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Buddhism: Religion without a God. The Buddha. Shakyamuni ( Siddartha or Guatama Buddha) was born approximately in 560 B.C. in what is now Nepal Siddartha was of noble birth of the “warrior” caste It was prophesized that he would become a great king or great spiritual leader (Buddha)
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The Buddha • Shakyamuni (Siddartha or Guatama Buddha) was born approximately in 560 B.C. in what is now Nepal • Siddartha was of noble birth of the “warrior” caste • It was prophesized that he would become a great king or great spiritual leader (Buddha) • To prevent him from becoming a spiritual leader, his father shielded him from the outside world. He lived a hedonistic life of luxury • He married at 16 and bore one son. He was familiar with the Vedas and Upanishads
Buddha (continued) • At 29 years of age he made 4 trips outside the palace walls • On these trips he saw an old man, a sick man, a corpse and a holy man (an ascetic) • He left the palace forever. For 6 years he became a wandering ascetic, a master of austere practices. • He subjected himself to extreme forms of privation and suffering so that suffering itself could be finally overcome. • At 35 he realized suffering was not the way to overcome suffering
Buddha (continued) • Sidhartha meditated, remaining completely unmoving under the Bodhi tree. He was present in the moment for all of the time he was there. How long he meditated is immaterial. In this stillness the temptations of the Mara did not even rise to the level of a nuisance to him. In this stillness, in this equanimity, one can see the bottom of the lake, the sky that is in the lake and everything else that is reality. • The Buddha arose from the Bodhi tree, an enlightened being, the awakened one. Our attachments are the cause of our suffering, said the Buddha. Yes, our love is real as is our pain. It is our graspings of these things that cause suffering. It is how we own them and incorporate them as part of our being that brings suffering. We must let our attachments go and realize they are all nothing as we are nothing. At the same time we are everything and part of everything. There is no distinction. Meditation, like exercise, sleep, food and good relationships are part of a discipline that allows equanimity and happiness in one's life.
Jesus • Several hundred years later, Jesus Christ descended from the mountain after his retreat of 40 days and 40 nights. For these 40 days and 40 nights, Jesus was tempted by the devils of the past, by the devils of past ancestors and by enticements of the future. • “I am ready,” he said, when he descended from the mountain. "I have to die for you because you are hopelessly weighed down by sin." “I have to die so your sins will be forgiven, your debts will be paid. Sins have to be paid for. This you cannot do by yourself.” What does this mean? It means all past fighting and wars can stop since you are all forgiven. There is no more reason to fight or live a life of hate, retribution or vengeance.” • “I also say you have to believe in me. What does this mean? It is the catch-22. Since you have no reason to fight then what is there to do? You love your neighbor as yourself. No more of these man-made distinctions between peoples, families and individuals that maintain that one is better than the other. Your sins are forgiven and you are clean. • I cannot die again.”
Socrates • By way of comparison, Socrates (the Socrates of early the dialogues and not Plato), the model of the western philosopher, declared that an unexamined life is not worth living. Wisdom is the noblest goal. • Yet, to Socrates, his being wise consisted of knowing what he did not know. • The search of the truth involves a continuous discourse with oneself by way of contemplation and also by way of discourse with others. In a discourse, all members are united in the search for the truth. The method is the dialectic where each member of the group questions and examines all aspects of the subject at hand be it beauty, truth, existence, etc. • Socrates never wrote anything down because by so doing the quest for the truth would end. • By the method of searching for the truth, one becomes the truth and knows that everything is related and connected to everything else.
Buddhism: there is no God, prayer or worship • There is no God or creator in Buddhism. There is no prayer. • The images in VayjaranaBuddhism are representations of who we are. They serve as visual aids in the quest for enlightenment. • Instead of worship, one can pay homage to the enlightened. • There is no divine intervention
There is no faith or leap of faith in Buddhism • Faith is meant in terms of the confidence one has about someone or something that may happen in the future. “I have faith you will follow through with what you say you will do.” • In a “leap of faith” if one acts, believes, and trusts something to be case, then in fact one can understand and know the truth. Faith leads to an understanding of the truth. Faith leads to knowing. Presumably it is a knowing that cannot be explained to be understood. It can only be a knowing that can shared by those that have taken similar leaps. It is a knowing that is declared unconditionally without discussion or argument. • Of course this defies reason altogether. Buddha advocated discernment and caution not to believe his words because he said them.
