1

WEEK 5: INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM

• DR. DORIS R. JAKOBSH

2

IS BUDDHISM A RELIGION?

• NO ‘GOD-NOTION’

• NO CREATOR

• NO ULTIMATE REALITY TO WORSHIP

3

BUT:

• ALLOWING FOR A DIFFERENT VOCABULARY

• NON-THEISTIC

• THEN BUDDHISM IS A RELIGION

4

ESSENCE:

• Buddhism is a way of life

• Ethical

• Psychological

• Philosophy of BECOMING/AWAKENING

5

BUDDHIST ALTARS

• Do not focus on an archetypal hero

• Mother, father image

• Rather, a psychological state

• Profound meditation

• Warm compassion

• Fury against illusion

Buddha

under

Bodhi

Tree,

Sri

Lanka

7Gal Vihara, Polannaruwa.

The Buddha is dying

8

9

THAI WALKING BUDDHA10

11

12

1993 CHICAGO PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD RELIGIONS

“The Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was not God or a god. He was a human being who attained full enlightenment through meditation and showed us the path of spiritual awakening and freedom. Therefore, Buddhism is not a religion of God. Buddhism is a religion of wisdom, enlightenment and compassion. Like the worshippers of God who believe that salvation is available to all through confession of sin and a life a prayer, we Buddhists believe that salvation and enlightenment are available to all through the removal of delusion and a life of meditation/ However, unlike those who believe in God who is separate from us, Buddhists believe that Buddha, which means ‘one who is awake and enlightened’ is inherent in us all as Buddhanature or Buddhamind.”

13

BUDDHA AND ‘ULTIMATE QUESTIONS’

- Nature of the soul

- Life after death

- Origin of the universe

- NOT ADDRESSED

14

“BEING RELIGIOUS AND FOLLOWING DHARMA HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH

DOGMA THAT THE WORLD IS ETERNAL. FOR WHETHER THE WORLD

IS ETERNAL OR OTHERWISE, BIRHT, OLD AGE, DEATH, SORROW, PAIN,

MISERY, GRIEF AND DESPAIR EXIST. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE

EXTINCTION OF THESE.”

ANALOGY:

• BUDDHA TEACHINGS = RAFT

• SHORE = NIRVANA

• BUT: THE SHORE IS NOT DESCRIBED

• MAKE-UP OF RAFT IS THE BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS

DEER PARK SERMON

• Four

Noble

Truths

• ‘Middle

Way’

“THERE ARE 2 EXTREMES, MONKS, WHICH ARE TO BE AVOIDED. WHAT ARE THESE 2 EXTREMES?

A LIFE GIVEN TO PLEASURES, DEDICATED TO PLEASURES AND LUSTS – THIS IS DEGRADING,

SENSUAL, VULGAR, UNWORTHY AND USELESS. AND A LIFE GIVEN TO SELF-TORTURE – THIS IS

PAINFUL, UNWORTHY, AND USELESS.BY AVOIDING THESE 2 EXTREMES, MONKS, I

HAVE GAINED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MIDDLE PATH, WHICH LEADS TO INSIGHT, WHICH LEADS

TO WISDOM, WHICH PRODUCES CALM, KNOWLEDGE, ENLIGHTENMENT AND NIRVANA.”

18

FIRST NOBLE TRUTH:

LIFE INEVITABLY INVOLVES SUFFERING:

- Imperfect

- Illness

- Hateful

- Separation

19

SECOND NOBLE TRUTH:

THE ORIGIN OF SUFFERING IS OUR DESIRES:

- Grasping for pleasure

- Grasping for becoming

- Grasping for sensual delight

- Grasping for what we don’t have

20

THIRD NOBLE TRUTH:

SUFFERING WILL STOP WHEN DESIRES ARE STOPPED:

- When the ‘grasping’ stops

- Elimination of passions

21

FOURTH NOBLE TRUTH:

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

22

1) RIGHT UNDERSTANDING

• Understanding reality through the Four Noble Truths

• Seeing through illusions

23

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

24

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…”

4) RIGHT ACTION

FIVE RULES OF MORAL CONDUCT:

1) DO NOT DESTROY LIFE2) DO NOT STEAL3) AVOID SEXUAL MISCONDUCT4) DO NOT LIE5) DO NOT USE INTOXICANTS

ABOVE ALL: ALL ACTIONS SHOULD BE BASED ON CLEAR UNDERSTANDING

MONKEYS TAKE CARE OF THE TREES, STORY

27

5) RIGHT LIVELIHOOD

• How one makes their living

• One’s work should not harm others

28

6) RIGHT EFFORT

• Refers to the constant effort that must be put into achieving these goals

• IT TAKES EFFORT!

7) RIGHT MINDFULNESS

• The way to liberation is through the mind

“CHECK YOUR MINDBE ON GUARD

PULL YOURSELF OUTLIKE AN ELEPHANT FROM THE

MUD.”

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

31

KARMA:

• CAUSE OF NEXT LIFE = KARMA

32

ANATMAN, SKANDHAS

• ANATMAN - No soul to be reborn; no permanent reality

• SKANDHAS – aggregates

33

KARMA: ANALOGY

• Candle analogy

• Domino analogy

34

SAMSARA

• Worldly phenomena

• Life, suffering, decay, death, painful rebirth

35

NIRVANA“No suffering for him

Who is free from sorrowFree from the fetters of lifeFree in everything he does

He has reached the end of his road…

Like a bird invisibly flying in the skyHe lives without possessions

Knowledge his food, freedom his worldWhile others wonder…

He has found freedom –Peaceful his thinking, peaceful his speech

Peaceful his deed, tranquil his mind.”

36

Anuradhapura, Sri Lankan Stupa

37

TIBETAN CHORTEN/STUPA

38

MAITREYA BUDDHA/FUTURE,

UNIVERSAL BUDDHA

39

SAMGHA: ORIGINS

• (samgha = community/followers)

• Initially samgha = 5 ascetics

• Set in motion the ‘wheel of dharma/dhamma’

• ANYONE could be part of the Buddha’s group

10 PRECEPTS1) Refrain from taking life (ahimsa)2) Do not take what is not given3) Chastity4) Do not lie or deceive5) Do not take intoxicants6) Consume food in moderation; never after noon7) Do not partake in public spectacles (dancing, singing)8) Do not ornament your body9) Do not recline on wide or high beds10) Do not accept gold or silver

41

MONASTICS VS LAY PEOPLE

ONLY FIRST FIVE PRECEPTS FOR LAY FOLLOWERS

ALL TEN FOR MONKS AND NUNS

42

THE ‘ORDER’ AND WOMEN

• Women included since time of Buddha

• YET, some hesitation

• Lesser order

• Different, subordinate rules guiding them

43

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

44

“Come, bhiksu/bhikhuni (monk, nun)”

45

WHAT CONSTITUTES THE SAMGHA? WHO IS

‘WORTHY’?

• Order of monks and nuns came to be viewed as ‘ideal’

• Laypeople came to be viewed as the inferior way

• LED TO MAHAYANA AND THERAVADA DIVISION