Buddhism Review and Tantric (Tibetan) Buddhism

1. Buddhism Review and Tantric (Tibetan) Buddhism

2. The Three Jewels Also translated as 3 Gems, Precious Things, etc. • The Buddha the “awakened” one • The Dharma (Dhamma) the Truth he realized • The Sangha the community

3. Three Jewels: The Buddha • Literal meaning: the “awakened” one • A title, not a proper name • Shakyamuni Buddha: most recent of many buddhas • Not a God • an extraordinary human being • more a “guide” than a “savior” • As one of the Three Jewels: • the goal of human growth and development to which Buddhists aspire • exemplar what it is to be truly and fully human

4. Three Jewels: The Dharma • Two (related) meanings: • the Truth--the nature of reality--realized by the Buddha • all of the Buddha’s teachings leading to that Truth • Going for Refuge to the Dharma • seeking to realize that truth/reality • by using the teaching of the buddhas • Dharma = Dhamma Sanskrit Pali language

5. Three Jewels: The Sangha • The Community of those following the Path of the Buddha • An important distinction: • Arya-Sangha: those who have been liberated or awakened • Maha-Sangha: all those following the path of the buddhas • Buddhists “go for refuge” to the Arya-Sangha

6. The Wheel of Life: A mirror “viewed” in four ways, fouraspects of existence: • The “Three Poisons” • greed: the rooster • hatred: the snake • delusion: the pig • Two orders of conditionality • ascending & • descending • Six Realms of Existence • Twelve-fold Chain of Cause and Condition

7. The Wheel of Life Six Realms of Existence • gods • titans (warring gods) • humans • animals • hungry ghosts • denizens of the hell realms

8. The Wheel of Life Six Realms of Existence • Hierarchy of life-forms or forms of existence • Interpermeable levels of existence • Form is incidental, not essential to one’s being (becoming) • Human form best suited to gain enlightenment Understood in two way: • Options for future re-birth • Options for experiencing present human existence

9. The Wheel: The Vicious Circle of Samsara Old Age & Death <== [re]-Birth <== Becoming (desire for continued existence) <== Grasping <== Craving <== Feeling <== Contact <== Six Sensory Faculties <== Name-and-form <== Consciousness <== Predispositions (karma formations)<== Ignorance

10. 1. Ignorance WheelofSamsara 12. Old Age & Death 2. Predispositions 11. (re)-Birth 3. Consciousness 10. Becoming 4 “Name-and-Form” 9.Grasping 5. Six sensory faculties 8. Craving 6. Contact 7. Feeling

11. The Wheel: The Vicious Circle of Samsara • All of this represents the recurrent cycle of Suffering • With noawareness it will loop back round to re-iterate itself • With awareness the option of the Path opens

12. Stopping the Wheel: Three Junctures Past as the Cause for Present: • #1-2: ignorance & karma formations (dispositions) Present as the Result of Past Causes (#1-2): • #3-7: consciousness, psychophysical organism, six senses, contact & feeling Present as the Cause for Future: • #8-10: craving, grasping, and becoming Future as the Result of Present: • #11-12: (re)-birth and decay-and-death

13. 1. Ignorance WheelofSamsara 12. Old Age & Death 2. Predispositions 11. (re)-Birth 3. Consciousness 10. Becoming 4 “Name-and-Form” 9.Grasping 5. Six sensory faculties 8. Craving 6. Contact 7. Feeling

14. Principle of Conditionality (applied) Previous Life past present future 3-7 1-2 8-10 11-12 Current Life past present future 8-10 11-12 3-7 1-2 past causal process present resultant process present causal process future resultant process Next Life past present future 1-2 3-7 8-10 11-12 “The Gap” between Feeling & Craving --Opportunity for Change--

15. II. Three Historical Phases of Buddhism • 1. Early Conservative Buddhism---focusing on the: Developmental Dimension • 2. The Mahayana Revitalization---focusing on the: Relational Dimension • 3. Phase Three Diversity (Pure Land, Zen & Vajrayana)--- focusing on the Technical Dimension

