1. The Buddha Siddhartha Gautama
Born c. 563 BCE (or 490 BCE) in Lumbini, today in Nepal
Died c. 483 BCE (or 410 BCE) (aged 80) in Kushinagar, today in India 1

2. Birth 2

3. Sheltered life

4. The Four Passing Sights4

5. Leaving Home

6. The Quest
1) Raja Yoga
2) Asceticism 6

7. There is a Middle Way 7

8. The Temptation

9. First Sermon

10. The Four Noble Truths 1) Life is suffering (dukkha)
2) The cause of suffering is desire (tanha)
3) The cure for suffering is in overcoming desire
4) The way to overcoming suffering is the eight- fold path 10

11. The eight-fold path
Meditation 11

12. The Five Precepts

13. The Three Vices
Greed Hatred Delusion

14. Basic Buddhist Concepts
THE THREE MARKS OF EXISTENCE
Dukka - Suffering
Anicca - The doctrine of impermanence.
Anatta (anatman) - The doctrine that there is in humans no permanent, underlying substance that can be called the soul or self (Jiva)
THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF BUDDHISM
Nirvana- The extinction of greed, hatred, and delusion/ignorance and, ultimately, of suffering and rebirth. Literally, it means “blowing out” or “becoming extinguished,” as when a flame is blown out or a fire burns out. 14

15. Substance
Substance – a “thing” which exists independently from other things (e.g. a horse, a cat, a human). It has properties, but is not a property of another thing
Property – a quality that a substance has (e.g. red, round, cold)
Substance: Socrates
Balding head
Grey Hair

16. What does “No-Self” mean?
Common View Buddhist View
What does “No-Self” mean?
Subject/Perceiver
Perceptions -- Thoughts -- Feelings Perceptions -- Thoughts -- Feelings
Subject/self/ perceiver
Common view
Buddhist View
Perceptions --- thoughts ---- feelings
Perceptions --- thoughts --- feelings

17. Theravada (Hinayana) vs. Mahayana
Human beings are emancipated by self- effort, without supernatural aid.
Key virtue: Wisdom
Attainment requires constant commitment, and is primarily for monks and nuns
Ideal: The Arhat who remains in nirvana after death
* Buddha a saint, supreme teacher, and inspirer
Minimizes ritual
Practice centers on meditation.
Human aspirations are supported by divine powers and the grace they bestow
Key virtue: Compassion
Religious practice is relevant to life in the world, and therefore to laypeople.
Ideal: the boddhisattva
Buddha is a savior
Elaborates metaphysics
Emphasizes ritual
Includes petitionary prayer

18. The Three Bodies of the Buddha

19. Emptiness
Nagarjuna

20. Types of Mahayana Buddhism
Pure Land
Zen

21. Zen Buddhism
Two Schools: Soto & Rinzai The Goal: Satori – the enlightenment experience Rinzai Technique: Koan; for example, “what is the sound of one hand clapping”?

22. Hotei (Laughing) Buddha

23. Vajarayana: Tibetan Buddhism

24. Buddhism in Tibet
Arrives from India about 800CE Lots of gods & a God-like Buddha Worship of some Hindu gods; e.g., Ganesha, Indra. Incorporates the pre-Buddhist Tibetan religion of Bon Bon – Shamans, Soothsayers, Necromancy, focus on death rituals, astrology, magic. Is a form of “tantric” Buddhism (Tantra): Lot’s of dancing, painting, chanting, pilgrimage, trances. Relies on the authority of the Lamas (gurus) The tradition leader of Tibet both politically and spiritually is The Dalai Lama All 14 Dalai Lama’s (Tenzin Gyatso) are thought to be the reincarnated 1st Dalai Lama, who is, in fact, the human form of the Bodhisattva of compassion

25. Engaged Buddhism
Criticism of Buddhism There is no emphasis on social reform and social justice. Buddhism is just a self-help project. You drop out of society and go “find yourself.”
Thich Nhat Hahn
B 1926 in Vietnam
Engaged Buddhism
Living Buddha; Living Christ
Bodhisattva: Compassion
A true Buddhist will want to end all the suffering in the world