Buddhism - 360 Million Believers – a form of positive atheism (Mahayana, Vajrayana, Theravada, Tibetan, Zen, others)
588 BC – Guatama Buddha was born a Hindu prince named Siddhartha Guatama. He chose to leave his position to search for the meaning of suffering. After many years of living the life of a seeker and ascetic he attained enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi Tree.
Belief - The concept of a Creator God is considered irrelevant to Buddhism. Buddha, “the Awakened One,” is seen not as “God” but as a supreme sage/teacher, a model of a fully enlightened person. When gazing at a Buddha you see a reflection of yourself.
The law of karma reminds you that if negative mental states persist you will experience continual rebirth until you attain a state of absolute bliss/selflessness. Then you will be released from rebirth, resulting in ultimate bliss called Nirvana–the “Deathless State.”
Symbol - The eight spokes of the wheel symbolize the Noble Eightfold Path set out by the Buddha in his teachings. The Buddha was the one who “turned the wheel of the dharma” and thus the symbol is the “wheel of transformation”. The wheel also represents the endless cycle of samsara, or rebirth, which can only be escaped by means of the Buddha’s teachings. The hub symbolizes moral discipline, which stabilizes the mind. The represent wisdom which is applied to defeat ignorance. The rim represents training in concentration, which holds everything else together. The wheel was a common symbol in early Buddhist art, before the introduction of Buddha images. The wheel is usually central to mandalas.
Sacred Text – Pali Canon or Tripitaka, “Three Baskets” are the teachings of Buddha. The entire writing was given the name of Tipitaka or the Pali Canon and divided into three parts:
Vinaya Pitaka – Conduct rules for the monks and nuns
Sutta Pitaka – Discourses by the Buddha on philosophy and morality.
Abhidhamma – Philosophical and psychological systemization.
Four Noble Truths
Suffering exists
Suffering arises from attachment to desires, the desires can be known
Suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases
Freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path
Eightfold Path – The Wheel of Dharma
Right View/Perspective
Right Intention
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Contemplation/Concentration
Ten Precepts (commandments)
Affirm life do not kill
Be giving do not steal
Honor the body do not misuse sexuality
Manifest truth, do not lie
Proceed clearly do not cloud the mind
See the perfection do not speak of others’ errors and faults
Realize self and other as one do not elevate the self and blame others
Give generously do not be withholding
Actualize harmony do not be angry
Experience the intimacy of things, do not defile the Three Treasures.
Three Treasures/Jewels or Three Refuges
Buddha – Enlightenment
Dharma – Path, teachings
Sangha – Community
Three Qualities
Panna – Wisdom
Sila - Truth
Samadhi – Conduct
Three Characteristics of Existence
Dukkha – Change - Pleasure in the physical world is transient. Pain inevitably follows.
Anicca – Impermanence, nothing is permanent.
Anatta – Selflessness. Our attempts to make the self real never succeed. We cling to an illusion to reassure ourselves that we are real.
Bohdisattvas - A bodhisattva is an enlightened being who has decided to delay becoming a fully enlightened Buddha and who lives in a compassionate spirit life for the sake of all beings He has taken vows to save all beings. He appears in many different forms to assist suffering beings. Bodhisattva literally means: enlightenment (bodhi) being (sattva) in Sanskrit.
Theravada Buddhism -”one who achieves perfect attainment”
Mahayana Buddhism – “I must lead all beings to liberation, I will stay here until the end, even for the sake of one living mortal.”
Tibetan Buddhism/Lamanism – “Om mani padme hum” “Hail the jewel in the lotus”
A partial list of bodhisattvas from: India, Mongolia, Tibet, Japan and China.
Akasagarbha – The bodhisattva of infinite happiness generated by helping countless numbers of sentient beings.
Avalokitesvara - The bodhisattva of compassion, the listener of the world’s cries who uses skillful means to come to their aid; the most universally acknowledged Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. Known as Guan Yin in East Asia, Chenrezig/Dalai Lama in Tibet, and Migjid Janraisig in Mongolia. Also known as Tara.
Baba Saheb – is regarded as a Bodhisattva by Indian Buddhist Bhikkus and by millions of other Buddhists.
Ksitigarbha – The bodhisattva of the Hell beings, or the bodhisattva of great vows.
Mahasthamaprapta – Represents the power of wisdom, seen on the left of Amitabha in Pure Land Buddhism.
Maitreya – The bodhisattva to be reborn and to become enlightened, thus succeeding Gautama Buddha in the future. Known for his benevolence.
Manjusri – Bodhisattva of keen awareness and wisdom.
Nagarjuna – The founder of the Madhyamaka (Middle Path) school of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
Padmasambhava – Most associated with Tibetan Buddhism and Bhutanese Buddhism. The Nyingma school regards Padmasambhava as a second Buddha.
Samantabhadra - Represents the practice and meditation of all Buddhas.
Sangharama – Only revered in Chinese Buddhism-Taoism, Sangharama refer to a group of devas who guard Buddhist monasteries and the faith, but the title is usually referring to the legendary Chinese military general Guan Yu, who became a Dharmapala through becoming a Buddhist and making vows.
Shantideva – 8th century scholar, wrote A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way Of Life
Sitatapatra – Goddess of the White Parasol protector against supernatural danger.
Skanda - A Dharmapala who guards the Dharma, with links to Vajrapani the direct forbear to Murugan, a Hindu deity. Worshipped in Chinese Buddhism.
Supushpachandra – One of two attendants of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha.
Tara – Female bodhisattva or set of bodhisattvas, in Tibetan Buddhism. She represents the virtues of success in work and achievements. Also a manifestation of Avalokitesvara.
Vajrapani – An early bodhisattva in Mahayana.
Vasudhara - Bodhisattva of abundance and fertility. Popular in Nepal.
