Buddhism

Do not try to bend the spoon. That’s impossible.

Instead only try to realize the truth… THERE IS NO SPOON

Then you will see that it is not the spoon that bends...

It is only yourself

Life of the Buddha (Origins)

Presentations, Fill in the Blank

History or Illustrated Timeline and Little Buddha Clips

Buddhism Spreads (History)

The Buddha’s ideals were spread by his disciples throughout India.

By 390 BCE, there were two distinct groups within Buddhism: Theravada and Mahayana.

297 BCE Buddhism became the state religion of a powerful empire in India; missionaries sent all over Asia.

Between 320 and 600 CE Vajrayana Buddhism developed in Tibet.

The spread of Islam and strengthening of Hinduism reduced the influence of Buddhism in India during the 11th – 15th centuries.

Buddhism continued to thrive in other countries (ex. Western Buddhism).

THE SERMON AT DEER PARK

Primary Source Reading:

Buddhism vs. Hinduism

Buddhism arose during the Upanishad period (c.560 BCE) so Buddhism shares many ideas with Hinduism.

Hindus generally regard Buddhism as being a close relative of their own religion but the Buddha himself was in many ways reacting against the Hinduism of his day.

Similarities Cyclical timelines – both maintain that the

universe is eternal with ages of creation and destruction following upon each other. Both are believed too be “eternal” religions (they have come to be and passed away over and over again).

Many worlds exist among this cyclical time scheme. Various heavens are inhabited by Gods and Goddesses and hells are inhabited by demons. Between them are middle realms including those of animals and humans.

Liberation (moksha or nirvana) from samsara (rebirth in one realm or another) is central to both.

Differences Hinduism is more speculative and focused on ritual

while Buddhism is practical and focused on direct inward observation of the human condition

Buddha taught that questions about the existence of God were for individuals to deal with on their own (for all official purposes there is no “God” in Buddhism).

The Buddha rejected all systems of class or hierarchy (i.e. the caste system)instead he made everyone responsible for their own faith and salvation.

Earliest sacred texts of Buddhism were written in Pali (a local dialect) vs. Sanskrit (the language of priests).

The Buddha believed that through self effort Nirvana could be reached in one lifetime, regardless of one’s position in society.

Buddhism - Creed End Suffering – It is important, very important, to remember

that the primary goal of Buddhism is to end suffering. This was the goal of the Buddha.

Personal Responsibility – The Buddha did not leave specific instructions on how to reach Nirvana, but instead focused upon introspection. It is the personal responsibility of each person to look into one’s self in order to reach salvation.

Samsara – Like Hindus, Buddhists also believe in reincarnation and the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Dharma – Like Hindus, Buddhists are expected to follow the Dharma. HOWEVER, the KEY difference is that Dharma refers to the teachings of the Buddha, not duty.

Women in Buddhism – In Buddhism there is no distinction between male and female. As such there is perfect equality. To a Buddhist the distinction between male and female is an illusion because all humans have had past lives, both male and female

Three Marks of Existence Student Worksheet

The Three Marks of Existence (Creed)

Anicca (impermanence) – is the Buddhist idea that the world is in constant flux and that nothing stays the same. Impermanence can be applied to everything and everyone on the face of the earth and excludes nothing.

Q: Are you the same person you were 10 years ago? 10 minutes ago?

The Three Marks of Existence (Creed)

Anatta (no-self) – this is the philosophical Buddhist concept that there literally is “no self”. There is no permanent identity or existence.

We cannot point to one thing in ourselves that we can say is “self.” Everyone is made of a variety of parts, all of which are impermanent and ultimately an illusion.

Rather than finding Atman within, the Buddha found no self, no ultimate reality within, no essence underlying existence.

The 5 Aggregates (Creed)

The Buddha believed that all a human being is, is a collection of FIVE AGGREGATES.

These five things that combine to make a person are constantly changing. They are not things, they are processes. As a result, they are IMPERMANENT.

