90 likes | 209 Views
Buddhism: The Means. The Sangha. The Sangha. This has several layers of meaning: Worldwide community of Buddhists The monastic community in general A monastic community (Like Samye Ling) The Aryasangha. The Sangha. The Aryasangha
E N D
Buddhism: The Means The Sangha
The Sangha • This has several layers of meaning: • Worldwide community of Buddhists • The monastic community in general • A monastic community (Like Samye Ling) • The Aryasangha
The Sangha • The Aryasangha • This includes all Buddhists (both lay and monastic) who have reached enlightenment. • Sometimes called the ‘noble sangha’.
Mahayana Bodhisattvas • Having attained liberation, arya bodhisattvas can: • Live as long as they wish. • Enter and arise from limitless types of meditation. • Find everything they need. • Be born whenever and wherever they wish. • They can go to any pure-land Buddha-field that they wish. • Understand all the words and meanings of the Dharma.
Therevada • In the Therevada tradition there are four stages of enlightenment: • Stream-enterer. • Once-returner. • Non-returner. • Arhat.
Therevada • Stream-enterer. • The stream-enterer is said to have "opened the eye of the Dharma". • A stream-enterer will reach arhatshipwithin seven rebirths. • The stream-enterer has attained perfect understanding of several aspects of the Dhamma including ‘right view’ and has complete confidence in The Three Jewels. • A Stream-enterer will not be reborn in any world lower than the human.
Therevada • Once-returner. • They may have more than one rebirth still to go but only one as a human. • The once-returner has weakened the hold that the Three Root Poisons have over him/her to a greater degree than a stream-enterer.
Therevada • Non-returner. • Non-returners will not be reborn as a human. • They are reborn in one of the five "Pure Abodes", and will attain Nibbana from there.
Therevada • Arhat. • Requires no further training. • Is a fully enlightened person. • Upon death they will never be reborn in any world, having completely escaped Samsara. This is called parinibbana.