Buddhism By Braden Fike, Daniel Gaull, Andrew Radulovich, and Jackson Wilkens
In the Beginning The start of Buddhism and original beliefs & practices
Key Beliefs and Original Practices Buddhists believe in reincarnation and rebirth. They believe that after many cycles if a person lets go of their attachment to desire and the self, that person would be free from suffering. The state of being free from suffering is called Nirvana. To achieve enlightenment, a Buddha must follow the Eight-Fold Path.
Key Beliefs Buddhist live by several guidelines such as the Four Noble Truths and The Five Precepts The Four Noble Truths: Dukkha: Suffering exists: (Suffering is real and almost universal. Suffering has many causes: loss, sickness, pain, failure, the impermanence of pleasure.) Samudaya: There is a cause for suffering. (It is the desire to have and control things. It can take many forms: craving of sensual pleasures; the desire for fame; the desire to avoid unpleasant sensations, like fear, anger or jealousy.) Nirodha: There is an end to suffering. (Suffering ceases with the final liberation of Nirvana (a.k.a. Nibbana). The mind experiences complete freedom, liberation and non-attachment. It lets go of any desire or craving.) The Five Precepts: Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not commit sexual misconduct/abuse. Do not consume alcohol or other drugs. Magga: In order to end suffering, you must follow the Eightfold Path.
Panna: Discernment, wisdom: 1) Samma ditthi Right Understanding of the Four Noble Truths 2) Samma sankappa: Right thinking; Sila: Virtue, morality: following the right path in life 3) Samma vaca: Right speech: no lying, criticism, condemning, gossip, harsh language 4) Samma kammanta Right conduct by following the Five Precepts 5) Samma ajiva: Right livelihood; support yourself without harming Others Samadhi: Concentration, meditation: Original Practices To achieve Nirvana and to clear their mind, a buddha must follow the Eightfold Path which consists of: 6) Samma vayama Right Effort: promote good thoughts; conquer evil thoughts 7) Samma sati Right Mindfulness: Become aware of your body, mind and feelings 8)Samma samadhi Right Concentration: Meditate to achieve a higher state of consciousness
Original Practices The Three Trainings or Practices prepare a Buddha for the eight fold path. These consist of: Sila: Virtue, good conduct, morality. This is based on two fundamental principles: 1. The principle of equality: that all living entities are equal. 2. The principle of reciprocity: to do onto others as you would wish them to do onto you. Samadhi: Concentration, meditation, mental development. Developing one's mind is the path to wisdom which in turn leads to personal freedom. Mental development also strengthens and controls our mind; this helps us maintain good conduct. Prajna: Discernment, insight, wisdom, enlightenment. This is the real heart of Buddhism. Wisdom will emerge if your mind is pure and calm.
Key Events Major events and turning points in the history of Buddhism
Origin of Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) was born in Lumbini (Present day Nepal) in the 5th century B.C.E. He became the leader of a sect of Sramanas. (Groups of people in India that rejected the Vedic Texts.) During this time Vedic Religion was being challenged by other religions which allowed for this sect to grow. After Gautama's death his teachings were passed down and eventually became the religion Buddhism
Growth & Decline 1500 B.C.E: Pre-Hindu schools developed 297 B.C.E: Asoka converted to Buddhism. As a result, Buddhism became a state religion instead of a small, local group. 236 B.C.E. (India): In the midst of the death of Asoka, Buddhists are persecuted under Pusyamitra Sunga c. 200 C.E. (India): A Buddhist university in Nalanda thrives and becomes a world center for the study of Buddhism for more than 1,000 more years 6th Century C.E. (Kashmir): Huns invade and persecute Buddhist monks 550-664 C.E. (Korea): The state religion is Buddhism. 845 C.E. (China): Wu-Tsung (a Daoist emperor of China) persecutes Buddhists 9th Century C.E. (Tibet): Kind Langdharma persecutes Buddhists as the religion declines 10th Century C.E. (Tibet): Strong resurgence of Buddhism 16th Century C.E. (Sri Lanka): Buddhism is virtually eradicated in Sri Lanka
The Spread of Buddhism Buddhism entered: Vietnam in the 2nd century C.E. Korea in 372 C.E. Japan in 552 C.E. Tibet in 641 C.E. Thailand in 719 C.E. Mongolia in the 13th century C.E. (form of Tibetan Buddhism introduced) And, of course, many more regions at different time periods