If all the components of self are Impermanent, then how can there be a self? It must be an illusion.

This can lead us to overcome hope & fear

The 5 Aggregates (Creed)

Feeling

(emotional

response to situations).

Will (habits)

Form (raw

materials

like earth, water and fire).

Consciousness

(knowing)

Perception or Awareness

The Three Marks of Existence (Creed)

Dukkha (dissatisfaction) – the Buddhist concept that all humans and animals experience suffering. Physical and mental pain are extreme examples of this characteristic. The Buddha taught that there is no such thing as perpetual happiness on earth. This is why he set out to end suffering through reaching Nirvana.

Karma and Samsara

Since Buddhism denies the existence of a self (atman does not reside within everyone) the question of what is reborn is critical.

Buddhism’s response – rebirth is the transference of an every changing bundle of energy which is patterned according to ones Karma.

When an individual dies his or her karma continues on its particular trajectory eventually bringing about rebirth.

Buddhists understand karma as being directly related to intentions.

The Four Noble Truths (Creed)

1. To live is to Suffer (life is suffering)

This is not meant to be a negative statement. To Buddhists we inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death. This is inevitable. In addition we will have to endure psychological suffering such as sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression. This noble truth does not negate the fact that life can also be filled with happiness – it just won’t last forever.

The Four Noble Truths (Creed)

2. The cause of suffering is desire (Tanha) and attachment to impermanent things

The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and in a greater sense, all objects of our perception.

Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire (Tanha), passion, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow.

The Four Noble Truths (Creed)

3. Suffering can be brought to an end.

The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirvana. Nirvana refers to the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirvana extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment. This means that suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. This means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas.

The Four Noble Truths (Creed)

4. The solution to suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path

There is a path to the end of suffering - a gradual path of self-improvement, which is described in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth. The path to the end of suffering can extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirth is subject to karmic conditioning.

A monk asked Kegon, "How does an

enligthtened one return to the ordinary world?"

Kegon replied, "A broken mirror never reflects again; fallen

flowers never go back to the old branches."

TANAH AND THE 10 COMMANDMENTS

Discussion:

Enlightenment

To follow the 8 fold path to its end is to reach Nirvana.

Final nirvana (parinirvana) awaits the death of the body. In the meantime the life of the arhat (the saint who has become awakened) is forever changed, having experienced a foretaste of the final nirvana.

Having become awakened the Arhat is fully aware of the truth and is free of imprisonment by suffering, desire and selfish individualism.

As a result the Arhat is perfectly compassionate, friendly and even minded towards all things.

Nirvana

All Buddhists look forward to experiencing nirvana like the Buddha, however Buddhas are different from their followers in that they are able to awaken on their own (without a model or teacher).

When the life of the Arhat ends, he or she enters the state of nirvana – the life energy of the Arhat is blown out.

The Buddha refused to say if a person exists in nirvana he simply said it is the total cessation of suffering and thus absolute peace.

The Triple Gem

Buddhists seek refuge (assistance) in what are often referred to as the Triple Gem, Three Jewels or Triple Jewel. These are: ◦ The Buddha: Awakened one, enlightened one. The

original nature of the heart; the attainment of Nirvana.

◦ The Dharma: The body of teachings expounded by the Buddha. The nature of reality.

◦ The Sangha: Community of monks and nuns who have become enlightened. Also could be translated as awakened community.

It is impossible to escape one's karma. The one, who is seeking to become enlightened, commits by pursuing enlightenment and following in the footsteps of the people who have followed the path to enlightenment before.

The Eightfold Path (Handout)

Five Precepts Work Sheet

Buddhist Values (Code)

Self-determination ◦ Each person is responsible for following the 8-fold path on

their own.

Mindfulness ◦ Buddhists are to live in the present and not become

distracted by the past or future.

