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What do they
believe in ?
There are several
kinds of Buddhism as there are several types of most faiths but
the major ones are Zen, Theraveda and Mahayana. The common
thread in Buddhism is that life has suffering which is caused by
cravings and attachment to things and that the achievement of
enlightenment comes by moving through suffering using the
Eightfold path to enlightenment. At achieving that end,
one reaches Nirvana, the state of liberation from the cycle of
life and death. The Buddhist path gives believers tools by
which to achieve Nirvana
What do
they believe is a good way to live?
Buddhists often
work on ways to reduce suffering which is caused by cravings and
attachments. They believe that a good way to live is
to appreciate what one has , does and experiences in life and
not to dwell on what one doesn't have or can't do. Anger
is usually a symptom of suffering and is caused by attachment to
ideals and constructs of thinking that one has grown attached
to.
Buddhists still
love others and themselves, and are caring and responsible even
though their goal is to achieve states of detachment.
Reading some of the stories and writings will give a clearer
understanding of what detachment and suffering mean.
Mindfulness is
trying to be focused on the tasks at hand, being in the present
moment, and basically, paying attention to what's going on in
the here and now. Most Buddhists work on cultivating the
art of mindfulness in a variety of ways that exercise the mind ,
body and spirit .
Buddhists
take very seriously the Four Noble Truths outlined in the
opening page of the Buddhist site here at the Spiritual
Sanctuary. If you missed them...
go here.
What do
they discourage or believe is a bad way to live?
Buddhists do not
appreciate greed, stubborness, or irreverance for life.
Respect and honesty are very important, and lying, hatred, anger
and violence are contrary to Buddhist philosophy. Many
Buddhists actively work for peace and for the sustenance of
life.
What is
the goal of their faith?
Buddhists believe
in reincarnation. They usually believe that a person is
born into a life over and over again, learning lessons until he
or she achieves enlightenment to the point where no more life
lessons are necessary. At that time, he or she achieves
Nirvana, the blissful state beyond regular life where one lives
in a total state of enlightenment forever.
Who do
they believe in?
The Buddha is
the central figure of Buddhism. See the
Story of
Siddhartha . The Buddha
is not a God but a Mentor that Buddhists revere and try to
follow for direction and advice. Some paths of Buddhism
come closer than others in honoring the Buddha nearly as a God.
Another key figure
in Buddhism is the Dalai Lama who is the Leader of Tibetan
Buddhism. His words and advice are sprinkled over tthese
pages and are full of wisdom and comfort.
Monks are Buddhists
who devote their lives to service and the achievement of
enlightenment. They live in Monastaries and work for their
communities and believers.
How do
they celebrate their faith?
A History of the
Faith: The Holidays they
celebrate: How holidays are celebrated
What
are some examples of their prayers and meditations? Look
around at the links and works on these pages.
What
are their major texts and writings? There are many writings and
texts... some of which appear on these Buddhist pages at the
Spiritual Sanctuary... :)
What is
their art and music like?
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the story
of Siddhartha
Once there was a young prince named
Siddhartha Gautama and he lived in about the sixth century
BC. He was the heir to a small but powerful and
wealthy kingdom. The story tells that at his birth,
a sage foretold that Siddhartha would become either an
ascetic (one who renounces all earthly things ) or a
supreme monarch. His father hoped that he would
indeed follow in his footsteps to becoming the wealthy
king and monarch. Therefore, he kept Siddhartha
living in supreme luxury and learning how to be a mighty
warrior and leader hoping that he would see and experience
nothing else, thus leading him to the fate his father
desired.
Well, Siddhartha did become a strong man
with great leadership skills, married and became a father.
The story holds that when he was 29, he had an opportunity
to leave the luxurious palace and travel in the lands.
There he saw the sick, dying and aged as well as the weak
and the frail. The lessons of this shocked him
tremendously and changed his life forever. He
rebelled against the life he had been bred to live and was
determined to become a holy man in the way of the
enlightenment.
Siddhartha took upon himself the life of
an ascetic. He subjected himself to rigorous
discipline including starving himself and living with no
sleep or water for extended periods of time. At one
point, he took a meal of rice and milk, which was a breach
in the path he chose.
In restraint, he made a vow to sit under a
Bodhi tree and not to move until he had achieved
enlightenment. On the morning of the seventh day, he
opened his eyes and looked to the morning star. At that
moment, he achieved enlightenment. Upon that moment
he exclaimed that all beings possess enlightenment, but
some are blinded to this fact.
Siddhartha Gautama is that which people
refer to when they speak of the Buddha.
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What is Zen ???
ZEN
from The Zen Center, San Francisco
In the 6th century CE, Bodhidharma, the semi-legendary
figure from whom all Zen schools trace their ancestry,
brought to China that Buddhist practice which we call
Zen. The word itself is a Japanese transliteration of a
Chinese transliteration of a Sanskrit word meaning
meditation. Thus, Zen is that school of Buddhism which
emphasizes meditation (zazen = sitting meditation) as a
primary practice for calming and clearing the mind and
for directly perceiving reality. According to the texts
the Zen that Bodhidharma taught and practiced can be
summed up as: A special transmission outside the
scriptures; no dependence upon words and letters;
directly pointing at one's own nature; attaining
Buddhahood.
Zen eventually reached Japan, where the Soto school was
established by Eihei Dogen (1200 - 1255), who considered
Zen not as a separate school but simply as Buddhism. In
the early 1960s Shunryu Suzuki Roshi came to San
Francisco to minister to the local Japanese
congregation. Out of his contacts with Western students,
Zen Center of San Francisco was born. Many other centers
have since opened elsewhere in North America and in
other
countries.
