Buddhism Vocabulary Review

Siddhartha Gautama

• Lived from 566 – 486 BCE, born in northern Indian subcontinent, near present-day Nepal.
• Belonged to the ksatriya caste, traditionally the warrior/ruler class in Indian society.
• Challenged the norm, as teaching religion was usually reserved for Brahmans.
• Known as Shakyamuni, "The Sage of the Shakya Tribe."

Religious Crisis and Response

• Siddhartha experienced a religious crisis leading him to adopt a traditional Hindu lifestyle.
• Undertook a long period of fasting and self-mortification in search of meaning.
• His efforts did not yield answers to suffering; he sought the classical Hindu goal of release from the cycle of death and rebirth, termed nirvana.
• His enlightenment is said to have occurred under the Bodhi tree.

Key Buddhist Terms

• Under the Bodhi Tree: Significant in the story of Siddhartha's enlightenment.
• Nirvana: Derived from Pali, meaning "to extinguish" or "to go out."
• Maya: Represents "illusion", denoting impermanence of all phenomena.
• Sangha: Refers to the Buddhist community.

Understanding Maya and Impermanence

• Maya suggests that physical and emotional states are temporary, creating an understanding of impermanence.
• Example of impermanence: In 130 years, all currently living individuals will have died.

The Four Noble Truths

1. Suffering is real: Acknowledges the existence of suffering in life.
2. Suffering arises from desire and attachment: Identify the sources of suffering.
3. Removing desire and attachment removes suffering: Focuses on the need to let go.
4. Achievable through meditation and practice: Provides a path towards alleviation of suffering.

The Eightfold Path

• Goals for ethical and mental development leading to enlightenment:
  • Right understanding
  • Right thought
  • Right speech
  • Right action
  • Right livelihood
  • Right effort
  • Right mindfulness
  • Right concentration

Varieties of Buddhism

• Theravada Buddhism:

  • Originating around 450 BCE, prevalent in Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia.
  • Only monks and nuns can attain nirvana in this lifetime; the lay community supports them.

• Mahayana Buddhism:

  • Emerged around 100 BCE, found in Tibet, Japan, Korea.
  • Anyone can achieve nirvana in this life, emphasized through compassion.
  • Introduced the concept of the Buddha as a semi-divine figure, the bodhisattva.
  • Concepts of skillful means utilized by bodhisattvas.

Zen Buddhism

• Known as "Ch’an" in China and "Jhana" in Pali (meaning "trance").
• Notable figure: Bodhidharma (460-534 CE).
• Enlightenment can happen through moments of intuition rather than through study.
• Emphasizes koans (riddles or paradoxical questions) to provoke thought.

Examples of Koans

• "If a tree falls in the forest and no one can hear it, does it make a sound?"
• "If you take away the spokes, is there still a wheel?"
• The response to inquiries often emphasizes presence and awareness rather than verbal explanation.

Buddhism and Nonviolence

• Ahimsa, or nonviolence, is central to Buddhism:
  • The Buddha advises against harboring hostility even in the face of violence.
  • The Dalai Lama states, "Hatred will not cease by hatred, but by love alone."
• Historical instances in Kamakura Japan (ca. 1100-1300) and modern Burma show deviations from this principle.

Ashoka and the Mauryan Empire

• Ashoka (reigned 268-239 BCE) expanded the Mauryan Empire post-Alexander the Great.
• After becoming disillusioned with warfare, he adopted and promoted Buddhism, fostering what is considered the first Buddhist state.
• Established 84,000 Buddhist temples and monasteries.
• Oversaw advancements in medical care and infrastructure, such as the creation of wells across the empire.
• Following the fall of the Mauryan Empire, Indo-Greek empires maintained Buddhist practice in regions of modern Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Western India.