Subject Paper No and Title Module No and Title Module Tag Paper no.6 Self and Inner growth Module no.30 : TEACHINGS OF BUDDHISAM PSY_P6_M30 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Learning outcomes 2. Introduction 3. The Teachings of Buddha 3.1 The Three Characteristics of Existence 3.2 The Four Nobel Truth 4. Summary
1. LEARNING OUTCOMES After studying this module, you should be able to: Understand the origin of Buddhism Know about the teachings of the Buddha Learn about the Three Characteristics of Existence Analyze the four Nobel truth 2. INTRODUCTION Buddha Vacana or what is referred to as the original teachings, or ("word of the Buddha") has been the issue of deliberation and historical argument for centuries. These basic teachings have given rise to the several schools and traditions of Buddhism that are prevalent today. The originator of this philosophy in this sphere was Buddha Shakyamuni who existed as well as gave teachings in India dating back to somewhere 2 1/2 thousand years ago. Meanwhile then billions of individuals all over the place in the domain have pursued the divine trail he discovered. The Buddhist mode of life of harmony, adoring compassion as well as understanding is as vital currently as it was in the earlier period. Buddha illuminated that all our difficulties as well as distress rise from muddled as well as destructive statuses of awareness as well as that everybody s contentment as well as worthy affluence rise from serene and optimistic states of mind. There were a number of philosophical schools and positions in India about two and a half millennia ago, ranging from Vedic mysticism that postulated a universal creator or Brahma, and individual souls (atman) who transmigrated through many lives in order to become purified and rejoin the universal Brahma, to those who believed that all that existed was the material substance evident to the senses, and that at death the individual was completely extinguished. One extreme was the eternalist position, where person s soul or atman continues eternally, and the other the annihilistic position, postulating that a human being is completely destroyed at death. The Buddha discovered a position between the two extremes-known as the Middle Way -or the position of dependent origination, that avoided the excesses of understanding of oneself as well as hurting oneself in pursuit of attainment. Reliant initiation is a regulation of causation i.e. every cause has an effect. Regardless of the seeming straightforwardness of this law, it has the profound truth that leaves not anything unknown as well as causally associates the whole lot in the creation, for it suggests that all occurrences, be it outward or inner, originate into being contingent on reasons as well as circumstances deprived of which they could not be.(szehidewics, 2000).The concept of dependent origination results in an understanding of existence as a process of change, the result of an infinite web of causal conditions, with birth and death marking neither the start nor the end. The conditions that result in our present existence represent a beginning less chain; the consequences of our actions become causal conditions whose effects will continue even after we die. Although there is no distinct, immutable self or emotion that can continue forever, the process of which we are a part
continues forever (Katagiri, 1988).According to Buddha, life is eternal, just the way in which a wave is reborn in the ocean after apparently dying on the seashore. All the water is still there, and the process continues endlessly- a continuing karmic process. TWO SCHOOLS OF BUDDHISM During and after Buddha's lifetime it was his followers who devotedly conserved his lessons as well as also propagated it across to various nations in Asia. At present it has been supposed that there are majorly two forms of Buddhism: Theravada as well as Mahayana. Theravada refers to the lessons of the seniors, it has been seen that this sort of teaching is mainly accomplished in southern Asian nation state. Theravada hermits track reviews which has been delivered by the older hermits since the period from the Buddha's time, by means of staying in the woods as well as meditating. The objective in Theravada Buddhism is to grow into an Arhat, an individual who is devoid of distress. BUDDHISM IN THE EAST During the 3 rd Century BC the son of Monarch Asoka brought Buddhism into Sri Lanka. Even today it is being practiced there and has attained abundant acceptance. In the initial centuries, Buddhism had even reached as far as to Southeast Asia through traders as well as preachers. The inordinate tombstones like Borobudur as well as Angkor Thom are clear indication of the glory of this teaching in such provinces. In the 1st century AD, it extended to China in that region a lot of Sutras were transformed into conventional Chinese. In the 4th century AD, Buddhism bring into being its tactic to Korea as well as on into Japan. Mahayana asserts pursuing the Buddha's case in point of embarking out into the domain as well as undertaking worthy. Mahayana refers to 'Great Vehicle'. The main objective in this sort of teaching is to pursue the Bodhisattva Path. A Bodhisattva is that individual who clarifies oneself as well as other persons. In Mahayana Buddhism, at hand are a number of Buddha s as well as Bodhisattvas. This one is chiefly extent to northern Asian countries. Of late, together Theravada as well as Mahayana Buddhism have got now familiarized into the West. BUDDHISM IN THE WEST Since the commencing of the early 17th century, folks in the West got to know about Buddha and his lessons beginning initial travelers like Marco Polo as well as Christian ministers. In the first half of 20th century, numerous Europeans had toured to the East to know about Buddhism. A number of these converted into hermits as well as encouraged Buddhism in the West. In the 19th century, Chinese as well as Japanese refugees carried a lot of diverse traditions of this teaching to America. Currently, there are several Buddhist centres which are broadly present through Europe as well as America. 