Buddhism

1. Buddhism Comparative Religions

2. Who is Buddha? • Siddhartha Gautama who was born in Nepal around 563 BC. • His father was a ruler so he grew up in luxury • At 16 he married a princess and they had a son • Siddhartha’s father had fortunetellers predict Siddhartha’s life when he was born. • Sid’s career was crossed: • If he succeeded his father as ruler, he would be a world conqueror who unified India • If he denied his succession, he would be a world redeemer

3. In his 20’s, Sid chose the path away from ruling. • He left the palace and his family to learn religion from the Hindu priests. • After the Hindu priests, he joined the ascetics and learned from them. • Between the Hindus and the Ascetics he found the Middle Way – the area between the extremes of denial in Ascetcism and indulgence

4. In the final phase of his quest, he decided to meditate until he reached his goal of enlightenment. • Sat down under a Bodhi tree and refused to get up until he was enlightened. • While he sat under the tree he was tempted three times by Mara – the evil one • Sid rebuffed her temptations and she fled. • The next morning he “woke up” and was no longer Sid, but Buddha. • Mara tempted him one more time, but Buddha prevailed and she left him alone forever.

5. Buddha’s Buddhism • Buddha • Founded an order of Monks • Challenged the Brahmins • Accepted the skeptics attitudes • His routine • Train monks and oversee the order • Public preaching • Private counseling • Withdrawal for renewal

6. He taught for nine months, withdrew for three in seclusion with his monks • Buddha also withdrew three times each day to meditate • Buddha died at 80 years old after eating poisonous mushrooms

7. Buddha, a god? • Buddha was a compassionate rationalist. • Buddha was human • He refused all efforts to turn him into a god • He disciples called him Sakyamuni – silent sage and Tathagata – the perfectly enlightened one

8. Buddha’s Faith • Six features of all religions • Authority • Ritual • Explanations • Tradition • Grace • Mystery

9. What Buddha preached in relation to these six features: • Religion should be devoid of authority • Religion should be devoid of ritual • His religion skirted explanation • Religion should be devoid of tradition • Religion should exist on intense self-effort • Religion should be devoid of all supernatural

10. What Buddha did preach: • Religion is empirical – you must know for yourself • Religion is scientific – what’s here is here, what’s not is not • Religion is pragmatic – it is a tool to help you get to where you are going spiritually • Religion is therapeutic – it can make you feel better • Religion is psychological – look to yourself and what you need • Religion is egalitarian – women can be enlightened too • Religion is for individuals – he urged working out one’s own salvation with diligence

11. Buddha’s first sermon • The Four Noble Truths • Dukkha – suffering • How much of life is enjoyable? • At what level of our being does enjoyment begin? • We suffer because we are off-balance with ourselves. This is obvious at four times in our lives: • Birth trauma • Illness • Old age • Death • What causes dukkha? Tanha – ego. The bigger it gets, the worse it is. • Overcoming Tanha. Release from our ego/self-interest releases our torment/suffering • The way out of torment is the Eightfold Path

12. The Eightfold Path • How to remove the suffering caused by the ego. • Right knowledge • Right aspiration • Right speech • Right behavior • Right livelihood • Right effort • Right mindfulness • Right absorption

13. Right knowledge • Know the Four Noble Truths • Right aspiration • Do we really want enlightenment? • Right speech • What we say reveals our character • Right behavior • Don’t kill, steal, lie, be unchaste, drink, or do drugs • Right livelihood • Join a monastery or find an occupation that makes you happy while working

14. Right effort • Keep working hard toward you goal so you can get to where you want to be • Right mindfulness • Ignorance is our biggest enemy; see everything as it really is • Right absorption • Change so that you can experience the world in a new way.

15. Concepts of Buddhism • Nirvana is the goal of Buddhism – bliss through enlightenment • Three Marks of Existence: • Dukkha – suffering • Annatta – a lack of permanent identity • Anicca – impermanence • Basically, these three things are loosely tied together to make humans who they are.

16. Split in Buddhism • Three questions that divide his followers: • Are people independent or interdependent? • Is the universe friendly, indifferent, or hostile? • What is the best part of the human self, its head or its heart? • Buddha’s followers divided over these questions. • Hinayanas are the smaller sect who believe the way to enlightenment is only through becoming a monk and practicing Buddhism full time. • Mahayanas believed Buddhism was good for the common person and could be achieved by laypersons.

17. Hinayanists • Call their form of Buddhism Theraveda – the Way of the Elders • The Pali Cannon – early Buddhist texts support their position

18. Mahayanists • Believe Buddha did more through his life’s example than through instruction • Base their faith on the fact that he did not stay in a state of nirvana, he returned to work/serve the people.

19. Contrasting Theravada Buddhism and Mahayanists • Theraveda – progress rests with the individual • Mahayanists – progress rests with the phenominal • Theraveda – people are on their own for salvation • Mahayanists – Buddha and bdhisattvas work for us on our salvation • Theraveda – wisdom is the most important • Mahayanists – wisdom is important, but compassion also needs to be cultivated.

20. Theraveda – the sangha (monks) are the heart of this sect • Mahayanists – their priests can marry and have a life but are expected to be servants to their laity. • Theraveda – The ideal is arhat – to be the perfect disciple • Mahayanists – perfected wisdom through nirvana is renounced to return to the world and serve. • Theaveda – Buddha is a supreme sage • Mahayanists – Buddha is a savior

21. Divisions of the Mahayanists • Pure Land School – believes a compassionate Buddha will carry his followers to the Pure Land of the Western Paradise (heaven) • Confucian predilections for learning and social harmony

22. Zen Buddhism • Comes from Buddha’s Flower Sermon • He said nothing, just held up a golden lotus • One dude, Mahakasyapa, smiled and nodded, so Buddha decided he understood and made Mahakasyapa his successor. • Zen is a faith of deep questions often with no way to find the true answer. • Two branches of Zen • Rinzai • Soto (we won’t address this one)

23. Rinzai Sect • Four key terms: • Zazen – seated meditation • Koan - problem • Sanzen – private meeting with a master about his meditation • Satori – breakthrough in solving his koan • Once satori is reached, five things have been accomplished: • Monk finds life distinctly good • He has an objective look at his relation to others • He returns to the world he now perceives differently • His attitude is now one of general agreeableness • He will never again feel that his death will bring an end to his life

24. Zen influence on Japan • Sumie – black ink landscape painting • Landscape gardening • Flower arranging • Tea Ceremony

25. Tibetan Buddhism • Uses the Vajrayana (Indian god of Thunder) to help them realize Buddha’s wisdom and compassion • The essence of Vajrayana is Tantra – focusing on the interrelatedness of things

26. Tibetans see success in practices which helps them reach nirvana in a single lifetime. • They focus on speech, gestures, and vision • Mantras – Tibetans focus on making sounds into holy formulas • Mudras – Tibetans focus on choreographed hand gestures turning them into sacred dances • Mandalas – Icons whose holy beauty empowers – created by Tibetans • Dalai Lama – holy leader of Tibetan Buddhism • His job is to incarnate on earth the celestial principle of compassion or mercy

27. Summary of Buddhism • Buddhism is a journey • Buddhists must choose which path to follow to reach their journey’s end • Hinayana or Mahayana • Recognize Buddhism’s Three Vows: • I take refuge in the Buddha • I take refuge in the dharma • I take refuge in the sangha • Finally, realize that Buddha was a divine incarnation – an avatar.