buddhism

the buddha's conception

before the buddha was born, he was a bodhisattva in the tushita heaven, where we witnessed the human realm engulfed by darkness and vowed to help people free themselves from suffering. the buddha selected king shudhodhana and queen mahamaya as his parents. maya dreamt that a white elephant holding a lotus flower touched her hip with its trunk and the buddha entered her womb.

hagiographical interpretations of the conception

the buddha's time in tushita heaven shows his great virtue and time spent cultivating his purity. the buddha vowed to help others because of his compassion. the white elephants symbolises his strength and purity

the buddha's conception quotes

'a white elephant is a symbol of royal majesty and authority. a lotus flower is a sign of purity but also enlightenment' - trainor. his rebirths 'demonstrate how the bodhisattva took the opportunity of each rebirth to cultivate generosity, compassion and other noble qualities' - trainor

the buddha's birth

maya carried the baby for 10 months with no complications. on a trip to her family home, she rested in a flowering grove in Lumbini halfway there, where the buddha was birthed from her right sight in a clean and painless way. the newborn walked 7 steps and announced 'i was born for enlightenment and for the good of all that lives'. maya died a week later

hagiographical interpretations of the birth of the buddha

the location shows the buddha's connection to nature, and the buddha's later teachings of the middle way. the painlessness reflects his compassion (karuna) and the cleanness shows his purity. maya's death is a way of preserving her purity. the steps he took indicates the spread of his teachings around the world, and his wisdom and maturity

the buddha's birth quotes

'a remarkable man is deemed to require a remarkable birth' snelling. 'according to theravada tradition, her premature death preserves her womb from being defiled by anything less pure than the bodhisattva' - trainor. 'suggests his liking for simple, natural environments where he could be in harmony with all forms of life' - Harvey

prophecy and early life

following his birth, 7 holy men predicted he would be a strong ruler like his father. another holy man called Asita wept with happiness upon seeing him, recognising 32 signs on his body that affirmed him as a Buddha. another holy man Kondanna predicted he would pursue the truth. his father took measures to ensure he saw no pain or suffering that would lead him to question things.

hagiographical interpretations of the prophecy

the buddha is presented with 2 roles and has to make a choice just like us. he rejects his dharma as a ruler showing self-reliance and detachment from the material world. his father's attempts to shield him from suffering represents our own ignorance and avoidance

the prophecy quote - Williams

'perhaps the key theme illustrated by the life story of the buddha is...the gap between the way things appear to be and the way things really are'

the buddha's life story as a hagiography quote - Williams

'it is not a historical narrative but a hagiography...thus the hagiography as a whole is to be read as an ideological document, reflecting the religious interests of the community'

the buddha's life quote - Michael Pye

'it is simply not possible to explain the origin of early buddhism in a sensible way unless a creative leader such as the buddha is presumed to have lived'

the four sights

restless, the buddha decided to take a journey outside the palace walls one day. he saw four things that changed his life. an old man, a diseased man, and a dead man - siddhartha knew nothing of old age, sickness and death, and this devastated him entirely. however, he also saw a sadhu (holy man), who was old and poor but appeared at peace

what the four sights showed

the old man relates to 2 of the 3 lakshanas: anicca (impermanence) and anatta (no self). the sick man relates to dukkha (suffering/unsatisfaction, 'very subtle feelings of malaise, that life is never quite right' - Snelling). the dead man: samsara (showing him he could take no more pleasure in life). the sadhu: gave him hope, prompted him to leave the palace and discover magga (the middle way)

the buddha's enlightenment - the four watches

1st watch: recollection of past lives (told in the jakatas), and knowledge of the cycle of death and rebirth.