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The Birth of Buddha ,
print to be purchased at
Lilaarts.com |
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Buddhist Holy Days:
Magha is the third
lunar month of the old Indian calendar. It usually falls
somewhere toward the end of February or early March.
The origin story of this festival tells of a spontaneous
gathering, from many separate parts of the countryside, of
1250 fully enlightened monks. They had all quite
independently decided to go and visit the Buddha and
assembled on the full moon day of Magha in the Bamboo Grove
at Rajagaha where the Buddha was currently living. All of
these monks were direct disciples of the Buddha - having
been ordained by him. Because of this gathering the full
moon of Magha has come to be known as 'Sangha day' and is a
time when monastics will make an effort to gather together
to share their knowledge and experiences. In the West this
is toward the end of winter when many of the monasteries
have just finished a long retreat and such a gathering is a
very joyous time. Many would not have seen each for some
time and with the arising of spring and the end of a long
retreat there is much to share.
It is said that on the last year of his life, on the full
moon of Magha, the Buddha declared that he would pass away
in three months time. Whether or not the tradition of
commemorating this gathering had been established at this
point is unknown but the Buddha might have used such an
event to make this announcement. Regardless of this
possibility such an auspicious declaration adds significance
to this moon day.
The day is a consideration of what it means to be part of
sangha - this includes the fourfold sangha; lay men and
women, monks and nuns but because of the origin of the event
it tends not to be so significant for lay people. For the
ordained community who have come together there may be a
series of meetings to discuss various aspects of the
teachings, periods of group meditation, talks given by
senior members of the community (both resident and visiting)
and a variety of other events - often quite spontaneous -
over a period of several days.
Vesakha is
the sixth lunar month of the old Indian calendar - usually
falling in May.
Vesak is probably the most universally celebrated festival
in the whole Buddhist calendar. In the Theravada tradition
it is a remembrance of the three most significant events in
the Buddha's life - his birth, enlightenment and final
passing. Tradition has it that these all took place on the
full moon of Vesakha. It is unlikely that this is
historically accurate but that these three events are
celebrated on the same day gives great importance to the
occasion. The day is very much centered around devotional
practices; especially in relation to a recollection of the
life of Gotama Buddha and there are often readings from
scriptural texts or contemporary commentaries of various
stories from his life. These would be interspersed with
periods of meditation. Shrines and the Buddha images in
particular will receive a lot of attention on this day.
The coming of a Buddha - an enlightened being - into the
world is seen as tremendously important. The teachings given
by such a being are seen as a light that dispells the
darkness of ignorance and the use of lights or lanterns is
common as a way of marking this festival. In Sri Lanka much
is made of this with great processions and illuminated
floats.
A circumambulation [see: RITUALS] is commonly part of the
evening's events and both the monastery generally and the
path walked at this time will often have been decorated
during the day with a variety of lights brought by visiting
families. These will be lit just prior to the
circumambulation to illuminate the way and candles or
lanterns will often be carried by those in the procession..
Vesakha Puja is often called Buddha day.
Pavarana
usually falls during the eleventh lunar month - October -
and it marks the end of the three month 'rains retreat'
which began on the full moon of Asalha. Literally 'pavarana'
means 'inviting admonition'.
The three month period (vassa) is often used by lay and
monastic folk alike to make a variety of determinations; to
take up a particular devotional or meditation practice, to
challenge or renounce some old habit - like eating sugar or
smoking or drinking coffee (or worse). In Asia this may even
be taken to the extent of lay folk taking temporary
ordination for all or part of this time. The full moon of
Pavarana marks the end of this period and is a time of
celebration. For those who have maintained a strict practice
it means they can relax a bit; hopefully having learnt
something about the particular thing they had been
investigating and not falling back into old habits.
For monastics it ends a period of containment within the
boundaries of the monastery.
The Buddha appreciated how this containment can sometimes
cause difficulty between people and he outlined a ceremony
to be performed by the monks and the nuns on the Pavarana
day. There are several aspects to this ceremony but the
underlying spirit is one of asking for admonishment. This is
not that one wants a good telling off but invitation is
formally given to one's ordained brothers and sisters to
offer any reflections on one's past behaviour. This
invitation need not be taken up then and there but an
opening is created.
The words of part of the ceremony are as follows:
"Venerable One's, I invite admonition from the Sangha.
According to what has been seen, heard or suspected (of my
actions), may the venerable one's instruct me out of
compassion. Seeing it (my fault), I shall make amends. I ask
this of you for the second time; and again I ask for the
third time."
Kathina
is a festival that takes place during the
months of October and November. For 2500 years families have
gathered to take part in the largest alms-giving ceremony of
the Buddhist year. Friends, old and new, parents and
children join together in a celebration on the theme of
harmony. Kathina occurs at the end of the Vassa. During this
three month retreat, the residents of the monastery have
been obliged by their Rule not to travel unless absolutely
necessary; now some of them will move on. This may mean
resuming the life of a mendicant wanderer, or going to live
in another monastery - so it's a time for leave-taking and
extending a welcome. Also, as winter approaches, the
supporters are checking to see that the basic needs of the
samanas are being met. It is with regard to the offering of
these requisites that this festival comes about.
Origins:
According to the scriptures, a group of thirty bhikkhus
(monks) were journeying together with the intention of
spending the retreat season with the Buddha. However the
Vassa began before they reached their destination and it was
required that they stop travelling. Accordingly, although
they lived harmoniously during the retreat, the bhikkhus
were unhappy at not being able to be with the Master. When
they were allowed to travel again, the bhikkhus continued on
to see the Buddha. Hearing of their unhappy sojourn, he
decided to cheer them up by allowing them to roam freely
after the Rains Retreat to gather cloth for robes. The
Buddha knew that nothing is so uplifting as sharing and
generosity, and so then established a procedure whereby the
bhikkhus could agree among themselves to make a gift of the
cloth so acquired to one of their number. And so, when they
had enough cloth, the bhikkhus set about sewing a robe. In
those days the method used involved spreading the pieces of
cloth on a frame and stitching them together. This frame was
called a Kathina.
