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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