Social Thought and the Buddha: The Early Period

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• Social Thought and the Buddha The Early Period

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The Samgha

• Kaundiya attaining to the Dharma eye. He became
  the first upasaka (lay devotee).
• Two meanings of samgha
• Arya sense all people lay or ordained, who have
  acquired the pure Dharma-eye, gaining a glimpse
  of deathlessness
• Conventional samgha communities of ordained
  monks or nuns. At least five monks present to
  have a true samgha.
• Taking refuge this is the principle initiation
  rite of Buddhism. Taking refuge is to become a
  member of the Buddhas assembly of followers
  monks, nuns, male and female lay devotees.
• At the point a number of 60 followers were
  achieved, the Buddha sent them out as
  missionaries.

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Social Realities

• The success of Buddhism may in part be ascribed
  to its social success
• No discrimination on the part of race, caste
  class or to some extent, gender
• Political concerns the Buddha avoided political
  conflict. The samgha was empowered to banish
  monks or nuns who offered services for lay
  people, so as to maintain strictly their
  religious careers

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Social Realities

• The Buddhas emphasis on a strict moral code won
  favor with kings of the small city-states of his
  day. Obedience and restraint was emphasized to
  the point that Buddhist citizens were deemed
  valuable.
• Monks were further forbidden to touch money.

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Buddhas Political Preferences

• The Buddha expressed his admiration for the Vrji
  republic and its democracy. He seems to have
  been an early democrat. Nevertheless, with
  regard to kings he advocated obedience to
  universal laws and aided the development
  economically and morally of the country both
  through grants of money and by their own example.

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The Doctrine of Skillful (Upaya)

• The parable of the burning house.
• If the rules need to be broken for the greater
  good of individuals, break the rules!
• The secretive Brahmins of those ancient days kept
  their teachings a secret.
• The Buddhists, like Protestants or Marxists,
  broadcast the most profound doctrines for all to
  hear. This is called donating the dharma.

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Buddhas Community

• No one but a Buddha achieves this highest state
  without aid of the dharma. Even the Buddha
  Sakyamuni heard it many eons ago from the
  Previous Buddha Dipamkara.
• The 60 missionaries were highly successful. Many
  people traveled, it is said, from all over India
  to hear the Buddhadharma and receive ordination.
  The Buddha granted his traveling monks the power
  to confer ordination themselves.
• As one might guess form other elements of his
  life, the Buddha was no authoritarian leader of
  his community. He seldom interfered with the
  business of his Samgha except when disputes arose
  or his counsel was sought.
• His community was consolidated as a democratic
  one a loose federation bound together by a
  common code, common oral tradition and the
  constant comings and goings of traveling
  monks.tib

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History

• He was a noted debater his debate with Upali the
  Jain .
• At Rajagriha, he befriends King Bimbisara, who
  converted along with many of his people.
• Many of these acquire the dharma eye, and the
  samgha is given a tract of land for their use
  outside the city.
• The Buddha acquires his two foremost disciples in
  this period of the early spread of his career
• Sariputra adept at intellectual discernment of
  Sariputras seeming stupidity in the Mahayana
  sutras and
• Maudgalyayana adept at psychic powers.

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History, cont.

• Shariputra becomes the father of Buddhist
  doctrine, able to reveal the deeper meanings of
  the Buddhas own statement for others.
• Subhuti attained arhatship by meditating on
  goodwill.
• Buddhas son Rahula was ordained.
• The story of MahaKasyapa and Zen he oversaw the
  original standardization of the doctrine and was
  adept at meditation.
• The Buddhas cousin Ananda became a monk and was
  the loving but none too bright attendant of the
  Buddha for many years of his ministry. He aided
  the Buddhas foster mother Mahaprajapati to
  institute the order of nuns.

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Women and Wealth

• The story of Prajapati, the Buddhas step-mother,
  
• Wealthy laywomen appear often as bestowers of
  funds for the samghas benefit.
• The increase in wealth of the Samgha

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• The Kalama Sutra Trusting in ones own
  experience is appealing to the venturesome
  consciousnesssome want to make up their own
  minds.