Buddhism Sanskrit “Budh” – to awake. Life of Siddhartha Gautama Mix of fact and legends – miraculous birth, Jataka tales Mix of fact and legends – miraculous.

BuddhismBuddhism

Sanskrit “Budh” – to awakeSanskrit “Budh” – to awake

Life of Life of Siddhartha Siddhartha GautamaGautama

Mix of fact and legends – Mix of fact and legends – miraculous birth, miraculous birth, Jataka Jataka talestales

Born 563 B.C. in North IndiaBorn 563 B.C. in North India Son of powerful nobleman Son of powerful nobleman Prophecy at birth – Conqueror or Prophecy at birth – Conqueror or

Redeemer. Redeemer. Luxurious Upbringing. Wife and Luxurious Upbringing. Wife and

son.son.

““Four Passing Sights”Four Passing Sights”

Old AgeOld Age DiseaseDisease DeathDeath RenunciationRenunciation At 29, Siddhartha At 29, Siddhartha

renounces worldly renounces worldly life. life.

The “Great Going The “Great Going Forth.”Forth.”

Six Year QuestSix Year Quest

Studied with Studied with raja raja andand jnana jnana yogisyogis

Later, incorporated Later, incorporated Hindu teachingsHindu teachings

Joined Ascetics Joined Ascetics Starvation led to Starvation led to

doctrine of doctrine of Middle Middle WayWay..

None of these None of these disciplines brought disciplines brought enlightenmentenlightenment

The Bodhi TreeThe Bodhi Tree

Finally, sat under Finally, sat under “Bo tree” (“Bo tree” (bodhi = bodhi = “enlightenment). “enlightenment).

““The Immovable The Immovable Spot.” Siddhartha Spot.” Siddhartha vowed to not leave vowed to not leave until enlightened. until enlightened.

Sensing Sensing breakthrough, Mara breakthrough, Mara sent tortures and sent tortures and temptations.temptations.

9th Century Bengali-Indian Statue

10th Century Chinese Silk Painting

2nd/3rd Century CE Gandharan Relief

The Sacred The Sacred Boddhi tree in Boddhi tree in 2004 CE. The tree 2004 CE. The tree is a descendant of is a descendant of the actual tree the actual tree under which under which Buddha reached Buddha reached enlightenment.enlightenment.

SiddharthaSiddharthaBecomesBecomesBuddhaBuddha

Achieves Nirvana.

-- Freedom from suffering and samsara

-- “blossoming of wisdom”

“Ten thousand galaxies shuddered in awe as lotuses bloomed on every tree, turning the entire universe into a bouquet of flowers set whirling through the air.”

Rooted in bliss for 49 days to “Immovable Spot.”

Buddha’s WorkBuddha’s Work Resists temptation to Resists temptation to

rest in Nirvanarest in Nirvana Instead travels Instead travels

Northern India Northern India teaching, begging, teaching, begging, meditating, meditating, counseling.counseling.

Founds order of Founds order of monks and nuns. monks and nuns. Sangha.Sangha.

Dies at age of 80.Dies at age of 80.

11stst Sermon at Deer Sermon at Deer Park Park 5 ascetics5 ascetics ““First Turn of the First Turn of the

Wheel of the Wheel of the Dharma”Dharma”

““Dharma” in Dharma” in Buddhism = law, Buddhism = law, doctrinedoctrine

Flower SermonFlower Sermon

Basic BeliefsBasic Beliefs

The Four Noble TruthsThe Four Noble Truths– existence is suffering ( existence is suffering ( dukhkadukhka - -

dislocationdislocation) ) – suffering is caused by craving ( suffering is caused by craving ( tanha - tanha -

thirstthirst))– there is a cessation of suffering (there is a cessation of suffering (nirvana nirvana – –

blowing out, as of a flameblowing out, as of a flame))– there is a path to the cessation of there is a path to the cessation of

suffering: the "eightfold path“suffering: the "eightfold path“

Basic PracticesBasic Practices

The Eightfold pathThe Eightfold path– right viewsright views– right resolveright resolve– right speechright speech– right action right action ((Five precepts: Do not kill, steal, lie, be unchaste Five precepts: Do not kill, steal, lie, be unchaste

or become intoxicated.)or become intoxicated.)– right livelihoodright livelihood– right effortright effort– right mindfulnessright mindfulness– right concentrationright concentrationAlso implied: right associationAlso implied: right association

Differences with Differences with HinduismHinduism Rejected traditions and authority Rejected traditions and authority – –

Ridiculed Brahmins, castes, Ridiculed Brahmins, castes, Vedas, Vedas, traditions. traditions. “Be lamps unto yourselves.” “Be lamps unto yourselves.”

““Noble Silence”Noble Silence” – Avoids “thicket of – Avoids “thicket of theorizing” about God/gods.theorizing” about God/gods.

Annica – Annica – “Impermanence” is essential “Impermanence” is essential nature of realitynature of reality

AnatmanAnatman – central teaching of non-self – central teaching of non-self– no independently existent, unchangeable self, or no independently existent, unchangeable self, or

Atman, can be foundAtman, can be found– All phenomena subject to inevitable decay and All phenomena subject to inevitable decay and

cessationcessation

Shared Heritage with Shared Heritage with HinduismHinduism

Belief in Karma, some form of Belief in Karma, some form of reincarnation.reincarnation.

Emphasis on self-discipline and Emphasis on self-discipline and taming the mind. taming the mind.