Compassion ◦ The ability to see and feel from another's point of view

must lead to action.

Loving-Kindness ◦ Extending goodwill, caring and warmth to others without

expecting reward.

Detachment ◦ Looking at all events without bias or emotion.

“Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful”

Ahinsa (Code) Ahinsa (Sanskrit = to do no harm) is an important tenet of

the religions that originated in India

Ahimsa prohibits the killing or injuring of living beings. It is connected with the notion that all kinds of violence entail negative karmic consequences.

The earliest references to ahimsa are found in the texts of Hinduism, dated to 8th century BCE.

Prominent figures of Indian spirituality such as Swami Vivekanada and Ghandi emphasized the importance of ahimsa.

Violence in self-defense, criminal law, and war are accepted by Hindus and Jains.

Ahimsa is not used as a technical term in Buddhism, but it condemns ritual sacrifice and violence, and moral codes emphasize the importance of not taking life.

June 11, 1963, Thich Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk from Vietnam, burned himself to death at a busy intersection in downtown Saigon to bring attention to the repressive policies of the

Catholic Diem regime that controlled the South Vietnamese government at the time. Buddhist monks asked the regime to lift its ban on flying the traditional Buddhist flag, to grant Buddhism the same rights as Catholicism, to stop detaining Buddhists and to give Buddhist monks and nuns the right to practice and spread their religion. While burning

Thich Quang Duc never moved a muscle.

Discussion Questions:

How does this image represent the efforts of Buddhists to address situations of global injustice while still following their particular moral codes?

How does this differ from contemporary culture’s response to problems?

Do you believe non-violence is an effective means of solving world problems?

Do you think non-violence is a realistic method of dealing with problems in a world where others do not share your views on violence?

The Three Pure Precepts

I vow to cease from evil.

I vow to do only good. I vow to do good for others.

The Coconut Monk

What does this book tell you/reinforce for

you about Buddhist ethics?

Sacred Writings

The Triptaka (three baskets) which includes: ◦ The Vinaya-Pitaka (basket of discipline) addresses

the rule of monastic life and codes of conduct.

◦ The Sutta-Pitaka (basket of discourses) contains the teachings of the Buddha and the Jatakas, a collection of birth stories about the previous lives of the Buddha meant to illustrate morality.

◦ The Abhidamma-Pitaka (basket of furthur teachings) discusses the nature of consciousness and includes the Dhammapada, a collection of 424 versus on ethics.

This is considered by most to be the most accurate record of the Buddha’s teachings.

Types of Buddhism Chart

Three Paths to Cross the River

Theravada (Way of the Elders)

Mahayana (Great Vehicle)

Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism)

Origins Believed to be from the original followers of

Buddha.

200 BCE Mahayana (a more liberal

school) emerges.

750 CE Buddhism spread to Tibet and

mixed with local religion.

Areas of Practice

Southeast Asian countries (i.e. Sri Lanka,

Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Cambodia,

Laos, South Vietnam)

China, Korea and Japan Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan.

Focus Cultivation of wisdom through knowledge of

the 4 noble truths and practice of the 8-fold

path (especially meditation).

Emphasis on monastic life resulting in a

religious hierarchy. The Sanga consists of

monks/nuns and only they can achieve

enlightenment. Lay people support the

monks/nuns and can gain merit by following

the Buddha..

Guidelines for monks/nuns include: chastity,

begging for good, giving up possessions,

meditating and pacifism.

Buddhism for the masses –

emphasizes compassion for all living

things (particularly fellow humans)

as the supreme virtue.

Does not hold to monasticism as the

only legitimate path (more inclusive).

Focuses on the Buddha himself,

celebrates him as a divine saviour.

Fighting fire with fire – harness the

sensual energies of life and turn them

against themselves.

Practices used to achieve this are:

mandalas, mudras, mantras, and in rare

cases ritualized (tantric) sex. All of which

can only be learned through study with a

master.