Buddhist Council Meetings 1. 543-479 B.C.E. (Rajaghgraha):500 individuals (Arahand Bhikkhus) meet and recite Buddha's teachings. Vinaya recitation by Ven. Upali accepted as Vinaya Pitaka & recitation of the Dhamma by Ven. Ananda accepted as Sutta Pitaka. 2. 443-379 B.C.E. (Vesali): Discussion of Vinaya's controversial points. 3. 247/308 B.C.E. (Pataliputra or Patan in India; location is a bit unknown): Disputes lead to more schisms/sects being developed 4. 94 B.C.E. (Shri Lanka) 5. 1868/1871 C.E. (Burma): Pali scriptures inscribed in marble
Divisions and Schools of Buddhism Times when the religion divides and new branches formed
Theravada Theravada (the School of the Elders) was one of the Buddhist schools. It began in India in the centuries following the death of the Buddha, between the 3rd century B.C.E. and 6th century C.E. The concept of karma is taught Karma is the idea that good deeds will eventually benefit you and bad deeds will eventually harm you. Your good/bad deeds won't necessarily affect you directly but sometime, you will benefit/suffer from these deeds. Theravada also teaches the use of meditation to remove oneself from one's thoughts and feelings. This results in the understanding of the idea that feelings and thoughts aren't personal. After that understanding is reached, one can build up their positive karma.
Tantrayana Around the 7 th century C.E., a new form of Buddhism rose called Tantrism. This was a combination of folk beliefs (such as magic) and Mahayana. It is not the same as Hindu Tantrism. Used mantras (sacred syllables) and mudras (ritual gestures). These are used to help with meditation and focus the mind. Tantrism is considered the furthest form from original Buddhism. One outside observer, Laurence Waddell (an English explorer), thought that Tantrism shouldn't even be referred to as a form of Buddhism, because its differences from Buddhism were so numerous. He described it as a cult instead of a branch of Buddhism. Tantrism can be considered another way to reach enlightenment, a sort of alternative path, and it requires lots of concentration and special rituals.
Mahayana Mahayana (also known as the Great Way) rose circa the first century C.E., as a "more authentic" form of Buddhism. Appears in North Asia, more specifically Mongolia, China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet Samsara is a state of suffering, which humans are caught into until they achieve enlightenment Mahayana Buddhists puts emphasis on compassion, thus resulting in the existence of bodhisattvas: Those who are enlightened but remain on Earth to assist those that are still suffering (samsara) To escape Samsara, one must collect wisdom (or prajna) through the use of meditation or the help of bodhisattvas. Suffering is caused by associating yourself with or clinging to things that are not permanent. Enlightened beings are reborn in paradise with buddhas and bodhisattvas. This is how you achieve Nirvana.
Buddhism Today Practices and beliefs of modern Buddhists
Modern Buddhism in the Western World Buddhism has changed a lot over the years. For example, after originally beginning and evolving in India, less than 1% of the Indian population practices Buddhism today. Westerners became interested in eastern religions (such as Buddhism) around the rise of science in the modern world (19 th century) Science had caused people to feel split between their faith in their religion and the logic and reasoning of science. As a result, they converted to Buddhism, which agreed with modern science and could coexist with it better than other religions. o People felt as though scientific advancements had shattered many of their beliefs and contradicted what they d known as fact their entire lives. Buddhism was first brought to America through a World s Parliament of Religions in 1893 by a number of representatives from Asia who were of the Buddhist faith. A man named Paul Carus wanted to send Buddhist missionaries to the United States to see how the religion would do. It would be a sort of survival of the fittest competition (mostly between Buddhism and Christianity). o To improve upon Buddhism and give it a better chance in the U.S., the missionaries removed all aspects of magic and mysticism from the religion to make it more compatible with the emerging scientific discoveries (and those to come).
