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LTLRE June 30 th 2017 Making sense of Mahayana Buddhism

LTLRE June 30 th 2017 Making sense of Mahayana Buddhism. Prof Denise Cush. Making sense of Mahayana Buddhism. Theravada v. Mahayana. Theravada v. Mahayana. What are the main differences? (in 2s) Burma, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Thailand, Vietnam.

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LTLRE June 30 th 2017 Making sense of Mahayana Buddhism

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  1. LTLRE June 30th 2017Making sense of Mahayana Buddhism Prof Denise Cush

  2. Making sense of Mahayana Buddhism

  3. Theravada v. Mahayana

  4. Theravada v. Mahayana • What are the main differences? (in 2s) • Burma, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Thailand, Vietnam

  5. Theravada v. Mahayana: main differences • Scriptures • Cosmologies • Philosophies • Concept of Buddha • Buddhas • Final goal • bodhisattvas • Practices • Monastic rules • Upaya applied to teachings and rules • Role of laity (?) • Countries (today)

  6. How did Mahayana start? • Various theories • Mahasanghikas in early councils • Influence of ‘Hinduism’ • Monastic meditation visions (Williams, Rawlinson) • Lay stupa worship (Hirakawa) • The use of writing (Gombrich)

  7. Which came first? • Western scholars presume Theravada • Mahayana practitioners claim just as old • Extant textual sources near in date • Both have long histories • Both developed side by side in India • Buddhist concept of time • Awareness of issue in Mahayana – hidden texts, Lotus Sutra, so…

  8. Why is it harder to grasp Mahayana? Theravada is a) a line of ordination b) a school of philosophy Mahayana isn’t – a different vision of the meaning of Buddha and the Buddhist goal, a movement with roots in Indian monasteries. Southern/Northern/Eastern Buddhism

  9. ‘Vajrayana’ and Tantra • Some sources claim a third wing of Buddhism ‘Vajrayana’, but • Clearly within Mahayana, found in Tibetan Buddhism and Shingon • Tantric ‘Advanced’ ritual practices which provide a quicker but more dangerous path to enlightenment

  10. Some schools of Mahayana • Tibetan Gelugpa, Kargyupa, Sakyapa, Nyingmapa • Chan/Zen – Rinzai, Soto • T’ien Tai/Tendai • Chen yen/Shingon • Pure Land – Jodo, Jodo Shinshu • Nichiren • Many more including NRMs

  11. Kukai (Shingon)

  12. Mahayana philosophies • Madhyamaka • Yogachara • Hua yen

  13. Nagarjuna at Samye Ling

  14. Nagarjuna and Madhymaka • Prajnaparamita texts • Shunyata ‘emptiness’ • Empty of inherent existence • Nothing is anything in or by itself • Nothing has svabhava ‘own-being’, ‘aseity’ • If it did, nothing could ever happen • Everything is interdependent/relative • Samsara and nirvana are not separate • Experiential as well as intellectual • Levels of truth

  15. Yogachara • Asanga and Vasubandhu • Everything as mental construct ‘mind-only’ • The delusion of real separate objects/selves • The flow of perceptions misinterpreted • Alayavijnana or ‘store consciousness’ • Universal Mind?

  16. Hua yen • Avatamsaka Sutra • Indra’s jeweled net • Interpenetration • Each individual thing reflects all things • Influential in China and Japan • Gives a more positive value to material world • Vairochana Buddha ‘shining one’

  17. Vairocana Buddha in Nara

  18. Buddhas in Theravada • Buddhas in Theravada • Historical Buddha, previous and future Buddhas eg Dipankara, Maitreya • Rare • Pass out of samsara at death • Not in contact • Maitreya as symbol of unity

  19. Dipankara and Maitreya

  20. Maitreya

  21. Buddha(s) in Mahayana • Other universes, other Buddhas • Vairochana, Amogasiddhi, Amitabha, Akshobya, Ratnasambhava • ‘Cosmic’ Buddhas – Vajrasattva, Vajradhara • ‘Our’ Buddha, Shakyamuni, is still with us • All can be Buddhas • All IS Buddha

  22. Buddha(s) in Mahayana • Trikaya ‘three body’ teaching • Nirmanakaya, Sambhogakaya, Dharmakaya • Tathagatagarbha ‘embryo’ or ‘womb’ of the Buddha in all • All can become Buddhas • All already are

  23. Amida Buddha

  24. Vajrasattva

  25. Bodhisattvas • In Theravada, ‘Buddha to be’ - rare • In Mahayana, someone who aspires to buddhahood for sake of others • Advanced bodhisattvas available to help • Six/Ten perfections and stages • Perfect wisdom and infinite compassion • Aspects of Buddha nature?

  26. Avalokitesvara/Chenrezi/Kwanyin

  27. Manjusri and Tara

  28. Some Mahayana practices • Temples • Rituals • Festivals • Mandalas • Mantras • Meditation • Funerals

  29. Mount Hiei

  30. Zen Garden, Kyoto

  31. Hanamatsuri April 8th

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