3. A Brief History
• Founded by Siddharta of the Gautama clan c. 560-480
BC (?)
• Son of a raja who tried to keep him from seeing four
sights: a dead body, an aged person, a diseased
person, an ascetic monk
• Married at 19 and had one son
• Lived a privileged youth devoid of the ugly side of life
• At 30, began to understand that life was not always
good and beautiful
• Abandoned his family and began a quest for life’s
meaning, or enlightenment
“Buddha” --- Enlightened One
4. A Brief History
• Tried several avenues to enlightenment
Knowledge taught by a guru
Extreme asceticism
• During a meal at a tavern was ridiculed by five
former friends
• Left and sat under a fig tree to meditate
• Here, the answer came
Life is an endless cycle of birth, life, and death
This cycle creates desire that causes karma and
places fetters on people
Enlightenment is found when one overcomes desire
5. A Brief History
• Found his five friends and preached to them
his primary discovery
Neither the extreme of indulgence nor the extreme of
asceticism will bring enlightenment. Instead, one must find a
middle way.
• These five men, along with Siddharta, formed
the first Buddhist monastery
6. The Teachings of Buddha
Siddharta understood life in a Hindu manner, but
with differences
• Stopped all animal sacrifices
• Gods considered irrelevant; he taught indifference
to them
• The gods of no use in finding enlightenment
Siddharta espoused Four Noble Truths as the basis of all his teachings.
They are called noble truths because:
Noble – because they ennoble the one who understands them
Truths – because they correspond with reality
7. The Teachings of Buddha
The Four Noble Truths
• The Noble Truth of Pain
To live is to suffer. To do otherwise is impossible
Two ways to suffer
Physically
Psychologically
• The Noble Truth of the Cause of Pain
Suffering is caused by craving
Getting what we want is no guarantee of happiness
Humans need to modify their “wantings”
8. The Teachings of Buddha
• The Noble Truth That Suffering May be Overcome and
Happiness Attained
Must learn to give up useless cravings and learn to live
each day without restlessness or selfishness, enduring
life’s difficulties without hatred or anger
Suffering is made a state of mind; happiness becomes a
state of being
With these realizations, nirvana is achieved
Nirvana – A dimension transcending time and space where there is no
movement, aging, or dying. It is infinite, eternal, and without causation.
There are no boundaries, no concepts of self, or non-self. It is an
experience---not a place---of great happiness.
9. The Teachings of Buddha
• Noble Truth of the Way That Leads to Cessation
The Eight-Fold Path
• Right views – perfect understanding of the truth of
existence
• Right intention – Willingness to achieve
enlightenment
• Right speech – Saying all that is required, nothing
more
• Right action – doing all that is required, nothing
more
10. The Teachings of Buddha
• Right livelihood – being a monk or nun
• Right effort – directing one’s efforts properly
• Right mindfulness – meditating properly
• Right concentration – maintaining continuous
focus
In Buddhist thinking, everything needed for a good and
proper existence is encapsulated in this eight-fold path.
The person who follows the path will break the bonds and achieve release
from the cycle: nirvana. In this state, desire (craving) will be extinguished,
or snuffed out like a candle.
11. The Holy Book & Code of Morality
• The Holy Book is the Tripitaka
Ti or Tri = Three
Pitaka = Baskets
• The Tripitaka is actually a multi-volume set of books
• Each book is in three (Tri) parts including the teachings of
Buddha, sermons by others, and commentary
• The most important books are in section one: The
Dhammapada (The Way of Truth, or Verses of Truth), 423
verses written by Siddhartha
• The books were not fully written until 100 BC in Sri Lanka
• Buddhists do not hold these volumes as divine or infallible; they
are only the teachings of a great man that should be judged
against one’s own experience
12. The Holy Book & Code of Morality
• The Buddhist concept of right and wrong
All speech and/or actions rooted in greed, hatred, or
delusion lead away from nirvana and, therefore, are bad
Ethics based on self understanding are stronger than those
based on command
“Five Precepts” of Buddhist morality
Avoid killing or harming living beings
Avoid stealing
Avoid sexual misconduct
Avoid lying
Avoid alcohol and other intoxicating drugs
Until nirvana is achieved, the mind, with its preferences and abilities at
the time of death, re-establishes itself in a fertilized egg to live again.
This is rebirth more than its is reincarnation.
13. A Fundamental Belief
W do notbel in God because we bel in man. Ever per
e ieve ieve y son
is precious and may atain Buddha-hood. No one can save us but
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our ves. No one can, and no one may. W our ves mustwal t
sel e sel k he
pat and Buddha shows t way.
h, he
14. The Development of Buddhism
Within a year of Shiddharta’s death, a council
was called to determine the meaning of his
teachings
Unity and agreement were not found ---
four factions developed
390 BC the factions combined into two
groups
Hinayana (the exclusive way)
Mahayana (the expansive way)
15. The Development of Buddhism
In General
Hinayana Mahayana
Smaller segment, more Largest segment of
conservative, & orthodox Buddhists – more liberal
Known as the small boat Known as the big boat or
or raft raft
Dominated by the Numerous schools of
“Theravada” school of thought. No one school
thought (the tradition of dominates
the elders)
16. Specifics – Theravada Buddhism
Closest to the original teachings of Buddha
Mainly in Sri Lanka and SE Asia
Individuals must achieve enlightenment alone, without
help from gods
The monk is the ideal figure
Becomes part of the “Sanga” (order of monks)
Shaves head
Wears yellow robe
Begs for rice
Seeks release through meditation
17. Specifics – Theravada Buddhism
• If one will not join the Sanga, that person must be
content to be a layperson, supporting monks, and
hoping for betterment through rebirth
• Only monks can obtain nirvana
• Relics of the life of Buddha are important
• Some teach that Siddhartha was a divine omniscient
who lived many lives prior to becoming the Buddha.
