Buddhism

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Buddhism
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Buddhism has much in common with Hinduism, but
important differences.
Buddhism like Hinduism Reincarnation Karma Dharma
But not Caste system Hindu gods Hindu priesthood
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BUDDHISM and HINDUISM -- comparisons

• Buddha rejected the need for complex Hindu
  rituals enlightenment can be achieved by any
  person, regardless of varna (class)
• Buddha wrote in the language of his community,
  not the language of the Hindu priests (Sanskrit).
  Only educated higher-caste Indians knew Sanskrit

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BUDDHISM and HINDUISMcomparisons

• Buddha rejected the idea of the varna system (and
  thus, no dharma to caste)
• Buddhism does not have god images later
  followers worshipped Buddha as a god-like figure.
• A person who achieved nirvana can remain as a
  teacher, known as a bodhisattva, to help others
  reach nirvana

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HINDUISM BUDDHISM JAINISM

• Samsara yes yes yes
• Moksha yes yes
  yes
• Varna system yes rejected
  weak
• Sacrifices yes no
  no
• Atman yes no
  yes
• Karma yes yes
  yes
• Dharma (caste) yes no
  no
• Dharma (virtue) yes yes yes
• Renounce world
• And its pleasures no
  yes yes

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Buddhism
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Buddhism

• The middle way of wisdom and compassion
• A 2500 year old tradition that began in India and
  spread and diversified throughout the Far East
• A philosophy, religion, and spiritual practice
  followed by more than 300 million people
• Based on the teachings of the Buddha

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What is Buddhism?

• Buddhism is a major world religion, or in a
  better sense, philosophy.
• It is the 4th largest religion of the world, and
  has about 300,000,000 people living by it.
• It explains the purpose of life, injustices and
  inequality around the world.
• It also helps people by providing a way of life
  that will lead to true happiness.

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Religions of South Asia
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Buddhism in the Subcontinent
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The essence of Buddhism

• The middle way of wisdom and compassion.
• 2,500 year old tradition.
• The 3 jewels of Buddhism
• Buddha, the teacher.
• Dharma, the teachings.
• Sangha, the community.

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THREE JEWELS/THREE REFUGES

1. I TAKE REFUGE IN THE BUDDHA
2. I TAKE REFUGE IN THE DHARMA
3. I TAKE REFUGE IN THE SAMGHA

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The History of Buddhism

• It was all started by Buddha, who was a prince in
  Lumbini, 2500 years ago.
• He was very unhappy in his royal life, so he set
  off on a 6 year journey, exploring other
  religions.
• After his long journey and much meditation he was
  finally enlightened.
• He found the middle path, the key to human
  happiness. For the rest of his life he wandered
  Asia, preaching his new religion.

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• Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama in
  northern India around 560 BCE.
• Gautama was born into a wealthy Hindu family, but
  renounced his wealth to seek spiritual
  enlightenment.

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Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE)

• Born in NE India (Nepal).
• Raised in great luxuryto be a king.
• At 29 he rejectedhis luxurious life toseek
  enlightenmentand the source ofsuffering.
• Lived a strict,ascetic life for 6 yrs.
• Rejecting this extreme, sat in meditation, and
  found nirvana.
• Became The Enlightened One, at 35.

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BUDDHISM

• Founder Prince Siddhartha Gautama, (563-483 BCE)
• Buddha -gt enlightened one
• Desired to find a balance between asceticism
  (denying the body completely) and the selfish
  overindulgence hed grown up living as a
  noblemans son
• He called this the MIDDLE WAY

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THE MIDDLE WAY

• MODERATION IN ALL THINGS i.e., eat, but dont
  over eat have comfortable living space, but not
  a mansion!
• DETACH YOURSELF FROM PHYSICAL PLEASURES AND
  DESIRES i.e., avoid addictions, etc.
• DO NOT HARM OTHERS
• SEEK PURITY OF THE MIND
• ALWAYS SEEK TO DO GOOD

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What is the fundamental cause of all suffering?
Desire!

• Therefore, extinguish the self, dont obsess
  about oneself.

