Detail Study on World Religions

Buddhism

By Dhaval PanchalEnroll No : 378210th March, 2016

Table of Contents• Introduction• Historical Background• Key Concept• Founder• Holy Books• Religious Symbols• Food & Restrictions• Dressings• Festivals• Denominations• Prayer Centre• Deities / Prophets• Other Beliefs• Rituals• Quotes & Sayings

Introduction

Buddhism, in its natural form, is not a religion; rather it is a tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development. Buddhists strive for a deep insight into the true nature of life and do not worship gods or deities. 

Buddhism was founded in Northern India by the first known Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, in 6th century BC, after he attained enlightenment and assumed the title Lord Buddha (one who has awakened)

Historical Background

• The founder of Buddhism in this world is Buddha Shakyamuni. He was born as a royal prince in 624 BC in a place called Lumbini, which was originally in northern India but is now part of Nepal.

• In his early years he lived as a prince in his royal palace but when he was 29 years old he retired to the forest where he followed a spiritual life of meditation. After six years he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya, India.

• He was subsequently requested to teach and as Venerable Geshe Kelsang says in Introduction to Buddhism.

• ‘As a result of this request, Buddha rose from meditation and taught the first Wheel of Dharma. These teachings which include the Sutra of the Four Noble Truths and other discourses, are the principal source of the Hinayana, or Lesser Vehicle, of Buddhism. Later, Buddha taught the second and third Wheels of Dharma, which include the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras and the Sutra Discriminating the Intention respectively. These teachings are the source of the Mahayana, or Great Vehicle, of Buddhism.Both traditions flourished in Asia, at first in India and then gradually in other surrounding countries, including Tibet. Now they are also beginning to flourish in the West.’

• In all Buddha Shakyamuni gave eighty-four thousand teachings. His intention in founding Buddhism was to lead living beings to permanent liberation from suffering. He realized temporary liberation from suffering and difficulties is not enough. Motivated by love and compassion his aim was to help living beings find lasting peace or nirvana.

Key Concept

• The workings of the mind are examined with great precision in these teachings of the Buddha that originated in India over 2000 years back. However the way to freedom lies not in a scholarly study of these teachings, but instead in practicing meditation and mindfulness. The reality of suffering draws many to Buddha's teachings; the teachings are not about suffering though. Instead they are about ultimate freedom, and the exuberance that this freedom is accessible to all. Strive to be a Buddha, not a Buddhist!

Founder

• Buddha Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism in this world, was born as a prince in 624BC in a place called Lumbini, which was originally in northern India but is now part of Nepal. ‘Shakya’ is the name of the royal family into which he was born, and ‘Muni’ means ‘Able One’. His parents gave him the name Siddhartha and there were many auspicious predictions about his future. In his early years he lived as a prince in the royal palace but when he was 29 years old he retired to the forest where he followed a life of meditation. After six years he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya, India. He was subsequently requested to teach others the path to enlightenment.

Holy Books

• The Buddhist canon consists of the Sutras: the words and teachings of the Buddha. There are also a number of noncanonical Buddhist texts that provide supplementary teachings, rules of conduct and commentary on transitional states after death. The Tripitaka (Pali Canon), Mahayana Sutras and the Tibetan Book of the Dead are three major noncanonical Buddhist texts. The Pali Canon, which means “the word of Buddha,” includes some of the Buddha’s discourse, but it also incorporates the teachings of his pupils. Different sects of Buddhism follow canonical and noncanonical scriptures to varying degrees.

Religious Symbol

• The dharma wheel, or dharma chakra in Sanskrit, is one of the oldest symbols of Buddhism. Around the globe it is used to represent Buddhism in the same way that a cross represents Christianity or a Star of David represents Judaism. It is also one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism.

• A traditional dharma wheel is a chariot wheel with varying numbers of spokes. It can be in any colour, although it is most often gold. At the center sometimes there are three shapes swirling together, although sometimes at the center is a yin-yang symbol, or another wheel, or an empty circle.

Food and Restrictions

• There are no set prescriptions for food restrictions in Buddhism. Under the concept of ahisma / doing no harm, a lacto-vegetarian diet is followed by many Buddhists. Buddhist monks have additional restrictions such as fasting and not eating solid foods after noon.

