Cristian, Javier, Andy, and Luis

BUDDHISM

Where Buddhism Began • Founder: Siddhartha Gautama in 400-500 BC• North Eastern India• Most Prevalent in Asian

countries, though it is expanding into Europe and North America

• Countries that Buddhism spread to: China, Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Burma, Tibet, Vietnam, etc..

Today • Practiced by 376 million people• Mainly Located by Population :

Country PercentThailand 95.00%Cambodia 90Myanmar 88Bhutan 75Sri Lanka 70Tibet 65Laos 60Vietnam 55Japan 50Macau 45Taiwan 43

Major Beliefs • Nontheistic • Enlightenment • The Four Noble Truths • Karma • Reincarnation • Books and Teachings are Important • Meditation is Key

Major Belief Explanations• Nontheistic: Buddhism does not depend on the existence of a God who created the universe. However, at the same time, Buddhism does not rule out the existence of a God or gods altogether

• Englitenment: Ultimate goal is to purify the mind and reach enlightenment

• The Four Noble Truths: 1) Life is unsatisfactory and full of suffering2) Suffering comes from attachment to desires 3) There is a way to end suffering4) Following the Eightfold Path ceases suffering

Major Belief Explanations Cont..• Karma: our past actions affect us, either positively or negatively, and that our present actions will affect us in the future.

• Books and Teachings: It is important to read and to listen to great teachers, so we can ‘undo’ more of our ignorance.

• Meditation: Without calming our mind, and examining our mind’s nature and its beliefs, we can never reach enlightenment.

Other Not So Major Beliefs • Healing comes from the mind• We control our fate • Our bodies are important • Spiritual community is important • Interconnectedness is the Nature of Reality• Compassion is an extension of wisdom• Strive for balance•  It’s never too late to begin

Subdivisions• Korean Zen Buddhism • Nichren Buddhism • Theravada Buddhism • Zen Buddhism • Mahayana Buddhism • Pure Land Buddhism • Tibetan Buddhism

Subdivisions’ Teachings• Theravada Buddhism: “Southern Buddhism”, Believes that it has remained closest to the original teachings of the Buddha. However, it does not over-emphasize the status of these teachings in a fundamentalist way - they are seen as tools to help people understand the truth, and not as having merit of their own.

• Mahayana Buddhism: Mahayana Buddhism is not a single group but a collection of Buddhist traditions: Zen, Pure-land, and Tibetan Buddhism are all forms of Mahayana Buddhism.

Subdivisions’ Teachings Cont..• Korean Zen Buddhism: Buddhism arrived in Korea in the 4th century CE. It spread widely and became the state religion when the three kingdoms that made up the country were united in 688 CE.

• Zen Buddhism: mixture of Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. It began in China, spread to Korea and Japan, and became very popular in the West from the mid 20th century.

The essence of Zen is attempting to understand the meaning of life directly, without being

misled by logical thought or language.

Subdivisions’ Teachings Cont.. • Nichren Buddhism: Nichiren Buddhism differs from other schools of Buddhism in focusing on this world, and in its view that it is the only correct tradition. It also emphasizes the importance of individuals taking responsibility for improving themselves.

• Pure Land Buddhism: Pure Land Buddhism offers a way to enlightenment for people who can't handle the subtleties of meditation, endure long rituals, or just live especially good lives.

• Tibetan Buddhism: Tibetan Buddhism combines the essential teachings of Mahayana Buddhism with Tantric and Shamanic, and material from an ancient Tibetan religion called Bon.

Sacred Writings • Tripitaka (Pali Canon):the earliest collection of Buddhist teachings and the only text recognized as canonical by Theravada Buddhists

• Mahayana Sutra:reveres the Tripitaka as a sacred text, but adds to it the Sutras, which reflect distinctively Mahayana concepts.

• Tibetan Book of the Dead: Chronicles the experiences and religious opportunities a person encounters at various stages: while dying, at the moment of death, during the 49-day interval between death and rebirth, and at rebirth

Sacred Spaces and Places • Sacred Spaces: Buddhists visit shrines and temples to pay their respects to Buddha and to meditate with other Buddhists.

• Sacred Places: Buddhists go on pilgrimages to places associated with Buddha's life. These places include his birthplace, Lumbini Grove, the place of enlightenment, Bodh Gaya, the place of his first sermon, Sarnarth, and the place he died, Kusinara.

Holy Days• Dharma Day

• Losar

• Parinirvana

• Kathina

• Sangha Day

• Wesak

Paint me like one of your French girls

Holy Days Meaning • Dharma Day: Dharma Day marks the beginning of the Buddha's teaching. The word Dharma can be translated as truth and is the term used for the path to enlightenment, or the Buddhist teaching.

• Losar: The most important holiday in Tibet is Losar, which celebrates the Tibetan New Year.

• Parinirvana: This is a Mahayana Buddhist festival that marks the death of the Buddha. It is also known as Nirvana Day.

• Kathina: The Kathina festival, which originated 2,500 years ago, celebrates the largest alms-giving ceremony of the Buddhist year.

Holy Days Meanings Cont…• Sangha Day: Sangha Day is the second most important Buddhist festival. It is a celebration in honor of the Sangha, or the Buddhist community. For some Buddhists Sangha refers only to monks and nuns. It is a chance for people to reaffirm their commitment to Buddhist practices and traditions.

• Wesak: Wesak is the most important of the Buddhist festivals and is celebrated on the full moon in May. It celebrates the Buddha's birthday, and, for some Buddhists, also marks his enlightenment and death.

Conflicts within Buddhism

•No real conflict within Buddhism but there is disagreement.

• For example, some Buddhist do not believe in reincarnation as the reinsertion of their soul into another being. Also, the different Buddhist subdivisions focus on different things, like Therevada Buddhism who tend to focus more on reality, while Mahayana Buddhist focus more on metaphysical.

• Another example would be how Tibetan Buddhists recognize the Dalai Llama, while others do not.

Conflicts With Other Religions

• Conflict with Hinduism: Since Buddhism was born in the Indian subcontinent, it has been largely at odds with earlier Hindu institutions. The conflicts that have occurred between the two faith systems have resulted in conflicts ranging from social and civil rights conflicts to all-out war. An understanding of the roots of these conflicts is key to understanding contemporary Buddhist and Hindu communities.