Introduction to Buddhism

Buddhism
• No divine beings. And,
anatta, no soul
• Reality is a construct of our
senses, an illusion
• Four noble truths
– Dukkha, All life is suffering
– Tanha, suffering is caused
by desire
– Sunyata, eliminate desire to
eliminate suffering
– Follow eight-fold path,
emptying one’s self to the
goal of Nirvana, extinction.
• Cycles of death, birth and
rebirth until Enlightenment
 The Eighthfold path of liberation

• ways to burn up all past

demerits,
• avoid accumulating new
demerits, and
• build up merit for a favorable
rebirth.
• Perfection - final escape from
the cycle of death and rebirth,
into the peace of nirvana
(moksha - Hinduism; Kevala-
Jainism)
 The Eight-fold path of liberation

• right understanding - comprehending reality correctly

• right thought or motives - uncover any unwholesome emotional
roots behind your thinking (e.g., stop hiding your imperfections)
• right speech - give up speaking vain talk, gossip, harsh words, and
lying; speak the truth and search harmony
• right action - avoid destroying life, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying,
intoxicants
• right livelihood - make sure that earning a living does not violate the
five principles from previous path
• right effort - continual striving to cut off unwholesome states
• right mindfulness - be aware in every movement
• right meditation - apply mental discipline to the quieting of the mind
itself
Some Symbols
Lotus Flower
The lotus flower symbolises the complete
purification of the defilements of the body, speech
and mind, and the full blossoming of wholesome
deeds in blissful liberation.

Precious Umbrella
The precious umbrella symbolises the wholesome
activity of preserving beings from illness, harmful
forces, obstacles and so forth in this life and all
kinds of temporary and enduring sufferings of the
three lower realms, and the realms of men and
gods in future lives. It also represents the
enjoyment of a feast of benefit under its cool
shade.

The golden wheel

symbolises the auspiciousness of the turning of the
precious wheel of Buddha's doctrine, both in its
teachings and realizations, in all realms and at all
times, enabling beings to experience the joy of
wholesome deeds and liberation.
 Birth of the Buddha

How Siddharta Gautama

became the ‘Enlightened One’.
 A Prince is Born
A long time ago, in India, Prince
Siddharta was born.
 A wise old man came to tell his fortune.

 He said that one day Siddharta would

leave home and become a great holy man.
 The king was upset because he wanted
his son to follow in his footsteps.
 He made sure that Siddharta wanted
for nothing and taught him all the things
that a future king needed to know.
 The Young Prince
 When Siddharta grew up he married
Princess Yashodhara.
 The king was delighted because his plan
was working.
 Although the king was happy Siddharta
was not happy at all.
 He decided that he needed to go out
and see the world for himself.
 The Four Sights
 So the prince went into the city with
Chanda, his chariot driver.
 Soon they met an old man, who was
leaning on a stick. His hair and teeth
were falling out.
 Siddharta was puzzled and Chanda
explained that the man was suffering
from old age.
 This sight upset the prince.
 The Four Sights
 The next day, they went out again.
 This time they saw someone lying in the
street, groaning.
 Again, Siddharta was puzzled and so
Chanda explained that the person was
suffering from sickness.
 Siddharta was shocked. He had never
before seen anyone who was ill.
 The Four Sights
 On the third day, Siddharta and
Chanda went out again and saw
something much worse.
 They saw a funeral and Siddharta was,
again, puzzled.
 Chanda explained that death comes to
everyone.
 The prince was horrified and asked why
the world was full of suffering. He asked
what he could do to help.
 The Four Sights
 On the fourth day, Siddharta and
Chanda went out once more.
 This time they saw a man dressed in
simple robes and carrying a bowl.
 Siddharta was puzzled and so Chanda
explained that the man was a Holy man,
who was carrying all that he owned.
 Siddharta thought it strange that the
man looked so peaceful and happy.
 Leaving Home
 That night, Siddharta decided to leave
the palace to try to put an end to all
suffering.
 Silently, Siddharta and Chanda crept
out of the gates and rode of into the
night. They came, at last, to a river at the
edge of the edge of the forest.
 Continue the Story
 Can you help Siddharta on his journey
to end suffering?
 You must decide upon Siddharta’s
actions and thoughts as the story
progresses.
 If at any time you are unsuccessful, you
will be returned to the beginning of
Siddharta’s journey.
 By the River
 Siddharta cut of his long hair and put
on…
 Simple robes

 A swimming costume

 His grandest cloak and jewels.

 Goodbye Chanda
 Siddharta gave his fine clothes, jewels
and his horse to Chanda.
 He told Chanda to return to the palace
with the clothes and said that he was no
longer his master.
 Siddharta became a wanderer. Chanda
watched sadly as Siddharta crossed the
river and went off alone into the dark
forest.
 The Journey Begins
 As Siddharta walked through the
forest, in his simple robes, he decided
that he had to find…
 Something to eat

 A place to rest

 The Truth
 The Wandering Holy Man
 For six years, Siddharta wandered in
the Jungle. He went to many famous
Holy teachers and learned all they had
to teach him.
 Still not satisfied, he lived with five
friends, called ‘Ascetics’.
 They believed that they would find the
truth through making sacrifices.
 Life as an ‘Ascetic’
 Siddharta decided to become an ascetic
too. He lived on…
 One grain of rice a day

 A three course meal each day

 A bowl of rice a day

 No Nearer the Truth
 Siddharta almost starved to death.
 He realised that living a very hard and
uncomfortable life brought him no nearer
to the truth than his rich life had.
 He decided to try a middle way.