Today:
From that time until now, lay supporters have made a point
of offering cloth at the end of the Vassa; it being allowed
that this offering can take place at any time during the
four weeks following the end of the retreat. The Sangha are
not allowed to request the offering, so it is important that
the initiation of the offering and its organisation be done
entirely by the lay people. Actually, the ceremony is held
in such high esteem that it is rare that the Kathina doesn't
take place and supporters will usually agree on a date with
the abbot of the monastery well in advance. The cloth,
according to the Buddha's advice, must be offered to the
whole Sangha, not to any particular individual, so that the
bhikkhus have to formally agree as to which of them should
receive the cloth. About three metres of cloth are needed:
enough to make up at least one of the main robes. Once the
cloth has been offered, the entire community tries to take
part in the activity of sewing the new robe, it being
stipulated that this robe be cut, sewn and finished before
the dawn of the next day. Until recent times finishing
always involved dyeing the robe as well, and even today, in
traditional forest monasteries in Burma and Thailand, white
cloth is given and whilst some of the bhikkhus are cutting
and sewing, others are preparing the bath of natural dye.
The Ceremony:
Usually one person has undertaken the task of co-ordinating
the occasion; this work may have started as far back as the
Kathina of the previous year. Although all that is required
is enough cloth to make up one robe, it's usually the case
that all sorts of things are offered: everything from socks
to tools to stamps and winter fuel. On the day of the
festival people begin arriving at the monastery early - some
may have come the night before. Bhikkhus and nuns from other
monasteries will have been invited and be gathering also. By
about 10:00 a.m. everyone is beginning to settle and at
around 10.30 a.m. a meal is offered to the Sangha and then
everyone helps themselves to the remainder of the food.
About 1.00 p.m. the ceremonial offering of cloth and
requisites takes place with one donor leading the assembly
of lay people in taking the Refuges and Precepts and then
announcing the offering using the following formula. This
would be done in both Pali and English.
"May we venerable Sirs,
present these robes together with the other requisites to
the Sangha.
So, Venerable Sirs, please accept these robes and the other
requisites from us, for our long-lasting welfare and
happiness."
The cloth is formally presented to two
bhikkhus who have been agreed upon by the Sangha. In turn
they announce the donation of all the Kathina offerings and
then nominate one senior and well-respected member of the
community to receive the robe once it has been made up. The
unanimous agreement in silence by the Sangha is strengthened
by the collective utterance of "Sadhu" (it is well). At this
point some of the bhikkhus leave and begin cutting the
cloth. Later, others will join them. The formal Sangha Act (Sangha
Kamma) of receiving a Kathina offering will be completed
later in the evening (sometimes very late depending on
whether or not the sewing goes smoothly) when the finished
robe is ceremonially presented to the appointed bhikkhu.
Part of the acknowlegement of the
offering by the two appointed bhikkhus:
Kale dadanti sappañña vadaññu
vitamacchara
Kalena dinnam ariyesu ujubhutesu tadisu
Vipassannamana tassa vipula hoti dakkhina.
Ye tattha anumodanti veyyavaccam karonti va
Na tena dakkhina una tepi puññassa bhagino.
Tasma dade appativanacitto yattha dinnam mahapphalam
Puññani paralokasmim patittha honti paninan'ti.
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Those who are wise, generous and free
from selfishness give at the appropriate times. Then
what is given to those who are worthy and morally sound
is an offering of great purity and substance. Those who
likewise show appreciation or perform acts of service
make no lesser offering and they also share in this
merit. Thus in giving, the heart is unbounded, what is
given is of great fruit and those meritorious deeds
bring about good fortune in the life to come. |
~~~ excerpted from Buddha Mind
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| The History and
Development of Buddhism
Buddha’s Life and early
teaching gives the background to the
development of Buddhism.
Two Schools emerged
from the Buddhas teachings, at first. Just as in most
major religions, there are many groups who interpret the core
teachings in their own style: In Christianity, there was the
major split between the Catholics and Protestants, and again
within Protestant groups, there are other groups such as Seventh
Day Adventist, Mormons as well as the more orthodox Anglicans.
So it is with Buddhism.
When the Buddha died, he left no
doctrine about how the teachings and practice would continue.
He did ordain others but did not create a hierarchy or even
proclaim himself the Leader of the faith. Therefore when
he died, his disciples had to convene to make decisions about
how the faith would progress. 700 or so got together on
this upon the death of the Buddha.
From about 100 years after the death of
the Buddha, there had been a movement towards a more embracing
style of Buddhism. The early monks concentrated on personal
enlightenment, seeking the spiritual answers for themselves, and
teaching others the way to this enlightenment. But the
information was severely limited to the lay community as it was
assumed only monks could achieve Buddhahood.
Mahayana and Theravada
Develop:
Over the next three hundred years, a
group evolved who believed that compassion for all humanity was
an important part of the path, and that the teaching be fully
available to all.
Those who followed the new expanded
ideals called themselves Mahayana, meaning the Big Raft, and
referred to those who stayed along traditional teaching as the
Hinayana group, meaning small or lesser raft. In other words,
the implication was that the Mahayana approach was available to
more people.
The original group did not like the
term Hinayana, and then referred to themselves as Theravada, the
way of the Elders.