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Buddhism spread through cultural diffusion to
eastern Asia, including China, Thailand, Korea
and Japan. In other areas, Buddhism was
adapted and took on new forms.
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What Did Buddha Teach?

• He taught the 4 Noble Truths which sum up
  Buddhism religion
• He also taught the noble eight fold path
• He taught to lead a moral life, be mindful and
  aware of thoughts and actions and to develop
  wisdom and understanding
• He also taught the 5 precepts

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The Four Noble Truths

• Life is suffering -- we can be lonely, get sick,
  become old, die anger, hatred, and frustration
  can dominate us
• Suffering is caused by selfish desires we spend
  much of our life trying to find pleasure, stay
  young, fight aging, deny relationships from
  ending- but we cannot stop those things

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The Four Noble Truths

• 3. The elimination of selfish desire can
  eliminate suffering- the meaning to life is not
  in selfish living or thinking we can stop death
• The eightfold path is the way to achieve this?
  leads to nirvana (bliss)
• -Nirvana is not exactly moksha

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What are the Four Noble Truths?

• The first was that life is suffering
• You cant live without death, frustration, etc.
  
• The second is that suffering is caused by craving
  and aversion
• Getting what you want doesnt guarantee
  happiness, it deprives you of it
• The third is that suffering can be overcome, and
  true happiness attained
• If we stop craving useless things, and live each
  day at a time (not living in the future) we will
  be happy and free.
• The fourth is that the Noble eight fold path
  leads to the end of all suffering

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Buddhism is based on the Four Noble Truths.
1. All life is suffering.
3. The way to eliminate suffering is to
eliminate desire.
2. Suffering is caused by desire for things that
are illusions.
4. Following the Eightfold path will help people
to overcome desire.
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Four Noble Truths

• There is suffering in the world. To live is to
  suffer. (Dukkha)
• The Buddha found this out when he was young and
  experienced suffering and death in others.

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FIRST NOBLE TRUTH

• LIFE INEVITABLY INVOLVES SUFFERING
• Imperfect
• Illness
• Hateful
• Separation

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Four Noble Truths

1. The cause of suffering is self-centered desire
   and attachments. (Tanha)

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SECOND NOBLE TRUTH

• THE ORIGIN OF SUFFERING IS OUR DESIRES
• Grasping for pleasure
• Grasping for becoming
• Grasping for sensual delight
• Grasping for what we dont have

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Four Noble Truths

1. The solution is to eliminate desire and
   attachments. (Nirvana extinction)

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THIRD NOBLE TRUTH

• SUFFERING WILL STOP WHEN DESIRES ARE STOPPED
• When the grasping stops
• Elimination of passions

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Four Noble Truths

1. To reach nirvana, one must follow the Eightfold
   Path.

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FOURTH NOBLE TRUTH

• THERE IS A WAY TO GET TO THIS POINT THE
  EIGHTFOLD PATH

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Eightfold Path
Nirvana

• The union with the ultimate spiritual
  reality.
• Escape from the cycle of rebirth.

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Eightfold Path

• A person should always be mindful of these
  things
• Right view (knowing how the world works)
• Right intentions (knowing the difference between
  right and wrong)
• Right speech (avoid lies, harsh words
  sympathetic speech)
• Right conduct (be peaceful, honest)
• Right livelihood (occupations beneficial to
  others)
• Right effort (do your best be committed to your
  work)
• Right mindfulness (keeping an alert mind)
• Right concentration (meditation)
• Note 1,2 (wisdom) 3,4,5 (ethical conduct)
  7,8,9 (meditation)

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The Noble Eightfold Path

• It taught 8 simple rules
• To have a right understanding
• To have right thoughts
• To use right speech
• To do right actions
• To deal with right livelihood
• To give a right effort
• To have a right mindfulness
• To use the right meditation

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1) RIGHT UNDERSTANDING

• Understanding reality through the Four Noble
  Truths
• Seeing through illusions

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2) RIGHT THOUGHT/MOTIVES

• Uncover unwholesome emotional roots that guide
  our thinking
• Discover and weed out
• Only then do we become free from self-centredness

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3) RIGHT SPEECH

• VS. - Vain talk, gossip, harsh words, lying
• Communication must further truth and harmony
• Including self-talk May you be well and
  happy today