2nd watch: recognition that the cycle of rebirth affects all beings in all worlds, and this is determined by karma

3rd watch: recognition of cycle of causality that leads to death and rebirth, and the means of liberation from this cycle

4th watch: recognition of the state of enlightenment, and the great awakening of the Buddha

the enlightenment - the four jhanas

1: unbroken attention to meditation. 2. detachment becomes more profound, 'a state free from thought'. 3. totally composed and attentive but still conscious. 4. a state beyond pleasure and pain, joy and thought.

the enlightenment - mara's attacks

mara summoned his army, but gautama defeated each division with his 10 paramitas (perfections). mara summoned his daughters to seduce gautama, but he was not tempted. mara claimed there was nobody to testify to the enlightenment, and gautama touched the earth and this was his witness.

enlightenment quotes

'when we become enlightened, we wake up from the sleep of ignorance, from all the misconceptions that we have about ourselves and the world' - Dominique Side. 'words we have at our disposal refer to things in ordinary human experience, not to the things that lie outside it' - Wendy Dossett. 'having myself crossed the ocean of suffering, I must help others to cross it' - Buddha.

how mahayana buddhists see the historical buddha

referred to as shakyamuni buddha, seen as no more or less than other enlightened beings. in nichiren, he is not seen as a historical person but as a representation of buddahood. in zen, attachments to figures and scriptures are discouraged - 'if you come across the buddha in your path, kill him' - Zen Master Lin Chi.

the councils

3 councils were held after the buddha's death. the first was to determine the rules of buddhism and recall his teachings. the second council divided buddhism into 2 groups (mahasangha and sthaviras) as a result of discontentment about rules. the third council was to root out heresy, where the school of theravada was established.

the patimokkha rules

227 rules for monks found in the vinaya pitaka in the pali canon that govern ethical behaviour. chanted by monks on observance days (new and full moons). every monk and nun must attend these ceremonies unless they are very ill

the dasa sila - 10 most important rules

refrain from: taking life, taking what is not given, committing sexual misconduct, engaging in false speech, using intoxicants, eating after midday, participating in worldly amusements, adorning the body with ornaments and using perfume, sleeping on high and luxurious beds, accepting gold and silver

the 4 parajikas - 'defeats'

will lead to exclusion from the sangha: sexual intercourse, taking what is not given, taking life, false claims of supernatural powers or enlightenment. known as defeats because the monastic life has defeated the person, and it is better to live as a lay person who can perform some of these acts.

different rules and precepts for different levels

ten precepts are taken by the monastic sangha and are seen as training rules. lay Buddhists might choose to observe the first eight precepts as a part of intensive Buddhist meditation and practice and during Uposatha Days (festival days determined by the lunar calendar). All Buddhists would undertake to follow the first five precepts which are called the panca sila.

the patimokkha - quotes

'akin to a legal code, to a code of professional conduct, and to a set of training rules for a spiritual athlete' - Peter Harvey. 'Buddhist ethics are not codified into a rigid moral code; nor are they about making judgements and arousing sin and guilt.' - Snelling. 'Healthy self-esteem comes from living up to a set of standards that are practical, clear-cut, humane, and worthy of respect' - thanisarro bhikku

the tipitaka

the pali canon. means 3 baskets: the vinaya (basket of discipline), the sutta (basket of discourse), the abidhamma (basket of higher teachings).

importance of the tipitaka for theravada

very important, as it contains the buddhas' life story and teachings. vinaya helps maintain the structure of the sangha. abidhamma is less often studied

importance of the tipitaka for mahayana

less important though will vary between different schools. more likely to study mahayana scriptures (lotus and heart sutras). zen buddhists do not study scriptures much at all, finding them a distraction from the path

the vinaya pitaka

recited at the first council by upali. contains rules laid down by the buddha and divided into 3 sections: suttavibhanga (the 227 rules for monks), the khandhaka (rules governing the sangha), and a summary of all the rules for examination purposes

the sutta pitaka

recited at the first council by Ananda. contains discourses of the buddha and divided into 3 sections by length and subject matter: digha nikaya (long dialogues), majihima nikaya (medium dialogues), samyutta nikaya (kindred sayings), anguttara nikaya (gradual sayings / short discourses), khuddaka nikaya (15 small texts including the dhammapada poem and the jataka tales).

