Ch.5 Buddhism

what 4 people came from the axial age?

mahavira, buddha, laozi, confucius

who is the buddha?

Siddhartha Gautama

who is Siddhartha Gautama (563 BCE - 483BCE)?

• born in modern-day nepal in the warrior noble caste

• son of a prince of the shakiya tribe - royalty

• very well taken care of

Siddhartha Gautama’s mommy

• maya, had a vision of a white elephant entering her side and Siddhartha was born from her other side. 

• died two years after giving birth

four passing sites

• old man, crooked and toothless

• sick man, wasted by disease

• corpse being taken for cremation

• sannyasin who seemed to be at peace 

the great renunciation

• renounce his caste and left home and family

• spent 6 years as a sannyasin seeking enlightenment and inner peace

• practiced asceticism - living on little food, drink and sleep with 5 other “seekers”

bodhi tree experience

• asceticism isn’t brining any answers

• temped by Mara with sensuality

• at dawn, he reached enlightenment 

• “buddha” - the awakened one

Buddhist teachings

• the middle path - everything in moderation

• the fire sermon - “everything is burning”

• 3 evils 

  • fire of greed

  • fire of hatred

  • fire of delusion

4 noble truths

1. everything is suffering - physical, emotional, mental

2. suffering is caused by ignorance and cravings

3. to end suffering, you must end the craving

   • the cessation of craving is called nirvana

4. the way to end craving is the Eightfold path

what do paths did people think buddha had?

world leader or world teacher. parents wanted him to follow world leader because it was in line with his dharma. his father protected him heavily from the outside world. 

the eightfold path

1. correct understanding - understand how the world works

2. correct intention (motive) - always compassion

3. correct speech - say truths, uplifting

4. correct action - don’t do bad things, basic morality

5. correct work - do good job that benefits people 

6. correct effort - don’t burn out

7. correct mindfulness - awareness and perception

8. correct meditation - alleviates stress/mental suffering 

what type of religion is buddhism?

nontheistic - focuses on this world problems

buddha’s teachings

• rejects caste system - everyone’s equal

• denies authority of priestly class

• denies authority of scriptures - over 3000

• karma applies to thoughts and intentions too

how is your character determined?

1. your thoughts determines your attitude

2. your attitude determines your actions

3. your actions determines your habits

4. your habits determines your character

nirvana idea

similar to moksha in hinduism, but not with god. you become one with the universe. 

3 marks of reality

1. constant change - everything is always in flux

2. emptiness - no permanent identity of anything; “no permanent soul” or “no self” → in sanskrit, anatman means “no atman”

3. insatiability - nothing can satisfy our cravings, in sanskrit → dukkha means “suffering” or “sorrow”

nirvana meaning

existence beyond limitation

• “to extinguish”

• “to blow out”

3 virtues

1. wisdom

2. compassion

3. generosity

5 moral concepts

1. no harm (ahisma)

2. no stealing

3. no sexual misconduct

4. no lying

5. no intoxicants - no drugs and alcohol

additional restrictions for monks

• no eating after noon

• no sleeping on soft beds

• no handling of money

the 3 jewels

1. the buddha - an idea human being whom other human beings should imitate

2. the dharma - the sum total of Buddhist teachings on how to live in peace. everyone has the same dharma - follow the way of the buddha. the scriptures become the dharma

3. sangha - the community of monks and nuns

• bowing down 3 time and chanting these 

the spread of buddhism

• first buddhist council (483 BCE)

• second buddhist council (383 BCE)

• King Ashoka on India

  • comes from Maurya dynasty

  • convers to buddhism

  • self proclaimed “righteous king” → made buddhism popular

  • sent missionaries to southeast asia

buddhist history

buddha, 1st buddhist council, 2nd buddhist council, ashoka → 3 branches 

3 branches 

• Theravada - conservative buddhism

  • “the way of the Elders”

• Mahayana - moderate buddhism

  • means “big vehicle”

• Vajrayana - liberal buddhism (tibetan buddhism)

  • means “vehicle of the diamond”

Theravada

• the arhant ideal - person who finds liberation through self-dicipline and detached wisdom. 

• women are not allowed to become monks

• focuses on the Buddha’s earliest teachings 

  • only accpet the Pali Canon → Pali language

Scriptures

• pali canon or tripitaka - means “3 baskets”

  • vinaya - procedural rules for monastic life

  • sutra - comprises sayings and sermons of the buddha

  • abhidharma - meaning “advanced teachings” 

  • jataka tales - stories about buddha’s past lives

Mahayana branch (largest)

• allow women to become monks

• the bodhisattva ideal - a person who achieves nirvana but stays behind to help others 

• nirvana is to be found within samsara

• goal - love and compassion for others

• introduces new scriptures from buddha 

  • lotus sutra - basic buddhist orthodoxy

Zen (mahayana sect)

• zen - “meditation”

• japenese buddhism

• zen garden - things are important

Vajrayana Branch

• dalai lama - “ocean teacher”

• king of tibet

• in exile

• bodhisattvas