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4) RIGHT ACTION

• FIVE RULES OF MORAL CONDUCT
• DO NOT DESTROY LIFE
• DO NOT STEAL
• AVOID SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
• DO NOT LIE
• DO NOT USE INTOXICANTS
• ABOVE ALL ALL ACTIONS SHOULD BE BASED ON CLEAR
  UNDERSTANDING

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5) RIGHT LIVELIHOOD

• How one makes their living
• Ones work should not harm others

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6) RIGHT EFFORT

• Refers to the constant effort that must be put
  into achieving these goals
• IT TAKES EFFORT!

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7) RIGHT MINDFULNESS

• The way to liberation is through the mind
• CHECK YOUR MIND
• BE ON GUARD
• PULL YOURSELF OUT
• LIKE AN ELEPHANT FROM THE MUD.

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8) RIGHT MEDITATION

• Applying mental discipline to quiet the mind
• THE MIND IS SUBTLE, INVISIBLE, AND TREACHEROUS
• USE SKILFUL MEANS TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND ITS
  NATURE

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The 5 precepts

• Do not take the life of anything living
• Do not take anything not freely given
• Abstain from sensual overindulgence
• Refrain from untrue speech
• Avoid intoxication
• Do not lose mindfulness
• This is the moral code of the Buddhists

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KARMA

• CAUSE OF NEXT LIFE KARMA

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ANATMAN, SKANDHAS

• ANATMAN - No soul to be reborn no permanent
  reality
• SKANDHAS aggregates

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NIRVANA

• No suffering for him
• Who is free from sorrow
• Free from the fetters of life
• Free in everything he does
• He has reached the end of his road
• Like a bird invisibly flying in the sky
• He lives without possessions
• Knowledge his food, freedom his world
• While others wonder
• He has found freedom
• Peaceful his thinking, peaceful his speech
• Peaceful his deed, tranquil his mind.

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• Buddha under
• Bodhi Tree,
• Sri Lanka

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Sacred Buddhist Texts
                                       
Buddha did not record his teachings, but after he
died, his followers collected them into the
Tripitaka
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Buddha 19c Thailand
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Buddhas head 2c Pakistan
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Mandala Wheel of Life Motif
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Mandala Wheel of Life Motif
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Buddhist Altar
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Types of Buddhism

• Therevada Buddhism
• Mahayana Buddhism
• Tibetan Buddhism
• Zen Buddhism

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Theravada Buddhism

• The oldest school of Buddhism.
• The Way of the Elders or the Small Vehicle.
• Found in southern Asia.
• The monastic life is the best way to achieve
  nirvana.
• Focus on wisdom and meditation.
• Goal is to become a Buddha, or Enlightened
  One.
• Over 100,000,000 followers today.

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Theravada Buddhism
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Mahayana Buddhism

• The Great Vehicle.
• Founded in northern Asia (China, Japan).
• Buddhism for the masses.
• Seek guidance from Boddhisatvas, wise beings.
• Goal Not just individual escape from the wheel,
  but the salvation of all humanity through
  self-sacrifice of those enlightened few.

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Mahayana Buddhism
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Seated Boddhisatva 16c Bhutan
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boddhisatva
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Tibetan Buddhism

• The Diamond Vehicle. Vajrayana
• Developed in Tibet in the 7c CE.
• A mix of Theravada and Mahayana.
• Boddhisatvas include Lamas, like the Dalai
  Lama.
• The Tibetan Book of the DeadBardo Thodol.

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Todays Tibetan Buddhists are led by the Dalai
Lama, who advocates for freedom from China.
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The DalaiLama
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zen Buddhism

• The Meditation School.
• Seeks sudden enlightenment satori through
  meditation, arriving at emptiness sunyata.
• Use of meditation masters Roshi.
• Beauty, art, and aesthetics
• Gardens.
• Archery.
• Tea ceremony.
• Calligraphy.

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Buddhism in America (1999)
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Modern Buddhist monks
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Distribution of Buddhism Centers in the US, 2001
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10th Annual western buddhist monastic conference
California, 2004
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