The Buddhist Tradition

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The Buddhist Tradition

• by Roy C. Amore and Julia Ching

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• Buddhism has three main traditions or vehicles,
  all of which originated in India.
• Theravada (Hinayana), which spread to Southeast
  Asia
• Mahayana, which became the principal school in
  East Asia
• Vajrayana, which developed out of Mayayana and
  became closely associated with the Himalayan
  region
• All three have followers in Europe and North
  America

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• Buddhists say they take refuge in the Triple
  Gem
• The Buddha
• The dharma
• The sangha
• As they progress along the path to enlightenment,
  they see to become more compassionate, more
  generous, more detached from desire and hatred,
  more focused mentally, more pure of mind, and
  more spiritually wise

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Origins

• Religious Life in Ancient India
• The First Gem The Buddha
• Siddharthas Birth and Childhood
• The Four Signs and the Great Departure
• Enlightenment
• Setting the Wheel in Motion
• Entering Parinirvana

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Crystallization

• The Second Gem Sharma
• The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path
• The Three Characteristics of Existence
• The Three Instructions
• Dependent Origination and the Twelve-spoked Wheel
• Tripitaka The Three Baskets of Sacred Texts

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• The Third Gem The Sangha
• Bhikshus and Bhikshuni
• Controversies, Councils, and Sects
• King Ashokas Conversion
• Buddhism and the State
• The King as Wheel Turner
• Non-violence as a Public Ethic

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Differentiation

• Theravada
• Theravada in Southeast Asia
• Mahayana
• Mahayana Doctrine
• Lay Spirituality
• Doctrine of the Three Bodies (Trikaya)
• The Lotus Sutra
• Bodhisattvas
• Meditation and Visualization

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• Mahayana Schools in India
• Madhyamika
• Chinese Madhyamika Sanlun
• Yogacara or Consciousness Only
• Faxiang Chinese Yogacara

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• Pure Land Buddhism
• Chinese Pure Land
• Japanese Pure Land
• Mahayana Schools Originating in China
• Chan (Zen)
• Mahayana in Korea
• Mahayana in Japan
• Tendai
• Nichiren
• Ji

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• Vajrayana
• Vajrayana in East Asia
• Vajrayana in Tibet
• Tibet and China

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Practice

• Theravada Practice
• Almsgiving
• The Dana Ritual
• Buddha Day Festival
• Live-cycle and Death Rituals
• Vipassana Meditation

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• Mahayana Practice
• Vajrayana Practice
• Choosing a New Dalai Lama

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Cultural Expressions

• Stupas and Pagodas
• Temples
• Images of the Buddha
• Story Illustrations
• Zen Art and the Tea Ceremony

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Interaction and Adaptation

• China
• Fold Buddhism and the Milo Cult
• Korea
• Japan
• Dual Shinto
• Tokugawa Temple Buddhism
• Women in Buddhism

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• Buddhism in the Modern World
• India
• Sri Lanka
• Southeast Asia
• Vietnam
• China
• North and South Korea
• Japan

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• Mongolia and Kalmykia
• The West
• North America
• Ethnic Congregations
• BuddhistChristian Dialogue
• Buddhism Today