Group Religious Group Religious ExperienceExperience

Festivals and RitualsFestivals and Rituals

Group Religious ExperienceGroup Religious Experience

• There are very few festivals that There are very few festivals that occur at the same time for all occur at the same time for all Buddhist seeing that Buddhism Buddhist seeing that Buddhism extends into many nations and extends into many nations and cultures. cultures.

http://www.indiasite.com/gifs/lord-buddha.jpg

Theravada BuddhismTheravada Buddhism

• VesakVesak– ““Buddha Day”Buddha Day”

• Magha PujaMagha Puja– Beginning of Beginning of

the Rain the Rain RetreatRetreat http://www.khenchenrinpoche.org/DSCN4222.jpg

Mahayana BuddhismMahayana Buddhism

• Vesak Vesak – Also very important in Also very important in

Mahayana BuddhismMahayana Buddhism

• ParinirvanaParinirvana

• Celebration of the Celebration of the Bodhisattva Kuan YinBodhisattva Kuan Yin

• The Buddhist New The Buddhist New YearYear

Tibetan BuddhismTibetan Buddhism

• LosarLosar– New Years DayNew Years Day

• MonlamMonlam– The Great Prayer The Great Prayer

FestivalFestival

• Saka Dawa FestivalSaka Dawa Festival

• Labab DuechenLabab Duechen

Losar festival

http://www.volny.cz/dhamma/4_OrdiTi201.jpg

Individual Religious Individual Religious ExperienceExperience

Individual ExperienceIndividual Experience

• Found in meditationFound in meditation

• Pilgrimages will also Pilgrimages will also trigger individual trigger individual religious experiencesreligious experiences

Conversion To BuddhismConversion To Buddhism

• Unlike Hinduism, which has condemned conversion, Buddhism allows conversion

• Does not generally engage in new converts

• Discouraged by the Dalai Lama

Conversion To BuddhismConversion To Buddhism

• New Buddhist take refuge with a monk

• Study of Three Jewels– Buddha– Dharma– Sangha

Reaffirmation and OrdinationReaffirmation and Ordination

• The final step of conversion is marked by a ceremony

• Affirmation ceremony– Shin Buddhism– Personal religious confirmation– To become fully a part of Buddhism, one can

only do this by the direct and personal experience of the working of Great Compassion

Affirmation CeremonyAffirmation Ceremony

• Confirms the Five Precepts are the best way to compassionately live in our suffering world

• Ceremony includes:– Recitations– Recipients are given

Buddhist name, and an Affirmation Certificate

Ordination CeremonyOrdination Ceremony

• Only given by a fully ordained monk

• Recites the Three Jewels and Five Precepts, sometimes even the Bodhisattva Vows

• Participant becomes upasaka or upasika

• Receives certificate and Buddhist name

• Ordaining monk is usually participants main teacher

Meditation

and

Worship

Rituals and SymbolsRituals and Symbols

Central image is the Central image is the BuddhaBuddha

Devotees bring Devotees bring offeringsofferings

Reverence, not Reverence, not worshipworship

http://www.khenchenrinpoche.org/DSCN4222.jpg

The 8 Auspicious The 8 Auspicious SymbolsSymbols

Parasol, Golden Parasol, Golden Fish, Treasure Vase, Fish, Treasure Vase, Lotus Flower, Lotus Flower, Conch, Endless Conch, Endless Knot, Victory Knot, Victory Banner, Dharma Banner, Dharma WheelWheel

Very literalVery literalhttp://www.dragon-gate.com/images/cpics/MS112_c.jpg

The Four Noble TruthsThe Four Noble Truths

Doctrine of BuddhismDoctrine of Buddhism-perhaps most significant to religious -perhaps most significant to religious experienceexperience

Foundation of Buddha’s teachingsFoundation of Buddha’s teachings

1: dukkha1: dukkha2: tanha2: tanha3: Nirodha3: Nirodha4: marga4: marga

The Eightfold PathThe Eightfold Path

Method to achieve the solution for Method to achieve the solution for humanshumans

MeditationMeditation- jhana- jhana- skadhas- skadhas

The Buddha as first absorption

http://www.the-tree.org.uk/Sacred%20Grove/Buddhism/jambolan_treeSM.jpg

Meditation!!Meditation!! MantrasMantras MudrasMudras MandalasMandalas

-tangka-tangka KoanKoan

- “If a tree falls in a - “If a tree falls in a forest, does it make forest, does it make a noise if there is a noise if there is no one there to no one there to hear it?”hear it?”

http://www.znanje.org/i/i19/99iv09/99iv0907/tangka.jpg

http://dailyheadlines.uark.edu/images/mandala.jpg

10 most common mudras.