3. THE TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA The Buddha s teachings, preserved initially through an oral tradition, were eventually written down in the form of three collections or baskets, known as Tripitaka. The older version of these is believed to have been written in Pali, an ancient Indian language. It constitutes the scriptures of
one of the two main branches of Buddhism, sometimes called the Hinayana or small vehicle and represented by the Theravada school, dominant today in Southeast Asia. The other branch, the Mahayana, uses primarily the Sanskrit version of Tripitaka. The total number of scriptures in Buddhism surpasses 85,000, a massive body of literature. Mahayana (or great vehicle ) Buddhism is dominant in East Asia. Zen belongs to the Mahayana tradition, developing from roots in India, through the filters of Taoism in China, passing from there to Korea and Japan, and to the rest of the world. A primary difference between Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism lies in their ideals of personal development. The former stresses renunciation of worldly life and a monastic lifestyle. The latter accepts that enlightenment is possible also for lay practioners.its ideal is Bodhisattva, a person who vows to dedicate life to the salvation of all sentient beings, not accepting full liberation until all others are free from suffering. Of the two key virtues in Buddhism, wisdom and compassion, Hinayana stresses the former while Mahayana stresses the latter. Some of the key teachings of the Buddha are the three characteristics of existence, Four Noble Truths, eight fold path, karma, interdependent origination, and the five aggregates, which we would be discussing in detail. 3.1 THE THREE CHARACTERISTICS OF EXISTENCE The three widespread physiognomies of way of life are an integral share of the philosophy of the Buddha. It is a teaching of early Buddhism which is recognized by all Buddhist schools. Similar to the Four Noble Truths, karma, codependent initiation, as well as the collections, the philosophy of the three features is measure of what one refer to as the doctrinal subject matter of wisdom. His own experiences originated from his personal opinions as well as ruminations, in addition he insisted everybody to realize as well as determine them from our own selves. In the midst of his furthermost central knowledge is that of the 'three characters of existence' or the 'three dharma seals.' All facet of our existence, beginning from the bodily to the inner to the divine, all are related to these features. Evolving a profound considerate of these is the source for understanding on the Buddhist track. After much meditation, the Buddha determined that all the things in the physical world (and all the things in the phenomenology of psychology) is marked by these three characteristics. A characteristic is to some degree essentially associated by means of approximately some other thing, since a feature is essentially associated with something, thus it helps us in knowing the character of that thing. Therefore in this terminology that the Buddha uses the word "characteristic" to bring up to evidences about the nature of existence that are at all times connected with existence or always found in existence. Thus when the Buddha thought that there are three characteristics of existence, he referred to these characteristics as always present in existence, and that they help us understand what to do with existence. The Buddha observed that there are three characteristics of all knowing phenomena: anicca, or impermanence, dukkha, or suffering, and anatta, or no-self. These characteristics are common to all things both living and non-living. They must be subject to these three characteristics. The Buddha explained these when he became enlightened and taught people as follows. These characteristics are discussed below:
(1) Anicca (Impermanence): anicca is a pali word which is composed of two joint words: "nicca" and the privative particle "a". "nicca" which refers to the idea of permanence, of continuity. anicca means the lack of continuity, the lack of permanence. The law of transience conditions that altogether occurrences are focus to continue change, to upswing as well as descent, as well as no perpetual situations, moreover bodily or animate, be existent. In other words not anything ever stops to be present, it merely alterations procedure. It is understood in both are physical and psychological life i.e. understood in our internal life, in our feelings as well as views - if we perceive our concentration besides dispositions we understand that they are in a persistent state of measure as well as alteration, besides that we can usually ever barely recollect the sentiments or opinions we experienced so intensely at a former period. Together inclination as well as discomfort, besides the lot in between, are temporary. Cognizance as well as reflection training benefit us to appreciate this openly