the abidhamma pitaka

established at the third council by Ashoka. philosophical treatment of the dharma, for more scholarly buddhists. contains 7 different works including buddhists psychology and controversial points of doctrine

the lotus sutra

mahayana buddhist text particularly popular with chinese and japanese buddhists and in nichiren. unknown author, buddha is thought of as spiritual author

3 main teachings of the lotus sutra

1. buddahood for all: everyone has buddha-nature, and this is our natural state. 2. upaya: skilful means, all teachings before the lotus sutra were provisional. 3. ekayana: one vehicle, only one true path to enlightenment and this is the mahayana way

parable of the burning house

allegory used in chapter 3 of the lotus sutra. wealthy man with 3 children, fire breaks out, man uses expedient means to tempt the children out.

the heart sutra

mahayana text - a prajnaparamita sutra (perfection of wisdom), only 40 lines (easy to learn). 2 main characters: Avalokitesvara (bodhisattva of compassion) and Sariputra (chief disciple who is taught wisdom by Ava). Sariputra was wise but didn't know the fully revealed teachings

teaching of sunyata

Avalokitesvara, who is 'coursing in the deep journey of the perfection of wisdom', has understood that the skandhas are empty, and this knowledge, gained through viapassana (insight) has freed him from suffering. Professor Janice Wiles points out that this should not be a despairing void, but rather sunyata is the understanding that everything is empty of independent reality and existence. this is the more developed version of anatta (no self)

interconnectedness

'form is emptiness and emptiness is form' - everything is interconnected, nothing exists independently. Thich Nhat Hanh's flower analogy: the flower is not empty - it is full of sun, rain, oxygen etc., but it is empty of its own inherent existence. inter-being of everything

teaching of the two truths

conventional truth is the unenlightened mindset, viewing the world as full of distinctive things and creatures. ultimate truth is that there are no distinctive things, no path, no wisdom, and no attainment. the mantra at the end of the heart sutra is sometimes understood as 'gone, gone, gone beyond, what an awakening, all hail'.

thich nhat hanh

born 1926, died 2022, a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk who preached peace. studied and taught comparative religion at Columbia and Princeton and has written over 100 books. was exiled from Viet in 1966 after opposing the war so travelled to US and Europe asking for peace. formed the Unified Buddhist Church in France, and Plum Village (a meditation centre in South France)

thich nhat hanh's teachings

interbeing and ecology: we are interconnected. he led thousands of followers to eating vegan, 'we cannot separate humans from the environment'. stopping (shamatha - stabilising the mind) and looking deeply (vipashyana - turnng away from delusion and to reality). mindfulness in simple everyday practices like teeth-brushing, breathing, walking. 'mindfulness allows you to live deeply in every moment'.

the fourteenth dalai lama (tenzin gyatso)

spiritual and social leader of Tibet, born 1935, was recognised as the reincarnation of the dalai lama at age 2. received the nobel prize in 1989 for his efforts to negotiate peace between tibet and china.

dalai lama's teachings

'whether one believes in a religion or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion'. compassion, central to buddhism (karuna). social engagement: taking action to promote positive change

the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta

The Buddha's first sermon after his awakening, in the Deer Park, meaning 'setting the wheel of dharma in motion', outlining the Four Noble Truths, the first of which is dukkha

dukkha and anicca

dukkha: the human condition, translated as suffering but this is 'a highly unsatisfactory and misleading' meaning (Rahula). touches everything that exists. the absence of satisfaction, brought on by the fact that everything is impermanent (anicca). anicca: all things are dependent on causes and conditions, and therefore do not stay forever. example of flowers placed by buddhists on shrines - dependent on water for existence, will one day dry up and die.

