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TRANSCRIPT
Buddhism
CHAPTER 6 EROW
PPL#6
PAGE 232
SECTION 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYKdEnEqfQQ
A Human-Centered ReligionHIPHUGHES 10 min. video on Buddhism
Buddhism from the word “Budhi” meaning
“To wake up!”
Not a god-centered religion
The responsibility for spiritual development
rests solely on the individual.
To be awakened or enlightened about that
which is real.
Founder = Siddhartha Gautama
A Hindu born into the Warrior Caste
What was once India but now Nepal
Buddha = Awakened One
Taught that following his teachings
could lead one to obtain Nirvana
“Siddhartha Gautama
was neither a god nor a
messenger of a god. He
was a human being who
pointed to his teachings
and not himself. “(Clemmons 233)
Most Buddhist
Live in Asia
Buddhism is
More than 2500 years old
And The Buddha IS
the most compassionate person in history (according to Buddhist)
Time Line on page 234
Copy IT
Know IT
A Brief History
of Buddhism
Began in
India
but
spread
throughout
Asia
Siddhartha Gautama
Sometimes called Shakyamuni, meaning
“Sage of the Shakya clan.”
His father was king of a small village
located in present-day Nepal.
His mother, Queen Maya, dreamed that
an elephant touched her right side and
she conceived.
Brahmins, the priestly Hindu caste,
interpreted the dream for her: she would
bear a son that would either be a great
king or a great holy man.
As queen Maya travels to her father’s house while
pregnant she stops at the Lumbini gardens.
As she is resting by a tree
the baby Buddha emerges from her right side.
(ca. 560 BCE)
He Takes 7 steps and declares “No more births for
me.”
7 days later Queen Maya died.
Siddhartha married at age 16 and had a son. At age 19 he became aware of what the world was really like. (4 Sights)
At age 29 he left his life of luxury and took on the life of a wandering ascetic.
Meditating for hours and barely eating.
Searching for answers to life’s questions such as suffering.
He wandered for 6 years.
He finally reached the enlightenment he sought but, struggled with whether or
not to share what he knew.
He Taught: Neither indulgence nor asceticism could
release one from samsara.
INSTEAD – The Middle Way was the answer and could lead
to moksha
He would die of food poisoning at age 80 in 483 BCE
Into your notebook spend a
few minutes reflecting on the
“Middle Way”.
Can you think of a
comparison to Christianity?
How might following a path
that is not extreme in any one
way be a good option for
someone?
Be ready to share!
Four Sights (What Gautama saw beyond the walls)
Old Man
A very sick man
A corpse
Wandering Holy Man without possessions
The Four Councils The First Council:
No successor or writings left behind when the Buddha died
500 Buddhist monks gathered about a year after his death with the intent of preserving the
Buddha’s teachings through the recitation of memories.
The Second Council:
100 yrs later
Split between the more conservative Sthaviras (eventually 10 sects) and liberal
Mahasanghikas (Eventually 8 Sects).
ONLY the Theravada sect (from the Sthaviras) survives to this day.
Mahayana Buddhism in existence today is “descendent” of Mahasanghikas Buddhism
Third Council 3rd century BCE – King Ashoka from India the Mauryan Dynasty
He had become disenchanted with war and the military & converted to Buddhism
Began to rule his country through Buddhist practices such as moral living and pacifism
B/C Buddhism grew so fast during this time questionable practices emerged
King Ashoka calls the 3rd council to purify the sangha (entire community of monks, nuns & laity in Buddhism) and its various irregularities
By 100 CE Mahayana Buddhism had emerged as a distinct branch of Buddhism
Encouraged lay participation
Which lead to a variety of interpretations of Buddhist scriptures
Buddhism in India
Made great strides during the Gupta Dynasty (240-550 CE)
Creating an atmosphere where Buddhism could thrive
Building monasteries, funding stupas & Buddhist universities
Negative Factor – monasteries & universities began to drift from Buddhism
and moved toward a resurgent Bhakti movement in Hinduism
470 CE – invasion of the Huns – destroying Buddhist monasteries etc. almost
made Buddhism extinct w/in India
Pala Dynasty – somewhat a revival of Buddhism in India
The end of the Pala Dynasty ended Buddhism in India until the 20th century
Buddhist Expansion beyond India
Not long after the death of The Buddha – Buddhism was
introduced to Central Asia but Islam would become the
dominant religion of that region
Buddhism was introduced to southeast Asia – but by the 10th
century again it was eclipsed by Islam.
Between European colonialism and communism Buddhism has been
devastated … yet it has not been totally lost in that region
Buddhism found its way to China at the beginning of the
Common Era.
From there to Far East Asia … Japan, Korea & Tibet
Buddhism in Modern Times
During the twentieth century, the rise of communism triggered
the demise of Buddhism in a number of countries.
The attempt to eradicate Buddhism was felt first in the former
Soviet Union.
After World War II, the communist takeover in Asia affected
Buddhism in China, Tibet, and parts of Southeast Asia.
Buddhism in Tibet
Vajrayana Buddhism (aka Tantric Buddhism)
Which is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism
Emphasis on mantras, rituals, & meditation
14th Century – Tibetan Buddhists came to believe that the leaders of their monasteries were reincarnations of great bodhisattvas who chose to postpone their own opportunity to enter Nirvana.