for an individual. As soon as an individual perceive one s concentration, we comprehend how all assumed rises, highlights our consideration, and then dies away. If we observe the physical world, we can determine anicca marks all marvels there as well. (2) Dukkha (suffering): Dukkha means sorrow, pain, and suffering. It is a foremost characteristic in the domain in which we live. The law of dukkha refers to all complex occurrences, are in the concluding exploration insufficient. The Buddha assumed that the simple fact of living is distinct by the characteristic of dukkha, which is suffering establishing in all its forms. It can be the sorrow that one experiences in sadness, in the misery or the problems of this life. It can be also the sorrow that can be felt when one is flooded with pleasure, to the fact the one the object of pleasure that one becomes repulsive. It relates to the discomfort to be detached from those we love, but it is also that of having to tolerate the occurrence of those whom we do not love. It is the agony of not living in places where we would like to live, and also that of presence enforced to live in places where we do not want to live. In one way or the other, whether we want it or not, frequent situations in which we find ourselves are painful. From time to time, because of this affirmation, the Buddha's teachings are reproached of being pessimistic, and sometimes it is said that the world is not so painful because there is hope. Nevertheless dukkha make sure of not merely denote to agonizing as well as difficult experiences, it talk about the point that owing to anicca, no lone accomplishment, control, or life circumstances can eventually take along us enduring contentment. We may comprehend phases of delight centred on these effects, but because that joy is reliant on outward wonder, it will finally culminate. An individual s mind has a normal acquisitive worth - it is continuously affecting on to the subsequent entity of connection, the succeeding yearning. When it is not doing this, it is expended by means of hiding not here that which we don't desire, or grouchy around it. To accomplish factual lifelong contentment, pleasure not reliant on continuously our instant to- minute conditions, we ought to disrupt the series of dukkha. An in depth accepting of dukkha is at the core of the Buddha's traditions on the Four Noble Truths, the basis training of Buddhism. (3) Anatta (No-Self): The third characteristic is non-self or selflessness. The third law asserts that at hand is no enduring quintessence, "identity", individuality, or depth in occurrences. The duration bring about as the denial of the conception of atta (âtman) that to an extent is similar in the longstanding Brahmanical faith of the Buddha's time to anything additional beliefs have refered to the "humanity". The Buddha innovative psycho-bio description of the person which has underline any place for the depth. The Buddha accepted that the misapprehension of one s identity or character is considered as the main aspect related to the drives associated with an individual, as well as at the similar period one of the maximum effective foundations of lack of knowledge in
addition to incorrect act. In spreading the anatta principle to the occurrences of the peripheral world round about precaution must take into account. In the initial Buddhism doesn t reject the truth which is associated to the surroundings which are outside one s being. It claimed that the phenomena of the outside domain may possibly be distributed interested in its basic mechanisms, as well as that nonentity besides this none other constituents should be available. It remained simply in this aspect that the portents of the outside domain were professed to be void (suñña). Few of the schools of Mahayâna Buddhism have taken the policy of vacancy (suññâtâ) to suggest a renunciation of the authenticity of the peripheral domain. This understanding is unknown to initial Buddhism. Initial Buddhism merely proclaims that there is no static core or existence in portents, nevertheless simply a procedure of becoming (bhâva). Rendering to Buddha, in the long run nonentity has an absolute, essential quintessence. The whole thing is comprised of energy combined in diverse bodily, rational, expressive or mystical constructions to make the advent of firmness as well as immutability on the sophisticated domain. On the other hand at the central of these arrangements, there is anything there. It is also applicable to our private persons as well, in addition this teaching of having not an identity is one of the fundamental variations which is there amid Buddhism as well as supplementary faiths that suggest a perpetual feeling or essence. This is the aspect that differentiates Buddhist traditions on renaissance in relation to other models of reincarnation. According to them individual is continually undergoing changes which are range of dynamisms. As soon as we realize this on our own than one can forgo one s affection to our knowledge of oneself as an inadequate self. These three characteristics are viewed as the basic aspects one should be able to recognize as well as comprehend. The initial aspects which comprises of transience as well as misery appear as if they are simple to recognize for the reason that they are noticeable easily by oneself as it is we who transform as well as for the reason related to the fluidity, in few occasions we cannot stand it results in one having the feeling of anguish. Devoid of the accepting of these features, we might misinterpret the trainings of the Buddha so it is very significant that we realize such important issues of this philosophy. The Buddha s explanation to the problem of suffering has been referred to as the most important psychological discovery of all time (Mosig, 1989). It represents an application of the far reaching principle of dependent origination, which says that suffering is the result of causal conditions, and if suffering is to cease, those conditions must cease. The Buddha s solution was articulated in the system of Four Noble Truths (Sheng-yen, 2000.) 