kamma and Skilful Means
Kamma
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Kamma means ‘action’
It is the natural law of cause and effect
Every action is determined by something
Every action has an effect / consequence
These consequences can have either negative or
positive kammic effects
• Kammic effects may not be felt straight away
• The ‘balance’ of kamma at the end of one life
determines the ‘state’ of the next life
• The aim is to build up positive kamma to gain a better
rebirth and become closer to the ultimate goal of
nibbana
Skilful Means / Skill in Means
• Upaya Kausala = skilful means
• This is using different strategies to ‘teach’ your
audience, e.g. football rules will be taught
differently to a five year old, and someone on the
school team.
•Skilful Means is using wisdom to use the appropriate
method at the appropriate time
•The Buddha used upaya kausala all the time – it is the
message of the teaching that is important, not the
method.
•See parable of burning house / story of raft
The Goals
The Four Noble Truths – Part Two
The Four Noble Truths - Reminder
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1.
2.
3.
4.
These are the basis of all Buddhist teaching
These were alluded to in the Buddha’s first sermon (The
Sermon at Benares)
Buddhists use a doctor analogy to explain them:
The Buddha is the doctor who makes the diagnosis –
Dukkha
The cause of the illness is craving (tanha) – Samudaya
There is a cure, it is to achieve nibbana – Nirodha
The prescription is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path Magga
The First Noble Truth - Dukkha
• Also one of the Three Universal Truths / Marks of
Existence
• Means ‘unsatisfactoriness’
• Caused by failure to understand anicca
Second Noble Truth - Samudaya
•The cause of dukkha (the actual illness) is tanha
(craving)
•Because you do not understand anicca, you crave
permanence and possessions
•All this craving makes you suffer: tanha causes dukkha
The Third Noble Truth - Nirodha
• There is a way to cure the illness of dukkha
• The way to be cured forever is to achieve
enlightenment (nibbana)
• This is the ULTIMATE GOAL of all Buddhists
• Nibbana is not a place, but a state of mind
• Difficult to describe – must experience it to
understand fully (fish and turtle story)
• Enlightened beings are outwith the realm of cause
and effect, so are not reborn when they die
• See ‘What the Buddha Taught’ and ‘QKM’
The Theravada Ideal:
The Arahat / Arahant
The Goals
The Arahat
• The Arahat is the Theravadin ideal
• All Theravadin Buddhists would like to become an
Arahat
• An Arahat is an enlightened monk – they will not be
reborn when they die
• It takes many rebirths to reach the stage where one
will become an Arahat in this lifetime
• It takes a lifetime of dedication and study as a monk
to reach this stage
• Few monks become Arahats
Implications for Lay People
• Lay people = ordinary members of the community
• Ordained people = monks and nuns
• Lay people in Theravada Buddhism are VERY unlikely to become
enlightened
• The best they can aim for is a better rebirth to get closer to being
able to become an Arahat
• They do this by accumulating positive kamma (they might
become monks or nuns temporarily, and they will help the
ordained community by providing food and clothing, etc)
• They would not expect to progress in “leaps and bounds” –
enlightenment is a very distant goal.
• Enlightenment in Theravada Buddhism is a largely personal goal –
ultimately you have to ‘do it’ on your own.
The Means
Three Jewels
The Three Jewels
• The Three Jewels are the
Buddha, Dhamma, and
Sangha
• Also known as Three
Treasures, Three Refuges, or
the Tiratana
• The Dhamma could not
have been taught without
the Buddha, and could not
have been followed without
the Sangha, so the three are
inseparable.
•
They are known as the Three Refuges,
because the Buddhist promise of devotion
says:
“I take refuge in the Buddha,
I take refuge in the Dhamma,
I take refuge in the Sangha.”
• Taking refuge is making a promise to be devoted to the
Buddha and his teachings.
• It is also a sign of the support structure of the religion
– a refuge is somewhere you turn for security and
guidance
Trikaya
• Trikaya = Three Bodies (of the Buddha)
• This is a Mahayana concept, NOT a Theravada
one!