Another Buddha is now awaiting rebirth and will share
further enlightenment with the world.
18. Specifics – Theravadan Buddhism
Theravadins Are Guided by Ten Precepts
• No Murder
• Do not steal
• No sexual immorality
• No lying
• No liquor
• No eating to excess or after noon
• No entertainment
• No cosmetics
• No sleeping in high or wide beds
• One is not to put trust in gold or silver
19. Specifics – Mahayanan Buddhism
Very different from teachings of Buddha.
They believe:
• Buddha taught other things in private that Theravadins do
not know
• Theravadan monks are selfish because they only seek their
own salvation
• Siddhartha was more than a man, he was a
compassionate DIVINE being
• Siddhartha was not the only Buddha; there were
many other divine beings born into the world
20. Specifics – Mahayana Buddhism
• Worship developed around these divine beings
• These divine beings are of two kinds:
Buddhas
Bodhisattvas (powerful beings who provide help for
humans with the problems of life)
– These divine beings postponed nirvana (by refusing to
enter it). They sit in heaven, sharing their merit with
humans and answering prayers.
– As Mahayana spread to new nations, it incorporated the
deities found by claiming these gods were incarnations of
Buddha
21. Sects of Mahayanan Buddhism
• The Pure Land Sect
-- Believe in heaven rather than nirvana
-- Believe in many gods, among them Amitabha
-- Priests may marry, have families, eat meat
-- Little is required of followers except to show
Amitabha (Japanese “Amida”) their gratitude
• The Rationalist Sect (Tendai)
-- Meditation on Buddhist Scripitures is a basic
need, but only through reasoned study
-- Teachings: (1) Lotus Sutra is inspired scripture, (2)
Unity in reality, (3) Universal salvation is possible
22. Sects of Mahayanan Buddhism
• The Intuitive Sect
• Believe that salvation comes through a flash of insight like
Buddha under the fig tree
• Origin traced to Bodhidarma in the 5th century AD
• In Japan the sect took the name, Zen
• Disciples distrust reason, are not ascetic, and trust that
enlightenment will come through accident or meditation
• To aid the process, Zen masters give students riddles to
solve, may shout at them, slap them, or even cut off a
student’s finger
• The Magical Sect
• Mainly in Japan and China
• Fusion with Shinto beliefs is common
23. Sects of Mahayanan Buddhism
The Sociopolitical Sect
-- Began c. 13th century in Japan
-- Founder, Nichiren, believed
> Lotus Sutra is only scripture required
> Social justice is the primary message of
correct Buddhism
-- Chanting is major part of worship
-- Four vows
> Beings are infinite; I vow to save them all
> Passions are infinite; I vow to end them all
> Many teachings that can save: I vow to learn them
all
> Buddhahood is supreme achievement: I vow to
attain it
24. Sects of Mahayanan Buddhism
• The Lamist or Tibetan Sect
• A variation of Buddhism developed in Tibet
• The Dalai Lama is the central personage
• Essentially the ruler of Tibet
• It is believed that when a Dalai dies, he will reincarnate
in the body of a young boy
• Priests search for this boy, looking for one who yields
traits of the deceased Dalahi
• When found, this boy begins a long process of
preparing to lead a nation
25. Sects of Mahayanan Buddhism
• Lamists rely on magical practices (from pre-Buddhist
times) and tantras (manuals) that teach magic words
and spells
• Teach a human duality: Male and female in each body
• Certain phrases are used to focus spiritual energy,
ward off evil, and attain good fortune: “Om mani padmi
hum” (Om the jewel of the Lotus hum)
• Utilization of a prayer wheel cylinder
26. Sects of Mahayanan Buddhism
• Clergy (lamas) divided into two orders: (1) The Yellow Hat
School, (2) The Red Hat School
The Yellow Hats
Highest order
Ruled by the Dalai
The Red Hats
Adherents of the Bardo Thodol (Book of
the Dead) Scriptures
Bardo – a dreamlike state lasting 49 days
following death where ultimate destiny is
determined
Priests of this order assist dying people through the
death experience
27. Innovations? Of The Mahayana
School
• Theoretical abstraction of complete emptiness
replaced by absolute compassion
• Multiplication of divine beings into three main
groups:
– Manushi Buddhas – like Gautama, have achieved
enlightenment on earth, but are of lesser importance
because they cannot minister on earth
– Dhyani Buddhas – attained enlightenment in heaven
and are yet available to minister to those on earth
– Bodhisattvas – Buddhas in the making. Heavenly
beings who forgo nervana until all beings achieve
nirvana
28. Innovations? Of The Mahayana
School
• The Lotus Sutra and other Scriptures that
gave rise to the broader teaching that all
humans may achieve Buddhahood
• The development of many schools of
Buddhist thought and practice
