1. Buddhism… The “middle way of wisdom and compassion” 2500 year old
began in India
more than 300 million

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

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

4. The “Three Jewels” of Buddhism
Buddha – the teacher
Dharma – the teachings
Sangha – the community

5. Buddha
under
Bodhi
Tree,
Sri
Lanka

6. Gal Vihara, Polannaruwa. The Buddha is dying6
Gal Vihara, Polannaruwa. The Buddha is dying

7. 7

8. 8

9. THAI WALKING BUDDHA 9

10. 10

11. Who was the Buddha?
Siddhartha Gautama – of noble caste in India, 563 B.C.E.
age 29 rejected the life of luxury
achieved Nirvana – an awakening to the truth about life, becoming a Buddha, the “Awakened One”at the age of 35

12. What did the Buddha teach?
The Four Noble Truths:
To live = suffer
The cause = = self-centered desire
The solution = = eliminate desire
= achieving Nirvana (“extinction”)
The way to Nirvana through the “Eight-Fold Path”

13. What is the Eight-Fold Path?
Wisdom:
Right understanding
Right motivation
Moral discipline:
Right speech
Right action
Right livelihood
Mental discipline:
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right meditation

15. 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.”

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

17. How does Buddhism differ from Hinduism?
Buddhism rejects…
ancient Vedic texts
caste system
Hindu deities
The concept of Brahman

18. How does Buddhism differ from Jainism?
Buddhism rejects…
The concept of Atman
The practice of strict asceticism and withdrawal from the world (preferring the “middle way”)
Vegetarianism as required

19. What do Buddhists believe?
Rebirth (reincarnation)
Nirvana
Nirvana means escape from the cycle of rebirth
Once Gautama Buddha died, after 80 years of life in this world, having achieved Nirvana and teaching multitudes his way of life, he ceased to exist as a distinct being
Buddhism is non-theistic: Buddha is not the Buddhist God – he is just a revered teacher

20. What do Buddhists believe?
Once Gautama Buddha died, after 80 years of life in this world, having achieved Nirvana and teaching multitudes his way of life, he ceased to exist as a distinct being

21. Buddhist Metaphysics Dukkha: life = suffering
Anicca: everything = impermanent
Anatta: the self/soul is also impermanent – there is no eternal, unchanging self (“no soul” – no atman)
Suffering =state of mind
–balanced, peaceful, detached state of mind = Nirvana

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

23. “THERE ARE 2 EXTREMES TO BE AVOIDED. 1
“THERE ARE 2 EXTREMES TO BE AVOIDED A LIFE GIVEN TO PLEASURES = Hedonism Buddha: THIS IS DEGRADING, SENSUAL, VULGAR, UNWORTHY AND USELESS LIFE GIVEN TO SELF-TORTURE = Ascetism Buddha: 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.”