Transcript Atisha`s Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment

Introduction to Buddhism
Ven. Geshe Thupten Dorjee
University of Arkansas
Reading Assignment
• Maguire: Introduction
• Maguire: Notes on the Text
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Geshe Thupten Dorjee
• 50 Years In Exile
• Born in Tibet during the Chinese Communist invasion in
1959.
• 1961 – escape to Bhutan.
• 1973 - Drepung Loseling Monastery in South India
– Original monastery established in Lhasa, Tibet in 1416
– After the 1959 invasion, the monastery was forced to
close and was almost completely destroyed
• 1998 - Geshe Lharampa (equivalent to Ph.D. in
philosophy)
• 2002 – Geshe Ngarampa (tantrayana)
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Geshe Lharampa Degree
• 25 Years of study: Major Buddhist and non-Buddhist
Indian Philosophy texts, Tibetan culture, and history
1. Prajnaparamita: Perfection of Wisdom
(Tibetan, Pharchin)
2. Madhyamika: Middle way Philosophy
(Tibetan, Uma)
3. Pramana Vertika Karika: Valid Cognition
(Tibetan, Namdrel)
4. Abhidharma: Buddhist Metaphysics
(Tibetan, Zoe)
5. Vinaya: Buddhist Ethics
(Tibetan, Dul-Wa)
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Geshe Ngarampa Degree
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Geshe Ngarampa = Doctor of Philosophy in Tantra
Gyuto Tantric University, North India.
Advanced studies: 4 Categories of Buddhist Tantra.
Tantra literally means “continuum”; refers to the set of
esoteric teachings and practice of Buddhism.
• Four Categories of Tantra
1. Action Tantra (Kriya Tantra)
2. Performance Tantra (Carya Tantra)
3. Yoga Tantra
4. Highest Yoga Tantra (Anuttarayoga Tantra)
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Typical Curriculum of Study
• Collected Topics on Valid Cognition: Logic,
epistemology, and psychology.
• Debate manual: Commentary on Dignaga’s
“Compendium on Valid Cognition” by
Dharmakirti (7th century).
• Emphasis on debate
• Buddhist philosophy is based on logic and reason
• 9 hours per day are devoted to discussion and
intellectual understanding of Buddha’s teachings
• Requires memorization of all root texts
(thousands of pages)
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Debating the Tenets
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Introduction to the Tenets
• Perfection of Wisdom
– 7 years
– 70 topics related to the spiritual path of Buddhist
practitioners at all levels,
– Based on Maitreya’s (fourth century) Ornament for Clear
Realizations and various commentaries.
• Middle Way
– 4 years
– Madhyamika philosophy based Chandrakirti’s (7th century)
Entrance to the Middle Way.
– 10 Bodhisattva perfections and grounds are covered,
although the main topic is emptiness.
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Introduction to the Tenets
• Abhidharma
– 4 years
– Topics such as cosmology, meditative states, and
psychology
– Based on Vasubandhu’s (4th century) Treasury of
Abhidharma.
– Also study Non-Buddhist Systems for better understanding
of Buddhist Philosophy
“For Gelugpa, it is much more important to memorize and
debate than it is to read broadly.”
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Introduction to the Tenets
• Tantrayana
– Gyuto Tantric University
– Requires successful completion of oral
examination in front of the entire college of
monks
– Tests the candidate’s knowledge and
memorization of the root Guyasamucha (King of
Tantrayana) texts and related topics
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Textbooks
• Jack Maguire: Essential Buddhism: A
Complete Guide to Beliefs and
Practices
• Geshe Sonam Rinchen: Atisha’s
Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment
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Maguire’s Questions
1. How did Buddhism begin?
2. How did it turn into such a dynamic force in
the world?
3. What do its adherents believe?
4. How do they express their faith?
5. Why are so many westerners drawn to it?
6. What is its relevance to our individual lives
and to society as a whole?
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Three Basic Formats
• Maguire describes “three basic formats” of
Buddhism:
1. Theravada
2. Mahayana
3. Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism)
• While Maguire uses “Vajrayana” to distinguish
between “Tibetan Buddhism” and other forms,
Vajrayana is better viewed as a particular practice
within Mahayana Buddhism
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Buddhist Philosophical Schools
Tibetan Mahayana Perspective
• Hinayana
• Mahayana
– Theravada
– Sutra (sutrayana)
• Vaibhasika
• Sautantrika
• Cittamatra
• Madhayamika
– Svatantrika
– Prasangika
– Tantra
(Tantrayana, Vajrayana)
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Kriya Tantra
Carya Tantra
Yoga Tantra
Anuttarayoga Tantra
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Theravada
Buddhism
• Most common in Sri Lanka,
Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and
Burma (Myanmar)
• Emphasizes monasticism
• Arhat ideal (individual liberation)
• Major texts (written in Pali)
– Tipitaka (3 Baskets)
• Vinaya Pitaka
• Sutta Pitaka
• Abhidhamma Pitaka
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Mahayana
Buddhism
• Developed in India around the 4th
century
• Expands Buddhism to laypersons
• More liberal monastic codes
• Bodhisattva ideal – liberation of all
sentient beings
• Major texts
– Perfection of Wisdom sutras
– Diamond sutra
– Lotus sutra
– Tibetan commentaries
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Mahayana
Schools
• Zen (Ch’an) Buddhism
– Common in China, Japan,
Korea, Vietnam
– Blends Mahayana Buddhism
with Taoism
– Aims at taking the rational
and intellectual mind out of
the mental loop
– Zen is something you do – it
cannot be described in words
– Two major schools
• Rinzai
• Soto
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Mahayana
Schools
• Tibetan Buddhism
– Importance of the Lama or
teacher
– Importance of ritual and
initiations
– Preoccupation with
relationship between life
and death
– Rich visual symbolism
– Prominence of
supernatural beings
– Elements of earlier Tibetan
religions
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Mahayana
Schools
• Vajrayana Buddhism
– Developed in India
around the 5th century
CE
– Came to Tibet in 7th –
8th centuries CE
– Often viewed as the
third major school of
Buddhism, after
Theravada and
Mahayana
– Esoteric, secret
practices designed to
achieve enlightenment
quickly
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Mahayana Schools
• 4 Major
Tibetan
Schools
1.
2.
3.
4.
Nyingma
Sakya
Kagyu
Gelug
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Mahayana
Schools
• Pure Land Buddhism (China,
Japan)
– Pure Land Buddhism offers path to
enlightenment for people who
can’t handle the subtleties of
meditation and long rituals
– Essential practice is the chanting of Nichiren Buddhism (Japan)
The Lotus Sutra is the only
the name of Amitabha Buddha:
path to enlightenment.
Namu amida butsu
Other Buddhist practices no
– Teaches rebirth in the “pure land”,
longer provide a path to
a sort of Buddhist “heaven”
enlightenment.
Focus on this world, and the
importance of the individual.
Main practice is chanting:
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo (I
devote my life to the law
itself.)
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Atisha’s Questions
1. What is a practitioner of the Great Vehicle like?
2. Can the altruistic intention arise in an ordinary person?
3. Does one need to hold the individual liberation vows as a
basis for the Bodhisattva Vow?
4. When someone holding the individual liberation vow
takes the tantric vow, does the individual liberation vow
become the tantric vow or does that person then old two
vows?
5. Do skillful means and wisdom need to be combined or not
in order to complete the two great stores of merit?
6. Which is the correct view, Cittamatra or Madhyamika?
7. How does one enter the door of Mahayana secret
mantra?
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Reading Assignment
• Maguire: Chapter 1
• Atisha: Introduction
• Atisha: Prologue
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