Nagasena and Milinda's conversation in the Milindapanha, showing anatta

King Milinda asks Nagasena his name, to which he replies 'I am known as Nagasena [which is] only a generally understood term'. Milinda says 'if there be no permanent individuality involved, who is it who devotes himself to meditation?'. He exhausts every physical and mental phenomena that could be 'Nagasena' and concludes that Nagasena does not exist. Milinda assumes that Nagasena is asserting nihilism, but Nagasena did not say this - he just said 'no person can here be apprehended'

Nagasena's example of the chariot

Nagasena explains using the chariot: what makes the chariot? is it the pole, the axle, the wheels? Milinda answers that it is none of these things, but nothing outside of these things either. He understands now that the term 'Nagasena', 'like chariot', applies to a collective process of materials giving the impression of Nagasena or the chariot

anatta

the buddhist concept of 'no-self'. most religions argue for a soul which is eternal, but buddhism argues that the self is an illusion created by the five skhandhas (bundles): form, sensations, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness.

quotes on 3 lakshanas

'Even the most beautiful experience has a melancholy undertone simply because we know it can't last' - Snelling. 'Belief in one's own identity is a form of selfish clinging that leads to suffering and anxiety.' - Bartley. 'According to Buddhism, mind is nothing but a complex compound of fleeting mental states' - Narada Thera

pratityasamutpada

'dependent origination' - every cause has an effect in an unending cycle. Existence and time are cyclical rather than linear, and there is no original starting point.

rebirth

the buddha rejected reincarnation (no atman) but believed in rebirth - the process of cause and effect. the 5 skhandhas are 'ever subject to change and re-birth' (Etienne Lamotte). analogy of the candle (one flame lighting the next candle, not same flame but influenced by first).

the bhavachakra - the wheel of existence

Yama (god of death) holds the wheel up to us like a mirror. at the centre of the wheel are the three poisons: ignorance (the pig), greed (the cockerel) and hatred (the snake).

outer circle shows Pratityasamutpada through 12 images (nidanas), like the boat with 4 passengers symbolising the skhandhas, and the blind man symbolising ignorance.

The next circle shows the six realms of rebirth: the human realm (best since here most spiritual progress can be made), the animal realm, the hell realm, the Preta (hungry ghost - too greedy in previous lives, cannot be satisfied now) realm, the asura (demi-god) realm, the deva (god) realm (beings live in luxury but are distracted from nirvana). Outside of the wheel, the Buddha points to the moon - liberation from samsara.

karma

sanskrit word meaning action. good volitional action with motives of compassion and wisdom \= good karmic fruits. the natural law of cause and effect. karma determines rebirth (eg. in a heavenly realm).

dhammapada chapter 1 and 9

1, the pairs: karma involves not just our actions but also our thoughts. if our thoughts are impure, we will have negative karma. 9, evil: the person that does good may not feel happy until their fruits ripen, but then they will rejoice in the pleasant results, and the same for evil action

parable of the poisoned arrow

a man wounded with a poisoned arrow refuses to have the arrow removed until questions are answered, like who shot it, what feathers were used, etc. The Buddha explained that the man would die before all his questions were answered.

means that time should not be wasted on metaphysical questions about the universe, these are avyakata (unanswered questions). Instead, a person should focus on removing the three poisons in order to achieve nirvana.

quotes on pratityasamutpada, karma, rebirth

'We are responsible for our own deeds, happiness and misery....we ourselves are our own kamma.' - Narada Thera.

'Kamma determines the sphere of rebirth, wholesome actions bringing rebirth in higher forms, unwholesome actions rebirth in lower forms.' - Bhikkhu Bodhi.

'What, religiously, we need to know is soteriological rather than metaphysical.' - Hick

first stage of arhat awakening

the stream enterer (sotapanna): strong confidence and dedication to the path, motivated to continue and won't regress, may still be susceptible to 3 fires. have broken several fetters, including belief in a self. will achieve nirvana in less than 7 rebirths, and 'the path to unfortunate rebirth destinations has been closed to them' - Rattana Sutta.