• Theravada focus on the HISTORICAL example
of the man Siddhartha Gautama / the Buddha
• Mahayana see different aspects to ‘him’ – the
historical and the supernatural / metaphysical
side
Buddha - Trikaya
1. Nirmanakaya – Human form sent to teach
humans / many different bodies (Siddhartha
was one)
2. Sambhogakaya – Eternal Buddha / what gets
embodied in human form, the ‘future
Buddha’ Maitreya, etc
3. Dhammakaya – Ultimate reality / Buddha
nature (in all beings)
Different Interpretations of Buddha (Historical V Trikaya)
2 – Dhamma-Kaya (Truth Body) – Qualities
that make up the ‘buddha-nature’ / truth of
reality.
3. Sambhoga-Kaya
(Enjoyment Body) –
e.g. Bodhisattvas
1 – Nirmana-Kaya
(Physical Body) –
Siddhartha
Gautama [Buddha
Shakyamuni]
Mahayana
Historical
Buddha
Shakyamuni
TIME
Theravada
The Buddha is a historical figure ONLY – a ‘saint’. He left
behind his teachings to show the ‘path’. Theravada Buddhists
rely on themselves and the teachings only.
Dhamma
• Can mean ‘teachings’ / truth / way / etc
• It is sometimes used to mean Buddhism
• Usually seen as Four Noble Truths and
Eightfold Path
• Scriptures can be dhamma
• Central to Buddhism
• Like a raft – to be used to reach enlightenment
Sangha
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Community of Buddhists
Specifically monks
Monks = bhikkus
Can become a monks for life, or just a short
time
• Monks live by 10 Precepts and many other
rules in Vinaya Pitaka scriptures (laity only use
5 Precepts)
• Differences between monks and laity will
differ depending on school of Buddhism
Questions
1. Why are the Three Refuges important? (6
KU)
2. Explain each aspect of the Trikaya (6 KU)
3. What is dhamma? (4 KU)
4. What is the sangha? (2 KU)
5. Why are the Three Jewels important? (4 AE)
The Means
Eightfold Path / Ethics / Meditation
Noble Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path is the core of Buddhist
practice and lifestyle. It is a guide to life, with it’s
basis in the central teachings of the Four Noble
Truths.
• Split into three sections: Wisdom, Morality, and
Meditation
• Not a step by step guide
• All should be practiced simultaneously
• All ‘stages’ are interconnected
• It is seen as the ‘Way’ to achieve enlightenment
• See: The Path (Dhammapada)
Noble Eightfold Path
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Right View (understanding 4NT)
Right Intention (Doing things for right reasons)
Right Speech (no gossip / idle chat / lying)
Right Conduct / Action (being useful/helpful)
Right Livelihood (a good / helpful job)
Right Effort (Work hard towards keeping to 4NT
and 8FP)
7. Right Mindfulness (Awareness / See things in the
right way / Understanding how your actions affect
everything around you)
8. Right Concentration (Meditation)
Ethics / Morality
• Compassion is a central value to Buddhists – it
underpins all belief and action
• Ahimsa = non-violence and respect for life
• Metta = loving-kindness (compassion for all
creatures)
• Using skilful means
• Gaining good kamma (to enable a better rebirth)
• Altruism = putting others first as based on
compassion and as seen in the Bodhisattva ideal of
Mahayana Buddhism
Meditation
• Develops understanding / mindfulness /
concentration
• Samatha Meditation = developing mindfulness, but
not specifically Buddhist / won’t get you enlightened
• Bhavana (Mental Culture) = specifically Buddhist /
essential for enlightenment / insight into nature of
reality
• Not an escape from life, but developing an
awareness and understanding of it!
• Pure Land Buddhists believe they can become
enlightened simply by meditating on a mental image
of the ‘Pure Land’!