16. Principle Schools of Third-Phase Buddhism All grow out of the Mahayana movement: • Vajrayana Buddhism, the Tantric Buddhist tradition of India & Tibet • Ch’an or Zen Buddhism, the East Asian school centered on meditative practice • Pure Land Buddhism, the East Asian school centered on devotional practice directed towards rebirth in the Pure Land of Amitabha (Amida) Buddha

17. Characteristics of 3rd-Phase Buddhism • emphasis on the technical aspect of the path, on radical & powerful techniques; • liberation here and now: union of wisdom and method • focus on immediate worldly context & concerns as the context for enlightenment • rejection of scholasticism Remember: 3rd-Phase Buddhism includes: Vajrayana, Zen, & Pure Land Buddhism, three different schools of Buddhism

18. Tantra in Vajrayana Buddhism Sutra: “thread” vs. Tantra: “something woven” Origins of Tantra lie outside of both Buddhism and Hinduism

19. The Vajrayana Buddhism of Tibet The Three Vehicles • Hinayana • Mahayana • Vajrayana Tantra Sutra-yana & Mantra-yana (Tantra-yana)

20. Vajrayana Buddhism 1. Tantra is Concerned with Direct Experience 2. Tantra Works with Symbols and Magic 3. Tantra Addresses the Whole Person 4. Tantra Sees the World in Terms of Energy 5. Tantra Makes Use of the Strongest Experiences of Life 6. Tantra Sees Samsara and Nirvana as Interrelated 7. Tantra Begins at the Highest Point: enact enlightenment

21. Tantra in Vajrayana Buddhism • Key Elements of Tantric Buddhism • mantra • mandala • magic (“mysticism”): magical world view: homologies between microcosm and macrocosm • demonic dimension of human experience: sex & death • esotericism: importance of relying on a guru or lama (both already present in Mahayana)

22. Tantra in Vajrayana Buddhism • Some definitions of mantra: • “the sound expressing some fundamental structure of existence”; “a seed-syllable” or “power syllable” • “mind protector” • "word(s) believed to be of 'superhuman origin,' received, fashioned, and spoken by the 'inspired' seers, poets, and reciters in order to evoke divine power(s) and especially as means of creating, conveying, concentrating, and realizing intentional and efficient thought, and of coming into touch or identifying oneself with the essence of the divinity which is present in the mantra.” Jan Gonda

23. The Vajrayana Buddhism of Tibet Vajrayana Forms of Practice • Purely Mahayana Forms example: Healing Anger meditations • Mahayana Forms with Tantric elements example: Visualization Practices • Focused on the Archetypal buddhas & bods. • Use of mantras & mandalas • Tantric Forms (with Buddhist content) example: “Tibetan Book of the Dead” practices

24. Mantra and Mandala in Vajrayana Practice Visualization Practice (Deity-yoga) in the Mahayana • Establish a relationship of veneration & aspiration • Awareness of the difference & distance to be traversed Visualization Practice in the Tantric Vajrayana • Establish a relationship of aspiration & identification • Awareness of the immediacy & proximity of the goal

25. Vajrayana Buddhism • Vajra: • Thunder-bolt • Diamond

26. Vajrayana Buddhism • Bell & Vajra: • Wisdom & Means • Wisdom in Action More on Sacred Objects http://www.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/dead/ceremon.html

27. Vajrayana Buddhism & Death Reflections on Death I. Death is certain (i.e., inevitable). II. The time of death is uncertain (i.e., unpredictable). III. Only spiritual practice is of help at the time of death.

28. Vajrayana Buddhism & Death Reflections on Death I. Death is certain (i.e., inevitable). A. Death will come and we will not be able to escape it. B. Life diminishes uninterruptedly; we cannot augment it. C. A normal life leaves little time for spiritual practice; one is either too young, too busy with family, or too old.

29. Vajrayana Buddhism & Death Reflections on Death II. The time of death is uncertain (i.e., unpredictable). A. Life in general is short; moreover, the young and healthy may die before the old and infirm. B. There are few causes of life, many of death, and the former can easily turn into the latter. C. The body is weak and susceptible.

30. Vajrayana Buddhism & Death Reflections on Death III. Only spiritual practice is of help at the time of death A. Wealth is of no help. B. Friends and relatives cannot help. C. Even one’s own body cannot help.