second stage of arhat awakening

the once returner (sakadagami): stronger understanding of the nature of life, ability to detach from physical self, broken fetters of lust and hatred. likely to be reborn once more in a higher realm

third stage of arhat awakening

non-returner (anagami): free from first 5 fetters and working on removal of last 5. will not return to human realm, but may be reborn several times into the divine realms

fourth stage of arhat awakening

arhat: destroyed all 10 fetters, have followed the path of the buddha and perfected the eightfold path, will achieve Nirvana upon death

the ten fetters

belief in a self, doubts over teachings, belief in the value of rituals, lust, hatred, desire for life in the realm of form, desire for life in the formless realm, pride, restlessness, ignorance

the brahma-viharas

4 sublime states of mind that the arhat is said to also embody: loving-kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita), equanimity (upekha)

quote from Harvey on the Arhat

'He or she who is fully endowed with all the factors of the path and has quenched the fires of defilements. He has overcome the disease of dukkha.'

the bodhisattva in mahayana

in mahayana, a person already has tathagatagarbha but needs to awaken their bodhicitta (wisdom-heart). the bodhisattva stays in samsara to help all sentient beings achieve enlightenment

the 6 paramitas and the 10 bhumis

the six paramitas (perfections): dana, sila, kshanti (patience), virya (energy), dhyana (meditation), prajna. 10 bhumis (stages), developing prajna and karuna: 1st bhumi involves understanding sunyata and giving everything away, the person can achieve nibbana at the 6th bhuni but stays in the world to help all beings, and 10th bhuni the person arises as a Buddha.

the bodhisattva vow

the bodhisattva vow is taken to dedicate oneself to the path and express bodhicitta. the most basic form is 'May I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings'.

quotes on bodhisattva

'The Bodhicitta is present in the hearts of all sentient beings. Only in Buddhas it is fully awakened and active.' - Suzuki. 'The bodhisattva vow is the commitment to put others before oneself.' - Trungpa

the 3 types of dukkha

dukkha-dukkha (ordinary suffering): includes old age, death, separation from loved ones, grief etc.

viparinama-dukkha (produced by change): impermanence of happiness and pleasure.

sankhara-dukkha (contingent nature of existence): conditioned state whereby the impermanence and rise+fall of everything takes place outside of human control, producing suffering

the medical metaphor

illustrates the four noble truths: the buddha is the physician who diagnoses the illness as dukkha, identifies the cause as tanha, tells us that the illness can be ceased (nirodha), and the treatment for the illness which is magga

tanha, nirodha, magga

tanha: craving/thirst as a result of the 3 fires, a craving for existence and also non-existence.

nirodha: overcoming of tanha and dukkha, achievement of nirvana (which is undefinable).

magga: the way, which can be followed through the eightfold path once a person has accepted the first 3 truths

the eightfold path

the fourth noble truth - the cure for suffering. known as the middle way (magga), a balance between luxury and asceticism. path is often presented as a wheel with spokes, and the path should not be followed in a specific order but all aspects should be practiced all the time

the eightfold path: wisdom (panna)

right understanding (view): understanding the teachings of impermanence and no self.

right thought (intention): correct motivation, movement away from selfish thoughts and towards compassion.

the eightfold path: morality (sila)

right speech: not telling lies, slandering, swearing, 'if one cannot say something useful one should keep noble silence' (Rahula).

right action: the panca sila (refrain from taking life, misuse of the senses etc.).

right livelihood: principle of ahisma (harmlessness), no career that harms people, animals, or environment.

the eightfold path: meditation (samadhi)

right effort: Rahula defines effort as the energetic will to prevent evil and unwholesome states of minds from arising, produce good states of mind, develop them

right mindfulness: awareness of the world, our inner motivations, dispelling greed+hatred+ignorance etc.

right concentration: proper use of meditation, gaining insight into the true nature of reality

eightfold path in theravada vs mahayana

theravada: eightfold path is the way to enlightenment so is practiced fully within the monastic sangha - a bhikku lives a life of poverty (but does not go to extremes of fasting) to focus on detachment. mahayana: may focus on eightfold path but with certain emphasis that differs from theravada, as the way to enlightenment is through the 6 paramitas.