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/images/mudra.gif

Women in BuddhismWomen in Buddhism

http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/NYTemple.htmhttp://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/NYTemple.htm

Position of women at the time of Position of women at the time of Buddha Buddha

They had limited freedomThey had limited freedom no educational opportunities no educational opportunities Viewed as a burdenViewed as a burdenKing Pasenadi of Kosala King Pasenadi of Kosala women are capable of realizing truth women are capable of realizing truth

Should women be ordained?Should women be ordained?

women as bhikkhuni (nuns)women as bhikkhuni (nuns)

Buddha created an order of Buddha created an order of bhikkhuni bhikkhuni - foster mother: Prajapati - foster mother: Prajapati Gotami Gotami

Sila and the ordination of Sila and the ordination of womenwomen- requires presence of both - requires presence of both ordained monks (bhikkhu) and ordained monks (bhikkhu) and nunsnuns ↑ Prajapati Gotami

requests ordination

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/images1/a061.gif

11th century: 11th century: bhikkhuni order died out bhikkhuni order died out in India and Sri Lankain India and Sri Lanka

Failed efforts in Thailand Failed efforts in Thailand

and Tibetand Tibet

bhikkhuni orders in East bhikkhuni orders in East Asian countriesAsian countries

http://www.buddhanet.net/women/images/women-in-buddhism_04.jpg

ceremony to solve ceremony to solve ordination problem ordination problem in Bodh Gaya in Bodh Gaya

bringing together bringing together bhikkhubhikkhu and and bhikkhunibhikkhuni

↑ Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya. …Sound familiar??

http://www.geo.utep.edu/pub/nick_miller/1310/Figures/Lec11_15/BOTREE.gif

re-establishment of the bhikkhuni re-establishment of the bhikkhuni

in Southeast Asia in Southeast Asia

““The hope is that the upcoming ordination will serve as a The hope is that the upcoming ordination will serve as a catalyst to spur not only all Buddhists, but all people, to catalyst to spur not only all Buddhists, but all people, to

awaken to the truth that the Buddha himself realized awaken to the truth that the Buddha himself realized under the Bodhi Tree so long ago: that all beings are under the Bodhi Tree so long ago: that all beings are inherently equal and interdependent, and may attain inherently equal and interdependent, and may attain

enlightenment through cultivating a mind of compassion, enlightenment through cultivating a mind of compassion, equanimity, humility, and wisdom.”equanimity, humility, and wisdom.”

Well, what does Buddhist text say?Well, what does Buddhist text say?

The Tripitaka is split The Tripitaka is split into 2 parts: into 2 parts:

a. Lokuttaraa. Lokuttara

b. Lokiyab. Lokiya

Tripitaka.http://www.7is7.com/otto/travel/photos/20050418/mandalay_kuthodaw_tripitakapage.jpg

equal opportunity to practice dharma. equal opportunity to practice dharma.

vinaya rules vinaya rules - bhikkhus will not take advantage of the - bhikkhus will not take advantage of the bhikkhunisbhikkhunis

Peaceful coexistence.http://www.volny.cz/dhamma/4_OrdiTi201.jpg

Works CitedWorks Cited

Becoming a Buddhist? 2007. October 1 2007. http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/pureland_sangha/id23.html

“Buddhist Ceremonies; Festivals and Special Days.” BuddhaNet. 2007. Buddha Dharma Education Association. 9 October 2007 <http://www.buddhanet.net/festival.htm>.

Internet Encyclopedia of Religion. 2005-2007. <http://www.religion- encyclopedia.com/>

Matthews, Warren. World Religions. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2004.

“Tangka.” 2007. October 5 2007. Tibet Expert. < http://www.tibet-tour.com/tibet/thangka.html>.

“The Meaning of the Mantra in Tibetan Buddhism.” October 7 2007. <

http://www.dharma-haven.org/tibetan/meaning-of-om-mani-padme-hung.htm>.

“Tibetan Festival.” Tibet and Himalayas. 5 February 2001. Kotan Publishing. 10 October 2007 <http://www.kotan.org/tibet/festivals.html#Losar>.

“Zen Philosophy.” 2007. 10 October 2007. Mavi Gunes. < http://goto.bilkent.edu.tr/gunes/ZEN/zenphilosophy.htm>.

Discussion Questions:Discussion Questions:

1.1. Do you think festivals play key role in the Do you think festivals play key role in the Buddhist religious experience?Buddhist religious experience?

2.2. And do these festivals share the same And do these festivals share the same purposes of ones we have studied in past purposes of ones we have studied in past religions?religions?

3.3. Why are the three Jewels significant to a new Why are the three Jewels significant to a new Buddhist?Buddhist?

4.4. Doctrine-wise and personally, why is meditation Doctrine-wise and personally, why is meditation so key?so key?

5.5. What do the struggles of the bhikkhunis reflect What do the struggles of the bhikkhunis reflect about Buddhism?about Buddhism?