Buddhism

Buddhism Basics

• Originated in India as an offshoot of Hinduism
• Believes that the human condition is sick and needs a cure
• Gautama Buddha “the enlightened one”
• Stories of Buddha’s life were recorded centuries after his death
  • Born around 560 BCE, died around 480 BCE
  • Warrior Class; Feudal Lord (very privileged)
  • Parents made sure he never encountered any suffering

The Four Passing Sights

• Left home to see the world in his early 20’s
  • Parents got rid of slums etc. to ensure that Buddha didn’t see anything that would distress him; didn’t work

1. Elderly

2. Disease

3. Death

4. Ascetic

   1. Someone who draws away from worldly/physical pleasures to develop spiritually

• At age 29, Buddha left the castle and everything he knew
  • “The [Great] Going Forth”
  • left to solve old age/disease/death
• Attempts to solve old age and death
  • Solitude
  • Extreme fasting
  • Yoga
  • Comes up with the Middle Way

The Middle Way

• Rejection both extremes of life (sensual indulgence and asceticism)
  • Don’t live excessively or completely ignore your own needs
• Spiritual health and physical health are united

Enlightenment

• Sat in Lotus position under Bodhi Tree (Wisdom Tree)
• Battled Gods, Death, Discontent, Delight, Desire
  • Each of these tempts him off the path of Enlightenment, so he has to overcome them

Stages of Enlightenment

• 1: Can see past lives through meditation
• 2: See death/rebirth of all things
• 3: The Four Noble Truths are revealed

Temptation

• Buddha was tempted to pass into Nirvana but resists
  • Nirvana: The extinction/letting go of any desires and individual self-worth
  • Buddha was compassionate and teaching
  • Described self as “awake”

Buddhism in Practice

Buddha’s Followers

• 5 people followed him and became saints (arhats)
• Founded Sanga

3 Jewels of Buddhism

1. Buddha: Founded Buddhism

2. Dharma: Teachings of Buddha, how he lived his life

   1. The universe is eternally created and destroyed (Hinduism)

      1. Were many Buddhas before and many will follow
      2. Samsara: The continuous cycle of birth and death

   2. Rejects sacrificial system to the gods/goddesses

   3. Rejects caste system and segmentation of society; allows women to have status

   4. Rejects education (barrier to entry for religion; not accessible for everyone)

      1. Wrote in Pali: the ancient language of common Indians

   5. Center of Dharma wheel = spiritual balance achieved through teachings

3. Sangha: The community and life of person themself

Destiny

• Discover inner realm of self to achieve Nirvana
  • Everything within and outside of self is changing
• Accept that not everything about self is real
• Three Marks of Existence
  • Anatta: There is no self
  • Opposite of the Hinduism
  • There is no Atman, Brahman, self, essence, ultimate reality
  • We don’t have souls, there is only the now
  • Anicca: Impermanence
  • Existence is constantly changing
  • Eg. nature of the river is flowing → you will never step in the same river twice
  • Dukka: Suffering
  • Result of other two marks
  • Suffering exists because people can’t let go/go with the flow → creates suffering for self
  • Must detach, see everything as loose and changing, don’t try to grasp
• Karma
  • Same in Buddhism and Hinduism
  • Basic Karma rules of Buddhism:
  • What is wrong is the intention (why) of a moral act, not the outcome

Four Noble Truths

• To live life is to experience dukka

  • Discomfort, things are not as they should be
  • The more attachment you have, the more you will suffer
  • Circumstances in live (chance), stages of growth and development, sickness, old age, all will die, unfulfilled wishes

• Suffering is caused by tanha

  • Tanha: our personal thirsts and desires
  • Self desire, personal fulfillment — increases dukka and tanha
  • We are naturally selfish

• Suffering can stop

• Solution to suffering: the Eightfold Path

  • The Eightfold Path: The basic practices of Buddhism that can lead you to Nirvana

  

Enlightenment and Nirvana

• Final Nirvana happens at bodily death
• Arhat: one who is enlightened/awakened
  • If you attain it, you see that there is no self, and you are free from tanha and dukka
• Buddhas do not need followers or models to attain Nirvana
• Nirvana is impossible to describe

Three Ways of Buddhism

• Theravada: The Way of the Elders
  • There are no gods or goddesses to help you
  • Buddha is the first to experience enlightenment
  • The teachings of Buddha are the most important thing
  • Nirvana is attainable by your own effort
• Mahayana: The Great Vehicle
  • Largest sect of Buddhism
  • See Buddha as a divine savior
  • Primary teaching: foster compassion
  • Didn’t enter Nirvana immediately
  • Goal: become a bodhisatva
  • Bodhisatva: a Buddha in the making
  • Can enter Nirvana but stop short to help others
  • Extend beyond the earthly realm
  • Wait to enter Nirvana until the last blade of grass becomes enlightened
• Vajrayana
  • Diamond sector teaching of Buddhism - harness
  • Teachings are full of energy, strength, clarity
  • Mandala: a pattern of icons/images that visually excite to enhance meditation
  • Mudras: choreographed hand movements used in ritual
  • Mantra: a sacred utterance (syllable, word, or verse) that is considered to possess mystical or spiritual efficacy
  • Rituals are important
  • Talk with gods/goddesses to achieve union with them and nirvana
  • Dalai Lama
  • Spiritual leader of Vajrayana Buddhism
  • 14th reincarnation of bodhisattva