BuddhismBuddhism

an inward pathan inward path

OriginsOrigins

Gautama SiddharthaGautama Siddhartha– A man who achieved enlightenment at A man who achieved enlightenment at

the age of 35the age of 35– Not a prophet, god, or a spokesman for Not a prophet, god, or a spokesman for

a goda god– A prince who abandoned the life of A prince who abandoned the life of

luxury around 2500 luxury around 2500 BCBC and established and established a community of thousands of monks a community of thousands of monks near the Ganges River in north-eastern near the Ganges River in north-eastern IndiaIndia

– He based his beliefs on insights He based his beliefs on insights achieved through meditationachieved through meditation

– A radical egalitarianA radical egalitarian who welcomed who welcomed even the “untouchables” into his even the “untouchables” into his community and rejected the caste-community and rejected the caste-based beliefs of the Brahmanic traditionbased beliefs of the Brahmanic tradition

Meaning of “Buddha”Meaning of “Buddha”

The correct term is “the Buddha” meaning the The correct term is “the Buddha” meaning the awakened one.awakened one.The Buddha is upheld as a teacher and a role The Buddha is upheld as a teacher and a role model (indicating that any person can achieve model (indicating that any person can achieve nirvananirvana))Other people before and after the Buddha are Other people before and after the Buddha are believed to have achieved nirvanabelieved to have achieved nirvanaThe Buddha advocated the The Buddha advocated the “middle way”“middle way” between comfort and austerity, rejecting the between comfort and austerity, rejecting the comfort of his princely life but also the extreme comfort of his princely life but also the extreme austerity practiced by other monks of his timeausterity practiced by other monks of his time

TheravadaTheravada– The oldest surviving Buddhist schoolThe oldest surviving Buddhist school– Predominant in Southeast AsiaPredominant in Southeast Asia– Emphasis on personal experience, Emphasis on personal experience,

study & meditationstudy & meditation

MahayanaMahayana– Prominent today in India, China, Prominent today in India, China,

Tibet, JapanTibet, Japan– Belief in bodhisattvas, persons who Belief in bodhisattvas, persons who

delay nirvana in order to help others delay nirvana in order to help others on the pathon the path

– Emphasis on compassion and mutual Emphasis on compassion and mutual assistanceassistance

Tantrayana or VajrayanaTantrayana or Vajrayana– Prominent in Tibet and MongoliaProminent in Tibet and Mongolia– Ritualistic and mystical elementsRitualistic and mystical elements– Use of mantras, yoga, mandalas, Use of mantras, yoga, mandalas,

bells, even sex to accelerate bells, even sex to accelerate enlightenmentenlightenment

– Its teachings are well-guardedIts teachings are well-guarded

The Four Noble TruthsThe Four Noble Truths

1.1. Suffering is universalSuffering is universal (at least for humans, and (at least for humans, and even among those who do not recognize their even among those who do not recognize their own suffering)own suffering)

2.2. Suffering has a causeSuffering has a cause and its cause is and its cause is ultimately internal to oneselfultimately internal to oneself

3.3. Suffering can be transcendedSuffering can be transcended4.4. The transcendence of suffering depends upon The transcendence of suffering depends upon

releasing attachments and recognizing one’s releasing attachments and recognizing one’s inherent Buddha-nature, which is possible in inherent Buddha-nature, which is possible in this life with a particular “path,” which is a way this life with a particular “path,” which is a way or life or or life or dharmadharma

The Eightfold WayThe Eightfold Way

a path toward enlightenmenta path toward enlightenment

Basic Insight: Basic Insight: all aspects of life are interrelatedall aspects of life are interrelated

mindfulnessdiligence

concentration

view

thinkingspeech

action

livelihood

How do we know if a teaching How do we know if a teaching conforms to Buddhist thought?conforms to Buddhist thought?

Three Dharma KeysThree Dharma Keys– ImpermanenceImpermanence

All that is passes away and ceases to beAll that is passes away and ceases to be

– InterdependencyInterdependencyThis is because that isThis is because that isThis is not because that is notThis is not because that is notNonself (applying this insight to one’s sense of being a Nonself (applying this insight to one’s sense of being a distinct person with a birth and death)distinct person with a birth and death)

– Dukkha/nirvanaDukkha/nirvanaUnsatisfactoriness is inherent to life, as one releases Unsatisfactoriness is inherent to life, as one releases attachments one simultaneously discovers complete attachments one simultaneously discovers complete contentment and the lack of need to keep existing (and no contentment and the lack of need to keep existing (and no longer is reincarnated, according to some traditions)longer is reincarnated, according to some traditions)

DifferencesDifferences

Christians believe that if a person is good he/she Christians believe that if a person is good he/she will go to will go to heaven after deathheaven after deathBuddhists release their attachment to the illusion Buddhists release their attachment to the illusion of separate personhood so of separate personhood so death becomes an death becomes an acceptable aspect of lifeacceptable aspect of lifeChristians believe the Christians believe the causes of their sufferingcauses of their suffering can be removed by can be removed by appealing to a supreme appealing to a supreme beingbeing who is creative and loving who is creative and lovingBuddhists believe the Buddhists believe the experience of sufferingexperience of suffering can be transcended by can be transcended by releasing attachmentsreleasing attachments to to things that must necessarily change or pass things that must necessarily change or pass awayaway

Buddhist view of natureBuddhist view of nature

The Diamond Sutra lists four signs that we can The Diamond Sutra lists four signs that we can get caught inget caught inSelf, person, living being, and life spanSelf, person, living being, and life spanReleasing attachment to the first three signs Releasing attachment to the first three signs implies recognition that: implies recognition that: – to protect oneself one needs to protect everything that to protect oneself one needs to protect everything that

is not oneselfis not oneself– the human species’ well-being cannot be separated the human species’ well-being cannot be separated

from the well-being of other speciesfrom the well-being of other species– we even need to take care of rivers and other non-we even need to take care of rivers and other non-

living entitiesliving entities

Practices of Lay BuddhismPractices of Lay Buddhism

Do not killDo not kill

Do not stealDo not steal

Remain faithful to your spouseRemain faithful to your spouse

Do not lieDo not lie

Do not drink or use other intoxicantsDo not drink or use other intoxicants

Practices of Monastic BuddhismPractices of Monastic Buddhism

Walking and sitting meditationWalking and sitting meditation

Abandonment of virtually all possessionsAbandonment of virtually all possessions

Communal life in the Communal life in the sanghasangha

Pursuit of Pursuit of nirvananirvana

Buddhist Landscape Buddhist Landscape FeaturesFeatures

TemplesTemples

Stupas (Chortens)Stupas (Chortens)

MonasteriesMonasteries

Buddhist TemplesBuddhist Temples

Yangon, Thailand Angkor Thom, Kampuchea

Bodnath StupaBodnath StupaKathmandu, NepalKathmandu, Nepal

Stupas in Crestone, CO and ChinaStupas in Crestone, CO and China

A stupa symbolizes A stupa symbolizes many different many different aspects of Buddhismaspects of Buddhism

more informationmore information

Potala, LhasaPotala, Lhasa

Potala was the palace of the Dalai Lamas and political center of Tibet from the 1600s until 1949 when the Dalai Lama fled to India

Taktshang Taktshang monastery, Bhutanmonastery, Bhutan