Together these practices invoke sound,

movement and sight, capitalizing on

sensual energies as ways to enhance

spiritual energies.

View of the

Buddha

A human who experienced enlightenment

and then taught others how to do the same.

Buddha is forever beyond human reach as

he has passed into the eternal peace of

nirvana.

The Buddha’s teachings, not the figure of

the Buddha are central.

Buddha is more than one historical

person. Buddhas existed before

and well exist after Gautama and

are considered divine beings.

Buddhahood is everlasting and

creates new Buddhas from its

power. Every person is a potential

Buddha.

A human who experienced enlightenment

and then taught others how to do the

same.

Theravada (Way of the Elders)

Mahayana (Great Vehicle)

Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism)

Important Individuals

Ultimate goal is to become an

Arhat (worthy one, saint who

has achieved Nirvana).

Arhats are the ideal types that

all strive to imitate.

Reject the idea of heavenly

figures etc. helping followers.

Believe in Bodhisattvas (persons who have

reached enlightenment bust refuse to enter

Nirvana until everyone has achieved

enlightenment) who answer prayers and aid

people (guides).

These individuals are Buddhas in the making

and can dwell on earth or in one of the

Buddhist heavens from where they offer

divine assistance (transference of their

Karma) to those who worship them.

Lamas are important religious leaders

who reincarnate to continue leading out

of compassion.

Dali Lama is the current leader of Tibet

(the 14th in a direct line of succession

through re-birth).

Scriptures Follows the early texts and

teachings of the Buddha.

Scriptures = Tripitaka (“Three

Baskets”) recorded sayings of

the Buddha or historical Buddha

documents.

The Tripitakas are worthy scriptures but

there are others including “secret” teachings

of the Buddha and later Chinese & Tibetan

writings.

In English it is also known as Tantric

Buddhism, due to its reliance on sacred

texts called Tantras.

End Goal Liberation from the world =

enlightenment achieved through

individual effort (meditation,

NOT worship).

Believes in compassion and liberation for

everyone. Salvation is offered through the

grace and compassion of the Buddha.

Wisdom is attained through meditation,

devotion to a bodhisattva, ritual and spiritual

exercises.

***To reach Nirvana in a single lifetime –

rather than passing through countless

lives before achieving salvation. In

Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism,

followers hope to gain enough merit in

this life to reincarnate into the next with

better Karma - thereby moving one step

closer to Nirvana.

7 YEARS IN TIBET

Film:

Prayer Service:

Tibetan Prayer Flags

Yellow = Earth

Red = Fire

Green = Water

Blue = Sky/Space

White = Air/Cloud

Tibetan Buddhists string cloth flags in front of homes and from mountaintop to mountaintop. The flag colours represent the five elements of the faith and the flags have Buddhist prayers, mantras and symbols written on them so that the wind will spread goodwill and compassion everywhere.

Prayer Service:

Tibetan Prayer Flags

Monasticism (Cult) Monastic Life (Burma and Thailand)

Young men spend several months in a monastery

Initiation includes a ceremony where their heads are shaved and new names are given

Yellow robes and begging bowls are also given at this time

A man will not marry until he has served as a monk (initiation into adulthood) and may return to this life when he is older

Monks and nuns may choose re-enter society at any time

Zen Buddhism (Cult)

Buddhism spread into Japan from China. When Buddhism entered Japan in the 12th

Century C.E., the Samurai were especially drawn to it due to Buddhism’s emphasis on overcoming the fear of death and the training in right mindfulness.

Samurai training in martial arts advanced this principle.

Zen Buddhism is popular in Japan today. Today activities range from dance (movement) to calligraphy to tea ceremonies to poetry.

