Buddhism: Its Indian Origin

1. Buddhism: Its Indian Origin • Buddhism: one of two major Indian philosophical systems • Hinduism: Hindu philosophy has exerted more powerful impression throughout Indian history • It’s the root of the Buddhist tradition Buddha, Gupta Period (c.400 CE.), India

2. Indian thought unfolds in two directions: • Hindu: the Veda is its source • Accepted as the authority of the sacred teaching and viewed as orthodox • Texts associated: • Rg-Veda, Yajur-Veda, Atharva-Veda, Upanishads (sk. Upanişads) Standing Buddha, Museum of Archaeology, Mathura. 5th C.

3. Non-Hindu • Viewed as heterodox • Buddhism, Jainism, Karvaka • Vedic teachings influenced the development of Buddhism • Specialized priests handled specific elements of ritual • Truth of transmigration and repeated death • Notion of ātman (self/soul) • Meditation on some sacred utterances of Upanishads • Contemplative techniques used to search freedom

4. Seated Buddha, 2nd Century, BCE Standing Bodhisattva, Mathura sculpture, 3rd C.

5. Buddhism: Its History in India (I) • Three periods: • Early, Sectarian, Mahayana • 1st Period: Early Buddhism • The “Three Jewels” is the core • The Buddha prescribed the “refuge formula” • Two refuges expanded to three refuges Early Sculpture of Buddha in India

6. 2nd Period: Sectarian Buddhism Characterized by councils and schism First council, occurred in ca. 534 BCE After the death of the Buddha Mahakashapa, one of the Buddha’s closest disciples, called for an assembly meeting to establish some consensus about the core of the Buddha’s teachings Kushinagar, Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana

7. Subsequent councils (2nd&3rd…) • were assembled to deal with interpretation of certain ideas and Vinaya, resulting first major split among Buddhists because of disagreements: (referred to as Great Schism): • Two schools emerged • The Great Assembly (Mahasanghika) • Teaching of the Elders (Sthaviravada, or Theravada)

8. Third Period: Mahayana Buddhism Originated in the 2nd and 3rd council The Great Assembly (Mahasanghika) proposed a theory that the Buddha, superior to arhants, transcended the life of an ordinary man Disputed the notion issue of ātman (soul) in favor of that of anātman (no soul) The initiation of the Buddhist canon, or official works Ideas in these works were put together into Pitaka (baskets)

9. Three Jewels (aka. Three Refuges) • The Buddha • The Buddha: the “Awakened One” (or “one who has awakened”) • Śākaymuni: “the sage of the Sakyas” • Śākyas--his people’s name • Gautama--his clan name • Siddhārtha--personal name, “one who has achieved his aim” • The Dharma • Law, doctrines • The Sangha • Communities

10. The Buddha • Dates and Place of Birth • Dates: (566-486 BCE), (563-483BCE); (440-360BCE); (d. ca.410BCE) • Lumbini, Nipal • The Great Departure • Enlightenment: Bodh Gaya (the birthplace of Buddhism) • Sermons: Dear Park in Sarnath • Parinirvana: Kushinaga

11. The Great Departure and the Temptation of the Buddha (by Mara’s Daughters) Ikshvaku period, ca. first half of 3rd centuryIndia (Andra Pradesh, Nagarjunakonda)

12. “The Great Departure” poster

13. Birth and Family • Father: Suddhodhana, : aunt: (Maha)pajapati • Mother: Māyā • conceived him when dreaming a white baby elephant entering her side • gave birth to him when standing up and holding on to the trunk of a sal tree • The earth shook and gods bathed him in a miraculous shower of water • The Buddha: (Sākyamuni Buddha) • After birth: Immediately stood up, took seven steps and declared that this was to be his last rebirth • “I am chief in the world. I am best in the world. I am first in the world.” • Wife: Yasodharā • Son: Rāhura

14. Super Body • The Buddha’s characteristics • Remarkable in mind and body • Endowed physically with the 32 major marks and 80 secondary marks of a superman • His voice has 64 kinds of euphony • The Buddha was a great storyteller • Jātaka stories: his previous lives • Avadāna stories: explain present situation by recounting events from the past • King Padmaka and the fish allegory

15. The Great Departure • Four signs: the reasons for his departure: • old, sick, dead, religious mendicants • accounts questionable and should be treated as parables • Renunciation and Austerities (6 years) • left home and family in search of spiritual knowledge • renounced the world and embraced asceticism • began to learn meditation, quickly mastered high level of meditative skills • further practiced extreme austerities • subdued the appetites, and passions • breathing exercise • reduced intake of food, • engaged in self-mortification • found “middle way”

16. Enlightenment • Attained enlightenment when sitting and meditating under a Bodhi tree • Three stages: • 1st watch: acquired power to review previous existence • 2nd watch: attained the clairvoyant power and saw cycles of birth and karma • 3rd watch: awakened to the four noble truths and enlightened • sat in the lotus posture, touched the earth with his right hand to call upon its witness of his achievement • Set out for Barnes to begin his teaching career

17. Sermons • First Sermon: Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dharma • Content: The Four Noble Truths • Audience: the group of five mendicants • became “stream-enterer”--one who has attained the preliminary degree of spiritual understanding • Second Sermon • all five became his disciples and were ordained as monks • they were Arhats (Arhants) • Teaching spread and the order of monks established • the formation of Sangha • attracted followers including powerful and wealthy patrons • viharas formed, turned into monasteries

18. Parinirvana • Death • age 80, died of natural causes at Kusinara when lying on right side between two Sal trees • passed through several levels of trance before entering nirvana • Will • no successor needed, no authority on doctrines • Vinaya: the code of rules • body cremated and enshrined: stupa • last words: “Decay is inherent in all things: be sure to strive with clarity of mind (for nirvana).”