The concept of a Yana, the raft came
from the Buddha. He lived in a land which was crossed by many
rivers and canals, and the way across was mostly by ferry or
raft. So he described the spiritual journey as one that needed a
raft, a philosophy that could take you another step on the way
to enlightenment. He said "my teaching is like a raft which can
help you cross to the other shore beyond birth and death. Use
the raft to cross to the other shore, but don’t hang onto it as
your property. Do not become caught in the teaching. You must
let it go."
This was taken by the Mahayanists to
tell them that the old style could be let go as long as the core
teaching remained.
With the move to Mahayana Buddhism, it
became more like a religion than the original Theravada
Buddhism.
Buddhism based on the Theravada model
is found today in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand and Cambodia, while
the Mayahana style went north into China and from there Japan,
Tibet and Korea. The Theravada group has remained a fairly
unified one, but the Mahayana group again divided into several
strands, including Zen and Tantric Buddhism which are the
subject of future sessions.
Differences:
The main differences between Theravada
Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism are:
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Theravada |
Mahayana |
| Individual effort
leads to enlightenment |
Working towards
enlightenment |
| For the self only |
Should also include
all living beings |
| Strives for wisdom
first |
Compassion is the
highest virtue |
| Centres on
meditation, and requires personal dedication such as being
a monk or nun |
Encourages practice
in the world and among the general community |
| Followed as a
teaching or Philosophy |
Followed with
reference to higher beings, more like a religion |
| Early work written
in Pali (eg kamma,dhamma) |
Early texts are in
Sanskrit (eg karma,dharma) |
Another significant difference is in
the emphasis on the Bodhisattva, or spiritual guide. The Buddha
referred to the concept of Bodhisattvas before his death, but it
was not crucial to the original Buddhists. With the development
of the Mahayana Buddhism, the Bodhisattvas became a significant
part of the new thinking.
Bodhisattva means "enlightened being"
and the ideal of the Bodhisattva is that of one who has reached
ultimate understanding, and delays final enlightenment to help
others make spiritual progress. Bodhisattvas are shown as having
no need to hurry in a state of serenity.
In Mahayana Buddhism, all practising
Buddhists are apprentice Bodhisattvas. Along the way, the
various sects introduced a range of high level Bodhisattva
figures, who represent different values to be sought, such as
wisdom and compassion, and who may provide protection to those
who pray to that particular Bodhisattva.
This is not dissimilar to the Saints of
the Christian Churches.
The early Theravada philosophy, in
particular, strongly emphasised reason and analysis, along with
direct personal experience. The Mahayanists saw this as narrow
and limited, and sought to engage the emotions as well.
Meditation now could also include visualising enlightened beings
such as Bodhisattvas, and these were now objects of devotion.
One of the most popular of the
bodhisattvas is Padmapani, meaning bearer of the lotus (padma).
He is the compassionate one and will appear in different forms
to teach people the way of enlightenment. Padmapani became
Avalokitesvara who is popular in Tibet and the female Guanyin
well loved in China.
Technically, the Theravadas do not not
worship the Buddha, but will honour his memory, for example by
walking in a clockwise direction around a dome called a stupa.
Sometimes the stupa holds a relic of the Buddha, which is more
revered. In Mahayana countries, images of the Buddha are set up
in temples and homes as an object of worship. Of course, this is
a generalisation and variations of devotion occur in all
Buddhist countries.
Because of the Buddha’s open approach
to all religious philosophies, and his tolerance of all genuine
seekers, the Theravada and Mahayana groups have no history of
major conflict, and, in the early days, often shared the same
monastery with each other.
Emperor Ashoka:
The dominant group today is the
Mahayana following, and this is in part due to a Royal
supporter. In the third century BC, Buddhism was boosted by the
patronage of a powerful king, the Emperor Ashoka who converted
after a particularly vicious victory in battle. He became a
major supporter of the Mahayana Buddhism and funded its growth
around many parts of India. In conjunction with the council, he
also sent missionaries to regions outside India, beginning the
spread of Buddhism around the world.
Another reason given for the spread of
the Mahayana group was that they were more flexible and able to
interpret the teaching more liberally. In particular, the early
Theravadas read in the scriptures that they should wear cotton
robes, which are much too light for the colder climates of
China. The Mahayana monks chose wool and felt robes and happily
went north.
Today, both versions of the original
teaching are studied to determine the consistency of the
original teaching, which is remarkably similar in many areas.
Silk Road
A most significant development happened
at the same time as the Buddhist movement began to spread and
that was the opening of a new way through, from India to China.
Today, we call this way "the Silk
Road", and we associate it with famous travellers like Marco
Polo, whose journeys to China astounded the Europeans of his
day.
The route was first established by the
Chinese, venturing out in search of horses and trade, and it
dates back to the second century BC. From that time, it became a
regular journey for traders seeking to make a small fortune. In
the following centuries, the route fell under control of
different political groups, but was always well used until the
15th century AD when sea trade dominated.
From early days, silk was exported from
China to Italy where it became immensely popular. Grapes and
wine making were soon introduced to the East as well as
perfumes, spices, unknown animals and birds such as peacocks.
From China, we first encountered roses, oranges and pears. There
was considerable cost to transport all these items, but the
profits were huge for successful traders.
The Silk Road began near Iran and
India, went south of the Caspian Sea, and then took one of two
routes, along the borders of the Taklamakan desert. The two
routes joined in North Western China.
The route was treacherous and crossed
huge deserts, as well as difficult mountain passes and steep
valleys. A well organised expedition relied on camels and good
knowledge of local watering holes. Bandits were common and many
traders perished on the journey.
