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THE BASICS OF BUDDHISM

THE BASICS OF BUDDHISM. Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha = “Enlightened One”). Thought of himself as a Hindu Maintained Hindu beliefs such as individual self, karma and dharma HOWEVER, Denied the existence of gods Taught priests were not necessary Caste system should be abolished

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THE BASICS OF BUDDHISM

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  1. THE BASICS OF BUDDHISM

  2. Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha = “Enlightened One”) • Thought of himself as a Hindu • Maintained Hindu beliefs such as individual self, karma and dharma • HOWEVER, • Denied the existence of gods • Taught priests were not necessary • Caste system should be abolished • Established monasteries and convents …for what? • Understood the cause of human suffering – and its cure! “One thing I teach: suffering and the end of suffering. It is just ill and the ceasing of ill that I proclaim.”  -- The Buddha

  3. The Teaching:The Four Noble Truths • The Noble Truth of Suffering • The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering • The Noble Truth of the End of Suffering • The Noble Truth of the Path (dharma)

  4. Beyond this…? • Buddha intentionally left no central authority, structure, and writings • This led to a VARIETY of schools of thought and adaptations found in various cultures

  5. Theravada & Mahayana • Buddhist beliefs vary significantly, but all share an admiration for the figure of the Buddha and the goal of ending suffering and the cycle of rebirth.  • Theravada Buddhism • Prominent in Southeast Asia • Atheistic and philosophical in nature • Focuses on the monastic life and meditation as means to liberation

  6. Theravada & Mahayana • Mahayana Buddhism • Prominent in China and Japan • Incorporates several deities, celestial beings, and other traditional religious elements. • Path to liberation may include religious ritual, devotion, meditation, or a combination of these elements • Zen, Nichiren, Tendai, and Pure Land are the major forms

  7. The Noble Truth of Suffering • Suffering is UNIVERSAL • Everyone experiences suffering, sickness, pain, unhappiness and death • Although there are passing pleasures, they vanish in time

  8. The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering (Attachment) • DESIRE is the cause of suffering • People suffer because they desire things, crave something more, and cling to their thoughts • People are attached to SELF and this can never be satisfied • Even pleasure causes suffering, because pleasure must end

  9. The Noble Truth of the End of Suffering (Liberation) • It is possible to end suffering if one isaware of his or herowndesires, thoughts, self-attachment and no longer clings to them. • As a living being, one willalwaysdesirethingslike air, water, comfort, kindness, etc. However, one should not becontrolled by desires. • If one canbefreedfrombeingcontrolled by desiresthenNIRVANAcanbeachieved. • Nirvana is the condition of wantingnothing • Someinterpretationsthatitisfreedomfrom the cycle of birth & death

  10. The Noble Truth of the Path • By changingone’sthinking and behavior (to no longer beruled by desires), one canbeawoken • This way of thinking and behavingiscalled the Middle Way and canbepursuedthrough the practice of following the EightfoldPath

  11. Following the Middle Path:The practice of the EightfoldPath • Wisdom • Right View or Undersanding (1) • Right Thought (2) • Ethics • Right Speech (3) • Right Action (4) • Right Work or Livelihood (5) • Meditation • Right Effort (6) • Right Mindfulness (7) • Right Concentration (8)

  12. The EightfoldPath: Wisdom • Right View or Understanding • Strive to clearlyunderstand (internalize) the Four Noble Truths • Strive to clearlyunderstand the workings of one’sownmind • Right Thought • Strive to have the right sense of motive, intention, attitude, mind-set and commitment(Remember Karma!) • Avoiddwelling on the past or the future (Be in the Present), avoidthoughts of greed, illwill or fear

  13. The EightfoldPath: Ethics • Right Speech • Strive to speakkindly and thoughtfully • Avoid lies, slander, harshwords and frivolous speech • Right Action • Strive to actmorallytowards all living things(Karma!) • Live in the moment, do eachthingfullywithoutattachment to the results • Right Work or Livelihood • Have a vocation thatdoes not harm the others (people, nature, ecosystem etc.)

  14. The EightfoldPath: Meditation • Right Effort • Seekenlightenmentwith practice, determination and follow-through • Right Mindfulness • Be fullyaware and conscious of your body, feelings, and mind « Awareness of pure awarenessis…a taste of nirvana  » • Right Concentration • Focus attention; strive to become one with the object of yourmind

  15. The Three Jewels • Over time the “Three Jewels” provided the loose structure of Buddhism • The Buddha • The Dharma • The Sangha “The Buddha’s like the doctor; the Dharma, his medicine; and the Sangha, the hospital staff. You can put your life in their hands.”

  16. The Buddha • From the Sanskrit root budh meaning ‘to awaken’ • Title given to Siddhartha because he attained enlightenment • More generally it refers to any self-realized or enlightened person

  17. The Dharma • Sanskrit referring to virtue, law, cosmic process, discipline , reality or truth • Refers to the teachings of Buddha • More generally it refers to all that leads to the truth

  18. The Sangha • Sanskrit for gathering or assembly • Refers to the monastic order established by the Buddha • More generally it refers to any lay (non-priest) followers or communities of practice

  19. Check for Understanding • What are the two main types of Buddhism? • What are the differences between the two?

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