Bodhisattva Vow (Beastie Boys) As I Develop The Awakening Mind I Praise The

Buddha As They Shine

I Bow Before You As I Travel My Path To Join Your

Ranks,

I Make My Full Time Task

For The Sake Of All Beings I Seek

The Enlightened Mind That I Know I'll Reap

Respect To Shantideva And All The Others

Who Brought Down The Dharma For Sisters And

Brothers

I Give Thanks For This World As A Place To Learn

And For This Human Body That I'm Glad To Have

Earned

And My Deepest Thanks To All Sentient Beings

For Without Them There Would Be No Place To Learn

What I'm Seeing

There's Nothing Here That's Not Been Said Before

But I Put It Down Now So I'll Be Sure

To Solidify My Own Views And I'll Be Glad If It Helps

Anyone Else Out Too

If Others Disrespect Me Or Give Me Flack

I'll Stop And Think Before I React =

Knowing That They're Going Through Insecure Stages

I'll Take The Opportunity To Exercise Patience

I'll See It As A Chance To Help The Other Person

Nip It In The Bud Before It Can Worsen

A Change For Me To Be Strong And Sure

As I Think On The Buddhas Who Have Come Before

As I Praise And Respect The Good They've Done

Knowing Only Love Can Conquer In Every Situation

We Need Other People In Order To Create

The Circumstances For The Learning That We're Here To

Generate

Situations That Bring Up Our Deepest Fears

So We Can Work To Release Them Until They're Cleared

Therefore, It Only Makes Sense

To Thank Our Enemies Despite Their Intent

The Bodhisattva Path Is One Of Power And Strength

A Strength From Within To Go The Length

Seeing Others Are As Important As Myself

I Strive For A Happiness Of Mental Wealth

With The Interconnectedness That We Share As One

Every Action That We Take Affects Everyone

So In Deciding For What A Situation Calls

There Is A Path For The Good For All

I Try To Make My Every Action For That Highest Good

With The Altruistic Wish To Achieve Buddhahood

So I Pledge Here Before Everyone Who's Listening

To Try To Make My Every Action For The Good Of All Beings

For The Rest Of My Lifetimes And Even Beyond

I Vow To Do My Best To Do No Harm

And In Times Of Doubt I Can Think On The Dharma

And The Enlightened Ones Who've Graduated Samsara

Worship and Practices (Cult)

Bowing ◦ This is performed on

many occasions.

◦ A lay person bows before monks and nuns to show respect.

◦ Monks and nuns bow before any member of the sangha.

◦ Buddhists bow before sacred objects (i.e.. Images of the Buddha) three times to honour the three refuges.

Worship and Practices (Cult)

Offerings ◦ Offerings are performed with appropriate chanting and

can help a Buddhist get closer to enlightenment, show respect for the three jewels or give material support so the monks can live.

◦ The most common offering is flowers because as they fade and wilt they demonstrate impermanence (Anicca).

◦ Incense sticks burn in the home to symbolize the Buddha’s “odour of sanctity.”

◦ Another common offering (the light of a candle) represents the Buddha’s enlightenment.

Worship and Practices (Cult)

Meditation ◦ Buddhists pray through

meditation.

◦ Meditation quiets the mind so that one can enter more fully into the spiritual world.

◦ Meditation brings insights into compassion and humility and can also improve confidence and lead to better general mental and physical health.

Worship and Practices (Cult)

Chanting Mantras

◦ Mantras are symbolic phrases that are chanted to help Buddhists keep in touch with their spiritual nature. They can also serve to enhance meditation.

Ritual and Temples (Cult)

Temple Life:

Lay people can choose to visit temples for instruction, meditation and private devotions to Buddha - however most Buddhist devotions are performed in the home.

There are monthly holy days and other festivals that draw people to the

temple. Buddhism has very little common ritual

Ritual and Temples (Cult) Symbols and Temple Art:

In the early days, Buddha was not represented as it was seen as impossible and inappropriate. Instead images of his disciples, the Bodhi tree, or his footprints were depicted as symbols of Buddha’s disappearance into Nirvana

Later art shows depictions of Buddha in the form of giant statues. Buddha is typically shown in one of 3 positions: (a) sitting, representing his enlightenment

(b) standing or walking, representing

followers of his teachings

(c) lying down, representing his passage

into Nirvana

The portrayal of the Buddha differs depending on the part of the world where

the image is found.

