How many members, how old?
half a billion, 4th
How is it different from Hinduism?
Smaller, and more global
Different kinds of Buddhism:
Theravada
Mahanayana
Vajrayana
What do Buddhists call their religion?
DHARMA
Compared to Jainism?
6th century - a little bit after Jainism
Different than Jainism
Buddhism was against the extreme “ascetic” ideal of the Jains instead presenting itself as the “middle way”
Life of the Enlightened One
-Siddarta Guatama
His father kept him safe because he didn’t want him to become religious
The 4 passing sights
Old Age
Sickness
Death
An ascetic monk
From distress to crisis
Bodh-gaya was Siddharta’s resolve
Opposition, insight, and higher form of conciousness
Nirvana and parinarvana
-
The four noble truths
Life is suffering
Craving causes suffering
Suffering can cease
Through the eightfold middle path
A physicians approach
problem (suffering), source (craving), fact that it can be extinguished, how to extinguish it.
Teachings of the Buddha
- Salvation as self-effort and self-discipline
- Practical rather than metaphysical concern (nature & causes of suffering, rather than the gods)
- The chain of dependent operation (12-cause effect links)
- Iimmpermenance of life
- Rebirth without transmigration
Tripitaka (The three baskets)
Monastic rules
The teachings of Buddha
Doctrinal Supplement
Spread of Buddhism through?
Conversion of Emperor Ashoka (273-232)
Mayhayana
The great vehicle
Theological developments
Increased divinization of the Buddha
Multiplication of Buddha’s and Bodhisvattvas
Devotion literature based on the view that the B&B are sources of merit
The Lotus Sutra as a key Mahayana scripture
Sunyata
Increased focus on emptiness of things
With new developments what happened?
Buddhism reached greater missionary success
Mahayana Beliefs
Buddhas: Those who have reached parivana after their human experience, like Siddharta can’t be reached through prayer, but devotion creates merit
-Those who achieved
Mahayana Beliefs
Buddhas: Those who have reached parivana after their human experience, like Siddharta can’t be reached through prayer, but devotion creates merit
- Those who achieved nirvana in heaven are contemplative buddhas or tathagatas. They postpone parinarvana to minister to our needs
- At least 5 Tathagatas - one solar, and 4 cardinal directions
Buddha of the West
Amida
Amida presides over
Western paradise - where nirvana is guranteed
Bodhisattvas
Human form - but postponed parinarvana for humanity
-Dwell in heaven, but can come to earth
