Attempts to give answers to life

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Buddhism Basics

• Attempts to give answers to lifes essential
  questions
• Emphasis on things to do rather than things
  to believe
• Direct religious experience VS blind faith
• Tolerant of any religion that allows a person to
  find truth of himself / herself
• Different from Hinduism in that it was founded
• ULTIMATE GOAL of a Buddhist
• ? End suffering and attain absolute peace and joy
  
• Enlightenment
• - Freedom from ignorance
• - State of permanent tranquility and peace

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Buddhism Hindu Roots

• Buddhism grew out of Hinduism
• Siddhartha Gautama born to Kshatriya caste
• Believed to be incarnation of Vishnu
• Retained concepts
• reincarnation, samsara, karma, dharma, moksha
  (nirvana)
• Rejected concepts
• caste system (Brahmin caste power) - inequality
• Could reach Nirvana (Moksha) only if Brahmin
• language of Sanskrit was for educated (elite)
  only
• Used common language Pali to teach
• Hindu rituals and offerings to gods
• Insignificant religious activities that took away
  from quest for enlightenment

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Buddhism founded approximately 2500 years ago in
India
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SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA

• Siddhartha Gautama
• born 563 BCE
• Kshatriya caste in present day Nepal
• Came from royalty
• Kingdom of Gautama
• Father/Mother King and Queen
• Destined to be a king also

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FOUR SIGHTS OF SIDDHARTHA

• Conception - descended from Heaven and entered
  mothers (Queen Maya) womb in form of baby white
  elephant (purity)
• Queen Maya carried him for 10 months and could
  see him in the womb
• Gave birth from her side with assistance from
  tree branches
• Water poured from the sky
• At birth he took 7 steps and said this is my
  last birth
• Sages noted that he was a perfect human form

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FOUR SIGHTS OF SIDDHARTHA

• King wanted to shelter him from unpleasantness of
  life
• At 29, visited the city 4 times and saw 4 sights
• Old man
• Sick man
• Dead man
• Ascetic monk
• Gave him a means to ending his despair

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FOUR SIGHTS OF SIDDHARTHA

• Great Going Forth
• Inspired to leave life of luxury and find a
  spiritual solution to human problems
• Sought spiritual knowledge through
• meditation, breathing, reducing food intake
• Realized self denial too extreme and unproductive
• Determined best course was the MIDDLE WAY
• (path between both extremes a lifestyle of
  moderation)

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ENLIGHTENMENT OF SIDDHARTHA

• Meditated under a Bodhi tree
• Remembered all of his previous lives
• Removed craving and ignorance for himself
• Achieved NIRVANA and was released from samsara
• Stayed in this state for 7 days
• Died in 486 BCE and achieved paranirvana
  (complete nirvana)

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Buddha

• Budh to awaken
• Buddha Awakened or enlightened one
• awakened to nature of human condition and means
  of transcending it
• Not necessarily divine nor a prophet
• Considered a model teacher
• showed and taught his followers how to live their
  lives

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Nirvana

• blown out
• Extinguish all worldly desires
• state of supreme realization and enlightenment
• understand truth of life and freedom from
  ignorance
• state of total liberation, truth, tranquility,
  peace

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Nha Trang, Vietnam
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Spring Temple Buddha Lushan, Henan, China 128 m
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Key Beliefs

• 3 Characteristics of Existence
• Buddhas thoughts on the nature of existence
• All things outside of Nirvana have three
  fundamental characteristics

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Key Beliefs

• 1. Dukkha Dissatisfaction
• suffering
• all humans and animals experience suffering
• Physical, mental emotional pain
• Disease, pain, grief, loneliness

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Key Beliefs

• 2. Anatta Selflessness
• no-self
• (An atman)
• no ultimate reality within
• No permanent, independent self
• We are only a collection of changing parts

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Key Beliefs

• 3. Annica Impermanence
• world in constant state of flux
• Everything changes
• Environment, bodies, thoughts, perceptions,
  fears, hopes
• Buddha would say
• The flowing is the river

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Where were you 10 years ago?

