Buddhism

Awakened One (in Sanskrit)

Basic Biography Born in Lumbini 500 BCE, current day Nepal Prince with a sheltered life (no physical

discomforts) His father shelters him but Siddhartha sees 4 realities: aging, sick, dead, & a holy man Concludes “dukkha” (suffering/dissatisfaction) Flees his material privilege and seeks out teachers

to ask how to end suffering. No one provides a meaningful answer despite

speaking to the greatest teachers around.

First answer is to become an extreme ascetic because “sin comes from doing things that

make us feel good.” Stops asceticism Meditates to discover his own answer,and finds

the middle path. Mara, the Evil one, tempts him. Her arrows turn

into flowers, though. [Power of insight] He obtains enlightenment: “The earth is my

witness” under the Bodhi tree, in Bodgaya, Bihar, India.

Teaches from age 30 to 81

The Buddhas The “Buddha” is the buddha of the present,

Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni (caste) Maitreya is the Buddha of the future. Boddhisattva is a “saint” – one who has attained

enlightenment but stays in the world to help others (found in northern buddhism).

The southern buddhist equivalent is the arhat: one who has attained enlightenment.

Nirvana – “heaven” translates as emptiness Samsara – cycle of life and death

What keeps people in samsara are greed, hatred and ignorance

We all are reincarnated until we get it right.

3 jewels Dharma – “to hold,” truth or way

The body of teachings

Buddha – reverence for his achievement Sangha – community of practitioners (we cannot

do it on our own; and yet we must meditate as if it depends entirely on our own).

Speech should be useful, gentle, edifying and truthful.

Action should be peaceful and respectful. Livelihood should be non-harming.

4 Noble truths1. Life involves Dhukkha 2. Dissatisfaction is caused by our desires,

cravings, demands (I must have _______).3. We can end our dissatisfaction if we let

go of our cravings/attachments/demands.[Note: Preferences are okay. Demands are

what cause problems.] 4. The way to achieve enlightenment is to

follow the 8-fold path

8 fold path: the “How”I Wisdom:

1. Right View 2. Right Intention

II Ethical Conduct: 1. Right Speech 2. Right Action 3. Right Livelihood

III Mental Discipline 1. Right Effort 2. Right Concentration 3. Right Mindfulness

Two schools:Theravada – southern Buddhism (small

wheel) uses only the earliest writings India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia Arhat – goes to nirvana straight away Greater emphasis on the monastic tradition. The community gives dona to the monks/nuns. More focus on the individual obtaining

enlightenment, and less on helping others obtain it. “Small wheel” because little focus on animals,

insects, and the cosmos, but a lot on human activity.

Mahayana

AKA Northern Buddhism (big wheel) Focus is more universal – including animals,

insects, and the interconnectedness of the entire cosmos.

Is more open to immediate enlightenment (satori) and the laity being vessels of wisdom.

Uses both early and later (philosophical) writings China, Korea, Japan Bodhisattva – attains enlightenment but stays behind to

help others, to help all sentient beings

Zen: to meditate (chan) Soto and Rinzai are the two Zen schools. Zazen is the name (verb) of the actual

practice of meditation. A Zafu is the cushion on which one sits. To meditate is to “sit” (in english).Bodhidarma brought Buddhism from India to

China in the 7th century CE. It mixes theologically with Taoism.

Zen is practiced in Vietnam, Korea, China and Japan.

Buddhist Philosophy

MeditationPresent MomentInsightNon-dualism Non-attachmentNonviolence

Meditation

The purpose is to build mindfulness. If you focus on your breath and its subtleties,

then you take that deepened concentration into every facet of your life: baseball, family, romantic love, friends, driving, school, etc…

Conscious breathing links the mind to the body. If you slow down, you can begin to see the

invisible, to notice what is not obvious to the naked eye (wisdom).

Present Moment

Stay in the here and now. The kingdom of God is available in the here and now.

It is only in the present moment that one can attain happiness. The future does not exist.

Planning (future oriented thought) and reflection (thought regarding the past) are good but not to be done in excess, instead though in moderation: 15% 70% 15%.

“Looking deeply is the most effective way to transform anger, prejudice and discrimination.”

Insight If you are a poet, you will clearly see that there is a cloud

floating in this sheet of paper. Without a cloud, there will be no rain; without rain, the trees cannot grow; and without

trees, we cannot make paper. The cloud is essential for the paper to exist. If the cloud is not here, the sheet of paper cannot be here either. So we can say that the cloud and the paper inter-are. If we look into this sheet of paper even more deeply, we can see the sunshine in it. If the sunshine is not there, the forest cannot grow… You cannot point out one thing that is not here – time, space, the Earth, the rain, the minerals in the soil, the sunshine, the cloud, the river, the heat. Everything coexists with this piece of paper… This sheet of paper is because everything else is.

Peace Is Every Step, Thich Nhat Hanh

Non-Dualism

Despite appearances, all things are interconnected; all things are ONE.

Evil occurs only when we think things are two: good versus evil.

This assessment is an illusion. Read the poem and discover the

application of non-dualism, how it ushers in nonviolence.

Non–attachment

In many cases, it is our attachment to things that are the very sources of our suffering.

All things are impermanent, therefore we should relinquish our grip on all things. This creates freedom.

Our problems come not from “reality” or the world, but from our incapacity to adjust to reality.

You are more than your anger. Do not be attached or controlled by it.

Attachment is not love; it is controlling and it kills love.

Nonviolence

Honors the sacredness of each personAddresses underlying symptoms without

completely blaming single actors. It does NOT mean non-activity. It simply means to address conflict without

causing further harm, exclusively attempting to solve the problem using love and compassion.

Understanding breeds compassion.

If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha. Don’t worship anyone, not even Mr. Haardt. Rely on yourself. “Work out your own salvation.” This dovetails with the Gospel’s notion of the

kingdom of God is within you. The entire project of Buddhism rests on turning

one’s arrow inwardly. Our problems/solutions exist within ourselves. Any external object (person/$) isn’t the problem, nor

the solution. The Buddha is within, never another person. You, no one else, are the Buddha.

Only you can save yourself “Work out your own salvation with diligence”

(the Buddha).There is no reliance on something outside of

yourself, ultimately. The sangha and teachings can help, but they are not enough. You HAVE to meditate, learning the truth that is accessible only to committed seekers.

The Buddha preached intense self-reliance: “A true disciple must know for herself.”