Buddhism

The Life and Times of Buddha• Buddhism originated in India and has a basis in Hinduism.• Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) was an Indian prince. Shocked by the sight of

poverty, illness and death in the world, he needs to find a way to understand how these things exist and what can be done to eliminate them.

– Gautama leads an extremely luxurious life free from any worldly problem.– Soon, he leaves one of his three princely palaces with a curiosity for new

things and sees what have come to be called…

• The Four Passing Sights: 1. A frail old man, 2. A diseased man, 3. A dead man and 4. An asectic man.

– Gautama had never seen suffering, illness, poverty or death before.– The ascetic man gives him hope that there is a way to transcend both the fleeting

luxury and abject suffering he now knows as present in the world.

• As many holy men and women would do, Guatama leaves the security of his palace life and becomes a homeless beggar.

• He learned to meditate, and spent many hours meditating every day.• He became extreme in his asceticism, fasting almost to starvation.• Soon he realized that neither extreme wealth nor poverty lead to spiritual

enlightenment. Instead, he fostered a lifestyle he called the Middle Way, a simple yet balanced lifestyle that seeks to avoid temptation and selfishness.

Beliefs and Practices• Enlightenment: Spiritual perfection and an ultimate awakening

– Focus on meditation, harmony with all creation and letting go of all selfish desire– No self (anatta)

• Nirvana is ultimate salvation, complete freedom from materiality and eternal bliss.

• How does one achieve nirvana? Understand the Four Noble Truths, which the Buddha discovered while meditating under the bodhi (wisdom) tree.

– Life is suffering– Suffering is caused by desire– Suffering and desire can end– The way to end suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path

• Noble Eightfold Path– Right views: Learn from the Buddha and the Four Noble Truths– Right intention:

• Adopt attitudes of generosity, kindness, compassion and friendship• Leave attitudes of hatred, selfishness, greed

– Right speech: Do not gossip; speak righteously– Right conduct: Live a morally upstanding lifestyle– Right livelihood: Choose a virtuous career and avoid immoral career choices– Right effort: Wise and unwise decisions; mental preparedness– Right mindedness: Meditation and development of the mind– Right meditation: Loss of individuality brings perfect peace and tranquility

Navigating the River of Life• Theravada (“The Way of the Elders”) in Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and

Thailand– Adheres to early Buddhism and the teachings of Buddha, including the Four

Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path– Cultivating wisdom through meditation– Monks and nuns; religious hierarchy has developed

• Vajrayana (“The Vehicle of the Diamond”) in Tibet – Nirvana can be attained here and now– Minority of the 3 paths, and has suffered religious persecution in China– Mantras: chants as a means of harnessing sensual (senses) energies– Hierarchy of clergy, including the Dalai Lama

• Mahayana (“The Great Vehicle”) in China, Japan, Korea– focuses more on Buddha as a person than on his teachings– individual path of meditation; religious devotion and prayer– bodhisattvas: wise ones, “Buddhas in the making”– recognizes the tradition of multiple Buddhas

• Three Jewels: Buddha (the Enlightened One), Dharma (the teaching) and Sangha (the community) are looked to for guidance and for refuge.

Zen Buddhism• Zen Buddhism is practiced primarily in Japan, and focuses on the

experience of enlightenment.• Famous for its riddles, such as “the sound of one hand clapping,”

which are not meant to answer, only for mindful exploration. • Often beyond the majority of rational thought• Learning everything while teaching nothing• Zen is very practical in its simplicity: “If you’ve finished eating, wash

your bowl.”• It pays attention to the functioning of the world around it.• Focuses on here and now rather than contemplating an afterlife.

– Zen does not seek to answer questions about the existence of God or afterlife

• It has a monastic element as with all Buddhism– Monks practice zazen (seated meditation; lotus position)– Work the tedious everyday activities to keep mind active.