F.Y.I:

Images of the Buddha T he Buddha in the Lotus Position:

This Buddha sits on the lotus which represents purity. The Lotus position is a position of meditation. His hands are in the teaching position which again, is another meditation technique

The Emmaciated Sidhartha Gautama:

This Buddha image represents the Buddha as a starving ascetic. In this position the Buddha can be seen as striving for enlightenment

F.Y.I

Images of the Buddha Amida Buddha of Immeasurable Light/Life: This image of the Buddha developed out

of PURE LAND Buddhism- a form of Mahayana. The Amida Buddha was a previous incarnation of the Buddha who refused to reach complete enlightenment. He is sitting in a

Lotus Buddha, Standing Dressed as a Monk: This Buddha is primarily found in

Japanese Buddhism. The standing position is another popular

position for the Buddha (along with reclining and sitting)

Ritual and Temples (Cult)

Theravada Temples:

Single statue of Buddha or a relic found in a stupa (shrine)

Mahayana Temples:

Many statues of Buddha or bodhisattvas (male and female)

Symbols (Cult) Mudras

◦ These hand gestures which appear in images of Hindu deities are important Buddhist icons.

◦ Often used in meditation or seen on Buddha images.

◦ There are many mudras and they symbolize different states of mind – the belief is that since we can often tell someone’s state of mind by looking at their gestures, we can also generate a specific state of mind by making certain gestures.

Symbols (Cult) Wheel of Life

Complete visual representation of samsara – this image shows all the different levels and the beings that inhabit them.

Believed to have been designed by the Buddha.

Symbols (Cult)

Stupa ◦ Dome shaped mounds that were built to house the relics of

the Buddha or other holy figures.

◦ Almost every Buddhist temple has one. Lay people walk around it 3 times when making their devotions.

◦ The inside may be decorated with paintings or carvings illustrating the life of the Buddha.

◦ A pilgrimage to a stupa and the construction of small stupas are considered merit-gaining activities by some Buddhists.

Symbols (Cult)

Buddhapada

◦ These representations of the Buddha’s footprints, are revered in all Buddhist countries.

◦ The footprints are usually carved in stone and feature signs of the Buddha on the soles.

HTTP://WWW.CLEAR-VISION.ORG/SCHOOLS/IMAGES.ASPX

Video Clip:

Milestones (Cult)

Early Life:

When a baby boy reaches one month of age, the parents invite monks to their house or take the baby to the temple so his head can be shaved.

Sometimes parents will take their children to stay with the monks for an extended period of time. When a boy is brought into the temple he comes as a novice, or a monk in training. The novice participates in all of the activities of becoming a monk.

In some countries men can enter monkhood for a limited period of time.

Milestones

Becoming a Monk:

Stage 1 – at 7 or 8 a boy enters the monastery as a novice. He undertakes the 10 precepts and usually acts as an attendant to a senior monk. This monk must teach the novice Buddhist rituals, philosophy and scripture.

Stage 2 – ordination at age 20 once the man can read, write and chant simple texts. Once ordained a monk must shave his head (a sign of rejecting vanity), take a religious name and wear appropriate robes. Upon ordination Buddhist monks renounce their possessions and keep only what is necessary .

Milestones

Marriage:

The bride and groom go to the monastery to feed the monks in order to receive a blessing, but the monks never attend the wedding itself.

For other important events, people go to the temple to seek a blessing or to gain merit, but monks are never involved in the ceremonies.

