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Essentials of
Buddhism
Introduction
Main Figure
Buddha's Last Words
The Major Sects of Buddhism
Mahayana & Vajrayana Sect Figures
Four Noble Truths
Noble Eight-fold Path
Five Precepts
The Three Jewels
Introduction
Founder: Buddha
Location: India
Date: ~500 BCE
Primary Scripture: Tipitaka (Tripitaka)
Main Goal: Achieve Nirvana
Main Figure
- Buddha
- Other names
- Sakyamuni (Sakya clan sage), (Shakyamuni)
- Siddhartha Gautama (Birth Name)
- Historical Buddha
- Contribution: Founder Buddhism
- Occupation: Prince (Indian)
Buddha's Last Words
"Everything that has been created is subject to decay and death. Everything is
transitory. Work out your own salvation with diligence."
The Major Sects of Buddhism
- Theravada
(Hinayana) Buddhism
- Literal: School of the Elders
(Small Vehicle)
- Main Focus
- Four Noble Truths
- Meditation
- Sage Buddha
- Main adherents: Southeast Asia
- Mahayana
Buddhism
- Literal: Large Vehicle
- Main Focus
- Four Noble Truths
- Meditation
- Divine Buddha
- Bodhisattvas
- Main adherents: China, Japan, and
Korea
- Subdivisions
- Pure Land School
- Tian Dai (China) or Tendai
(Japan) Buddhism
- Ch'an (China) or Zen (Japan)
Buddhism
- Daoism Influence
- Main Focus
- Meditation
- Chanting
- Teacher-Student dialog
- Vajrayana
Buddhism
- Literal: Diamond Vehicle
- Main Focus
- Meditation
- Chanting
- Enlightenment in one lifetime
- Tibetan gods and demons
- Religious visualizations
- Philosophical debate
- Ritual
- Yoga
- Tantric Practices
- Main adherents: Tibet & Nepal
Mahayana and Vajrayana Sect
Figures
- Amitabha Buddha
- Contribution: Established Pure
Land sect (Mahayana)
- Manjushri
- Contribution: Bodhisattva of
Wisdom
- Avalokiteshvara
- Other names/manifestations
- Pure Land (Mahayana): A
manifestation of Amidha Buddha (sits at his right hand)
- China (Mahayana): Kuan Yin -
Goddess of Compassion
- Tibet (Vajrayana)
- Chenrezig (Main form)- Male
of couple that gave birth to Tibetan people
- Tara (manifestation)- Female
form of Chenrezig
- King Songtsen Gampo
(manifestation)- Brought Buddhism to Tibet
- Dalai Lama (manifestation)-
Chief spiritual and political leader of Tibet.
- Contribution: Bodhisattva of
Compassion
Four Noble Truths
-
Life is suffering - dukkha
- Birth trauma
- Illness
- Old age
- Fear of approaching death
- Separation from what one loves
- Stuck with what one hates
-
The cause of suffering is desire - tanha
-
The cure for suffering is to remove desire
-
To remove desire, follow the Eight-fold path
Noble
Eight-fold
Path
-
Right Knowledge
- Understand the Four Noble Truths
-
Right Thinking
- Decide to set a life on the
correct path
-
Right Speech
- Don't lie
- Don't criticize others unjustly
- Don't use harsh language
- Don't gossip
-
Right Conduct
-
Right Livelihood
- Earn a living that does not harm
living things
-
Right Effort
- Conquer all evil thoughts
- Strive to maintain good thoughts
-
Right Mindfulness
- Become intensely aware of all the
states in body, feeling, and mind.
-
Right Concentration
- Deep meditation to lead to a
higher state of consciousness (enlightenment)
Five Precepts
- Do not kill
- Do not steal
- Do not lie
- Do not be
unchaste
- Do not take drugs
or drink intoxicants
The Three Jewels
- Buddham saranam
gachami
- To the Buddha I go for refuge.
- Buddha is truth and example of
path.
- Dharmam saranam
gachami
- To the Dharma (Dhamma) I go for
refuge.
- Dharma is teachings.
- Sangham saranam
gachami
- To my Sangha I go for refuge.
- Sangha is spiritual community.
Continue to:
The Four Noble Truths & The
Noble Eight-Fold Path
Return to: Buddhism Introduction
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