BuddhismBuddhism

The Rise and Development of Buddhism

Revised, 10/5/06

Indian Religion in the 6th & 5th centuries BC

Hinduism

Jainism Yoga combined with extreme asceticism & nonviolence

Brahmins - priestly ritual religion

Sannyasins (wandering monks) - renunciation & yoga

The BuddhaThe BuddhaSiddhartha GautamaSiddhartha Gautama

(563-483 BC)(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

Origin of Buddhism

Spread of Buddhism during the lifetime of the Buddha

The Three RefugesThe Three Refuges(Jewels)(Jewels)

o The Buddhao The Dharma (teachings, doctrine)o The Sangha (the Order)

The Teachings of the BuddhaThe Teachings of the Buddha

The Four Noble Truths

Preface to the Four Noble Truths:The Middle Path

Two extremes to be avoided:

(1) Hedonism

(2) Asceticism

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 . . . .

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.

1. The Noble Truth of Suffering1. The Noble Truth of Suffering

Birth is suffering, aging and deterioration is suffering, disease is suffering, death is suffering. The presence of hateful objects is suffering; the absence of lovable objects is suffering; not getting what we desire [i.e., getting what we don’t want and not getting what wedo want] is suffering. To put it briefly, the fivefold clinging [attachment] to existence [through the body, sensation, consciousness, perception, and volition --the five skandhas or components of humanpersonhood] is suffering.

2. The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering

The cause is the selfish craving [tanha, “thirst,” “desire”] that leads to rebirth and which is accompanied by lust for pleasure, seeking satisfaction now here, now there. This selfish craving takes three main forms: (a) craving for pleasure, (b) craving for [continued] existence, and (c) craving for the cessation of existence.*

*Some traditions make (c) a craving for prosperity or for personal happiness.

3. The Noble Truth of the 3. The Noble Truth of the Cessation of SufferingCessation of Suffering

Suffering ceases with the complete cessation of selfishcraving – a cessation which consists in the absence ofevery passion [nirvana, “no passion,” the “blowingout” of tanha]. Suffering ceases with the laying asideof, the giving up of, the being free from, the dwellingno longer upon this selfish craving.

4. The Noble Truth of the Path that leads to the cessation of suffering

It is the Noble Eightfold Path, that isto say, Right Views, Right Intent,Right Speech, Right Conduct, RightLivelihood, Right Effort, RightMindfulness, and RightConcentration.

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)

1. Right Views1. Right Views

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?)

(Eightfold Path, continued)

The Five Components (skandhas) of personhood

Person

Body (rupa)

Mind (nama)

Sensation (vedana)

Consciousness (vinnana)

Perception (sanna)

Volition (sankhara)

(No-self, cont’d)

It is through the five skandhas It is through the five skandhas (components, attributes)(components, attributes)

that a human being typically clings to existence and, as a result, becomes

subject to suffering (dukkha).

Knowing and seeing the nature of, the origin of, and how to extinguish (end) the five components of body [corporeality], sensation, consciousness, perception, and volition brings about the cessation of selfish craving.

So…So…

a "person" is composed of five components: four "mind" components - sensation, consciousness, perception, volition; and one physical component, i.e., the body. That's all a "person" is.

And, like anything else, these components are constantly changing (transitory and impermanent).

Note that on the list of the five "skandhas" (components), there is no "self," especially no unchanging, permanent, eternal Self (Atman).

The doctrine ofThe doctrine ofInterdependent OriginationInterdependent Origination

((Paticca SamuppadaPaticca Samuppada))

The interdependence & relativity of all things

(No-self, cont’d)

According to the doctrine of According to the doctrine of interdependent origination,interdependent origination,

all things arise, develop, and dissolve in relation to and in interdependence with (or dependence on) all other things.

Nothing has an independent (non-relative), individual, or permanent existence.

Thus, there is no separate, individual, unchanging, or eternal Self.

1.Ignorance

12.Aging & Dying 2.

Impulse to Exist

Con- scious-

ness

3.

5.Six Senses

11.Birth

10.Becom-

ing

6.Contact

7.Sensations

8.Craving

4.Mind- Body

9.Cling-

ing

Greed Delusion

Hatred

Heaven

Hell

Human Realm

Demon Realm

Animal Realm

Hungry Ghost RealmNote that the Wheel is driven by the "Three

Great Poisons" at the center: greed, delusion, & hatred.

