What Is Buddhism

What is Buddhism?

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Buddhism is… 

a religion, philosophy, soteriology and way of life that was developed in NorthEastern India from the teachings of a man called Siddartha Gautama, born about 624 BCE as a prince in a Hindu royal family called Sakyamuni, who after his enlightenment became known as Buddha, the Enlightened One.

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Various Pictures of Buddha

Baby Buddha

Thai Buddha

Amitabha Buddha

Buddha Mind

Amitabha Buddha

Medicine Buddha

Quan Yin

Medicine Buddha 3

Main Events in the Life of Gautama Buddha 

Birth (Lumbini) - 624 B.C.E.

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Marriage (Kapilavastu) - 608 B.C.E

- at 16

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Renunciation (Kapilavastu) - 595 B.C.E

- at 29

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Enlightenment (Bodh-Gaya) - 589 B.C.E

- at 35

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First Sermon (Sarnath)

- at 35

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Teaching Dharma - the Middle Way

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Death / Parinirvana (Kushinagar) - 544 B.C.E

- for 45 years - at 80 4

The Four Sights 

1. Old man

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2. Sick man

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3. Dead man

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4. Ascetic 5

The Buddhist Sutras 

Buddha’s teachings were originally transmitted orally, by him and his disciples.

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After Buddha’s death, his teachings were recited by his disciple Ananda to a Buddhist Council and then recorded in various documents (in Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese and Tibetan language), called sutras.

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Some of the most important independent sutras are  Lankavatara Sutra  Amitabha Sutra  Brahma Net Sutra  Vimalakirti Sutra  Prajna-Paramita Sutras  Hrdaya / Heart Sutra • “Form is no other than emptiness, emptiness is form”  Vajracchedika / Diamond Sutra 6

The Four Noble Truths 

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All life involves suffering

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2.

The cause of suffering is desire and attachment

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3. Desire and attachment can be overcome, and this state is called Nirvana

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4.

The way to end suffering is through following the Eightfold Path

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What is Nirvana? 

Nirvana is the “heaven” of all Buddhism, beyond all “heavens”.

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Total extinction of desire & suffering.

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A state of ineffable peace and liberation from  the world of space & time  all craving and repulsion  birth, death and rebirth  all passion  all that is transient

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Uncompounded state, made of nothing at all; one cannot say of Nirvana that it  arises or it does not arise  is to be produced  is in the past, present or future  is cognizable by mind, or perceivable by any sense… 8

Buddhist Definitions of Enlightenment 

The spiritual condition of a Buddha or a Bodhisattva, caused by Prajna (Wisdom) and Karuna (Compassion).

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Enlightenment or Boddhi is the highest state of Samadhi (Self-absorption) in which the mind is awakened and illuminated.

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The achievement of Buddhahood. 9

Varieties of Enlightenment        

Enlightenment as Escape Enlightenment as Emptiness Enlightenment as Eternal Life Enlightenment as Realization of Buddha Nature Enlightenment as Non-Duality Enlightenment as Impassivity Enlightenment as Faith Tantric Enlightenment 10

The Eightfold Path        

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Right view Right thought Right speech Right action Right livelihood Right effort Right mindfulness Right concentration

Wisdom & Understanding

Ethical Conduct Mental Discipline

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The Triple Gem & Three Refuges Buddhists are united in their belief in the: 

Buddha

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Dharma (Buddha’s teachings)

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Sangha (Buddhist community)

Because these are also the sources of help and support to the believers, they are also known as the Three Refuges:   

I go to the Buddha as my refuge I go to the Dharma as my refuge I go to the Sangha as my refuge

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The Three Universal Truths 

1. Annica: Everything in life is impermanent and constantly changing.

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2. Dukkha: Because nothing is permanent, life is unsatisfactory and full of suffering.