3.2 THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS The four noble truths are an outcome from the presentation of the three elementary rules to the social circumstance. He often emphasized that he was concerned in the difficulty of the lessening of individual distress: "Merely it emphasize on one aspect that is misery, as well as by what means to culminate". His methodology to the difficulty related to the anguish was in association of that of the doctor to his patient. Initially it was to analyze the difficulty, then try to find the reason of the difficulty, subsequent discovering out if possibility of a remedy is conceivable. The Four Noble Truths are an eventuality organization aimed at handling effectively with the anguish human experiences. It deals with grief of a bodily type, or of an emotional aspect. The experiences on the four noble truths are amongst the precise initial of a lot of lessons that Shakyamuni Buddha provided in Sarnath (close to Benares/Varanasi in India), few weeks after accomplishing enlightenment in Bodhgaya. These lessons are recognized to comprise the core of the Buddhist
path, irrespective of the ritual one charts. The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism are the core as well as fundamental of the Buddha's teaching and dharma. When understood they lead to your comprehension and developing. Twenty-five hundred years ago Siddhartha Gautama comprehended the magnitude and definitive influence of these four truths. These truths are what he stimulated to. To grasp this teaching is to cognize the human condition for all societies and cultures across the planet. Actually understanding the nature of these truths is critical to eradicating pain, discomfort, and stress in your life. The Four Noble Truths include the core of Buddha's lessons, all the same they leave greatly left inexplicable, and the four noble truths are: 1. The reality of sorrow (dukkha) 2. The truth of the reason behind misery (samudaya) 3. The actuality of the culmination of anguish (nirhodha) 4. The truth of the route that releases us from distress (magga) (1) The Truth of suffering (dukkha): The truth of suffering is the first noble truth which very often is explained as "Life is suffering." A lot of individuals new to Buddhism become apprehensive as they perceive this. On the other hand the Pali terminology dukkha too denotes to anything that is passing, provisional, or compounded of other things. Even to some degree precious and enjoyable is dukkha, because it will end. In other words it means that suffering is common to all.everybody suffers from it, for instance As soon as one comes into being they cry, while one falls ill, they are dejected, When one comes of age they would have throbbing as well as troubles in addition discover it becomes difficult to move around, Nobody of us wants to perish (we sense profound grief when somebody expires). Some of the additional aspects we agonize from are: nobody likes to be with those we hate, being separated from persons we have affection, not attaining what we want, and various types of difficulties as well as dissatisfactions that are inevitable. The Buddha did not reject that there is happiness in life, but he stated that it does not last continually. In due course everybody does experience some type of misery.he supposed that: "At hand is contentment in life, pleasure is present in forming bond, delight of a family, contentment in a fit body as well as mind, nevertheless when one loses them, there is distress." The truth of dukkha discusses not to the onexistence of the pleasing as well as the ecstatic, but to the actual not having completed and finitude of that enjoyment. The assertion of pessimism sometimes made of early Buddhism is without basis; anguish in the Buddhist sense covers what is usually termed "evil" in other religo-philosophical schemes, and the presence of evil, triggered either by chance events or by deliberate ill-will is not really left without. (2) The Truth of the Cause of Suffering (samudaya): The reason of sorrow is related to the subsequent truth. The Buddha elucidated that people suffer because of lack of knowledge and ignorance. The immediate source of sorrow is longing (tanhâ), but the source of root is unawareness (avijjâ). The matters of craving are diverse: sensual desire, material possessions, glory, power, fame, ego, craving for re-birth, even craving for nibbâna (nirvâna). There are numerous amounts of yearning from a minor aspiration to a severe acquisitive (upâdâna). Craving is the immediate cause of suffering and is initiated by other conditioning factors. We frequently explore for to some degree look outside ourselves to make us happy. But no matter how successful we are, we under no situations endure content. Then we feel unsatisfied when the world doesn't behave the way we think it should have and our lives don't follow to our outlook. The Buddha's teachings on karma and rebirth are carefully linked to the Second Noble Truth.
