Buddhist Teachings

Kamakura Buddha

OverviewFrom Prince Siddhartha to the BuddhaThe Four Noble TruthsThe Eight-Fold PathThe Three JewelsThe spread of Buddhism

The DharmaBuddhism is a non-theistic religionThere is no personal god nor was Buddha a god or is worshippedBuddha was a man who attained enlightenment through meditation and showed the path to freedom

AnattaThere is no immortal selfA human being is a energy process composed of momentary flashesAll human beings are interconnected with the universe as energy processesNothing in the world is solid

ReincarnationUnlike the Hindu, Buddhism does not believe in an eternal soulBut the rebirth process is because one changing state of being sets another into motionkarmaPersonality is created moment by moment

Vow of the BodhisattvaBeings are infinite in numbers, I vow to save them all;The obstructive passions are endless in number, I vow to end them all; The teachings for saving others are countless, I vow to learn them all; Buddhahood is the supreme achievement, I vow to attain it.

Prince SiddharthaWho Became A Buddha

The Four Sights

Becoming a RenunciateSeven years were spent in the forest practicing austerities and studying the wisdom of the times.

Becoming a BuddhaIn the year 528 B.C. Prince Siddhartha became a Buddha. He died at the age of 80 in the year 483 B.C. Five hundred monks met for seven months to put his words to memory in sacred chants.

Deer Park

The Four Noble Truths1 - Life has pain & suffering

4 - The Eight-fold Path provides a way out of our karmic predicament of continuous re-births that result in continuous suffering

3 - Reducing desire reduces suffering2 - Suffering is caused by ignorance & desire

The Eight Worldly Pre-OccupationsPraiseBlamePleasurePainLossGainDisgraceFame

The Eight-fold Path

Om Mani Padme Hum(PurityJewelLotusIndivisible)Means something likeIf you practice the path with the complete union of compassion and wisdom, you can transform all impurities to become a Buddha.

The Two Truths: The Question of Inherent ExistenceUltimate WisdomConventional Wisdom

The Three JewelsBuddhaDharmaSangha

Spread of Buddhism

The Kali Yuga periodOur life-force is weakDelusions & emotional sickness prevailViolence is rampantFalse attitudes pretend to be trueAdvice: In a rotten society, the worst thing would be to follow the social norm.

Hinayana, Mahayana & VajrayanaVajrayana is the use of subtle vital energies to transform the mind. The gross mind is neutralized and the subtle mind rides on the clear light of bliss. This inner light is considered the only aspect of existence that is eternal. Once uncovered, one is said to be capable of attaining Buddha-hood.

The Dalai Lama As a Tulku

Wood Valley Temple

ZenZen

Development of ZenBuddhism spread to China around the time of ChristIt absorbed elements of the TaoBodhidharma in 5th century first patriarch of Chan Buddhism - Zen

Qualities of ZenDismisses all scripturesRelies on direct experience towards cosmic unityZazen to sit and gain absolute freedom to not allow any thought to disturb your original nature

SengtsanThe Great Way is not difficult for thos who have no preferences. When love and hate are both absent everything becomes clear and undisguised.6th Patriarch of Zen

Stages of The Path

SatoriThe moon is the same old moon, the flowers exactly as they were,Yet Ive become the thingness of all the things I see!

Pure Land BuddhismModern Japan needed Amida Buddha to save them rather than save themselvesPure Land is similar idea to Christian heaven

Nichiren13th century Japanese fishermanLotus SutraStrive to save self and societyNamu myoho rengekyo

ConsiderationsCivilization has nothing to do with having electric lights, airplanes, or manufacturing atomic bombs. It has nothing to do with killing human beings, destroying things or waging war. Civilization is to hold one another in mutual affection and respect.

Buddhism in the West5 million Tibetan Buddhists in westMany vipassana retreatsThich Nhat Hanh Vietnamese monk is author of many books

Engaged BuddhismNot to respond to the suffering around us is a sign of an insane civilization.Dulak Sivaraksa, founder

The Heart Sutra of Profound Illiminationnoble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, said Form is emptiness; emptiness also is form. Emptiness is no other than form; form is no other than emptiness.

In the same way, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are emptiness. Thus, all dharmas are emptiness. There are no characteristics. There is no birth and no cessation. There is no impurity and no purity. There is no decrease and no increase.

in emptiness, there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no formation, no consciousness no ignorance, no end of ignorance up to no old age and death, no end of old age and death; no suffering, no origin of suffering, no cessation of suffering, no path, no wisdom, no attainment, and no non-attainment.

SummaryYou are the source of suffering & liberationA soft heart & quiet mind can see the truthIgnorance is a mistake in identityTruth sees the mistake & eliminates sufferingCompassion & wisdom are the toolsVow of the Bodhisattva