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FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
Evolved out of Buddhas search for the cause and
treatment of unhappiness in life.
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FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

• 1. To live is to suffer
• All life consists of suffering
• birth, death, sorrow, loneliness

2. Origin of suffering The root is negative
desire, craving greed for the wrong
pleasures Search for more than our basic needs
3. Extinction of suffering The goal is to end
suffering by removing negative desire, craving
greed to achieve nirvana
4. Path leading to the extinction of
suffering Adopting Middle Way and follow the
Noble 8 Fold Path
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• The Noble Eightfold Path
• Buddhist way of Life
• Means to an end of suffering
• Series of steps towards Nirvana
• Wisdom
• 1. Right View (Understanding)
• know the 4 Noble Truths
• 2. Right Intention (Thought)
• Free mind from desire and craving and cruel
  thought
• - Nurture good thoughts

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The Noble Eightfold Path Moral conduct,
Virtue 3. Right speech - no lying, criticism,
condemning, gossip, harsh language 4. Right
conduct (Action) - by following the Five
Precepts 5. Right livelihood - avoid harmful
occupations and promote peace
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The Noble Eightfold Path Contemplation 6.
Right Effort - Awareness of state of mind and
body - promote good thoughts conquer evil
thoughts 7. Right Mindfulness - become
aware of your body, mind and feelings 8. Right
Concentration - Attainment of higher state of
consciousness or tranquility through meditation
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FIVE PRECEPTS

• Rules to live by and follow to control improper
  behaviour that may cause suffering
• Similar second half of the Ten Commandments in
  Judaism and Christianity
• describes behaviors to avoid

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FIVE PRECEPTS

• Abstain from killing or harming living beings
• - translated as "not harming" or an absence of
  violence
• Abstain from stealing
• - avoidance of fraud and economic exploitation.
• Abstain from improper sexual conduct
• - For monks and nuns, this means complete
  celibacy
• - For the laity, adultery is forbidden, along
  with any sexual harassment or exploitation,
  including that within marriage.
• Abstain from false speech
• - name calling, gossip, etc.
• Abstain from taking alcohol and harmful drugs
• - The main concern here is that intoxicants
  cloud the mind

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More Numbers

• Triple Jewel or Three Refuges
• Created by Buddha
• Purpose
• - make it easier to follow his teachings
• - protect oneself from a difficult existence
• - put one on correct path of spiritual journey
• Buddha (guide)
• Dharma (path)
• Sangha (teachers, monks nuns)
• First steps toward Enlightenment

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More Numbers

• 3
• 4
• 4
• 5
• 8

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More Numbers

• Six Perfections
• Giving
• Morality
• Patience
• Vigour
• Meditation
• Wisdom
• Practiced by Bodhisattvas
• Bodhisattva
• one who has attained nirvana, chooses to be
  reborn within samsara in order to help others on
  path of enlightenment

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Zen Buddhism

• Cannot be taught, needs to be experienced
• A form of Mahayana Buddhism
• comes from the Japanese word for meditation
• Focuses on the experience of enlightenment
• The tradition extends all the way back to Buddha
• India ? China ? Japan

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Zen Buddhism
THREE POUNDS A monk asked Tozen when he was
weighing some flax, "What is Buddha?" Tozen said,
"This flax weighs three pounds.
WASH YOUR BOWL A monk told Joshu, "I have just
entered the monastery. Please teach me." Joshu
asked, "Have you eaten your rice porridge? The
monk replied, "I have eaten." Joshu said, "Then
you had better wash your bowl." At that moment
the monk was enlightened.
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Zen Teachings

• The direct experience of truth (our true nature)
• Zen is beyond
• the reach of thoughts feelings
• words used to express thoughts feelings
• logical thinking
• Zen is
• hidden behind our thoughts, feelings, fears,
  personality ego
• this clutters the mind preventing pure insight
  into the truth
• emphasizes experience over speculation
• offers a path to freedom from this bondage

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Two schools of Zen

• 1 - Rinzai Sect Sudden awakening to
• Satori Enlightenment how do Zen Buddhists
  propose we reach enlightenment?
• Through
• Koans tools in Zen training
• Puzzles designed to short circuit the workings of
  the logical, rational mind
• Help lead to direct insight into the true nature
  of the world and ultimate reality
• Helps one attain a healthy vigorous mind

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Two schools of Zen

• 2 - Soto Sect Gradual awakening
• Through
• Zazen seated meditation - monks sit for hours
  in the lotus position
• clear the mind and gain insight
• Sanzen - Regularly meet to discuss teachings,
  training and meditate
• Roshi - Zen master who has control over the
  disciple

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Zen life

• Monastic lifestyle meditation, menial work,
  structured life, devotion to teacher
• Zen can be practiced outside of the monastery
  -not necessary to become a monk or nun