(3) The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (nirhodha): The cause of suffering could be stabilized. This truth asserts that a way out of suffering occurs, which if monitored will lead the individual to a state of non-suffering. Buddhists call the state in which all suffering is ended Nirvana. Nirvana is an eternal state of boundless bliss and peace. The Buddha said, "The elimination of desire is Nirvana." This is the eventual objective in Buddhism. Every person can comprehend it with the help of the Buddha's teachings. It can be experienced in this very life. (4) The Truth of the Path to Enlightenment (magga): The Buddhist route to enlightenment is that revealed by the Buddha through his own personal effort and practice. It has been known as the Middle Path (majjima paipadâ) for the reason that it is a medium between the extremes of selfindulgence and self-mortification. Both extremes of practice were common in the Buddha's day. The Buddha calls such extremes vain, profitless and dishonorable. The path of the Buddha evades two types of action typically measured vital for salvation by numerous religious systems. These are: (1) prayer to supra human powers and agencies, and (2) elaborate rites and rituals. On other hand these are well-thought-out as being positive obstacles on the path to the termination of suffering and the attainment of insight and wisdom. The path to end suffering is known as the Noble Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths consist of the central features of Buddha's teachings, though they leave much left incomprehensible. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that can result in ending the suffering. Further it states that, suffering is real; it has a cause; it has an end; and it has a cause to bring about its end. The belief of suffering is not proposed to express a negative world view, but somewhat, a realistic perspective that deals with the world as it is, and endeavors to resolve it. The idea of pleasure is not deprived of, but recognized as transitory. Pursuit of pleasure can only carry on what is eventually an unappeasable desire. The same logic call into question an understanding of happiness. In the end, only aging, sickness, and death are certain and unavoidable. 4. SUMMARY: Buddha illuminated that individuals difficulties as well as anguish generates from preplexed as well as destructive statuses of mind, aas well as that all our pleasure inaddition to good fortune rise from serene as well as condusive feelings. During and after Buddha's lifetime it was his followers who devotedly conserved his preachings as well as made them popular across a lot of countries in Asia. Currently there are are two main schools of Buddhism which are known as : Theravada and Mahayana respectively. The Buddha s teachings, preserved initially through an oral tradition, were eventually written down in the form of three collections or baskets, known as Tripitaka. Some of the key teachings of the Buddha are the three characteristics of existence, Four Noble Truths, eight fold path, karma, interdependent origination, and the five aggregates. The teaching of the three characteristics is measure of what one refer to as the doctrinal subject matter of wisdom. The three characteristics of existence are anicca impermanence; dukkha-suffering; and anatta-nonself.
These three characteristics are viewed as the basic things that Buddhists should know and comprehend. The first two, impermanence and suffering appear to be easy to recognize because they are noticeable to us as we ourselves change and because of the fluidity, sometimes we cannot stand it so suffering happens to us. Without the accepting of these characteristics, we may misinterpret the teachings of the Buddha so it is very significant that we realize these important factors of Buddhism. The Buddha s solution to the problem of suffering was expressed in the form of Four Noble Truths. The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism are the core and fundamental of the Buddha's teaching and dharma. The Four Noble Truths consist of the central features of Buddha's teachings, though they leave much left incomprehensible. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that can result in ending the suffering.