These leaders became known as Lamas
The head of the Lamas is known as the Dalai Lama and until 1959 was also considered the political leader of Tibet.
They have been exiled in Dharamsala, India
Dalai Lama
The title given to the
spiritual leader of the
Tibetan people
The title is a hybrid
of a Mongolic word
and a Tibetan word
which loosely translates to “Master Guru”
14th Dalai Lama was born in 1935
Recognized as the Dalai Lama in 1939
Enthroned as the Dalai Lama in 1940 but lives in
exile (Not in Tibet)
“Through mental peace, through a general
sense of brotherhood, sisterhood, there is greater
possibility to achieve real world peace. . . . True
religion must be a sort of destroyer. Understand?
Compassion and tolerance, we call destroyers of
anger, destroyers of hatred? If you apply
different religions in the right way then all have
the same aim; that is, a better human being.” –Dalai Lama
(Clemmons 244)
Into your notebooks reflect on
this question.
How might the world be different
if we were all “destroyers” of
anger and hatred?
He has said in the past that perhaps the role of “Dalai
Lama” is no longer necessary but he has indicated
recently that his mind has been changed.
On August 9, 2017 the Dalai Lama has said that it is time
to begin the preparation to find the 15th Dalai Lama.
PART 2 OF PPL#6
Sacred Stories & Sacred Scriptures
The Buddha wrote no texts nor did his immediate
followers
For generations stories about him and his teachings
were passed along at recitation gatherings
Sacred texts developed over 100’s of years
Once texts were written they were in a variety of
languages and translated often with little regard for
accuracy.
This caused tensions & even divisions among Buddhists
There is no agreement
among, or even within
the various branches of
Buddhism as to which
texts are considered
sacred and which texts
are not. (pg. 247)
Scriptures of Theravada Buddhism
Early Buddhist Scripture = Tripitaka (Three Baskets)
Sanskrit – passed down orally
Written down around 1st c BCE in Pali language
AKA = Pali Canon
Vinaya Pitaka
Sutra Pitaka
Abidharma Pitaka
Belief that it contains the words of The Buddha
Vinaya Pitaka
Code of Monastic
Discipline
277 Rules for Nuns
311 Rules for Monks
Sutra Pitaka
Discourses attributed
to Siddhartha
Main topic – Morality
Story of the Buddha’s
Birth and his
attainment of Nirvana
are found in this set of
writing
Abidharma Pitaka
Examines the Buddha’s psychological teachings
Analyzing Buddhist doctrine
Mainly focused towards monks or serious Buddhist students
Not necessary the average lay Buddhist
Scriptures of …
Mahayana Buddhism
The Lotus of the True Law
AKA The Lotus Sutra
Attributed to The Buddha
Final teachings of The Buddha
All people can obtain
Enlightenment
All living things possess Buddha
Nature
Perfection of Wisdom
How to achieve the perfection of
wisdom of a bodhisattva
Varjrayana Buddhism
Use Mahayana Scripture but add to it …
Tantric Texts from India & China
The Kanjur (Teachings)
Tanjur (Transltions of the Treaties)
Commentaries on the Kanjur
Two Examples of Vajrayana Tantric
Techniques:
Mandala & Mantra
Most Popular Scripture = Tibetan Book of
the Dead
Writings on death, dying and rebirth
Beliefs and Practices The Four Nobel Truths
If one is ignorant of the 4 Noble Truths they will remain on the endless cycle
of samsara
Understanding the 4 Noble Truths leads to the Noble Eightfold Path (The
Middle Way)
Avoid extremes
Take everything in moderation
Sacred Time No set day for congregational worship
Offerings to The Buddha are made at any time either in a Temple or at an
altar in the Home
Offerings can include
Flowers
Candles
Incense
Recitation of the 3 Jewels is common
Meditation
Central to every branch of Buddhism
Mindfulness of Breath & Meditation of Loving-Kindness
Puja
For Buddhist Monks this
takes place in a
monastery
For Buddhist laity this
takes place at a home
shrine
Festivals
Celebrating The Buddha
Vishkha (Buddha Day)
= Theravada Buddhist
Mahayana Buddhists
celebrate these
events on 3 separate
days
Celebrating Sangha
Rains Retreat (3 months)
Time of great holiness
It ends with a great festival put on by the laity
Monks are presented with new robes
Sacred Places & Spaces Monasteries are often connected to Temples
For Theravada Buddhist men are especially encouraged to spend part of their
lives in a monastery
Temple
Religious devotions, meditation & instruction
Stupas
Small mound of stone/brick containing a relic of The Buddha usually near a
Temple
Other important Buddhist figures
A large stupa = Pagoda
Buddhist Temple
Buddhist Stupas
Places of Pilgrimage
Lumbini Gardens
The birth of Siddhartha
Located in Nepal
Bodh Gaya Bodh Gaya where the Buddha
meditated and gained his
Enlightenment
Sarnath Deep Park
Where Siddhartha preached
his 1st Sermon about the 4 Nobel Truths
Where he gained his first
disciples
Kushinara
The death of Siddhartha
1,500 year old red stone
statue of the reclining
Buddha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGW-g1hTK1k
The “end” End