Transcript Buddhism ver 4x

Buddhism
Preface to the Four Noble Truths:
The Middle Path
Two extremes to be avoided:
(1) Hedonism
(2) Asceticism
This Middle Path is the Noble
Eightfold Path, namely, Right Views,
Right Intent, Right Speech, Right
Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right
Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right
Concentration . . . .
By avoiding these two
extremes, we discover a
Middle Path, a path which
opens the eyes, which
bestows understanding,
and which leads to peace
of mind, to wisdom, to
full enlightenment, to
Nirvana.
1. The Noble Truth of Suffering
Birth is suffering, aging and deterioration is
suffering, disease is suffering, death is suffering.
The presence of hateful objects is suffering; the
absence of lovable objects is suffering; not getting
what we desire [i.e., getting what we don’t want
and not getting what we do want] is suffering. To
put it briefly, the clinging [attachment] to
existence is suffering.
2. The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering
The cause is the selfish craving [tanha, “thirst,”
“desire”] that leads to rebirth and which is
accompanied by lust for pleasure, seeking
satisfaction now here, now there. This selfish
craving takes three main forms: (a) craving for
pleasure, (b) craving for [continued] existence, and
(c) craving for non-existence.*
*Some traditions make (c) a craving for
prosperity or for personal happiness.
3. The Noble Truth of the Cessation
of Suffering
Suffering ceases with the complete cessation of selfish
craving – a cessation which consists in the absence of
every passion [nirvana, “no passion,” the “blowing
out” of tanha]. Suffering ceases with the laying aside
of, the giving up of, the being free from, the dwelling
no longer upon this selfish craving.
4. The Noble Truth of the Path that
leads to the cessation of suffering
It is the Noble Eightfold Path, that is
to say, Right Views, Right Intent,
Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right
Livelihood, Right Effort, Right
Mindfulness, and Right
Concentration.
Elaboration of the Noble Eightfold
Path
Wisdom (prajna)
Morality (sila)
Meditation (samadhi)
• Right thought (Samma ditthi)
• Right understanding (Samma sankappa)
• Right speech (Samma vaca)
• Right conduct (Samma kammanta)
• Right livelihood (Samma ajiva)
• Right mental attitude (Samma vayama)
• Right mindfulness (Samma sati)
• Right concentration (Samma samadhi)
Right Thought
Right Understanding
Right Speech
To Know the Truth
To Intend to resist evil
To not say anything to hurt others
Determining and resolving to practice Buddhist faith.
Understanding that the 4 Noble Truths are noble & true
Avoiding slander, gossip, lying, and all forms of untrue and abusive
speech.
Right Conduct
To respect life, property, and morality
Adhering to the idea of nonviolence (ahimsa), as well as refraining from
any form of stealing or sexual impropriety.
Right Livelihood
To work at a job that does not injure others
Not slaughtering animals or working at jobs that force you to violate
others.
Right Mental Attitude To try and free one’s mind from evil
Avoiding negative thoughts and emotions, such as anger and jealousy.
Right Mindfulness
To be in control of one’s feelings & thoughts Having a clear sense of one’s mental state and bodily health and
feelings.
Right Concentration To practice appropriate forms of concentration Using meditation to reach the highest level of enlightenment.
After the Buddha…
• The Buddha did not choose a
successor
• Preferring for his followers to choose a
path & search for enlightenment within
themselves
• A council of monks convened to
resolve differing views on the direction
of faith
• Many sects of Buddhism emerged—in
part because of disputes over monastic
disciplines
• Buddha’s teachings were written down
400 years after his death. Most popular
known as the Triptaka or Pali Canon
2 Schools of Buddhism
THERAVADA
MAHAYANA
“Doctrine of the Elders”
“Greater Vehicle”
• Emphasizes a solitary life of personal
• Buddha-hood can be obtained without
• Reveres the way of renunciation—
• Nirvana can be brought into existence
religious discipline
rigorous, purifying lifestyle for the sake
of spiritual goals
• Arhat: holy person who attains
enlightenment thru solitude & ascetic
practices
necessarily renouncing the world
in the present moment
• Focuses more on the importance of
compassion & service to others
• Badhisattva: one who deserves Nirvana
but postpones entry until all sentient
beings are rescued from Samsara
Vajrayana Buddhism
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Known as the “Diamond Vehicle”
Originated in 500 CE in India
Came out of the Mahayana School
Quickly immigrated to Tibet
Led by gurus or lamas
The most famous of which the
Dali Lama
What is Zen?
• It is a form of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes wisdom
attained through experience.
• Zen is often thought of as a religion though it has no sacred
scriptures, texts, dogma, or divine being.
• To know Zen is to experience and practice it, not study it. Zen is
practiced through meditation.
Zen is an experience
• A Zen experience is one
where you are completely
focused and the rest of the
world fades away.
A Zen Story (Koan)
…is a story, dialogue, question,
or statement, which is used in
Zen practice to provoke the
"great doubt" and test a
student's progress in Zen
practice.
Zazen
(literally) seated meditation. It is a
meditative discipline that is
typically the primary religious
practice. The precise meaning
and method of zazen varies
from school to school, but in
general it can be regarded as a
means of insight into the nature
of existence.—from wikipedia
Zen does not hold that…
• there is a god apart from the
universe that created the universe
and man to enjoy and master it. In
Zen, the universe and man are one
indissoluble existence like sugar
added and stirred to coffee. Every
human act of individuality is only a
temporary manifestation, or better
yet, each person is a cell to the
functioning of the body/universe.
“We have more possibilities available
in each moment than we realize.”
--Thich Nhat Hanh
12 Essentials to Living Zen
taken from zenhabits.net
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Do one thing at a time.
Do it slowly & deliberately
Do it completely
Do less
Put space between things
Develop rituals
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Designate time for certain things
Devote time to sitting
Smile and serve others
Make cleaning & cooking meditation
Think about what’s necessary
Live simply
“Before enlightenment chop wood &
carry water. After enlightenment,
chop wood & carry water.”
--Wu Li
Haikus
• Short poems notable to Zen, which are 3 lines long.
• The first and third lines are both 5 syllables in length, while the
second is 7 syllables.
• The structure is not absolute.
Ex:
All the rains of June:
And one evening, secretly,
Through the pines, the moon.