From about the first century BC,
Buddhism began its spread along the Silk Road. As it travelled
and was accepted, whole communities took the message on board
and monks lived along the way. Many ruins exist in the desert
regions where numerous finely decorated caves formed the centre
of whole monasteries. Some areas have up to a thousand caves in
a single group. Many of these caves had beautiful wall paintings
and Buddha images which often were sponsored by travellers who
sought protection for their journey ahead or gave thanks for
having made it that far..
In the middle of the first century AD,
a Han Chinese Emperor became interested in Buddhism. He sent
envoys to India and in 67AD they returned with Buddhist
writings. He then proceeded to have these texts translated into
Chinese.
"According to legend, the Han Emperor
Mingti, who had already heard of Buddhism, dreamt of a golden
figure floating in a halo of light - that was interpreted by
the Emperor’s wise men to be the Buddha himself. Consequently,
an envoy was sent to India to learn about the new religion,
returning with sacred Buddhist texts and paintings as well as
Indian priests to explain the teaching of the Buddha to the
Emperor. Monks, missionaries and pilgrims began travelling
from India to Central Asia and then on to China, bringing
Buddhist writings and paintings, while converts followed the
Silk Road West."
From the web site on China
Pages/Chinese Culture/The Silk Road.
In the north western part of China the
majority of the population was Buddhist by the late fourth
century and Buddhism was well supported by the ruling classes.
Buddhist monks also travelled with the
traders along the way and soon Buddhist monasteries were
everywhere along the route between India and China. The
monasteries were used by travellers as safe places to rest
overnight, and sometimes for longer periods to recuperate from
an illness. Donations were generously given and the monasteries
flourished.
In Western countries, the skill of
producing silk remained largely unknown until the 12th century
however once this changed, the route began to lose its major
significance. With the spread of Islam into the regions around
the Silk Road, many of the stupas and temples were destroyed or
left abandoned in the desert.
Spread of Buddhism
After spreading to China, the Ch’an
school of Buddhism developed and this later became the Zen
School of Japan. This intrepretation of Buddhism is today almost
non-existent in its founding country. The need to spread texts
contributed to the development of block printing techniques in
China. The Pure Land School also began in China before moving
into Japan and Korea.
In 845, foreign religions were banned
in China and a persecution of Buddhist groups greatly reduced
numbers. This was followed by the political climate of the 20th
Century which discouraged most religious activities.
Although China passed on the Buddhist
message, the Buddhist philosophy almost disappeared in China and
was to be found in small pockets often around existing temples,
and only recently has there been a reversal of this trend.
From China, Buddhism spread into Korea
in the fourth century AD and soon after into Japan. Tibet was
one of the last countries to accept the Buddhist message. While
it was introduced there in about 609AD, it was not widely
accepted until the 11th century AD.
Further Spread of
Theravada Buddhism
While the Mahayana school of Buddhism
spread north, along the Silk Road to China, Korea, Japan and
Tibet, the Theravada school lost ground in the early years
because the main financial support was for the Mahayana
expeditions.
From India, Buddhism first went to
Bengal and then Sri Lanka early in the third Century BC. Sri
Lanka became strongly Buddhist and followed the Theravada model.
It was here that many of the early teachings were finally
written down.
From Sri Lanka, monks went to Burma in
the 5th Century but it was not until the 12th Century AD that
Buddhism became widely established. Thailand took on Buddhism in
the 13th Century AD, with Laos and Cambodia also taking on the
teaching soon after, all following the Theravada school. At the
same time, by the 15th Century, Buddhism had virtually
disappeared from India, and has never been a major influence
there ever since, although there have been some revival in
particular areas.
~~ excerpted and edited and paraphrased
from
The History Philosophy and Practice of
Buddhism
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These writings help to describe the essence of Buddhism,
several of which are
written by the Dalai Lama, the leader of
Tibetan Buddhism in our
time.
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Twenty-Four
Brand-New Hours
Every morning,
when we wake up,
we have twenty-four brand-new
hours to live. What a precious gift!
We have the capacity to live in
a way that these twenty-four hours will
bring peace, joy, and happiness to
ourselves and others.
Peace is present right here and now,
in ourselves and
in everything we
do and see. The Question is whether or not
we are in touch with it.
We don't have to travel far away to
enjoy the blue sky. We
don't have
to leave our city or even our neighborhood
to enjoy the eyes of a
beautiful child. Even the air we
breathe
can be a source of joy.
We can smile, breathe, walk,
and eat our meals in a way that allows
us to be in touch with the abundance of happiness
that is available.
We are very good at preparing to live,
but not very good at living.
We know how to sacrifice ten years for a
diploma,
and we are willing
to work very hard to get a job, a car,
a house, and so on.
But we have difficulty remembering
that we are alive at the
present moment, the only moment there
is for us to be alive.
Every breath we take, every step we make,
can be filled with
peace, joy, and serenity.
We need only to be awake,
alive in the present moment.
…
------Thich Nhat
Hanh,
Peace Is Every Step
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Two
Zen Stories
PRACTISE MAKES PERFECT
A
dramatic ballad singer studied under a strict
teacher who insisted that he
rehearse day after day,
month after month the same passage from the same
song,
without being permitted to go any further. Finally,
overwhelmed by
frustration and despair, the young man
ran off to find another profession.
One night,
stopping at an inn, he stumbled upon a recitation
contest.
Having nothing to lose, he entered the
competition and, of course, sang the
one passage that
he knew so well. When he had finished, the sponsor of
the
contest highly praised his performance. Despite
the student's embarrassed
objections, the sponsor
refused to believe that he had just heard a
beginner
perform. "Tell me," the sponsor said, "who is your
instructor? He
must be a great master." The student
later became known as the great
performer Koshiji.