2. Right Intent2. Right Intent(Resolution)(Resolution)

Right intent or resolution

is the intent or resolution to live & act

in accordance with right views.

(Eightfold Path, continued)

3. Right Speech3. Right Speech

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, with wisdom & kindness

Learn to maintain “noble silence”

(Eightfold Path, continued)

4. Right 4. Right ConductConduct

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

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 (soft) beds.

Do not accept gold or silver (money in general?).

(Eightfold Path, continued)

The Five Precepts (for everybody) & the Ten Precepts (for monks & nuns)

5. Right Livelihood5. Right Livelihood(Vocation)(Vocation)

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.

(Eightfold Path, continued)

6. Right Effort(purification of the mind)

Preventing evil & unwholesome states of mind from arising

Getting rid of such states of mind that may already exist

Bringing about good & wholesome states of mind Developing & perfecting good & wholesome

states of mind that are already present

(Eightfold Path, continued)

7. Right Mindfulness

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.)

Focusing of attention on:

(Eightfold P

ath, continued)

8. Right Concentration

One-pointed concentration and the four absorptions:

1 Detachment from all sense objects & from negative states of mind; thought processes accompanied by joy

2 Cessation of all mental activities; internal calm, peace of mind, joy to the point of great elation

3 Cessation of all passions & prejudices; continued sense of joy

4 Cessation of joy; total tranquillity & equanimity -- Nirvana (& arhatship)

Preliminary concentration on the Four Sublime Moods: love, compassion, cheerfulness, & impartiality

(Eightfold Path, continued)

Four Stages of AdvancementFour Stages of Advancementalong the Noble Eightfold Pathalong the Noble Eightfold Path

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

Overcomes 1-3

Overcomes 1-5

Overcomes all

The Historical EvolutionThe Historical Evolution

of Buddhism

The Major Buddhist TraditionsThe Major Buddhist Traditions

Theravada (“The Way of the Elders”) - Sri Lanka & Southeast Asia

Mahayana (“The Greater Vehicle”) - China, Korea, & Japan (& Tibet & Mongolia)

Vajrayana (“The Way of the Diamond Thunderbolt”) - Tibet & Mongolia

Vajrayana is a development within the Mahayana tradition.

The Early SchoolsThe Early Schools

& the Rise of Theravada(4th century BC - 1st century AD)

Council at Rajagraha (483BC)

Council at Vaisali (383 BC)

Sthaviravada Mahasamghika

Council at Pataliputta (247 BC)

Vibhajyavada Sarvastivada

Theravada VatsiputriyaSammatiya Bhadrayamiya Dharmottariya Sammagurika

Golulika Ekavyavaharika

Vaibheshika Sautrantika

Bahushrutiya

Prajnaptivada

Lokottaravada

Caitika

Uttarashaila Aparashaila

Mahisasaka Kasyapiya Dharmaguptaka

(c. 225 BC) (c. 200 BC)

(c. 50 BC)

(c. 100 BC)(c. 125 BC)

(c. 180 BC)

* *

*

*

*Contributed to rise of Mahayana

The Rise & Development

of Mahayana (& Vajrayana)

Mahayana BuddhismIndia China Japan

Ashvaghosa (1st century AD)

Madhyamaka (2d-3d centuries AD)

Yogacara (3d-4th centuries AD)

Tantrayana (3d century AD)

Sukhavati (Pure Land) (1st century AD)

Tibet

Chen-yen Shingon (True Word)

Vajrayana(a/k/a Tantrayana& Mantrayana)

Three Treatise SchoolSan-lun Sanron

Mei-shih HossoConsciousness-Only

Ching-tu Jodo-shu & Jodo-shin-shu

Ch’an

Ti’en-Tai (Lotus)

Hua-yen (Flower Graland)

Zen

Tendai

Nicheren Shoshu

*

**

*Nagarjuna

**Vasubandhu

The Spread of Buddhism

Spheres of Influence

Theravada

Mahayana

Vajrayana

Buddhism out of India by 1000 AD