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3. Anatta: There is no eternal soul or permanent self; ego-lessness; non-ego. 13

The Three Mind Poisons 

Greed

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Hate

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Ignorance

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Basic Concepts in Buddhism (1) 

Annica = impermanence

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Dukkha = unsatisfactoriness or suffering

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Annata or Anatman = no Atman, no permanent or unchanging self or soul

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Ahimsa = non-violence, harmlesness

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Sunyata = emptiness, voidness, no-thingness 15

Basic Concepts in Buddhism (2) 

Samsara = the belief in rebirth as a potentially endless series of worldly (and illusory) existences in which every being is caught up, and only the entry to Nirvana can bring to an end.

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Nirvana = the aim of all Buddhist religious practice is to be rid of the delusion of ego, thus freeing oneself from the fetters of this mundane world. One who is successful in doing so is said to have overcome the round of rebirths and to have achieved enlightenment.

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Karma (Sanskrit: karman; Pali: kamma; literally “act,” or “deed”) = the belief that good conduct brings a pleasant and happy result and creates a tendency toward similar good acts, while bad conduct brings an evil result and creates a tendency toward repeated evil actions. This furnishes the basic context for the moral life of the individual, and for the belief in reincarnation among many Buddhists.

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Basic Concepts in Buddhism (3) 

Reincarnation, also called Transmigration of souls, or Metempsychosis = rebirth of the soul in one or more successive existences, which may be human, animal, or, in some instances, vegetable.

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While belief in reincarnation is most characteristic of Asian religions and philosophies, it also appears in the religious and philosophical thought of primitive religions, in some ancient Middle Eastern religions (e.g., the Greek Orphic mystery religion), Manichaeism, and Gnosticism, as well as in such modern religious movements as Theosophy. 17

Theory of Dependent Origination According to this theory, things arise from conditions, and one thing arises out of another, or a group of others…   

It provides a sense of purpose; It provides a basis for ethics, since things have consequences; It does away with the need for either god above or a metaphysical substratum below, behind or beyond…

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Theory of Inter-dependent Co-arising According to this theory, things arise together, only appear separate but allegedly are part of One, Non-Dual, Inter-dependent Whole, God, Universal or Buddha Mind, Field of Infinite Possibilities, Void, Creative Vacuum, Tao, Silence... 

This belief may result in a lack of individual purpose or responsibility; in fatalism, quietism and inactivity, appeal to “Other Power”…

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Source of All, Transcendental Unity or Being, Tao, Creator God, Buddha Nature, The Source, Universal or Buddha Mind, Field of Infinite Possibilities, Void, Creative Vacuum, Silence, etc – behind, beyond, below or above

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Varieties of thought “patterns” 

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Thoughts of an “ordinary man” 

confused

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orderly

Thoughts of an “enlightened man”

Arising into full consciousness out of and “returning back to” Omni-Present Silence, Void, Field of Infinite Possibilities, Creative Vacuum, Universal Mind, Zero Point Energy… 20

The Five Aggregates 

To make clear the concept of no-self (annata), Buddhists set forth the theory of the five aggregates or constituents (skhandas) of human existence:  1. corporeality or physical forms (rūpa)  2. feelings or sensations (vedanā)  3. ideations (saññā)  4. mental formations or dispositions (sankhāra)  5. consciousness (viññāna ).

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Human existence is only a composite of the five aggregates, none of which is the self or soul…

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A person is in a process of continuous change, with no fixed underlying entity. 21

10 Precepts / Virtues          

1. No killing any living beings 2. No taking what has not been given 3. No sexual misconduct 4. No lying 5. No drinking of liquor 6. No wearing or adornments and perfume 7. No enjoying singing & dancing 8. No sleeping in large, raised beds 9. No eating after noon 10. No possessing of gold, silver and other precious metals 22

10 Wholesome Courses of Action 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Generosity (Dana) Morality (Sila) Meditation (Bhavana) Reverence Service Transference of merit Rejoicing in other’s merit Hearing the Doctrine / Dharma Expounding the Doctrine Straightening of one’s own views 23

10 Unwholesome Courses of Action 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Killing Stealing Sexual misconduct & abuse of the senses Lying Slandering Harsh speech Frivolous talk Covetousness Ill-will False view 24

The Main Schools of Buddhism 

Theravada

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Mahayana Pure Land  Ch’an / Zen 

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Vajrayana / Tibetan

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The Spread of Buddhism in Asia

Vajrayana / Tibetan

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Timeline of the Spread of Buddhism in Asia Spreading from India to Central and Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and Japan, Buddhism has played a central role in the spiritual, cultural, and social life of the Eastern world, and during the 20th century also spread to the West.