There
once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he
still was able to defeat any challenger. His
reputation extended far and wide throughout the land
and many students gathered to study under him.
One day an infamous young warrior arrived at the
village. He was determined to be the first man to
defeat the great master. Along with his strength, he
had an uncanny ability to spot and exploit any
weakness in an opponent. He would wait for his
opponent to make the first move, thus revealing a
weakness, and then would strike with merciless force
and lightning speed. No one had ever lasted with him
in a match beyond the first move.
Much against the advice of his concerned students, the
old master gladly accepted the young warrior's
challenge. As the two squared off for battle, the
young warrior began to hurl insults at the old master.
He threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours he
verbally assaulted him with every curse and insult
known to mankind. But the old warrior merely stood
there motionless and calm. Finally, the young warrior
exhausted himself. Knowing he was defeated, he left
feeling shamed.
Somewhat disappointed that he did not fight the
insolent youth, the students gathered around the old
master and questioned him. "How could you endure such
an indignity? How did you drive him away?"
"If someone comes to give you a gift and you do not
receive it," the master replied, "to whom does the
gift belong?"
submitted
by Spiritual Sanctuary Member
Justin
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Words from H.H., The
Dalai Lama
Although attempting to bring about world peace through the
internal transformation of individuals is difficult, it is the only
way. Wherever I go, I express this, and I am encouraged that
people from many different walks of life receive it well.
Peace
must first be developed within an individual. And I believe
that love, compassion, and altruism are the fundamental basis
for peace. Once these qualities are
developed within an
individual,
he or she is then able to create an atmosphere of peace
and harmony. This atmosphere can be expanded and extended
from the individual to his family, from the family to
the community and eventually to the whole world.
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THE ILLUSORY NATURE OF THE WORLD
Know all things to be like this:
A mirage, a cloud castle,
A dream, an apparition,
Without essence but with qualities that can be seen.
Know all things to be like this:
As the moon in a bright sky
In some clear lake reflected,
Though to that lake the moon has never moved.
Know all things to be like this:
As an echo that derives
From music, sounds, and weeping,
Yet in that echo is no melody.
Know all things to be like thisL
As a magician makes illusions
Of horses, oxen, carts, and other things,
Nothing is as it appears.
The Buddah
"THE
LITTLE BOOK OF BUDDHISM"
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
"If there is love, there is hope that one may have real families,
real brotherhood, real equanimity, real peace. If the love within your
mind is lost and you see other beings as enemies, then no matter how much
knowledge or education or material comfort you have, only suffering and
confusion will ensue"
"Human beings will continue to deceive and overpower one another.
Basically, everyone exists in a state of suffering, so to abuse or
mistreat each other is futile. The foundation of all spiritual practice is
love. That you practice this well is my only request"
" 'To do our best' means that at all times in our everyday life we
should probe our minds so that we don't feel guilty about our mistakes,
even though others don't know about them. If we do that, we are truly
doing our best"
"One can be deceived by three types of laziness of indolence, which
is the wish to procrastinate; the laziness of inferiority, which is
doubting your capabilities; and the laziness that is attachment to
negative actions, or putting great effort into non-virtue"
"Every noble work is bound to encounter problems and obstacles. It is
important to check your goal and motivation thoroughly. One should be very
truthful, honest and reasonable. One's action should be good for others,
and for oneself as well"
"To help others in vast and extensive ways we need to have attained
one of the levels of a Bodhisattva, that is, to have experienced the
direct non-conceptual reality of voidness and to have achieved the power
of extra-sensory perception"
"It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest
potential for doing good, both for oneself and others"
"The common enemy of all religious disciplines is selfishness of
mind. For it is just this which causes ignorance, anger and passion, which
are at the root of all the troubles of the world"
"Buddha is the teacher, Dharma is the actual refuge and the sangha is
the one which assists in understanding or establishing the objects of
refuge"
"When we take the Buddha as an authority, as a reliable teacher, we
do so on the basis of having investigated and examined his principal
teaching-The Four Noble Truths."
"When ever Buddhism has taken root in a new land, there has been a
certain variation in the style in which it is observed. The Buddha himself
taught differently according to the place, the occasion and the situation
of those who were listening to him"
"All of us have a great responsibility to take the essence of
Buddhism and put it into practice in our own lives"
"Buddhahood is a state free of all obstructions to knowledge and
disturbing emotions. It is the state in which the mind is fully
evolved"
"From the earliest stages of our growth, we are completely dependent
upon our mother's care and it is very important for us that she express
her love. if children do not receive proper affection, in later life they
will often find it hard to love others"
"Samsara-our conditioned existence in the perpetual cycle of habitual
tendencies and nirvana - genuine freedom from such an existence- are
nothing but different manifestations of a basic continuum. So this
continuity of consciousness us always present. This is the meaning of
tantra"
"Through actual practice in his daily life, man well fulfils the aim
of all religion, whatever his denomination"
"We can speak of an effect and a cause on the disturbing side as well
as on the liberating side"
"According to Buddhist practice, there are three stages or steps. The
initial stage is to reduce attachment towards life.
The second stage is the elimination of desire and attachment to this
samsara. Then in the third stage, self-cherishing is
eliminated"
"The three stages-birth, death and the intermediate state-are also
established in terms of the subtlety of their levels of consciousness.
