BUDDHISM
Sacred History
BASIC TERMS
Buddha – one who is enlightened; who
has seen the truth of dharma
Dharma – the teaching of Buddha;
Buddha revealed the teaching, dharma
(his insight into the nature of the world)
which must be known to follow the way of
salvation
N.b. cf. Hinduism in which dharma was the
law which governed the cosmos
Nirvana– final liberation; the end of
bondage to the cycle of samsara
EMERGENCE OF BUDDHISM
A. Foundations of Buddhism
Founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)
probably in 6th cent. B.C..
India
Parallels some developments in Hinduism
Roughly contemporary with Upanishads which had
introduced ideas of samsara, karma, etc.
W/ this developments in Hinduism came pursuit of
liberation through asceticism and/or mediation
Buddhism rejects tradition of Brahmans including:
Claims for the Vedas
Caste system
EMERGENCE OF BUDDHISM
Buddhism emerged during a time of
intense religious activity
Challenges to Brahmanical tradition
W/ religious rituals and sacrifice
Upanishads
Asceticism
Philosophy
Knowledge of relationship between atman and
Brahman
Skepticism
Materialism
Jainism
MAJOR PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT
B. Major Periods of Development
1. The Early Period (6th cent. B.C.-1st cent.
A.D.
• Time of Gautama Buddha
• Teaching consolidated and canon scriptures put
down in writing
• Theravada Buddhism
• Mahayana Buddhism emerges c. 3rd cent. B.C..
2. Classical Period (1st cent. A.D. onward)
• Spreads to China, Japan and Korea
3. Medieval Period (7th –18th cent. A.D.)
• Importance of recitation of mantras
• Magical rites
4. Modern Period
C. EXPANSION OF BUDDHISM
Unlike Hinduism,
expansionary
Adaptation to different
cultural environments
Early Buddhism ‘non-
theistic’
1. Theravada
Southeast Asia (from 3rd
cent. BCE)
Sri Lanka (3rd cent. B.C..)
Burma (now Myanmar) (3rd
cent. B.C..)
Combined with indigenous
shamanistic practices
Thailand (4th cent. A.D.)
Cambodia (4th cent. A.D.)
Indonesia (over 1000
inhabited islands) (4th and
5th cents. A.D.)
Hinduism (by 5th cent.)and
Buddhist
Now Muslim (but cf. Bali)
By 13th cent. Sharp decline
in India
EXPANSION (CONT.)
2. Mahayana
Central and East Asia
China
Along with Confucianism and Taoism/Daoism
Pure Land
Chan
Vietnam
Chan – esp. monastic
Pure Land - villages
Korea (4th cent. A.D.)
Pure Land
Son (Chan) – esp. monastic
Along with shamanistic practices
Japan (6th cent. A.D.)
Pure Land
Zen (cf. Chan)
EXPANSION (CONT.)
3. Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism
7th cent. A.D.
Indigenous religion - Shamanism
Tantric Buddhism vs. Chan Buddhism
Lamaism
Lamas are spiritual leaders w/greatest authority
Emergence of the Geluk-pa
Brings together different schools of thought in Tibetan
Buddhism
Dalai Lama – head of school of Geluk-pa
Series of incarnations
Incarnation of bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
Modern Buddhism
Threatened by communism and secularism
GAUTAMA BUDDHA
C. Gautama Buddha
A. Birth stories exhibit different attributes of the
Buddha in his past lives which he was perfecting
A. Largely legendary accounts; point of stories is to serve
as paradigms for those who wish to follow the same
path
B. He is not a divine figure but he is given a status
higher than ordinary people
GAUTAMA BUDDHA
C. Gautama
• Hindu of warrior class
• Prince- led a sheltered, protected life
• Birth
Miraculous
Bodhisattva takes form of elephant and Maya loses
desire to have sex
• Marries at 16 and has child
By having son, he is firmly bound to the
householder stage of life
• Being groomed to be a chieftain
MAYADEVI
GUATAMA & THE FOUR SIGHTS
Guatama is jolted by four
sights:
1) An old man (old age)
2) A sick person
3) A corpse
4) A wandering beggar; one who
has renounced the world
GAUTAMA & THE GREAT RENUNCIATION
• The Great Renunciation
• At 29 takes on life of wandering recluse
• His desertion of princely life is a rejection of
things that are impermanent.
• Son’s name ‘Rahula’ means ‘fetter’
• Takes on life of severe austerity and reflection
going through series of teachers
• But eventually takes food – represents rejection of
extreme asceticism
• Attains enlightenment under the bodhi tree in
which he:
• Understands the nature of the world
• And the means to overcome suffering
GAUTAMA: THE 3 WATCHES OF NIGHT
Three Watches of the Buddha Undisturbed by
Night Under the Bodhi
Tree (around 35 years old) Mara
White: First phase of
enlightenment in which
he sees all his own past
lives/trajectories
Black: Second phase he
sees the preceding lives of
all creatures
Red: Third phase he
realizes the causal factors
which brings about these
trajectories
Upon understanding the
cause, he attains radical
enlightenment
Tempted to achieve
nirvana but stays
GAUTAMA: THE FIRST SERMON
Delivers first sermon: Sermon of
the Turning of the Wheel which
spells out his insight
Lays out idea of the ‘middle path’
Expounds on the Four Noble
Truths
Expounds on the Eightfold Path
He/she has broken bondage of samsara
STEERING THE MIDDLE PATH
GAUTAMA: FOUNDS THE SANGHA
Founds the sangha= community dedicated
to following the path which lead to
enlightenment
Following path requires withdrawal from
society and joining a monastic community
Men and women may achieve enlightenment
Rejection of caste system
Different levels of attainment may be achieved
Final stage is that of arhant one who has achieved
nirvana and lives as one who is completely
enlightened
In Theraveda from of Buddhism, only monks & nuns
may achieve enlightenment
Lay people may accumulate merit and reach a place in
future life where nirvana may become possible