Nagarjuna Part 1 c. 150250 AD

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Nagarjuna (Part 1)(c. 150-250 AD)

• The Fundamentals of the Middle Way
• (Mulamadhyamaka-Karika)

(Text, pp. 77-98)
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Background

• The Rise and Development of Buddhism

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Indian Religion in the 6th 5th centuries BC
Brahmins - priestly ritual religion

• Hinduism
• Jainism

Sannyasins (wandering monks) - renunciation yoga
Yoga combined with extreme asceticism
nonviolence
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The BuddhaSiddhartha Gautama(563-483 BC)

• Birth
• Youth
• Marriage parenthood
• The Four Passing Sights (aging, sickness, death,
  renunciation)
• The Great Renunciation
• The Great Going Forth
• The Great Enlightenment
• The Great Ministry
• The Great Decease

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(No Transcript)
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The Three Refuges(Jewels)

• The Buddha
• The Dharma (teachings, doctrine)
• The Sangha (the Order)

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The Teachings of the Buddha

• The Four Noble Truths

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Preface to the Four Noble TruthsThe Middle Path

• Two extremes to be avoided
• (1) Hedonism
• (2) Asceticism

By avoiding these two extremes, we discover a
Middle Path, a path which opens the eyes, which
bestows understanding, and which leads to peace
of mind, to wisdom, to full enlightenment, to
Nirvana.
This Middle Path is the Noble Eightfold Path,
namely, Right Views, Right Intent, Right Speech,
Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Effort,
Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration . . .
.
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1. The Noble Truth of Suffering
Dukkha
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2. The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering
Tanha
Some traditions make (c) a craving for
prosperity or for personal happiness.
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3. The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
Nirvana
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4. The Noble Truth of the Path that leads to the
cessation of suffering
Astapada
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Elaboration of the Noble Eightfold Path

• Right views (Samma ditthi)
• Right intent (Samma sankappa)
• Right speech (Samma vaca)
• Right conduct (Samma kammanta)
• Right livelihood (Samma ajiva)
• Right effort (Samma vayama)
• Right mindfulness (Samma sati)
• Right concentration (Samma samadhi)

Wisdom (prajna)
Morality (sila)
Meditation (samadhi)
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1. Right Views
(Eightfold Path, continued)
Wisdom

• The Four Noble Truths
• The doctrine of no-self (anatta, anatman)
• Transitoriness (anicca) impermanence
• The Five Components or Aggregates (skandhas) of
  human personhood
• Interdependent Origination
• Karma Samsara (rebirth)
• Nirvana (what is it?)

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The Five Components (skandhas) of personhood
(No-self, contd)
Body (rupa)
Person
Sensation (vedana) Consciousness
(vinnana) Perception (sanna) Volition (sankhara)
Mind (nama)
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The doctrine ofInterdependent Origination(Paticc
a Samuppada)
(No-self, contd)

• The interdependence relativity of all things

No separate beings No distinct individuals No
eternal essences No "own-natures"

(See Nagarjuna, Ch 26, pp. 97-98)
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The
12.
1.
Aging Dying
Ignorance
2.
11.
Wheel of
Impulse to Exist
Birth
Heaven
3.
10.
Con- scious- ness
Human Realm
Demon Realm
Becom- ing
Greed Delusion Hatred
Bhavachakra
4.
9.
Hungry Ghost Realm
Animal Realm
Mind- Body
Cling- ing
Becoming
5.
8.
Six Senses
Hell
Craving
6.
7.
Contact
Sensations
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Bhava
chakra
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2. Right Intent(Resolution)
(Eightfold Path, continued)
Wisdom

• Right intent or resolution
• is the intent or resolution to live act
• in accordance with right views.

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3. Right Speech
(Eightfold Path, continued)
Morality

• No lying
• No slander
• No harsh or rude talk
• No profanity
• No impolite or abusive language
• No idle or foolish chatter

• Strive to use language meaningfully usefully
• Learn to maintain noble silence

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4. Right Conduct
(Eightfold Path, continued)
Morality

• Eat moderately not after noon.
• Stay away from dancing, singing, dramatic
  spectacles.
• Do not use garlands, scents, unguents, or
  ornaments.
• Do not use high or broad beds.
• Do not accept gold or silver (money in general?).

• No harming killing
• No stealing
• No lying deceitfulness
• No sexual immorality
• No use of intoxicants

The Five Precepts (for everybody) the Ten
Precepts (for monks nuns)
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5. Right Livelihood(Vocation)
(Eightfold Path, continued)
Morality

• Choose professions that promote life, peace,
  spiritual progress (especially life in the
  Sangha).
• Specifically prohibited professions poison
  peddler, slave trader, prostitute, butcher,
  manufacturer trader of liquor other
  intoxicants, weapons manufacturer trader, tax
  collector, caravan trader.

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6. Right Effort(purification of the mind)
(Eightfold Path, continued)

• Preventing evil unwholesome states of mind from
  arising
• Getting rid of such states of mind that may
  already exist
• Bringing about good wholesome state of mind
• Developing perfecting good wholesome states
  of mind that are already present

Meditation
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7. Right Mindfulness
Meditation
(Eightfold Path, continued)
Focusing of attention on

• Activities of the body (breathing, walking,
  sitting, eating, heartbeat, etc.)
• Feelings (anger, fear, joy, pleasure, pain, etc.)
• States of mind (thoughts, ideas, etc.)
• Ways of conceptualizing things (the Four Noble
  Truths, the Wheel of Becoming, etc.)

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8. Right Concentration
The highest level of Meditation
(Eightfold Path, continued)

• One-pointed concentration
• and
• the four absorptions

• Detachment from all sense objects from negative
  states of mind thought processes accompanied by
  joy
• Cessation of all mental activities internal
  calm, peace of mind, joy to the point of great
  elation
• Cessation of all passions prejudices continued
  sense of joy
• Cessation of joy total tranquillity equanimity
  -- Nirvana ( arhatship)

Preliminary concentration on the Four Sublime
Moods love, compassion, cheerfulness,
impartiality
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Four Stages of Advancementalong the Noble
Eightfold Path
The Ten Fetters

• 1 Belief in permanent self
• 2 Doubt
• 3 Belief in religious rituals
• 4 Sensual craving
• 5 Ill will
• 6 Desire for rebirth in worlds of form
• 7 Desire for rebirth in formless realms
• 8 Pride
• 9 Self-righteousness
• 10 Ignorance of the true nature of things

Stream- Entrant
Once- Returner
Non- Returner
Arhat