 When the five ascetics saw what he was

going to do they did not like it!
 Given Up?
A woman approached Siddharta and
offered him…
 A bag of gold coins

 Some milk-rice

 A place to stay
 Alone Once More
 Siddharta ate the milk-rice that the
woman had offered.
 This displeased the five ascetics. They
said that he had given up and left him all
alone.
 Siddharta washed in the river and ate
some food.
 He sat down to meditate in the shade of
a tree. He felt much stronger.
 Beneath the Tree
 Siddharta decided to sit under the tree
until…
 He became uncomfortable

 He grew tired

 He had discovered the truth

 The Enlightenment
 Siddharta meditated all night.
 In the morning, just as the sun rose, he
knew he had won.
 “I have done it.

 I am free from suffering.

 I understand.

 At last I am awake to the Truth.

 Now I am a Buddha.”
 Buddha?
 The Buddha was born because
Siddharta had become…
 Enlightened

 A leader

 The true King

 Teaching the Truth
 The Buddha, once rejoined with his
friends and family, taught the Truth (the
Dharma) to anyone who would listen.
 For 35 years, he travelled around India
and many people, including Kings and
Queens, rich and poor, men, women and
children became his followers and joined
the Sangha.
 The Parinirvana
 One day, at the age of 80, he knew that
the time had come for him to die.
 He called his followers to him to make
sure that they understood everything he
had taught them.
 His friend, Ananda, made a bed for him.
His friends gathered round as the
Buddha lay down on his side.
 “All things change,” he said. “Keep up
your effort.” Then he closed his eyes
and died.
 The life of the Buddha I (c. 563-483
BCE)
• The Buddha - the Enlightened One - born to the chief of a
kshatriya clan of Shakyas
• First name: Siddharta - wish-fulfiller; family name:
Gautama
• shielded from sight of suffering and evil by his father
• Four Sights:
– a bent old man
– a sick person
– a dead person
– a monk seeking eternal pleasure
• At 29 Siddharta decides to live a life of renunciation
 The life of the Buddha - part II

• Initially he tried traditional Hindu methods

(but wasn’t satisfied)
• extreme path: nakedness, exposure to great heat and cold,
breath retention, severe fasting - didn’t work
• Middle Way: neither self-indulgence, nor self-denial;
clarity of mind, reflection
• under the sacred fig three - Supreme Enlightenment:
– contemplation
– recalling all previous lives
– cause of suffering and the means to end it
– radiating light
• Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path for freedom from
suffering
 Spreading of doctrine

• Buddha - wandered through villages in N. India for 45

years
• Founded orders of monks and nuns
• No caste system - all are equal in achieving liberation
• Forbade animal sacrifice
• Buddha died from food poisoning offered to him by a
poor villager who was sharing a meal of all the food he
had.
• His helper and close follower, Ananda, continued to
preach Buddhism
Buddhist Monks
Buddhist monks live simple ascetic lives of religious contemplation in
monasteries. Buddhist monks follow different rules according to their
sect, but most remain cut off from worldly affairs. Monks often
perform important rituals, such as funerals, for lay Buddhists.
 The Dharma

• Non-theistic religion - no personal God who creates

everything and to whom prayers can be directed
• Unlike other Indian sages, Buddha didn’t focus on
descriptions of:
• Ultimate reality, the nature of the soul, life after
death, or the origin of the universe
• The Buddha spoke of his teachings as a means to a
goal, not the goal itself
 The Four Noble Truths
(basic facts of existence)

• Life inevitably involves suffering, is imperfect and

unsatisfactory
• Suffering originates in our desires (challenged today
by some Buddhists)
• Suffering will cease if all desires cease
• There is a way to realize this state: the Noble Eightfold
path
 The Four Noble Truths (detailed)

• First Truth: existence of suffering or frustration (dukkha)

– grief, unfulfilled desires, sickness, old age, physical pain, mental
anguish, and death
– no permament self or identity: our identity is a bundle of feelings,
impressions, ideas, and decaying physical matter
• Second Truth: Suffering has its origin in desire and attachment
to ideas
– desire for sensory pleasures, for fame and fortune, for things to
stay as they are or to change
• Third Truth: Suffering ceases if desires cease - illusion ends
and nirvana begins
• Fourth Truth:only through a life of morality, concentration and
wisdom can suffering be extinguished.
 Nirvana

• The Buddha said little about the Nirvana

• nirvana - means extinguishing of a flame from lack of
fuel
• ending a cycle: ending all cravings and leading a
passion-free existence - no karmic consequences
• nirvana is a state of freedom, peace, lack of suffering,
tranquility of mind
• upon death of a person who reached nirvana:
– one enters a deathless, peaceful, unchaging
indescribable state;
– individuality disappears and one enters the realm of
ultimate truth
Kamakura Daibutsu
Buddhism was introduced to Japan in ad 539, when a Korean ruler sought
an alliance with the ruler of Yamato in Japan. To please the Japanese, the
Korean ruler sent a statue of the Buddha and some Buddhist scriptures,
which he described as the greatest treasures he could send. The Daibutsu
(Great Buddha) figure at Kamakura, Japan, was cast in bronze in 1252.
The figure depicts Amitabha (also known as Amida Buddha) in perfect
repose and passionless calm.