Milestones Death: Elaborate and ritualized ceremony based on the cremation customs of India. Generally the ceremony consists of:

◦ A procession (the body is placed into

a funeral pyre so it is hidden from view)

◦ Prayers (monks perform a short funeral service that includes chants and prayers, everyone recites the triple refuge and the five precepts)

◦ Water-pouring rituals (while a prayer is chanted holy water is poured on the body by family members and friends)

◦ Cremation (the pyre is lit, often by the eldest son)

◦ Final prayers

◦ A shared meal

Festivals (Overhead)

Wesak (Buddha Day)

Dharma Day Dharma Day

Magha Puja Day (Sanhga Day)

Songkran

Loy Krathong

THE MATRIX Film/Essay Assignment

Buddhism and the Catholic Church

• Buddhism is a very practical religion; Buddha rejected discussion of God because he wanted his followers to focus on something they could understand and do something about—suffering.

• Question of suffering is at the heart of Catholic-Buddhist dialogue. Why might this be?

• For Catholics, suffering is not the main evil to be overcome. – In some cases, suffering can be redemptive. – For Catholics, Jesus suffered and died on a cross. – This suffering for others is seen as an act of liberating

people to love. – Love is what Christians seek and, for them, God is the

greatest example and source of love.

Buddhism and the Catholic Church

Similarities in the importance given to love for one’s fellow human beings without any desire to possess (sacrifice self interest for the benefit of humanity).

Most dialogue has been about spiritual experience focusing on meditation, monasticism and ecology: ◦ Buddhist and Catholic monks and nuns have lived together to

learn the others mediation techniques . ◦ Buddhist monks, such as the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh,

have encouraged Christians to enter more deeply into their tradition.

◦ In 1991, Pope John Paul II said they have learned from each other “the universal value of self-discipline, silence, and contemplation” in the development of the human person.

◦ Both faiths believe there is a spiritual dimension to the

ecological crisis and that religions can help by dealing with human greed.

POPE JOHN PAUL II AND HIS HOLINESS THE DALI LAMA

Primary Source Reading:

Key Question:

What are the similarities and differences between Buddhism and Hinduism?

Similarities Both emphasize the illusory nature of the world and the role of karma in keeping

men bound to this world and the cycle of births and deaths.

Both believe in the transmigration of souls and the cycle of births and deaths for each soul.

Both emphasize compassion and non violence towards all living beings.

Both believe in certain spiritual practices like meditation, concentration, cultivation of certain bhavas or states of mind.

Both believe in detachment, renunciation of worldly life as a precondition to enter to spiritual life. Both consider desire as the chief cause of suffering.

Buddhism and Hinduism have their own versions of Tantra.

Both originated and evolved on the Indian soil. The found of Buddhism was a Hindu who became the Buddha. Hindu’s believe the Buddha to be an incarnation of Vishnu.

Differences: Hinduism is not founded by any particular prophet. Buddhism was founded by the

Buddha.

Hinduism believes in the efficacy and supremacy of the Vedas. Buddhists do not believe in the Vedas.

Buddhism does not believe in the existence of souls or in the first cause, whom we generally call God. Hinduism believes in the existence of Atman, that is the individual soul and Brahman, the supreme creator.

Hinduism accepts the Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu, one of the God’s of the Hindu trinity. Buddhists do not accept this.

The original Buddhism as taught by the Buddha is known as Theravada Buddhism or Hinayana Buddhism. Followers of this do not worship images of the Buddha nor believe in the Bodhisattvas. The Mahayana sect considers the Buddha as the supreme soul or the highest being, akin to the Brahman of Hinduism and worship him in the form of images and icons.

The Buddhists consider the world to be full of sorrow and regard ending the sorrow as the chief aim of human life. The Hindus consider that there are four chief aims (arthas) in life which every being should pursue. They are dharma (religious duty), artha (wealth or material possessions), Kama (desires and passions) and moksha (salvation).

Hindus also believe in the four ashramas or stages in life. This is not followed in Buddhism. People can join the Order any time depending upon their spiritual preparedness.