“Protestant Hinduism”

BUDDHISM is a religion about how to

get rid of suffering instead of a relationship between man and God

Different from other religions

Siddhartha Gautama580 B.C. - born into a “Royal Family” as a warrior into the “Kshatriyas” (warrior) caste

brought up as a Hindu

father was told he would either be a

1)“GREAT CONQUEROR”

or a 2) “GREAT REFORMER”

if he saw…

FOUR PASSING SIGHTS

1)old age2)sick man3)dead body4)”peaceful” monk

there was process of the “mind” to overcome life’s pains and “Sidd” wanted to find it

551 B.C.“Great Going Forth”

“Sidd” left hometo find how to

overcome suffering

1)MINDattain knowledgestudied with Hindu Masters*not be the mind

it must be the body

2)BODYfasted with Ascetics almost died*not the body

3)”MIDDLE WAY”“Sidd” sat under a “Bodhi”

tree and meditated and BECAME ENLIGHTENED

BECAME “BUDDHA”

SACRED TEXT

PALI CANON

40 volumes

1)Life is suffering (DUKKHA)2)Desire (TANHA) is cause of

DUKKHA3)Ending TANHA is possible4)Follow “8 Fold Path” to overcome DUKKHA and achieve NIRVANA

BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS

Eightfold Path

Focus MIND on THOUGHTS and ACTIONSWisdom1) Right View – know the truth; accept things as they actually are

2) Right Intention – resist self-centeredness

”3 Poisons”: 1)Greed 2)Hate 3)Ignorance

Ethical Conduct3) Right Speech – refrain from unkind, negative speech

4) Right Conduct – respect all life

”5 Precepts”: 1)do not kill any living thing 2)do not steal 3)do not lie

4)abstain from overindulgence 5)avoid drunkeness

5) Right Livelihood – work for the good of others

Mental Discipline6) Right Effort – focus on living right

7) Right Awareness – elevate one’s thoughts beyond the haze of emotion and mood

8) Right Meditation – practice the discipline of meditation

1)Reincarnation

2)Karma3)Nirvana

BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS

Nirvana

Although Buddha’s immediate goal was to eliminate the cause of suffering, his ultimate goal was to become liberated from the cycle of death and rebirth. This was to be accomplished by teaching how we can cease craving and thereby eliminate our attachment to and beliefs in the existence of the illusory self (that is, the self tied to existence here on earth).

When we are successful in eliminating such attachment, then the effects of karma cease to matter because all is seen for what it is – no longer are we tied to the longings of the earth. At that moment, the moment of enlightenment, the person achieves the state of nirvana – the ultimate goal of the Buddhist, and Buddhism’s equivalent of salvation or heaven.

ending of all sufferings and conflicts

---------------------supreme bliss /

happiness---------------------

ignorance, arrogance, fear, and anger fall away

Three Marks of Existence

--The Way Buddha Described Life--

Everything in the physical world has 3 characteristics

1)Dukkha – suffering (bored, discomfort, etc…)

2)Anicca - world is constantly changing

“IMPERMANENCE”

3)Anatta – absence of a soul (not carried to next life, Karma is carried)

BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS

“3 Jewels”*beliefs central to Buddhism - regardless of which sect they belong to, the “Jewels” are highly valued and revered as the cornerstone of Buddhism.

1)Belief in Buddha2)Dharma – teachings of Buddha3)Sangha – community of believers to help

others towards enlightenment

Buddhist Monks – “Sangha”

Three “Rafts” to Cross the River

THERVADA

-Wisdom

-Monk

-Arhat – perfect one’s life and stay in Nirvana after death

-Nirvana is an individual thing

-Buddha = teacher,saint

-focuses on meditation not rituals

MAHAYANA-Compassion

-for masses (do not have time to be a monk)-Boddhisattva – delays Nirvana to help others attain Nirvana (like Buddha)-Budda = Savior-focuses on rituals

TIBETAN

*Dalai Lama

*”This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.”

The Dalai Lama

Today’s Dalai Lama is the 14th reincarnation of one of the original Bodhisattvas. He is the exiled religious and political leader of Tibet. In a recent speech in London, in front of many religious leaders of varying religions, the Dalai Lama said:

“For some people, religions which are based on belief in a Creator God have the most powerful effect on their ethical life and serve to motivate them to act in an ethical and sound way. However, this might not be the case for every person. For others, the Buddhist tradition, which does not emphasize belief in a Creator, may be more effective. In the Buddhist tradition, there is an emphasis on a sense of personal responsibility and action rather than on the understanding of a transcendent being who cannot be understood. It is crucial to recognize that both spiritual traditions share the common goal of producing a human being who is fully realized, spiritually mature, good , and warm-hearted. There has always been and there will always be diversity in human disposition…what we must seek is understanding.”