Questions
1. Explain the importance of Right
Understanding, Right Intention, Right
Speech, and Right Livelihood (8 KU)
2. Explain the importance of Eightfold Path (3
AE)
3. Explain the concepts of metta and ahimsa (4
KU)
4. “Meditation is essential to enlightenment” –
how far do you agree? (6 AE)
World Religion:
Buddhism
Worship
Objects of Worship 1
• Bells are used at the
beginning of worship to
signal when to start. It is also
used as a signal of change
during worship.
• Some Buddhists also believe
the sound is symbolic as it
spreads around the room,
reminding them of the effects
of kamma.
Objects of Worship 2
• Prayer Wheels are used
to focus the mind
during Tibetan Buddhist
meditation.
• The turning of the
wheel moves prayers
and mantras held
inside, and this is
believed to bring good
kamma
Objects of Worship 3
• There will always be a
Buddha Image in any
shrine, at home or in a
temple
• It is worshipped as a
sign of devotion to
Buddhism and to
inspire people to follow
his teachings
Objects of Worship 4
• Incense is used during
worship, not only for it’s
nice smell, but it
reminds them of the
law of kamma.
• The smell spreads
around the room, like
the consequences of
our actions will have
effects all over the
world.
Objects of Worship 5
• Flowers are used in
worship to remind
Buddhists of the most
important Buddhist
teaching – that nothing
lasts forever.
• The flower is fresh and
beautiful, but it will soon
wilt and die – everything
constantly changes.
Objects of Worship 6
• Candles represent the
light of wisdom, shining
to light the right path
through life.
Places of Worship 1
• Temples (sometimes
referred to as a Wat)
can be found all over
the world.
• They do not have to be
a specific design – they
can be as simple or as
elaborate as you like
Places of Worship 2
• Samye-Ling is a Tibetan
Buddhist community in the
Scottish Borders.
• This is the main shrine in their
temple.
• Look for the objects of worship
– how many can you see?
Samye-Ling
Shrines in Bhutan and Sri-Lanka
Worship in Temples
• Buddhists will take their shoes off
when entering a temple (for
cleanliness and as a sign of respect)
• Worship in temples is usually led by the
monks, although you can also worship
at home or in groups
• Buddhist worship includes giving
offerings (candles, flowers, etc)
• Much of the worship will be
meditation, usually on mats on the
floor
• They will usually chant mantras to help
concentration / bring good kamma
Why do Buddhists Worship?
Some people wonder what the point in worship is if
Buddhists are not worshipping / trying to please a
God like other religions do.
Buddhist worship is for:
• Helping develop concentration and become better at
meditation
• Developing a deeper understanding of their religion
through communal and individual activity
• Giving time to reflecting on the concepts of the
religion, and considering the symbolic aspects of the
activity.
• Inspiring and helping people achieve more in their
religion
What do you remember about Buddhist
Worship?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
What are bells used for? (2)
What 2 things does worshiping a Buddha image do / show? (2)
What do flowers symbolise? (1)
What do candles symbolise? (1)
Where can you find Buddhist temples? (1)
What are Buddhist temples like? (1)
What do Buddhists do before going into a temple? (1)
What 3 things might they do during worship? (3)
Total ?/12 Marks:
10 - 12 /12
Very Good
8 or 9 /12
Good
6 or 7 /12
Okay
less than 6/12 Revise!
Noble Eightfold Path
Higher / Int 2
Noble Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path is the core of Buddhist
practice and lifestyle. It is a guide to life, with it’s
basis in the central teachings of the Four Noble
Truths (It IS the Fourth Noble Truth [Magga]).
• Split into three sections: Wisdom, Morality, and
Meditation
• Not a step by step guide
• All should be practiced simultaneously
• All ‘stages’ are interconnected
• It is seen as the ‘Way’ to achieve enlightenment
• See: The Path (Dhammapada)
Noble Eightfold Path
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Right View (understanding 4NT)
Right Intention (Doing things for right reasons)
Right Speech (no gossip / idle chat / lying)
Right Conduct / Action (being useful/helpful)
Right Livelihood (a good / helpful job)
Right Effort (Work hard towards keeping to 4NT
and 8FP)
7. Right Mindfulness (Awareness / See things in the
right way / Understanding how your actions affect
everything around you)
8. Right Concentration (Meditation)
Samsara
• Buddhists have taken on the Hindu law of samsara,
and changed it slightly
• It still means the cycle of life, death, and rebirth
• However, in the Hindu system rebirth is
reincarnation. Your soul (atman) is reborn.