Dressing

• Buddhist generally wear robes. The Sanskrit and Pali word for monastic robes is civara. Wearing a civara is the first of a monk's four traditional requirements. Monks are never to enter a village without wearing all three parts of their robe:

• An inner robe, from the waist to the knee.• An upper robe around the torso and the shoulders.• An outer robe used as and over garment.

• Buddhist also wear mala, a bracelet that has 108 beads. The 108 beads on the mala represents the 108 human passions that Avalokiteśvara assured when telling the beads. They also have 3 extra beads on the mala to represent the completion of a cycle of mantras. The 3 extra bead also symbolize the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the dharma and the sangha. The hidden string that passed through all the beads symbolized the penetrating power of the Buddha’s.

• A mala is usually worn as bracelets but priest generally wear them as long necklaces.

Festivals

• Some holy days are specific to a particular Buddhist tradition or ethnic group. There are two aspects to take into consideration regarding Buddhist festivals: Most Buddhists, with the exception of the Japanese, use the Lunar Calendar and the dates of Buddhist festivals vary from country to country and between Buddhist traditions. There are so many Buddhist festivals, here are some of the more important ones.

• There are quite a few Buddhists festivals. Here are some festivals and what they are about…

• Buddhist New Year• In some countries like Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia

and Lao, the New Year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April.

• Vesak• This festival celebrates the Birthday of Buddha. In one day, the

Buddhists celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. This festival takes place on the first full moon of May.

• Magha Puja DayMagha Puja Day takes places on the full moon day of the third lunar month (March). This holy day is to commemorate an important event in the life of the Buddha, the fourfold assembly.

• Asalha Puja Day• Asalha Puja means to honour Buddha on the full moon day of

the 8th lunar month (approximately July). It recalls and shows respect to the Buddha’s first teaching.

• Uposatha• The four holy days in each month. These holy days are during

the new moons, full moons and quarter moons. On these days the Buddhists fast (they don’t eat at all).

• Kathina Ceremony• In this ceremony new robes are offered to Buddhists monks.

• Abhidhamma Day • This day celebrates the event when the Buddha is said to have

gone to the Heaven to teach his mother. It is held on the full moon of April.

• Songkran• This Buddhist festival goes on for several days during the

middle of April. People clean their houses and wash their clothes and enjoy sprinkling perfumed water on the monks. This festival is like a spring cleaning!

• Loy Krathong• This festival takes place on the full moon night of the Twelfth Lunar

month. People bring bowls made of leaves, which contain flowers, candles and incense sticks. People float them in water and as they go, all bad luck is supposed to disappear.

• The Ploughing Festival• This festival takes place in May, when the moon is half-full, two white

oxen pull a gold painted plough, followed by four girls dressed in white who throw rice seeds from baskets. This is to celebrate the Buddha’s first moment of enlightenment, which happened when Buddha was seven years old, when he had gone with his father to watch the ploughing.

Denominations

• There are 3 major denominations of Buddhism which are Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana.

• Mahayana• Mahayana Buddhism, which literally means "Great Vehicle" in Sanskrit, is

mainly the predominant sect in central and East Asia, and is making its appearance in western culture in forms of Tibetan, Zen, and Pure land Buddhism. The origin of Mahayana Buddhism is now traced to about the beginning of the Common Era. The Mahayana ideal is the bodhisattva, "one bearing enlightment" who realized it was important to save all others before realizing their own redemption. In this denomination, they early on acknowledged the polarity of Buddha’s that could also act from outside this world. One of the main goals of Mahayana was to unfold or find the truth or hidden gem of enlightment. Mahayana has come to be known as the second turning of the Wheel of Dharma.

• Theravada• Theravada Buddhism, also known as Southern Buddhism, is mainly in

South and South East Asia. It is the only surviving tradition of the 30 original sects and is said to be the closest to the original teachings of the Buddha. Their focal point is to an order of monks. Their ideal is to a person's nonattachment to the world and practicing the Buddhist path of renunciation. The monk’s main task is to live to that ideal to pass on Buddhist teachings and way of life. Theravada is also known as the first turning of the Wheel of Dharma.

