Buddhism

1. Buddhism

2. Life of the Buddha 6th century b.c.e. Shakya Clan Warrior Caste Lumbini – Northern India Father = Shuddhodana Mother = Maya Siddhartha means: “he through whom everything wonderful is accomplished”

8. Legend • Asita, a widely respected hermit came to see the child. • He said: “either the child will become a king whose chariot wheels would roll everywhere or the greatest sage who would set the wheel of good law throughout the world.”

9. Family Life • Wife: Yasodhara • Son: Rahula

10. 4 passing sights • Sickness • Old Age • Death • Sannyasin

18. The Noble Eightfold Path 1) right understanding 2) right intention 3) right speech 4) right action 5) right livelihood 6) right effort 7) right concentration 8) right mindfulness.

20. Deer Park Sermon

21. Buddhist TeachingsThe DharmaThe Dhammapada

22. The Three Jewels • I take refuge in the Buddha • I take refuge in the Dharma • I take refuge in the Sangha

23. The Sangha

25. The Five PreceptsBasic Moral Code • Refrain from taking life • Refrain from Stealing • Refrain from sexual misconduct • Refrain from lying • Refrain from alcohol

26. Three Main Divisions • Theravada Buddhism • “doctrine of the elders” • Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand • Mahayana Buddhism • “Great Vehicle” • Zen Buddhism • Pure Land Buddhism • Northern India, China, Japan • Vajrayana Buddhism • “Diamond Vehicle” • Tibetan Buddhism

28. TheravadaDoctrine/Teaching of the Elders • No written records on early development of Buddhism. Earliest scriptures written about 400 years after Siddhartha. • Theravada emphasizes a solitary life, detachment, seclusion for the sake of spiritual goals. • Followers believe that this is the most authentic form of Buddhism. • 100 million followers worldwide

29. Theravada • Ashoka: spread Buddhism. Son and daughter went to Sri Lanka as monk/nun and converted everyone. Also opened 10 original stupas which has the Buddha’s remains. • Scriptures: 3 parts known as the Tipitaka or Three Baskets. • Arhat: “worthy one”; saint; attained the ideal of spiritual perfection.

31. Sri Lanka

33. The square base represents earth The hemispherical dome/vase represents water The conical spire represents fire The upper lotus parasol and the crescent moon represents air The sun and the dissolving point represents the element of space.

34. Sri Lanka

35. Myanmar

36. Angkor Wat, Cambodia12th century

37. Mahayana Buddhism • “great vehicle” • Many different branches: • China – Pure Land • Japan – Zen

38. Mahayana BuddhismThe Bodhisattva The nature of the Bodhisattva is apparent from a teaching story in which three people are walking through a desert. Parched and thirsty, they spy a high wall ahead. They approach and circumnavigate it, but it has no entrance or doorway. One climbs upon the shoulders of the others, looks inside, yells "Eureka" and jumps inside. The second then climbs up and repeats the actions of the first. The third laboriously climbs the wall without assistance and sees a lush garden inside the wall. It has cooling water, trees, fruit, etc. But, instead of jumping into the garden, the third person jumps back out into the desert and seeks out desert wanderers to tell them about the garden and how to find it. The third person is the Bodhisattva.

39. Samantabhadra • Represents great practice, which helps us create more discipline in our daily life. • Riding and elephant – symbolizing the mind, since the elephant is the wildest of all animals when out of control and the most docile when trained.

40. Ksitigarbha Vowed to remain in hell, helping all being to be released from hell – will only attain Buddhahood when hell is emptied.

41. Maitreya • Future Buddha • Symbol of great benevolence • Happy Buddha • Universal tolerance towards all beings brings joy. • Large belly = prosperity

42. Avalokitesvara • Pure Land = Kuan Yin • Tibetan = Dalai Lama • Compassion and love. • She can hear all suffering in the world – will come to aid anyone who is suffering • Many arms = immense power to help all people simultaneously • Vase = limitless compassion to aid all suffering

43. Manjusri • Represents great wisdom – universal morality • Lion = through wisdom one can tame one’s nature no matter how wild. • Sword = destroying ignorance

45. Sutra • a classic religious text of Buddhism, especially one regarded as a discourse of the Buddha • Literally, "thread" or "string." • A scripture containing the teachings of Buddha.

46. Well-known Sutras New body of scriptures emerged around the1st century b.c.e – 1st century c.e. • Heart Sutra: regarded by many as the essence of true wisdom – best known/most popular • Diamond Sutra: focuses on the nature of emptiness. Can be read in 40 minutes - often memorized • Lotus Sutra: emphasizes the grace of the eternal Buddha and councils enduring faith

47. A famous four-line verse appears at the end of the sutra, a list of vivid metaphors for impermanence:[5] Thus shall you think of this fleeting world: A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream, A flash of lightning in a summer cloud, A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream. The Diamond Sutra: Often repetitive dialogue regarding the nature of perception. The Buddha often uses paradoxical phrases like "What is called the highest teaching is not the highest teaching". Buddha teaches Subhuti that what makes a Bodhistattvaso great is that the Bodhisattva does not take pride in his work to save others, nor is his compassion calculated or contrived. The Bodhisattva practices sincere compassion that comes from deep within, without any sense of ego or gain.

48. The Heart Sutra Mahāmantro, mahā-vidyāmantro, ‘nuttaramantrosamasama-mantraḥ“ The current Dalai Lama Dalaiexplains the mantraas both an instruction for practice and as a device for measuring one's own level of spiritual attainment, and translates it as go, go, go beyond, go thoroughly beyond, and establish yourself in enlightenment.

49. Lotus Sutra

50. Sunyata • Emptiness