• In Buddhism, there is no reincarnation as there is no
soul to be reborn.
• Rebirth in Buddhism is more like a transfer of
energy, sometimes energy that carries with it a
memory (see Tibetan Buddhist idea of Tulkus / Dalai
Lama etc)
Introduction to kamma
• The energy that is passed on in Buddhist rebirth is
kammic energy.
• Kamma is the NATURAL law of cause and effect. You
accumulate positive or negative effects throughout
your life, and this affects your ‘rebirth’
• Your kammic energy at the end of your life ‘ignites’
the next one.
• This is like transfer of momentum in pool balls. One
ball moves another, but nothing of the first ball is
attached to the second.
Dependent Origination
• According to Buddhism, everything that exists does
so because of what has gone before (cause and
effect)
• Everything depends on other thing for their
existence
• Dependent Origination was a way for the Buddha to
teach his followers that they are ‘agents of their own
fortune’ – just because you are here because of what
has gone before does NOT mean you are not in
control.
• You are here because of previous events and choices,
but you always have the power to choose the next
step. You are always in control of where you are
going!
Wheel of Life
• Symbolic representation
of dependent origination
(what life is really like)
• Three Poisons in centre
• 6 realms of rebirth are
the ‘slices’
• 12 nidanas / stages of life
are the sections round
the edge
• The Buddha pointing to
the moon represents the
possibility of freedom /
Nibbana
• Yama is the Lord of Death
– in control of samsara.
Quick Tasks
1. Briefly explain samsara
2. Briefly explain the law of kamma.
3. What does the Buddha use to explain how you are
in control of your life?
The Mahayana Ideal:
The Bodhisattva
The Goals
Bodhisattvas
• Boh – dee – sat - va
• ‘Bodhisattva’ means ‘enlightenment being’ –
someone who wished to become enlightened
• Bodhisattvas act out of great compassion
• In order to become fully enlightened, they put other
beings first and delay their own enlightenment to
help others become enlightened
• By doing this they gain great kamma, and realise the
‘buddha-nature’ inside themselves and all other
beings, and so actually become enlightened quicker.
(Actually, they have been enlightened all along!)
• Bodhisattvas were originally seen as people
who became enlightened and acted out of
great wisdom
• However, unlike the earthly / human ideal
(role model) of the Arahat in Theravada
Buddhism, the Bodhisattva has become a
more supernatural figure
• There are a few key bodhisattvas that can be
found all-throughout different Mahayana and
Vajrayana schools
• These bodhisattva-figures are often seen as
embodiments of the Buddha
Bodhisattva Example: Avalokitesvara
•Avalokitesvara (ava-lock-e-tesh-vara) is the
Bodhisattva of compassion
•Also known in Tibetan Buddhism as
Chenresig (the Dalai Lama is seen to be an
incarnation of Chenresig), and in female from,
Tara
•Bodhisattvas are a source of inspiration and
guidance
•They play an important role in worship and
meditation (for example, worshipping or
meditating upon the image of Avalokitesvara
helps Buddhists become more
compassionate)
Implications for Lay People
• Lay (ordinary) people in Mahayana Buddhism are faced with a
less ‘pessimistic’ situation than those in Theravada
• Although it is true that Mahayana monks have more chance of
becoming enlightened, lay people have bodhisattvas to call upon
for help and inspiration
• Aiming to become a bodhisattva should also help lay Buddhists
be more compassionate (an important value in Buddhism) and
thus gain more positive kamma and a better rebirth
• Although Mahayana lay people also aim for a better rebirth,
Nibbana does not seem such a distant and ‘unattainable’ goal.
• They are ‘not alone’ as they have help along the way – it is a
more motivational viewpoint.