It is estimated that there are over 500-million Buddhists in the world today. 27

Map of Buddhist Population in India (1991)

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Buddhist Soteriology (NOUMENON)

ABSOLUTE

Buddha’s Way of “Salvation”, Liberation and Transcendence of Dualities LIBERATION (MOKSHA) NON-DUALITY (ADVAITA) ENLIGHTENMENT (SATORI) EMPTINESS, VOIDNESS (SUNYATA)

REALISATION OF NO-SELF (ANATTA) Going beyond the mind, witnessing the mind PURE CONSCIOUSNESS, I, TRUE SELF, SILENCE

QUENCHING OF DEFILEMENTS BY CONSTANT MINDFULNESS Bringing Unconsciousness to Consciousness

The ‘Witness’ or ‘Nirguna Brahman’ of Vedanta, ‘Father’ of Christianity, ‘Buddha-mind’ of Ch’an, ‘One’ of Mysticism, ‘Absolute’ or ‘Noumenon’ of Philosophy, etc.

QUENCHING OF DEFILEMENTS BY CONSTANT MINDFULNESS Bringing Unconsciousness to Consciousness

(PHENOMENA)

RELATIVE

DEFILEMENTS (KILESAS) DUE TO UNCONSCIOUS IDENTIFICATION OF SELF WITH THE MIND - BODY MANIFESTING AS SELFISHNESS, ILLUSION (MAYA), DUALITY (DVAITA) RESULTING IN SUFFERING (DUKHA) ATTRACTION Craving Liking Clinging Seeking Hoping Loving

CONFUSION & DELUSION

REPULSION Rejecting Disliking Resisting Avoiding Despairing Hating

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“Steps” to Enlightenment, Satori, Knowledge of Self, Vidya, Jnana 

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Ordinary, unenightened person, ajnani  I am my name, gender, nationality, personality, body, emotions, mind, intellect, soul, ego; feeling and thinking “I” & “mine” (selfishness) v. “others”… Deliverance, Enlightenment, Satori, Self-Realisation, Moksha, Liberation…  I am no-thing; there is no “i”; no-self I am / is not a thing or object… Enlightened person, jnani  I am Nothing-Everything, Self, One, One Self, One-with-All, Love, Witness, Just Being…

one, self, ego, i Zero Point

I, Self, One, Paradox (Nothing-in-and as-Everything) 30

Quotes from Buddhism (1) 

The One Mind alone is the Buddha, and there is no distinction between the Buddha and sentient being, only that sentient beings are attached to form and so seek to attain Budhahood externally. By the very seeking they lose it, for that is using the Buddha to seek Buddha, and using the Mind to grasp Mind. - Huang Po

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If you run away from the Void, you can never be free from it; if you search for the Void, you can never reach it. - Niu-tou Fa-Yung

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If you are afraid, you are in error. If you know how to calm your spirit and keep still in all circumstances, you are in truth. 31 Boddhidharma

Quotes from Buddhism (2) 

In the Diamond Sutra, Subhuti asks Buddha about his enlightenment. The Buddha’s response was very simple and yet profound: “Through the consummation of incomparable enlightenment, I acquired not even the least thing; therefore it is called “the consummation of incomparable enlightenment.” 32

Quote from T.S. Eliot 

About “the still point” (wei-wu-wei or non-dual action, or living in the present moment…)

… at the still point, there the dance is, But neither arrest nor movement. And don’t call it fixity, Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards, Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point, There would be no dance, and there is only dance… 33

Why are you so unhappy? Why are you so unhappy? Because 99,9 per cent of everything you think and everything you do is for yourself— and there isn’t one. From Ask the Awakened by Wei WuWei 34

Thank You Ivan Frimmel Cell: 082-454-0311 E-mail: [email protected]

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