1. IS BUDDHISM A RELIGION? NO ‘GOD-NOTION’ NO CREATOR
NO ULTIMATE REALITY TO WORSHIP

2. BUT: ALLOWING FOR A DIFFERENT VOCABULARY NON-THEISTIC
THEN BUDDHISM IS A RELIGION

3. ESSENCE: Buddhism is a way of life Ethical Psychological
Philosophy of BECOMING/AWAKENING

4. Buddha
under
Bodhi
Tree,
Sri
Lanka

5. Gal Vihara, Polannaruwa. The Buddha is dying5
Gal Vihara, Polannaruwa. The Buddha is dying

6. 6

7. 7

8. THAI WALKING BUDDHA 8

9. 9

10. 1993 CHICAGO PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD RELIGIONS
“The Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was not God or a god. He was a human being who attained full enlightenment through meditation and showed us the path of spiritual awakening and freedom. Therefore, Buddhism is not a religion of God. Buddhism is a religion of wisdom, enlightenment and compassion. Like the worshippers of God who believe that salvation is available to all through confession of sin and a life a prayer, we Buddhists believe that salvation and enlightenment are available to all through the removal of delusion and a life of meditation/ However, unlike those who believe in God who is separate from us, Buddhists believe that Buddha, which means ‘one who is awake and enlightened’ is inherent in us all as Buddhanature or Buddhamind.”

11. What questions do we expect Religion to answer?

12. BUDDHA AND ‘ULTIMATE QUESTIONS’
Nature of the soul
Life after death
Origin of the universe
NOT ADDRESSED

13. “BEING RELIGIOUS AND FOLLOWING DHARMA HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DOGMA THAT THE WORLD IS ETERNAL. FOR WHETHER THE WORLD IS ETERNAL OR OTHERWISE, BIRTH, OLD AGE, DEATH, SORROW, PAIN, MISERY, GRIEF AND DESPAIR EXIST. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE EXTINCTION OF THESE.”

14. ANALOGY: BUDDHA TEACHINGS = RAFT SHORE = NIRVANA
BUT: THE SHORE IS NOT DESCRIBED
MAKE-UP OF RAFT IS THE BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS

15. DEER PARK SERMON
Four
Noble
Truths
‘Middle
Way’

16. “THERE ARE 2 EXTREMES, MONKS, WHICH ARE TO BE AVOIDED
“THERE ARE 2 EXTREMES, MONKS, WHICH ARE TO BE AVOIDED. WHAT ARE THESE 2 EXTREMES? A LIFE GIVEN TO PLEASURES, DEDICATED TO PLEASURES AND LUSTS – THIS IS DEGRADING, SENSUAL, VULGAR, UNWORTHY AND USELESS. AND A LIFE GIVEN TO SELF-TORTURE – THIS IS PAINFUL, UNWORTHY, AND USELESS. BY AVOIDING THESE 2 EXTREMES, MONKS, I HAVE GAINED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MIDDLE PATH, WHICH LEADS TO INSIGHT, WHICH LEADS TO WISDOM, WHICH PRODUCES CALM, KNOWLEDGE, ENLIGHTENMENT AND NIRVANA.”

17. FIRST NOBLE TRUTH: LIFE INEVITABLY INVOLVES SUFFERING: Illness Hateful
Imperfect
Illness
Hateful
Separation

18. SECOND NOBLE TRUTH: THE ORIGIN OF SUFFERING IS OUR DESIRES:
Grasping for pleasure
Grasping for becoming
Grasping for sensual delight
Grasping for what we don’t have

19. THIRD NOBLE TRUTH: SUFFERING WILL STOP WHEN DESIRES ARE STOPPED:
When the ‘grasping’ stops
Elimination of passions

20. FOURTH NOBLE TRUTH:
THERE IS A WAY TO GET TO THIS POINT: THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

21. 1) RIGHT UNDERSTANDING
Understanding reality through the Four Noble Truths
Seeing through illusions

22. 2) RIGHT THOUGHT/MOTIVES
Uncover ‘unwholesome’ emotional roots that guide our thinking
Discover and weed out
Only then do we become free from self- centredness

23. 3) RIGHT SPEECH VS. - Vain talk, gossip, harsh words, lying
Communication must further truth and harmony
Including ‘self-talk’: “May you be well and happy today…”

24. 4) RIGHT ACTION FIVE RULES OF MORAL CONDUCT: DO NOT DESTROY LIFE
DO NOT STEAL
AVOID SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
DO NOT LIE
DO NOT USE INTOXICANTS
ABOVE ALL: ALL ACTIONS SHOULD BE BASED ON CLEAR UNDERSTANDING

25. 5) RIGHT LIVELIHOOD How one makes their living
One’s work should not harm others

26. 6) RIGHT EFFORT
Refers to the constant effort that must be put into achieving these goals
IT TAKES EFFORT!

27. LIKE AN ELEPHANT FROM THE MUD.”
7) RIGHT MINDFULNESS
The way to liberation is through the mind
“CHECK YOUR MIND
BE ON GUARD
PULL YOURSELF OUT
LIKE AN ELEPHANT FROM THE MUD.”

28. 8) RIGHT MEDITATION Applying mental discipline to quiet the mind
THE MIND IS SUBTLE, INVISIBLE, AND TREACHEROUS
USE SKILFUL MEANS TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND ITS NATURE

29. KARMA: Candle analogy Domino analogy CAUSE OF NEXT LIFE = KARMA
ANATMAN - No soul to be reborn; no permanent reality
SKANDHAS – aggregates
Candle analogy
Domino analogy
Worldly phenomena
Life, suffering, decay, death, painful rebirth

30. NIRVANA “No suffering for him Who is free from sorrow
Free from the fetters of life
Free in everything he does
He has reached the end of his road…
Like a bird invisibly flying in the sky
He lives without possessions
Knowledge his food, freedom his world
While others wonder…
He has found freedom –
Peaceful his thinking, peaceful his speech
Peaceful his deed, tranquil his mind.”

31. Anuradhapura, Sri Lankan Stupa

32. TIBETAN CHORTEN/STUPA

33. MAITREYA BUDDHA/FUTURE, UNIVERSAL BUDDHA

34. SAMGHA: ORIGINS (samgha = community/followers)
Initially samgha = 5 ascetics
Set in motion the ‘wheel of dharma/dhamma’
ANYONE could be part of the Buddha’s group

35. 10 PRECEPTS Refrain from taking life (ahimsa)
Do not take what is not given
Chastity
Do not lie or deceive
Do not take intoxicants
Consume food in moderation; never after noon
Do not partake in public spectacles (dancing, singing)
Do not ornament your body
Do not recline on wide or high beds
Do not accept gold or silver

36. MONASTICS VS LAY PEOPLE
ONLY FIRST FIVE PRECEPTS FOR LAY FOLLOWERS
ALL TEN FOR MONKS AND NUNS

37. THE ‘ORDER’ AND WOMEN Women included since time of Buddha
YET, some hesitation
Lesser order
Different, subordinate rules guiding them