““Like a fish out of water, thrown on dry ground, this mind Like a fish out of water, thrown on dry ground, this mind thrashes about…” The Buddhathrashes about…” The Buddha

““Restless the mind is, so strongly shaken in the grip of the Restless the mind is, so strongly shaken in the grip of the senses, truly I think the wind is no wilder.” Arjunasenses, truly I think the wind is no wilder.” Arjuna

RebirthRebirth Different than in Hinduism: no Atman to move from Different than in Hinduism: no Atman to move from

body to bodybody to body The self is made up of The self is made up of skandasskandas or ‘skeins.’ Picture or ‘skeins.’ Picture

each person as a bundle of strings. These are the each person as a bundle of strings. These are the five aggregates:five aggregates:

- Matter- Matter - Sensation - Sensation - Perception- Perception - Ideas- Ideas - Consciousness - Consciousness These diverse energies, insofar as they remain These diverse energies, insofar as they remain

attached to world, continue after death, but not in attached to world, continue after death, but not in any unified ‘Self.’ any unified ‘Self.’

Metaphor: Burnt cloth continues as smoke, ash, heat.Metaphor: Burnt cloth continues as smoke, ash, heat.

AnatmanAnatman Explained ExplainedSince we are all Since we are all a composite or combination of a composite or combination of

diverse strands diverse strands (skandas),(skandas), inextricably interconnected inextricably interconnected (Dep (Dep

Orig’n)Orig’n),, and absolutely impermanent and absolutely impermanent

(annica)…(annica)… the “Self” is an illusion. Not only the “Self” is an illusion. Not only

false, this notion is the source of false, this notion is the source of our sufferingour suffering

Cosmology: Dependent Cosmology: Dependent OriginationOrigination Universe is all one, and everything Universe is all one, and everything

depends on everything else.depends on everything else. Metaphor: Indra’s Net Metaphor: Indra’s Net (Imagine an infinite spiderweb (Imagine an infinite spiderweb

with drops of dew, each reflecting one another)with drops of dew, each reflecting one another)

“A piece of bread contains a cloud. Without a cloud, the wheat cannot grow. So when you eat the piece of bread, you eat the cloud, you eat the sunshine, you eat the minerals, time, space, everything.” Thich Nhat Hanh, Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers.

NirvanaNirvana

Sanskrit literally “to Sanskrit literally “to extinguish” (a flame.)extinguish” (a flame.)

Buddha himself Buddha himself refused to provide refused to provide “preview.”“preview.”

Arhat Arhat – A “worthy – A “worthy one” who has one” who has reached Nirvana.reached Nirvana.

All identification with All identification with finite experience finite experience disappears – the disappears – the

““dewdrop slips into the dewdrop slips into the ocean.”ocean.”

Most “religious” Most “religious” feature of Buddhism.feature of Buddhism.

After Buddha’s death, Buddhism splits into two major schools by 1st Century B.C.E.

Buddhist History

Boddhidharma, Indian Monk who spread Buddhism to China and founded Zen Buddhism (Mahayana)

Mahayana Mahayana – “The Big – “The Big Raft”Raft”

- Bigger: 200 million today. Practiced in - Bigger: 200 million today. Practiced in China, Taiwan, Korea, Tibet, Vietnam, JapanChina, Taiwan, Korea, Tibet, Vietnam, Japan

- Attempt to make Buddhism accessible to lay - Attempt to make Buddhism accessible to lay people, not only monks. people, not only monks.

- Embraced folk religions, innovations, added - Embraced folk religions, innovations, added Sutras Sutras to the to the Pali Canon.Pali Canon.

- Inspired by Buddha’s compassion- Inspired by Buddha’s compassion ideal of the ideal of the boddhisattva: boddhisattva: One who returns One who returns

to work for enlightenment of all sentient to work for enlightenment of all sentient beings.beings.

- Buddha as cosmic being and object of - Buddha as cosmic being and object of worshipworship

- Spread to China. Advantage: downplayed - Spread to China. Advantage: downplayed social/political message, focused on spiritualsocial/political message, focused on spiritual

Theravada Theravada – “The Way of the – “The Way of the Elders.”Elders.”

- 100 million. Practiced today in Sri 100 million. Practiced today in Sri Lanka and most of Southeast Asia Lanka and most of Southeast Asia (Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand.)(Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand.)

- Political vision of Buddhism focused on Political vision of Buddhism focused on sanghasangha. Prospered in countries . Prospered in countries receptive to this vision.receptive to this vision.

- Loyal to Loyal to Pali Canon -- Pali Canon -- original teachings original teachings of Buddha -- attainment of Nirvana, of Buddha -- attainment of Nirvana, monkhood. Suspicious of innovation. monkhood. Suspicious of innovation.

Unlike Unlike MahayanaMahayana, has remained , has remained unified for 2,500 years.unified for 2,500 years.

TherevadaTherevada MahayanaMahayanaEmancipation through Self-Emancipation through Self-effort w/o Supernatural Aideffort w/o Supernatural Aid

Support of Divine Powers Support of Divine Powers and Graceand Grace

Key Virtue: WisdomKey Virtue: Wisdom Key Virtue: Key Virtue: CompassionCompassion

Focus: Monks and Focus: Monks and NunsNuns

Focus: Lay-peopleFocus: Lay-people

Ideal: Ideal: Arhat Arhat who who remains in Nirvanaremains in Nirvana

Ideal: Ideal: BoddhisattvaBoddhisattva who who returns for othersreturns for others

Buddha = supreme Buddha = supreme teacherteacher

Buddha = immortal Buddha = immortal saviorsavior

Little Metaphysics Little Metaphysics and Ritualand Ritual

Very much Very much metaphysics and metaphysics and ritualritual

Centers on Centers on MeditationMeditation

Petitionary prayerPetitionary prayer