Buddhism

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Buddhism

• A Therapy for Living from One Who Woke Up

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The Life of Gautama

• Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha, was
  born into the warrior caste . His father ruled
  over a small region of northern India.
• Siddhartha led a pampered life, but the Four
  Passing Sights ( an old man, a diseased man, a
  corpse, and a mendicant), caught his attention
  and disturbed him.
• Siddhartha discovered the Middle Way, the central
  teaching of Buddhism. This way rejects both
  extremes of sensual indulgence and asceticism.
• He and his followers formed the sangha, or
  Buddhist community.

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Sidhartha Gautama
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Three Marks of Existence

• Anatta - there is no ultimate reality, no essence
  underlying existence, nothing exists beyond the
  present moment. The essence of Buddhism is that
  there is no essence.
• Anicca - The world is constantly changing -
  impermanence
• Dukka - suffering is part of the human condition
  and the first of the Four Noble Truths

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The Dharma

• Buddhist teachings may be difficult to
  understand, but because they are based on the
  insights of a human being, they are potentially
  understandable to anyone.
• Buddhism emphasizes the development of wisdom
  rather than faith.
• Buddhism reacted against Hinduism in some
  respects philosophical speculation was rejected
  as was the institutional form of Hinduism. Also,
  the teachings of Buddhism were written available
  in an accessible language rather than solely in
  Sanskrit.

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Three Rafts to Cross the River

• Theravada Buddhism - focuses on the teachings of
  the Buddha rather than on the Buddha himself.
  Adherents of Theravada practice the Noble
  Eightfold Path, which emphasizes meditation.
  Arhats are the ideal type in Theravada, whom all
  strive to imitate.
• Mahayana Buddhism - focuses on the Buddha
  himself, celebrating him as a divine savior.
  Salvation comes through the infinite grace of the
  compassionate Buddha.
• Vajrayana Buddhism - fights fire with fire. It
  harness the energy of desire and turns it against
  itself to propel the individual towards
  enlightenment. Tibetans practice this.

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Buddhist Monasteries
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Buddhist Monks
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Key Buddhist Terms

• Samsara - because of a lack of self, rebirth
  consists of the transference of a bundle of
  energy, which is patterned according to ones
  karma.
• Four Noble Truths are the central teachings of
  Buddhism.
• Tanha - word that describes selfish desire
• Noble Eightfold Path sets forth a life of
  moderation.
• Nirvana - final death of the body
• Arhat - precedes nirvana and is a person who is
  awakened, transformed and characterized by
  compassion.

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Dalai Lama
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Map of Tibet
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Dalai Lama

• Born Lhamo Thondup on July 6, l935 in a small
  village in Tibet to farmer parents, the fifth of
  seven children.
• He is the fourteenth Dalai Lama - the name
  meaning Oceans of Wisdom.
• He has lived more than twice his life in exile in
  India. China invaded Tibet in l950.
• The thirteenth Dalai Lama died in 1933, so a
  search began for his reincarnation.

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• The embalmed body of the previous Dalai Lama
  turned from south to northeast, so the search
  party headed in that direction meanwhile a monk
  had a vision of a monastery much like the one
  near the Dalai Lamas village.
• When the search party arrived at Lhamos village,
  they came to his mud and stone house where he
  passed a series of tests.
• He named the monk leading the search and he
  picked out several objects that had belonged to
  his predecessor.
• The young boy was proclaimed the Dalai Lama and
  brought to the monastery in Lhasa, Tibets Holy
  City.

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• The Dalai Lama was three years old so a regent
  ruled Tibet until he was old enough to take over.
• He began a spiritual education which still
  continues. He studied by himself in a 1000 room
  palace.
• He found his life mission at the age of 15 when
  Tibet was invaded by the Chinese.
• The Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
  He is a very popular figure. He has been a
  world renown speaker and the plight of the
  Tibetans has been the subject of Hollywood
  movies. He is also a respected author - ex - The
  Art of Happiness.

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• The Dalai Lama is concerned about Americans
  experimenting with Buddhism, believing that
  people should follow their own traditional
  practices.
• Though his public life is overwhelming the Dalai
  Lama maintains an ascetical and celibate
  existence. -he gets up at 330 a.m.and goes to
  bed about 830, after drinking a cup of tea and
  watching TV - usually a wildlife program.
• The Dalai Lama frequently travels to the U.S. He
  was in Mpls..and spoke to sold-out crowds at the
  U. of Mn. in May of 2001.
• Another interesting tidbit-Buddhists do not eat
  meat killed by Buddhists, but will eat it if it
  is killed by others. The Dalai Lama eats meat
  several times a week.
• His favorite hobby--fixing watches!

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Tibetan Monks
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Mandalas
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