quote on eightfold path - damien keown

'steers a course between a life of indulgence and one of harsh austerity' 'the eightfold path is thus a path of self-transformation: an intellectual, emotional, and moral re-structuring'

the dasa sila

set of 10 major ethical principles found in the Vinaya Pitaka, within the Pali Canon. includes the panca sila, five basic precepts followed by the lay Buddhists: refrain from destroying living creatures; refrain from taking that which is not given; refrain from sexual misconduct; refrain from incorrect speech; refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs. Lay Buddhists may also follow the first eight precepts (the atanga sila) during periods of intensive meditation practice and during Uposatha Days (festival days determined by the lunar calendar): refrain from eating at the forbidden time; refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainment, wearing garlands, using perfumes; refrain from lying on a high or luxurious place. The 10 precepts of the dasa sila are followed by novice monks, bhikkus, and nuns, bhikkunis, and are comprised of the panca sila, atanga sila and the precept of refrain from accepting gold and silver.

the dasa sila for theravada

The dasa sila are within the Patimokka, a set of 227 rules followed only by fully ordained monks and nuns, on Uposatha days, the Theravada Sangha recites these rules. Theravada Buddhists also recite the dasa sila publicly when first committing to the monastic path - this shows that they are fully committed to aspiring to achieve enlightenment, as the Buddha did.

how different people interpret the precepts

Thanissaro Bhikkhu warns that altering the precepts too much sets impossible standards that defeat the whole basis of the precepts. Peter Harvey argues that the first precept that focuses on non harm of living creatures includes within it the idea of any form of injury as 'clearly against the spirit of the precept', and goes on to say that the second precept of not taking that which is not given also includes 'fraud, cheating, forgery and falsely denying that one is in debt'. Harvey's take on the third precept alters it to 'suffering caused by sexual behaviour', and 'any form of lying, deception or exaggeration' is incorporated into the fourth precept. The fifth precept, he says, should be thought of as avoidance of anything that causes an extreme lack of focus.

the importance of the 5th precept - the analogy of the thai monk

upon being challenged to break a precept, he chose the fifth, thinking it would cause the least direct harm. However, once becoming drunk, he lost control to the point of breaking the other four precepts.

ottappa and hiri

Breaking the precepts leads to varied levels of demerit, or negative karmic influence - this is often dependent on your intentions. The term ottappa, meaning complete awareness, is often used to refer to the important of Buddhists being aware of their actions and their motives behind them. When breaking a precept, the term hiri, meaning shame rather than guilt, is generally used. Buddhists are encouraged to recognise their mistakes, learn from them, and move on - dwelling on them would only reinforce the ego and sense of self.

nichiren

born 1222, became ordained at age 16 and given a name meaning lotus garden. he became confused with the diversity within the sects of buddhism in japan, and at age 18 left for Kamakura to study for 3 years, where he found the truth in the sutras. at age 32 decided the lotus sutra contained the true teachings, and the law of life was nam-myoho-renge-kyo

nichiren practice

1. regularly chanting nam-myoho-renge-kyo (daimoku) and reciting chapter 2 and 16 of lotus sutra (gongyo). 2. studying: nichiren's letters and writings, commentaries from scholars. not an intellectual practice - about deepening one's understanding. 3. taking action for change: living by Buddhist principles, relies on power of inner transformation, accepting responsibility for our own lives

nichiren quote on study

'Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study there is no Buddhism'.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

devotion to the mystic law of the lotus sutra. nam: sanskrit word 'namas', to devote oneself, awaken, summon up, or draw force (different approaches at different times). myoho: relationship between the spiritual essence of life (myo) and the physical manifestation (ho) - all things have myo and ho. renge: lotus flower - a beautiful flower that flourishes in muddy environments, symbolising our potential to become enlightened despite suffering. kyo: translates to sutra/teaching, or vibration/sound, chinese originally meant the thread that links all together

the gohonzon

a box/cupboard containing a scroll with NMRK written on it - a point of focus for practice. called the 'true' object of worship because it can reorientate lives and enable happiness. draws out Buddahood which was already within us. Nichiren describes it as 'an object for observing one's mind', compares it to a mirror that enables us to 'look internally'.