• Vajrayana• Vajrayana Buddhism is the most exotic of the denominations

and is the third turning of the Wheel of Dharma. Around the 3rd century in the Common Era, Vajrayana became the more prominent denomination in India and many other regions of the Buddhist world. It dominated in the Himalayan region and quite a few other areas. Vajrayana is the "secret vehicle" of Buddhism, and is also called the diamond or electric vehicle, due to its indestructible and clarity qualities, or in reference to the thunderbolt sceptre of Indra, a Vedic god. The Vajra represents cosmic power and its prongs represent different Buddha’s, and the power of enlighten itself. Vajrayana uses aspects of both Buddhism and Hinduism and uses mantras, which are magical chants and syllables, a lot. It is also known as Mantra Yana because of that. Tantric Buddhism is another name it is known as due to the great use of Tantric texts and rites.

Monasteries

• The work of the monastery• In Buddhism and Christianity however, instead of statues,

monks or nuns pray on behalf of the people. The monastery typically becomes the spiritual focus of the nearest town or village. In Christianity the monks pray for the salvation of the souls of the living. But in Buddhism, there is no concept of the soul. The goal is not heaven, rather it is cessation from the endless cycle of rebirth (samsara), to achieve moksha, which is freedom or release from attachment to ego or the material world and an end to samsara, and to realize nirvana (or liberation), which is to be released into the infinite state of oneness with everything.

• Buddhist Monasteries in India• In India, by the 1st century, many monasteries were founded

as learning center’s on sites already associated with Buddha and Buddhism. These sites include Lumbini where the Buddha was born, Bodh Gaya where he achieved enlightenment and the knowledge of the dharma (the Four Noble Truths), Sarnath (Deer Park) where he preached his first sermon sharing the dharma, and Kushingara where he died.

Deities and Prophets

• Each of the deities represents a unique spiritual personality or essence. The principal beings are the five Dhyani Buddha's- the esoteric meditation Buddha's of the five colours found in The Tibetan Book of the Dead and other sources. Contrary to popular belief, these deities are not Buddhist Gods, but rather different aspects of the one God. Among these are several teachers or gurus, who have attained notoriety and importance, and as such are venerated.

• Like the Hindu Deities, these are meant to express particular aspects of the Infinite, and are are used as devotional images helping the seeker visualize, concentrate on, and thus in time attain, that aspect of the Infinite in him or herself.

• The essence of each being is:• First, of a spiritual personality describing his or her essential nature• Second, of an actor describing his or her role in the Vajrayana

tradition, and the spiritual environment in which action takes place• Third, of a spiritual guide giving advice to the seeker.

• The purpose is to introduce the spiritual seeker to elements of the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition outside the bounds of a particular lineage or school. When a Tibetan monk or nun is initiated into a Vajrayana lineage, he or she is often given a Yidam who serves as a spiritual guide, protector, and a focus of meditation. The practitioner meditates on the deity to forge a strong link with this inner guide and teacher. One of the beings listed below is often chosen as a Yidam or guide for the initiate.

• One function of these guides is to inspire creativity, for they can serve as muses. However, their traditional role is that of a guide to the spiritual traveller who seeks knowledge of and access to the many inner worlds one may encounter during meditation. This kind of visionary experience is a stepping-stone to the ultimate Buddhist goal of liberation from suffering (enlightenment).

Other Beliefs

• Basic Beliefs and Practices• The basic doctrines of early Buddhism, which remain common

to all Buddhism, include the "four noble truths": existence is suffering (dukkha); suffering has a cause, namely craving and attachment (trishna); there is a cessation of suffering, which is nirvana; and there is a path to the cessation of suffering, the "eightfold path" of right views, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Buddhism characteristically describes reality in terms of process and relation rather than entity or substance.

Rituals

• Buddhism incorporates a variety of rituals and practices, which are intended to aid in the journey to enlightenment and bring blessings on oneself and others. While some activities are unique to certain expressions of Buddhism, there are others that are found in most of the popular forms of the belief system.

• Types of Buddhist Rituals• Going for Refuge. This is probably the most significant ritual

connecting people to the Dharma. This is the oldest and most common ritual throughout most Buddhist traditions.

• Offering homage or respect to the Buddha, to Buddhist teachers, teachings, or other important areas of Buddhist life.

• Making offerings or practicing dana.• Confession of faults.• Precept ceremonies.• Calling on spiritual forces for support or protection.• Blessings, aspirations, and Brahmavihara “prayers.”• Dedication of merit.• Rites of Passage such as weddings and funerals.• Initiations and ordinations.

Quotes and Sayings

• Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.• No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.• Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.• Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.• You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.• The mind is everything. What you think you become.• We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think.• When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.• There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not

starting.• To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong

and clear.• Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.