Buddhism

1
Buddhism

• Chapter 6

2
The Buddhist Middle Way

• Originates in the 6th century BC as an Indian
  reaction against mainstream Hinduism.
• Buddhism teaches the Middle Way between Radical
  Asceticism and Worldliness
• Buddhism becomes a missionary religion in Asia
  and diminishes in India

3
Siddhartha Gautama

• Founder of Buddhism
• Circa. 560-480 BC
• Son of a Raja (Chieftain/Warrior)
• Legends surround him about seers predicting
  Siddharthas life path
• Either a great king or a great Buddha
  (enlightened one)

4
Siddhartha Gautama

• His mother dies
• His father marries Siddharthas aunt
• His father does not want him to grow up to be a
  Buddha, so it is said that he shielded him from
  all of lifes ugliness

5
Siddhartha Gautama

• Gautama grew up surrounded by beauty
• He was kept away from four sites
• A dead body
• An aged person
• A diseased person
• An ascetic monk

6
Siddhartha Gautama

• He received a princely education
• At 19 he married his cousin and they shared a
  happy home.
• As Gautama neared his 30th birthday, he gradually
  became aware of the ugliness of the world. (page
  124)

7
Siddhartha Gautama

• Siddhartha discovers the ugliness and pain of
  life and concludes that life is suffering.
• Siddhartha runs away from home, wife, and son to
  find the answers to lifes miseries.

8
Siddhartha Gautama

• Studies philosophy with Guru still unsatisfied
• Practices severe monastic asceticism for 6 years
• (page 125)
• Becomes the Buddha (Enlightened One)
• Vision shows him that life is an endless cycle of
  life and death because of mans tanha (thirst,
  desire, craving).

9
The Buddhas Religious Mission

• He finds some of his former fellow monks in Deer
  Park and preaches the Middle Way the way
  between indulgence and asceticism.

10
Sangha Buddhist Monastic Order

• Teaches that all people can be enlightened (any
  caste, women, etc)
• Serious followers shave heads, wear coarse yellow
  robes, possess only begging bowl.

11
Buddhist Monks Vow to

• Abstain from killing
• Abstain from taking what is not given
• Abstain from lying, frivolous, slanderous, or
  harsh talk
• Abstain from improper sexual conduct
• Abstain from comfort and adornments

12
Buddhist Monks Vow to

• Abstain from dancing, singing, music, shows
• Abstain from worldly commerce
• Abstain from injuring seeds or plants
• Eat only one meal a day.

13
Non-monastic (Lay) BuddhistsVow to Abstain from

• Killing
• Stealing
• Lying
• Improper sexual conduct
• Intoxicants

14
Death of Buddha at age 80

• Followers organized new religion after Buddhas
  death by formalizing his critique of Hinduism
• Buddha accepted most Hindu religious categories
  and vocabulary
• Taught enlightenment possible irrespective of
  ones caste
• Opposed the Brahmin system of worship and
  sacrifice
• Rejects the religious authority of the Vedas
• Believed people ought to find own enlightenment,
  not seek gods

15
New Teachings of the Buddha(the tathagata
truth gatherer)

• Individual soul does not exist people are in a
  state of non-soulness (anatman)
• Combination of body, feelings, understanding,
  will, and consciousness constitute the human
  personality (self)

16
The Four Noble Truths

• 1 Life is painful because of craving and
  desires
• 2 Desire, combined with pleasure and lust leads
  to a cycle of rebirths
• 3 Detachment from all desire even the desire
  to exist is the way to release from pain and
  rebirth
• 4 The eightfold path leads to enlightenment

17
The Eightfold Path (page 147)

• Right Views
• Right Intention
• Right Speech
• Right Action
• Right Livelihood
• Right Effort
• Right Mindfulness
• Right Concentration

18
New Teachings of Buddha

• Enlightenment is to have the self extinguished
• Extinguishing desire, thirst, craving (tanha)
• A saint (arhat) is one who reaches enlightenment

19
The Development of Buddhism

• A religion for self-disciplined and intelligent
  individuals
• Sectarian infighting after Buddhas death
• First council of Buddhists gather a year after
  his death to determine the true meaning of his
  teachings
• Second council of Buddhists gather in 390 BC and
  is controlled by a conservative minority and
  declares most Buddhists heretics

20
Second Council two sects

• Conservative Minority Exclusive Way (Hinayana)
  Today is called Theravada Buddhism (elder way)
• Liberal Majority Expansive Way (Mahayana) Today
  is Mahayana Buddhism

21
Third Council of Buddhism

• Asoka Indian emperor
• Calls the 3rd council together in 247 BC
• Asoka is the Constantine of Buddhism
• He is a king who converts to Buddhism and uses
  the throne to support Indian Buddhists
• Asoka sends Buddhist missionaries to the world
  (Sri Lanka, Burma, Syria, Greece)
• Calls the 3rd Council to determine authoritative
  list of Buddhist scriptures

22
Asoka

• Asokas efforts guarantee survival of Buddhism
  after it virtually ceases to exist in India.
• Hinduism in India absorbs Buddhism by teaching
  that Siddhartha Gautama is an avatar of Vishnu
• The presence of Islam in India further erodes the
  Buddhist presence in India
• Asokas missionary work insured Buddhism grew in
  other parts of the world

23
Theravada Buddhism

• Group 1 Assignment
• Who are they?
• Where are they?
• What are their teachings and practices?
• What do they believe about the Buddha?
• What are the Jataka Tales?
• What is the Wat?
• Describe the two types of meditation.

24
Mahayana Buddism

• Group 2 Assignment
• Who are they?
• What do they claim Buddha taught?
• What did they believe about the Buddha?
• What else did they believe about Siddhartha
  Gautama?
• What are the Bodhisattvas?
• How did Mahayana Buddism spread?

25
Mahayanist Sects

• The Pure Land Sect
• The Intuitive Sect
• The Rationalist Sect
• The Sociopolitical Sect
• Give other names
• Describe basic principles