the three great secret laws

secret because they are hidden within ch16 of lotus sutra, they cannot be understood by the intellect alone, and were not revealed before Nichiren. 1: the invocation (chanting). 2: the object of devotion (gohonzon). 3: the sanctuary (place where the object is).

rinzai zen - koans

introduced to Japan by Eisai from China. mainly successful among the samurai (higher classes). koan: Chinese idea meaning 'public notice'. short paradoxical riddles or longer stories, whose purpose is to disrupt the sequence of logical thought and bring about enlightenment by inducing an altered state of consciousness. most well-known koan is 'what is the sound of one hand clapping'. 'the koan consciously or unconsciously includes a moment of questioning and doubt' - D. T. Suzuki.

soto zen - zazen

introduced by Dogen, became more popular amongst the masses - 'this religious genius gave Zen both an identity fully separate from Tendai and a more Japanese form' (Harvey). Dogen was critical of neglect of sutras, but only if they were used to support practices. he promoted zazen, sitting meditation 'as a means of return to the true Buddhism of the Buddha'. one must sit in the lotus position with a straight back and palms together, staring at a wall with eyes open because zen does not reject the material world. the aim is to sit without thinking, or holding on to thoughts

main teachings of zen

1. seeing the world as it really is - the non-duality of all things, nirvana not separate from samsara but simply samsara in its true light.
2. identity between oneself and Buddha - one does not have to become Buddha because all already possess Buddha-nature.
3. giving spiritual value to everyday life - behaviour should be natural and spontaneous, springing from our Buddha-nature so the correct thing is always done at the right time.
4. truth cannot be translated fully into language, but passed from mind to mind - 'a direct transmission outside tradition and outside scripture; no dependence on words'. zen has often been critical of scripture (eg. Te Shan who burned all scriptures as soon as he reached enlightenment)

pure land buddhism

the most popular form of buddhism in china, particularly among the laity. based on the 3 main sutras related to Amitabha / Amidha Buddha. pure land buddhists do not only seek nirvana, but also rebirth in the pure land (paradise of Amitabha) also called Sukhavati. in the pure land, negative karma ceases and nirvana is close. pure land buddhism focuses on the idea that we are in 'latter day dharma' and cannot become enlightened on our own, so we have to depend on the grace of Amitabha

pure land buddhism practices

as pure land focuses more on faith and practice than scripture and teachings, it is more accessible for the masses - lower classes could engage in faith through constant repetition and chanting, known as nembetsu: 'namu amida butsu', meaning 'i take refuge in amitabha'. this brings the buddha to the conscious mind. there are 3 different ways of reciting the nembetsu: junen (recitation 10 ten times), nembetsu ichie (as many times as possible), and sanshorai (3 times slowly with a deep bow, repeated 3 times making 9). one must also do the gassho before reciting - palms together in front of chest, with a rosary (juzu) over the hands.

japanese buddhism quotes

'By reciting Amida's name...no doubt this will lead to rebirth in the Pure Land.' - Honen. 'Nichiren...wove the narrative of the Lotus Sutra into his own age.' - Deal and Ruppert

reasons for the spread of buddhism to the west + Britain

Edward Arnold's poem 'The Light of Asia' based on the life of the Buddha helped introduce Buddhism to the english-speaking Victorians. at the beginning of the 20th century, Charles Bennett became first British ordained monk and the Buddhist Society of England was founded by Christmas Humphreys. in the 60s/70s, the first Tibetan centre in Britain was established (samye ling) - Tibetan Buddhism's colourful art and rituals appealed to young people absorbed in 'hippie culture'. Sangharakshita also founded the WBO, the first Buddhist tradition to begin in Britain