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Schools of Buddhism

• Theravada (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia)
• Mahayana (China, Vietnam, Korea)
• Vajrayana (Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal)
• Zen Buddhism

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Kundun

• Martin Scorcese
• The Departed, Gangs of New York, Goodfellas,
  Raging Bull, Taxi Driver
• dark side of urban life
• Catholicism
• Kundun
• Early life of the Dalai Lama
• Symbolism, teachings and life
• Spiritual development and political development
• Tibetan actors

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Symbols - Mandala
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Symbols - Mandala

• khiyl-khor -centre of the universe in which a
  fully awakened being abides - Tibetan meaning
• Sanskrit word meaning circle
• Exercise in meditation and prayer
• Helps to focus attention
• Spiritual Geography
• Establishes a sacred space for spiritual teaching
  and training
• Represents the spiritual home of deities and
  enlightened beings
• All Tibetan Buddhist monks learn to construct them

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Symbols - Mandala
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Symbols - Mandala

• Basic structure
• Square in the centre with 4 gates enclosed by
  circles
• Symbolizes the limits of physical space
• Sand
• Comes from Himalayas
• Ground to five different degrees of fineness
• Coarser grains - background
• Finer grains - details
• Dyed naturally

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Mandala

• Symbolism
• When completed
• chants and prayers are recited before it is swept
  away
• Placed in a stream or body of water
• Impermanence of the world

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Sacred Writings

• Tripitaka (Three Baskets) considered to be the
  most accurate of Buddhas teachings which consist
  of
• Vinaya-Pitaka Basket of Discipline (monks)
• Sutta-Pitaka Basket of Discourse
• Abidhamma-Pitiaka Basket of Further Teachings

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Practices

• Meditation- lotus posture
• Bowing (three times)
• Offerings Chanting Mantras Om Mani Padme
  Hum which means Hail, the jewel in the lotus
• Karma
• Dana (donations)
• Mudras
• Monks

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The 14th Dalai Lama Quotes

• My religion is very simple. My religion is
  kindness.
• If you want others to be happy, practice
  compassion. If you want to be happy, practice
  compassion.
• Be kind whenever possible. It is always
  possible.
• We must recognize that the suffering of one
  person or one nation is the suffering of
  humanity. The happiness of one person or nation
  is the happiness of humanity.
• Through violence, you may solve one problem,
  but you sow the seeds for another.

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The 14th Dalai Lama

• Born 1935 - Lhamo Thondup
• Taktser in northeastern Tibet
• Renamed - Tenzin Gyatso
• AKA - Teshe Norbu (Kundun) The
• Presence
• Dalai Lama - Ocean of Wisdom
• Discovered at age 2
• Manifestation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion
• Assumed political power at age 15

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The 14th Dalai Lama

• Resides in Northern India
• Once lead Tibetan Government in
• Exile but no longer - prime minister
• Lobsang Sangay
• Still the spiritual leader
• Established educational, cultural and religious
  institutions to preserve Tibetan identity and
  heritage
• Reputation as a scholar and man of peace
• Received Nobel Peace Prize in 1989

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The 14th Dalai Lama

• Has been denounced by the Chinese
• government as a supporter of Tibetan
• independence
• Has developed a public position stating that he
  is not in favour of Tibetan independence and
  would not object to a status in which Tibet has
  internal autonomy
• the PRC manages some aspects of Tibet's defense
  and foreign affairs.
• 'Middle Way Approach'
• the Chinese government can take care of foreign
  affairs and defense, and that Tibet should be
  managed by an elected body

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Tibet today

• Part of China
• Nearly 60 ethnic Tibetans, many monks and nuns,
  have set themselves on fire in China since
  February 2009
• protest against Beijing's rule in Tibet
• most recent incidents occurring near Labrang
  monastery.

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Film Assignment Journal Entry

• Film Assignment
• Write a brief essay taking a position on the
  following question.
• In your opinion, did the Dalai Lama make the
  right decision by leaving Tibet? What other
  options did he have?
• Journal
• The concept of Nirvana is difficult to understand
  and is often debated by Buddhists themselves as
  to who, what or where it is. Provide your own
  explanation of what Nirvana is to you and give
  two or three ideas that support your explanation.

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http//www.cucirca.com/2010/01/11/the-simpsons-sea
son-13-episode-6-she-of-little-faith/
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Spread of Buddhism

• Is Buddha God?
• Is Nirvana God? / Place / Being
• No, a state of being
• The total cessation of suffering