Religion 102 - Buddhism

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Basic Facts of Buddhism

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#4 religion
350 million followers
98% of followers are in Asia
thing are always changing

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Buddhism similarity and differences to other religions=

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ultimate goal=nirvana (like moksha, kingdom of God), acknowledge suffering

but Buddhism rejects the VEDAS, no ATMAN (soul/self/ego), rejects the pantheon of gods

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Samsara in Buddhism=

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ignorance, desire, aversion, delusion keeps on in the cycle of rebirth

your old life conditions your new life (last thoughts in your old life condition how your new life begins)

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4 Noble Truths=

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Core of Buddhist teachings
1)Suffering Exists
2)Thirst or Craving of Suffering
3)Cessation of Suffering
4)The Path to Cessation of Suffering

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Buddha was labeled a...

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pessimist because he emphasized DUKAH (suffering)

death is inevitable=suffering exists

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Noble Truth 1) Suffering Exists

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but be joyous
3 kinds of suffering:
1)natural pain
2) Produced by Change
3) Conditional Reality of Existence

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Noble Truth 2) Thirst or Craving of Suffering

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the ignorance of the real nature of things. People see things as permanent when they are really always changing. This binds us to the external world

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Noble Truth 3) Cessation of Suffering

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Stop when thirst for suffering is ceased by wisdom.
NIRVANA= 'extinction' FREEDOM FROM

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Nirvana=

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can be attained in life, it is simple negation.
A perspective, not a state/place.

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Nirvana is freedom from:

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1) attachment to this world (reality, persons, things)
2) anger
3) Ignorance

freedom to be real.

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Noble Truth 4) The path to cessation of dukkha.

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path to enlightenment=' the middle path' (avoids extremes)

follow the eightfold path.

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The eightfold path aims at perfecting 3 essentials of buddhist training and discipline:

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1-2 = wisdom
3-5 = ethical conduct (universal love and compassion)
6-8 = mental discipline

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Noble Eightfold Path:

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1)Right understanding
2)Right Thought
3)Right Speech
4)Right Conduct
5)Right Livelihood
6)Right Effort
7)Right Contemplation or Mindfulness
8)Right Concentration

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3 categories of the eightfold path:

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actions of body, mind and speech

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Buddha himself:

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lived from 563-483 BCE
Born from no sexual intercourse (like Jesus) in Nepal
Name=Siddartha Gotama
leaves palace at 29 and sees:
a sick man
a dead man
a suffering man
a peaceful monk
then becomes a monk for 6 years
Under a Bodi tree tempted by MARA:
seductive women
attacking demons
promises concerning his family and wealth.
Resists temptations and attains Enlightenment (realizes the 4 noble truths)

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Basic teaching of Buddhism:

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look at things with open eyes, Don't have blind faith.

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Buddha's death=

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eats poisonous mushrooms and becomes ill. Give final instruction to followers then dies.

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Buddha lived his life in state of ....

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Nirvana with Remainder

after death he enters Nirvana.

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After Buddhas death:

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went back in to Asceticism until it was established in North India.

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2 Important Kings in Buddha history:

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1. King Ashoka (273-232 bce)
2. King Kanishka (149-79 bce)

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King Ashoka

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reigns during 'the golden age of buddhism'
he converts to buddhism and conquers much of India, so Buddhism spreads.

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King Kanishka

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when Buddhism goes from the monastery to the mainstream. He also accepts other faiths like Zoroastrianism.

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2 Main Branches of Buddhism=

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1)Mahayana Buddhism
2)Theravada Buddhism

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Mahayana =

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'great vehicle'
emphasize mysticism
popularized original teachings (minus asceticism)
goal=Nirvana for all! (universal)
worshipped Bodhisattva.

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Bodhisattva=

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a super being who has rid himself of all personal desires but is waiting for all to be saved (a step below enlightenment)

'a Buddha in the making'

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Mahayana Buddhism envisioned Buddha in different ways:

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1 heavenly body
2 earthly body
3 absolute essence of universe

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two key results of Mahayana Buddhism:

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1)Non-reality of Objects - people began to see that external material things are not important
2) Great Personal Compassion
love everyone, no social castes.

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Theravada Buddhism=

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'teaching of the elders'
must be a monk
views itself as the original form of Buddhism
emphasis on solitary and personal meditation
no deification of Buddha, just human.
main focus=merit making ritual, good actions produce good karma

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Tantric Buddhism=

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represented final phase of Indian Buddhism
philosophy based on Upanishads, but focuses on other texts called TANTRAS

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Tantras=

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texts of tantric buddhism
mean 'looms' as in fabric teaching

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Gurus

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teachers of Tantric Buddhism
emphasizes meditation through visulatization

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3 M's of Tantric Buddhism:

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Mandalas = entire universe
Mudras = symbolic hand gestures used to invoke spirits
Mantras = chanting formulas used to help focus and bring prosperity ('Om')

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Zen Buddhism

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blend of Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism
Most popular today in US
(originally Chan in china, then Zen in Japan)
solo meditation over scripture

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Zen=

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'self power' acquiring Enlightenment through personal hard work

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Zen focus on

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immediate experience, no blind faith. seeing into one's own nature.