soka gakkai

nichiren buddhist school meaning society for the creation of value. began as an organisation of reformist japanese educators inspired by nichiren. founder Makiguchi wanted to help people lead fulfilled and happy lives - he was imprisoned for opposing military policies and died in prison but his protege Toda studied the lotus sutra diligently and rebuilt soka gakkai. soka gakkai is popular in western culture and even with celebrities like boy george and tina turner. practices are chanting are daimoku, gongyo, and group study and practice

new kadampa tradition

Tibetan - western branch of Dalai Lama's. in 1991, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso founded the tradition to promote Kadampa Buddhism, a mahayana buddhist school that follows the instructions of the Lamrim (the stages of the path to enlightenment) to put the Buddha's teachings into practice. Geshe-la promotes inner peace as the solution to all problems: 'We all wish for world peace, but world peace will never be achieved unless we first establish peace within our own minds'. Geshe-la is opposed to the Dalai Lama and his role in Buddhism, believes that he has corrupted it. practices include meditation, creation of Buddhist art like mandalas, tantric practice, and study

Triratna (FWBO)

Western Buddhism - founded by an English man, Dennis Lingwood, now known as Sangharakshita, who lived in India for 20 years where he was ordained and study with many Buddhist teachers. he felt that Buddhism was too corrupted with cultural accretions and needed to be more faithful to traditional Buddhism. felt that Buddha never intended for the developments of the Bodhisattva and Arhat paths. focus on samatha meditation but discourage vipassana. importance of 3 jewels is stressed, engagement with the arts and local communities

quotes on historical development of Buddhism

'a religion for our time' - Ani Rinchen Khandro.

'Virtually every school of Buddhism is represented online these days....There are myriad ways in which anyone hoping to cultivate an awakened mind can nurture the impulse.' - House.

'The history of Buddhism in Britain sits within the context of Buddhism's changing relationship with the West and the gradual decline of Christianity.' - Bluck

Buddhism and feminism - kisa gotami and maha pajapati

the story of Kisa Gotami: the Buddha listened to Gotami when everyone else dismissed her and called her crazy - he did not discriminate on who he taught.

Maha Pajapati and the first nuns: Buddha initially refused his stepmother's request to become a nun, only relenting after Ananda questioned if there was any reason women could not achieve enlightenment. however, he still made her agree to eight garudhammas (grave rules) that affirmed women as inferior to men. Rev Nakai says the historical Buddha was a man of his time, after all.

'Discussion of women in early Buddhism mirrored old cultural stereotypes that collided with Buddhist principles of liberation for all beings.' - Schireson

the dragon king's daughter

dragon king's daughter was able to attain buddahood through faith in the lotus sutra, the most complex and difficult to understand text. she was very young but clever and pure of heart. the men were amazed that she had done this without numerous rebirths, and because she was a mortal and a woman. to prove herself, she offered shakyamuni a precious jewel and subsequently turned into a man and flew up to the heavens. shows that anyone is capable of achieving enlightenment - however, she was only able to come to the heavens once she had physically become a man

women and buddahood, w quotes

it is stated in the Bahudhauka-sutta that there could never be a female Buddha, and Mahayana sutras maintain that women can become enlightened but not in female form. The Dalai Lama has said the next lama could be a woman, but only if she is attractive so people would listen to her, and said 'if a woman reveals herself as more useful the lama could very well be reincarnated in this form'.

'Women have almost no voice in Buddhist institutions' - Karma Lekshe.

'We are different but opportunities should be equal' - Venerable Dr Yifa.

Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo

born 1943 in Hertfordshire, moved to India at age 20 where she taught English before meeting her root lama (teacher). became the 2nd western woman to be ordained in the Vajrayana tradition (not full ordination until 10 years later because she was a woman). was the only nun at Khamtrul Rinpoche's monastery - faced a lot of restriction and the monks even prayed for her to be reborn as a man. after 6 years, she left to go to the cave, where she lived for 12 years (3 in total isolation). she grew her own food and practiced deep meditation. upon emerging, she committed herself to equal rights for Buddhist nuns, and opened the Dongyu Gatsal Ling nunnery in 2000, which focuses on the education and training of women from Tibet and Himalayan regions.