Upon the basis of the continuity of the stream of consciousness is
established the existence of rebirth and reincarnation"
"Encountering sufferings will definitely contribute to the elevation
of your spiritual practice, provided you are able to transform the
calamity and misfortune into the path"
"Faith dispels doubt and hesitation, it liberates you from suffering
and delivers you to the city of peace and happiness"
"If subconscious anger had a parallel in Buddhist writings, it would
have to do with what is called mental unhappiness or dissatisfaction. This
is regarded as the source of anger and hostility. We can see subconscious
anger in terms of a lack of awarness, as well as an active misconstruing
of reality"
"In the beginning of Buddhist practice, our ability to serve others
is limited. The emphasis is on healing ourselves, transforming our minds
and hearts. But as we continue, we become stronger and increasingly able
to serve others"
"Firstly, we should re-examine our own attitude towards others and
constantly check ourselves to see whether we are practicing properly.
Before pointing our finger at others we should point it towards ourselves.
Secondly, we must be prepared to admit our faults and stand
corrected"
"Suffering increases your inner strength. Also, wishing for suffering
makes the suffering disappear"
"Even when we are helping others and are engaged in charity work, we
should not regard ourselves in a very haughty way as great protectors
benefiting the weak"
"An area in Tibetan Buddhism which may be of interest to scientists
is the relationship between the physical elements and the nerves, in
particular the relationship between the elements in the brain and
consciousness. This involves changes in consciousness, happy or unhappy
states of mind, the effect they have on the elements within the brain, and
the consequent effect that this has on the body"
"According to its level of subtlety, consciousness is classified into
three levels: the waking state or gross level of consciousness; the
consciousness of the dream state which is more subtle; and the
consciousness during sleep, dreamless sleep, which is subtler still'
"The metaphor of light is a common image in all the major religious
traditions. In the Buddhist context, light is particularly associated with
wisdom and knowledge; darkness is associated with ignorance and a state of
mis-knowledge'
"In yoga tantra, highest dimension of Buddhist practice, there is no
distinction between gender. In this final life in which you attain
Buddhahood, there is no difference whether you are male or female"
"The creatures that inhabit this earth-be they human beings or
animals-are here to contribute, each in its own particular way, to the
beauty and prosperity of the world"
"The Buddhist notion of attachment is not what people in the West
assume. We say that the love of a mother for her only child is free of
attachment"
"We are born and reborn countless number of times, and it is possible
that each being has been our parent at one time or another. Therefore, it
is likely that all beings in this universe have familial connections"
"The process of dying begins with the dissolution of the elements
within the body. It has eight stages, beginning with the dissolution of
the earth element, then the water, fire and windelements. The color:
appearance of a white vision, increase of the red element, black
near-attainment, and finally the clear light of death"
"Do your best and do it according to your own inner standard-call it
conscience not just according to society's knowledge and judgment of your
deeds"
"For discovering one's true inner nature, I think one should try to
take some time, with quiet and relaxation, to think more inwardly and to
investigate the inner world"
"When one is very involved in hatred or attachment, if there is time
or possibility during that very moment, just try to look inward and ask:
'What is attachment? What is the nature of anger?"
"To devlop genuine devotion, you must know the meaning of teachings.
The main emphasis in Buddhism is to transform the mind, and this
transformation depends upon meditation. in order to meditate correctly,
you must have knowledge"
"Three qualities enable people to understand the teachings:
objectivity, which means an open mind; intelligence, which is the critical
faculty to discern the real meaning by checking the teachings of Buddha;
and interest and commitment, which means enthusiasm"
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be
abandoned"
"It is through listening that you mind will turn with faith and
devotion, and you will be able to cultivate joy within your mind and make
your mind stable"
"Mahayana has four reliances. First: reliance on the teaching, not on
the teacher. Second: reliance on the meaning, not on the words that
express it. Third: reliance on the definitive meaning, not on the
provisional meaning. Forth: reliance on the transcendent wisdom of deep
experience, not on the mere knowledge"
"If we see pride among people who have no idea about Dharma, it is
understandable. However, if afflictive emotions and haughtiness are
present among Dharma practitioners, it is great disgrace to practice"
"Individuals who are best suited for practice of Dharma are those who
are not only intellectually gifted, but also have single-minded faith and
dedication and are wise"
"Although individuals may be highly intelligent, they are sometimes
dogged by skepticism and doubts. They are clever, but they tend to be
hesitant and skeptical and are never really able to settle down. These
people are the least receptive"
"When contemplating suffering, do not fall into the feeling of
self-importance or conceit. Cultivating wisdom helps us to avoid these
pitfalls. But it is hard to generalize because each person's courage and
forbearance are unique"
"The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own
sense of well being"
"A single word or expression in tantra can have four different
meanings. Corresponding to the four levels of interpretation. These levels
are known as the four modes of understanding. They are: 1 the literal
meaning; 2 the general meaning; 3 the hidden
meaning; and 4 the ultimate meaning"
"There is no way to escape death, it is just like trying to escape by
four great mountains touching sky. There is no escape from these four
mountains of birth, old age, sickness and death"
"Ageing destroys youth, sickness destroys health, degeneration of
life destroys all excellent qualities and death destroys life. Even if you
are a great runner, you cannot run away from death. you cannot stop death
with your wealth, through your magic performances or recitation of mantras
or even medicines. Therefore, it is wise to prepare for your death"
"Due to karmic influences, the world appears in different ways to
different people. When a human being, a god, and a preta (hungry gosh) -
three sentient beings - look at a bowl of water, the karmic factors make
the human being see it as a water,
while the god sees nectar and the preta sees blood"
"Natural environment sustains the life of all beings universally.