Sources A lot of the information on Buddhism comes from “The Basics of Buddhism,” written, complied and edited by Lama ChangchupKunchokDorje (Chuck Stanford), available at Amazon.com
There is no dogma, doctrine, “ought,” or “guilt” • All the lessons or Sutra's are guides and aids to that help one along the way to enlightenment and the end of suffering. • Buddhism is a do-it-yourself endeavor. One is not answerable to anyone. Neither is one checked or monitored to ensure that are correct in their practice. • The word ought comes form the word “owe.” If there is a God that created the universe, then we ought, or owe allegiance, obedience and loyalty to this being. There is no direct or necessary connection between being a creator and obedience to this creator other than because it is a projection of normative paternal relationships on this earth. Part of this relationship is the implication that the father has enormous power over us, which may or may not be true. • In Buddhism there is no such thing as “ought.” It doesn't exist. There is no “promise” in Buddhism. In Buddhism one takes a vow to live in the Buddhist way. This vow is not a promise. How one is to live is specified and one ought not take the vow if difficulty is anticipated. One should not take the vow if the person cannot live by the vow. There is a trial period of living the vow before taking the vow. If one's situation changes, then one can return “his/her” vows. This is what Robert Thurman did. He returned his vows, married and bore Uma Thurman. • Guilt may be viewed as a form of self-punishment.
Is Buddhism a religion? • Buddhism can be a way of life as can being a Christian. • Buddha's teachings spanned over 30 years. Christ’s ministry was only for 3 years • Neither the Buddha nor Christ formed a religious organization nor did they advocate one • Their teachings were later drafted by followers long after their passing. During the time of Constantine the St. James Bible became the official dogma along with an official creed. Buddhist teachings after 300 years were recorded in the Tripitaka, a recording of the Buddhist oral tradition. • Both were supported by monastic practice • In Christianity there is authoritarian system of priests. In Buddhism there is a system of mentors and ordination.
Is Buddhism a Religion (continued) • There are many Buddhisms. After the Second Council to resolve disputes, 18 schools of Buddhism flourished. • They all probably share only (1) non-theism/deism, (2) the four noble truths, (3) no-self and (3) the 8-fold path. • Becoming a Buddhist involves adopting the three Jewels (1) the Buddha (2) the dharma and the (3) sangha. • Buddhism adapted the culture of the land • Buddhism is not incompatible with science but is not "scientific.“
Three schools of Buddhism: Theravada • Practiced primarily in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia • Emphasis on preserving the actual words of the Buddha in the Tripaka (Pali cannon). Hinayana (lesser vehicle) • Emphasis on monastic practice • Spiritual ideal (arhat) – one who has permanently rooted out all mental defilements and attachments (unshakable tranquility and bliss).
School of Budhhism: Mahayana • Practiced in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam • Goal and emphasis is on liberating all sentient beings from suffering (which is enlightenment) • Bodhisattva ideal – “..enlightened being who has not yet reaxhed final enlightenment but rather vows to help lead all beings to enlightenment” • Emphasis on developing “bohichitta” or the attitude to alleviate suffering of all beings without distinction • Zen – meditation alone is necessary – complete enlightenment immediately available here and now.
School of Buddhism: Vajrayana • Practiced in Tibet, Mongolia, Japan and Bhutan • Includes teachings of both Theravada and Mahayana with emphasis on developing bodhichitta • Tantric Buddhism – includes a host of spiritual practices that revolve around a deity. • Deities are psychological representations for different states of mind (like wisdom and compassion) • Tantric Buddhism works with energies like passion and attachments to transform them to positive states of mind (like wisdom and compassion). Enlightenments includes directly knowing we have always been one with everything.
The role of meditation and suffering • Meditation is not specific to Buddhism. It is widely practiced and need not have anything to do with religion. • Meditation can lead to many health benefits and adopted for stress, blood pressure and pain management. • Meditation changes one’s relationship with one’s emotions • Meditation brings calm and equanimity to one’s experience. • Meditation allows the release of universal child-like, playfulness, happiness, love and the joys of the moment • Meditation helps to develop compassion
Meditation and enlightenment Meditation helps in one’s “letting go” of dualisms and false dichotomies. These include • Good buys versus bad guys: good and bad: sin • The “self” • Body versus mind • Creationism versus evolution • Man versus nature Meditation is the practice that leads to enlightenment
