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Buddhism

Buddhism. Third universalizing religion 400 million adherents Mainly located in China and SE Asia. Foundations. Four Noble Truths: All living things must endure suffering Suffering, which is caused by desire to live, leads to reincarnation

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Buddhism

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  1. Buddhism

  2. Third universalizing religion • 400 million adherents • Mainly located in China and SE Asia

  3. Foundations • Four Noble Truths: • All living things must endure suffering • Suffering, which is caused by desire to live, leads to reincarnation • Goal of all existence is to escape from suffering and the endless cycle of reincarnation into Nirvana • Nirvana is attained through an Eight-fold path, which included rightness of belief, resolve, speech, action, livelihood, effort, thought, and meditation

  4. Eightfold Path • Right Views: knowledge of the 4 Noble Truths • Right Aspirations: discard desire and avoid hurting others • Right Speech: telling the truth • Right Conduct: not stealing or cheating • Right Livelihood: earning a living in a way that does not harm or cause bloodshed to others • Right Effort: thinking positively • Right Mindfulness: being aware of the effects of thoughts and actions • Right Meditation: allowing a peaceful state of mind

  5. Branches • Main branches: • Mahayana : 56% mainly in China, Japan and Korea • Theravada : 38% mainly in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand • Tantrayana: 6% mainly found in Tibet and Mongolia • Split over interpretation of Buddha’s statements

  6. Religious functions performed by monks, not in general public • Even though it’s a universalizing religion differs from western “formal” religions • Can be both Buddhist and believer of other Eastern religions • Most Buddhists in Japan and China also believe in ethnic religions

  7. Origins • Founder: Siddhartha Gautama • Born: 563 B.C. in Lumbini, Nepal • Son of a lord, led privileged life • Life changed after series of four trips • Encountered an old man, a diseased man, a corpse, and finally a monk • Felt he could no longer enjoy life • Monk taught him how to withdrawal from the world

  8. At age 29 he left his home and lived in the forest for 6 years meditating • Called the Great Renunciation • Emerged as the Buddha or “enlightened one” • Spent 45 years preaching his views across India • Trained monks, established orders and preached to the public

  9. Literature • Buddha’s teachings transmitted orally from one monk to another and eventually written down on palm leaf manuscripts • Dhammapada, called Pali Cannon • Popular in Theravada and Mahayana • Gathered into the “three baskets”

  10. Meditation • Calms emotions, strengthens nerves, and even lowers blood pressure • Most important act in Buddhism • How Buddha reached enlightenment • Samadhi means total self-collectedness • Necessity for moksha • Can be done standing, sitting, walking • Goal is always enlightenmenti

  11. Theravada • Older of two largest branches • “way of elders” • Original approach • Full-time occupation • To be a good Buddhist, you must be a monk • Focus on Buddha’s life of self-help and solitary introspection • Cite his wisdom

  12. Mahayana • Split from Theravada 2000 years ago • “bigger ferry” • Claim can help more people because it is less demanding and all-encompassing • Emphasize Buddha’s life of teaching and helping others • Cite his compassion

  13. Tibetan Buddhism • Dalai Lama dies, spirit enters body of a child • Death described as the science of dying • Rituals in Tibetan Book of the Dead

  14. Diffusion of Buddhism • Did not diffuse rapidly from its point of origin in northeastern India • Asoka, emperor if Magadha Empire, spread Buddhism throughout his empire (273- 232 B.C.) • Formed the nucleus of several powerful kingdoms in South Asia • Council organized by Asoka sent out missionaries to spread Buddhism

  15. 1st century A.D. merchants along trading routes introduced Buddhism into China • Chinese receptive to missionaries and text translated into Chinese • Further diffused into Korea in the 4th century A.D. and Japan in the 6th century A.D.

  16. Holy Places • Shrines • Eight places are holy to Buddhists because they were locations of events in Buddha’s life • Lumini: birth of Buddha • Bodh Gaya: attained enlightenment • Rajagrha: tamed wild elephant • Kusinagara: attained enlightenment • Sarnath: sermon at Deer Park (1st) • Sravasti: created multiple images of himself • Vaisali: announced impending death • Samkasya: ascended heaven and returned to earth

  17. Birthplace of Buddha

  18. Enlightenment and Nirvana

  19. Buddhist Holidays • Holidays include: • Buddha’s birth • Buddha’s enlightenment • Buddha’s death • Not all observed on the same days • Theravadist Buddhist celebrate all three on the same day

  20. Buddhist Pagodas • Elaborate and delicate in appearance • Tall, many-sided towers arranged in tiers • Contain relics that Buddhists believe to be a portion of Buddha’s body or clothing • Not designed for congregational worship • Prayer takes place in monastery or home

  21. Conflict • Vietnam War • Destroyed Buddhist shrines • Not sympathetic to Buddhists • Buddhists burned themselves to protest policies of South Vietnamese government • Current Communist governments in Southeast Asia have discouraged religious activities and permitted monuments to decay • Example: Angkor Wat

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