Trees are referred to in accounts of the principal events of Buddha's
life. His mother leaned against a tree for support as she gave birth to
him. He attained enlightenment seated beneath a tree, and finally passed
away as trees stood witness overhead"
"The truth of suffering is that we experience many different types of
suffering: suffering of suffering-things such as headaches; suffering of
change -felling of restlessness after being comfortable; and all-pervasive
suffering that acts as the basis of the first two categories and is under
the control of karma and the disturbing mind"
"From one point of view we can say that we have human bodies and are
practicing the Buddha's teachings and are thus much better than insects.
But we can also say that insects are innocent and free from guile, where
as we often lie and misrepresent ourselves in devious ways in order to
achieve our ends or better ourselves. From this perspective, we are much
worse than insects"
"We find that between the past and the future there is an extremely
thin line-something that cannot really withstand analysis. Past and future
exist in relation to the present. But if the present cannot be posited,
how can past and future be posited? This is a demonstration of dependent
origination"
"We learn from the principle of dependent origination that things and
events do not come into being without causes. Suffering and unsatisfactory
conditions are caused by our own delusions and the contaminated actions
induced by them"
"Suffering originates from various causes and conditions. But the
root cause of our pain and suffering lies in our own ignorant and
undisciplined state of mind. The happiness we seek can be attained only
through the purification of our minds"
"The essence of all spiritual life is your attitude toward others.
Once you have pure and sincere motives all the rest follows"
"Irrespective of whether we are believers or agnostics, whether we
believe in God or Karma, everyone can pursue moral ethics"
"Real compassion comes from seeing the suffering of others. You feel
a sense of responsibility, and you want to do something for them"
"Sometimes your dear friend, though still the same person, feels more
like an enemy. Instead of love, you feel hostility. But with genuine love
and compassion, another person's appearance or behavior has no effect on
your attitude"
"Cultivating closeness and warmth for others automatically puts the
mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life"
"Through universal altruism, you develop a feeling of responsibility
for others and the wish to help them actively overcome their
problems"
~~ submitted by our member ChanterKyo |
Sangha
sangha
In the suttas the word sangha (lit. "group, assembly") is
usually used in one of two ways: it either refers to the community of
ordained monks and nuns (bhikkhu-sangha and bhikkhuni-sangha) or to
the community of "noble ones" (ariya-sangha) -- persons
who have gained at least some degree of Awakening.
The definition (ariya-sangha)
"The Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples who have practiced
well... who have practiced straight-forwardly... who have practiced
methodically... who have practiced masterfully -- in other words, the four
types [of noble disciples] when taken as pairs, the eight
when taken as individual types -- they are the Sangha of the Blessed
One's disciples: worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of
offerings, worthy of respect, the incomparable field of merit for the
world."
-- AN
XI.12
"In this community of monks there are monks who are Arahants, whose
mental effluents are ended, who have reached fulfillment, done the task,
laid down the burden, attained the
true goal, totally destroyed the fetter of becoming, and who are
released through right gnosis: such are the monks in this community of
monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total
ending of the first set of five fetters, are due to be reborn [in the
Pure Abodes], there to be totally unbound, never again to return from
that world: such are the monks in this community of monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total
ending of [the first] three fetters, and with the attenuation of
passion, aversion, & delusion, are once-returners, who -- on
returning only one more time to this world -- will make an ending to stress:
such are the monks in this community of monks.
"In this community of monks there are monks who, with the total
ending of [the first] three fetters, are stream-winners,
steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for
self-awakening: such are the monks in this community of monks."
-- MN
118
"Just as the ocean is the abode of such mighty beings as whales,
whale-eaters, and whale-eater-eaters; asuras, nagas, and gandhabbas, and
there are in the ocean beings one hundred leagues long, two hundred...
three hundred... four hundred... five hundred leagues long; in the same
way, this Doctrine and Discipline is the abode of such mighty beings as
stream-winners and those practicing to realize the fruit of stream-entry;
once-returners and those practicing to realize the fruit of
once-returning; non-returners and those practicing to realize the fruit
of non-returning; Arahants and those practicing for Arahantship... This
is the eighth amazing and astounding fact about this Doctrine and
Discipline."
-- Ud
V.5
Recollecting the Sangha
"At any time when a disciple of the noble ones is recollecting the
Sangha, his mind is not overcome with passion, not overcome with
aversion, not overcome with delusion. His mind heads straight, based on
the Sangha. And when the mind is headed straight, the disciple of the
noble ones gains a sense of the goal,
gains a sense of the Dhamma,
gains joy connected with the Dhamma. In one who is joyful, rapture
arises. In one who is rapturous, the body grows calm. One whose body is
calmed experiences ease. In one at ease, the mind becomes concentrated."
-- AN
XI.12
"When you recollect the Sangha, monks, any fear, terror, or
horripilation you may have will be abandoned."
-- SN
XI.3
A community supreme
"Among whatever communities or groups there may be, the Sangha of
the Tathagata's disciples is considered supreme -- i.e., the four types
[of noble disciples] when taken as pairs, the eight when taken as
persons. Those who have confidence in the Sangha have confidence in what
is supreme; and for those with confidence in the supreme, supreme will
be the result."
-- Iti
90
Worthy
"Monks, this assembly is free from idle chatter, devoid of idle
chatter, and is established on pure heartwood: such is this community of
monks, such is this assembly. The sort of assembly that is worthy of
gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of respect, an
incomparable field of merit for the world: such is this community of
monks, such is this assembly. The sort of assembly to which a
small gift, when given, becomes great, and a great gift greater:
such is this community of monks, such is this assembly. The sort of
assembly that it is rare to see in the world: such is this community of
monks, such is this assembly -- the sort of assembly that it would be
worth traveling for leagues, taking along provisions, in order to
see."
-- MN
118
These found at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/sangha.html
submitted by our member
Chanter Kyo |
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