Buddhism: The Call to Awaken

1. Buddhism: The Call to Awaken

2. Homework: • (due Tues., 3/12) Read 69-72; do 72B • (due Weds. 3/13) 1-2 pgrphs on: “How do you feel about sickness, old age and death? (Discuss any personal experiences you’ve had with these)What indicators are there in our culture that show we do not deal healthily with these realities?

3. Homework: • (due Thurs., 3/14) Rd pp. 72-75; do 72C • (due Tues., 3/19) Read 75-77 (>”Dukkha”)/ Bring 3 photos of yourself (1-baby; 1-child; 1-now)/ Do 76H or I

4. Homework • (due . Weds, 3/20) Read 78-81; do 81 N • (due Thurs., 3/21) Read 81-85; do 81 O • (due Mon., 3/25) Read 77-78; do 77 J • (Tues., 3/26) TEST on Buddhism

5. What do you know about Buddhism?

6. Why be interested in Buddhism? • Increasing popularity: one of fastest growing religions in U.S. • Very open, human, practical way • Simple yet profound insight into our pain, dissatisfaction, suffering and unhappiness

7. Buddhism:The Call to Awaken

8. Four “Passing Sights” • Elderly man > old age • Diseased man > sickness } DESPAIR • Corpse > death • Hindu ascetic or mendicant > } HOPE (sannyasin)

9. The Middle Way • Rejection of extremes of • Self-indulgence • Self-denial • Balanced happiness in • Body • Mind • Spirit

10. Meditation… Why Bother? • Samatha: “tranquility meditation • Vipassana: “insight meditation” • Sati: “mindfulness” • Metta: “Lovingkindness”

11. Siddhartha’s Enlightenment • During 3 watches of the night, Siddhartha perceives the truth of reality… • Four Noble Truths • Becomes the “Buddha” (“Awakened One”)

12. Buddhism: The Call to Awaken

13. The Dharma Buddhist Teachings: Background

14. “Taking Refuge” in the Three Jewels • The Buddha (his example) • The Dharma (his teaching) • The Sangha (his community)

15. Three Marks of Existence • Anatta: “no-self” • Anicca: “impermanence” • Dukkha: “suffering”

16. 3 Marks of Existence: Anatta • Anatta: the “no-self” • No ultimate reality within • No essence underlying existence • No eternal substratum that is truly real The essence of Buddhism… there is NO essence.

17. 3 Marks of Existence: Anicca • Anicca: “impermanence” • Very closely related to anatta • Reality is not static, but dynamic • Reality/Life does not change, but IS change, flux, flow • Image of river (“You cannot step into the same river twice” –Heraclitus)

18. 3 Marks of Existence: Dukkha • Dukkha: “suffering”, dissatisfaction, frustration, dislocation, longing, wanting… • Natural result/ logical consequence of clinging to the impermanent as if it were permanent…

19. The Dharma Buddhist Teachings: Moral Practice

20. Samsara • Literally, the “cycle of rebirth”, or reincarnation • Originally a Hindu doctrine • Soul or “self” (atman) reborn • This liberation called moksha • Problem in Buddhist teaching? • “No-self” (anatta, an-atman)! • Who/what is reincarnated?

21. Karma • Moral law of cause and effect • Karma is energy caused by action which produces an effect • Analogies: flame, pebble in pond • Possible problems with teaching? • How we influence karma: morality…

22. The Sila (Precepts) • Karma is action • Positive moral action means good karma • 5 Precepts for all; 10 for monks/nuns • All retreatants “take the sila” or promise to abide by the 5 Precepts

23. The Ten Precepts • Do not take life.

24. The Ten Precepts • Do not take life. • Do not take what is not given.

25. The Ten Precepts • Do not take life. • Do not take what is not given. • Do not engage in sensuous misconduct.

26. The Ten Precepts • Do not take life. • Do not take what is not given. • Do not engage in sensuous misconduct. • Do not use false speech.

27. The Ten Precepts • Do not take life. • Do not take what is not given. • Do not engage in sensuous misconduct. • Do not use false speech. • Do not drink/take intoxicants.

28. The Ten Precepts • Do not eat after noon.

29. The Ten Precepts • Do not eat after noon. • Do not watch dancing or shows.

30. The Ten Precepts • Do not eat after noon. • Do not watch dancing or shows. • Do not use garlands, perfumes or ornaments.

31. The Ten Precepts • Do not eat after noon. • Do not watch dancing or shows. • Do not use garlands, perfumes or ornaments. • Do not use a high or soft bed.

32. The Ten Precepts • Do not eat after noon. • Do not watch dancing or shows. • Do not use garlands, perfumes or ornaments. • Do not use a high or soft bed. • Do not accept gold or silver.

33. The Dharma Buddhist Teachings: Reality & Rehab

34. The Four Noble Truths • To live is to suffer • Life in this world (samsara) is full throughout with dissatisfaction, etc. (dukkha) • Experience of things not being quite right, “out of joint”, in need of repair • ALL living is dukkha, whether pleasant or unpleasant… Why? • Dukkha, therefore, is unavoidable

35. The Four Noble Truths • To live is to suffer(dukkha). • Suffering is caused by desire(tanha). • Karma/cause and effect logic • Tanha= craving, greed, lust, hunger, thirst, selfishness • Like dukkha, tanha is unavoidable… the “self” simply will crave for itself

36. The Four Noble Truths • To live is to suffer(dukkha). • Suffering is caused by desire(tanha). • Suffering can be brought to cessation. • Suffering ends when desire ends. • Desire ends with the end of the one who desires… the self • I AM I WANT I SUFFER

37. The Four Noble Truths • To live is to suffer(dukkha). • Suffering is caused by desire(tanha). • Suffering can be brought to cessation. • The solution to suffering is the noble Eightfold Path. • A “rehab” program of moderation • Encompasses all areas of life

38. The Noble Eightfold Path • Right Views • Right intentions • Right speech • Right conduct • Right livelihood • Right effort • Right mindfulness • Right meditation

41. Bonus • Name this man