Modern Buddhist Practices Modern Buddhists practice: Praying: Buddhist praying is different depending on the region of the world. For example, in Tibet, there are multiple deities to pray to, and repetition of prayers is important. However, in other branches, the belief is that there is no god and that the Buddha would not want to be worshipped himself. Chanting: Since Buddhism originated in India in a time when writing was rare, chanting was used to pass on religious texts. However, it is now used to focus one's mind. Meditation: Meditation is used to clear the mind, allowing one to understand and control it better. It is used to gain enlightenment. Vegetarianism: Though some modern Buddhists are vegetarian, the founder of Buddhism never stated that eating meat was not allowed. However, the practice of eating meat does relate to some Buddhist beliefs. Buddhists believe that eating meat can result in a consequence of karma, if, for example, the animal is raised or killed unethically.
Similarities between Buddhism and Hinduism Buddhism and Hinduism have many similarities. They both originated on the Indian subcontinent Additionally, they both utilize meditation to achieve their goals. The goal of Hinduism is to break the cycle of reincarnation, and reach salvation, whereas the goal of Buddhism is to reach enlightenment and also break the cycle of reincarnation. Both believe that reincarnation will stop once one reaches enlightenment (Nirvana for Buddhism). Buddhists believe that their goal is to put an to end to their internal suffering. Hindus believe that their goal is to reach salvation. To end suffering, Buddhists believe that they must follow the Eight-Fold Path and Hindus believe that they must follow one of three paths: the Path of Knowledge, the Path of Devotion, or the Path of Good Deeds. Also, both follow the Dharma as their laws.
Primary Sources
Speaker The speaker is Ananda who was a main disciple of the original Buddha. He recited the dialogues of Buddha to the First Buddhist Council. Lokavipatti Sutta S.O.A.P.S. Tone Occasion This was recited along with other sutras during the First Buddhist Council 543-479 BCE Audience The original audience was the first Buddhist Council. Later this sutra and others would be passed down throughout Buddhist soceities
Lokavipatti Sutta S.O.A.P.S. Tone Purpose The purpose was to pass down the Buddhas teachings and to teach a lesson to people and convince them to convert to Buddhism. Subject The subject was how the unenlightened focus to much on worldly conditions, while the followers of Buddha understand that the true path to enlightenment is to put these conditions into perspective. Tone The tone was mainly instructional, but sometimes was condescending towards nonbuddhists.
The Buddhism of Tibet S.O.A.P.S. Tone Speaker The speaker is Laurence Austine Waddell, a British explorer and an outside viewer who went to Tibet. Occasion The occasion is that Waddell has gone to Tibet and is speaking of the branch of Buddhism he discovered there. Audience The audience is anyone studying history or anyone interested in Buddhism, as the book is a historical record.
The Buddhism of Tibet S.O.A.P.S. Tone Purpose The purpose is to inform anyone on the form of Buddhism referred to as Tantrism of Lamaism (the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet). Subject The subject is Lamaism and Tibet, as well as the differences between Lamaism and original Buddhism. Tone The tone is very informative as this is the purpose of the text: to inform and teach. The author does also seem a little matter-of-fact and looks to think of himself as the expert (in Europe) on the topic of Tibetan Buddhism
How to Practice: The Way to Meaningful Life By: Dalai Lama XIV Speaker- The speaker and author in this text is Dalai Lama XIV Occasion- Dalai Lama XIV wrote this text because he wanted people to know more about Buddhism and what to do if you wanted to be a Buddhist Audience- The audience is anyone who wants to be a Buddhist or just wants to know more about Buddhism Purpose- The purpose of this text is to show people what Buddhism is really about and how to practice the religion
How to Practice: The Way to Meaningful Life By: Dalai Lama XIV Subject- The subject is the types of different practices of Buddhism and what one does as a Buddhist Tone- The tone of the book seemed happy and meaningful with the Dalai Lama sounding like he has pride in what he is doing and really wants to convey it through his text. He also cracks a few jokes throughout the book
Sources
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