Transcript Buddhism - globalstudies11

• Aprx. 300 + million followers
• Central Asia and SE Asia
• The aim of Buddhist practice is to
end the cycle of rebirth called samsara
• Siddhartha Gautama 2,500 years
ago
• it is better to call Buddhism
agnostic than anything else
The Vinaya Pitaka, containing disciplinary rules for the Sangha of
Buddhist monks and nuns, as well as a range of other texts which
explain why and how rules were instituted, supporting material, and
doctrinal clarification.
*The Sutta Pitaka (PÇli; Sanskrit: Sutra Pitaka), containing
discourses of the Buddha.
*The Abhidhamma (Skt: Abhidharma) or commentary Pitaka,
containing a philosophical systematization of the Buddha's teaching,
including a detailed analysis of Buddhist psychology.
Some actions bring instant retribution while the results of other actions
may not appear until a future lifetime. Most teachers are, however, quick
to point out that though it may be a result of someone's past-life karma
that they suffer, this should not be used as an excuse to treat them
poorly; indeed, all should help them and help to alleviate their suffering,
leading to them working to alleviate their own suffering.
Four Noble Truths
The Buddha taught that life was
dissatisfactory because of craving, but that this
condition was curable by following the Eightfold
Path. This teaching is called the Four Noble
Truths:
1.Dukkha: All worldly life is unsatisfactory,
disjointed, containing suffering.
2.Samudaya: There is a cause of suffering, which
is attachment or desire (tanha) rooted in
ignorance.
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3.Nirodha: There is an end of suffering, which is
Nirvana.
4.Magga: There is a path that leads out of
suffering, known as the Noble Eightfold Path.
In order to fully
understand the noble truths
and investigate whether they
were in fact true, Buddha
recommended that a certain
lifestyle or path be followed
which consists of:
1.
Right Understanding
2.
Right Thought
3.
Right Speech
4.
Right Action
5.
Right Livelihood
6.
Right Effort
7.
Right Mindfulness
8.
Right Concentration
Wheel - 8
spokes
The five precepts are:
1.To refrain from harming
living creatures (killing).
2.To refrain from taking
that which is not freely
given (stealing).
3.To refrain from sexual
misconduct.
4.To refrain from incorrect
speech (lying, harsh
language, slander, idle
chit-chat).
5.To refrain from
intoxicants which lead to
loss of mindfulness.
The realizing of nirvana is compared to the
ending of avijja (ignorance) which perpetuates the will
(citta/mind) from passing thru samsara life after life, which
causes (and is caused by) among other things craving,
consciousness, birth, death, greed, hate, delusion, ignorance.
Nirvana, then, is not a place nor a state, it is an absolute truth
to be realized, and a person can do so without dying. When a
person who has realized nirvana dies, his death is referred as
his parinirvana, his fully passing away, as his life was his last
link to the cycle of death and rebirth (samsara), and he will
not be reborn again. Buddhism holds that the ultimate goal
and end of existence is realization of nirvana; what happens
to a person after his parinirvana cannot be explained, as it
is outside of all conceivable experience.
On Death:
"Disciples of the Buddha,
should you yourself kill,
willfully cause another to kill,
encourage someone to kill,
extol killing, take pleasure in
seeing killing take place,
deliberately wish someone
dead, intentionally cause
death, supply the instruments
or means for killing, cut off a
life even when sanctioned by
law, that is, participate in any
way in killing, you are
committing a serious offense
warranting exclusion. Pray, do
not intentionally kill anything
whatsoever which has life."
Theravada Buddhism:
The "Way of the Elders"
dominant in southern Asia(Sri Lanka,
Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Cambodia and Laos)
closely follow the original beliefs and
practices of the Buddha
authoritative text is the Pali Canon, an
early Indian collection of the
Buddha's teachings; reject others
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The purpose of life for Theravadins is
to become an arhat, a perfected saint
who has acheived nirvana and will not
be reborn again
one must renounce the world to
achieve salvation
highly unlikely, even impossible, that
a layperson can achieve liberation
The best outcome the laity can hope
for is to be reborn in the monastic life.
Mahayana Buddhism:
The "Greater Vehicle"
More liberal, accessible interpretation of Buddhism
Is a path available to people from all walks of life - not just
monks and ascetics
North Asia and the Far East (China, Japan,
Korea, Tibet and Mongolia)
Accept the Pali Canon as sacred scripture with the
Theravadans, but also many other works, the Sutras
Hope to become bodhisatvas, saints who have become
enlightened but who unselfishly delay nirvana to help others
attain it as well, as the Buddha did
Teach that enlightenment can be attained in a single lifetime
The Mahayana form of Buddhism tends to be more religious
in nature than its Theravadan counterpart.
Buddha is seen as a god often. It often includes veneration
of celestial beings, Buddhas and bodhisatvas, ceremonies,
religious rituals, magical rites, and the use of icons, images,
and other sacred objects