Buddhism

2560 Years Full of Nothing

06/2008, VHS Bad Doberan Craig Meulen

What do you know already?
What can I give you?
Is Buddhism just an exotic trend?
Buddhism in a nutshell

• Religion
– no Supreme God, no Creator or Creation
– dependent origination
• Philosophy
– many schools within Buddhism
• Practical life guidance
– no enlightenment without practice
– karma, rebirth, ‘right livelihood’
– every sentient being wants to be happy
• Origins in the East, a future in the West
History of Buddhism – the Buddha

• c. 2560 years ago, Kapilvastu (Nepal)

• Prince, family, sheltered life
• Four encounters with suffering:
– very old man – sick man
– dead body – wandering holy man
• Realisation that everything is dukha
• Outer renunciation, ascetic life
• Meditation, 6 years, enlightenment
What the Buddha taught
• Four Noble Truths
– we suffer (‘dukha’)
– we suffer because of karma - past actions
- and klesha - attachment to emotions
– it is possible to end this suffering
– there is a practical way to achieve this end
• Karma
– natural law of ‘cause and effect’
– what we do / what we intend to do
• Klesha
– attachments take over our mind
– ignorance, desire and hatred
What the Buddha taught
• The Eightfold Path
– practical life guidance
– different priorities for different people

Prajñā Shila Samadhi

Meditative Moral Ethic Meditative
Wisdom Concentration
Right Understanding/ Right Speech Right Effort
View
Right Thought Right Action Right Mindfulness

Right Livelihood Right Concentration

The five basic vows
What the Buddha taught
• “I cannot wash your
faults and negativity
away with water.
• I cannot remove
your suffering with a
wave of my hand
over your head.
• I cannot transfer my
wisdom to you.
• However, I can
show you the way.”
History of Buddhism – early days

• Few written records at that time

• First Council – after 3 months
– oral recitation as recording
– some differences about monks’ rules
• Second Council – after 100 years
– no controversy about dharma teachings
– split due to differences about monks’ rules
• Third Council – after 250 years
– differences about dharma teachings
– Theravada teachings compiled
History – Theravada / Mahayana
Buddhism – 3 main paths
• Differences due to interpretation of
dharma teachings, and the cultures
where Buddhism found new roots
Theravada Mahayana Vajrayana
Way of the Great Way Diamond Way
Elders
Individual liberation Liberation for all
sentient beings
Closer to monastic Wisdom & Use of emotions,
rules, more ascetic Compassion effective techniques

Upholds only Pali Bodhicitta – mind can “Pure View”

Canon as authentic reach buddhahood
History – the spread of Buddhism
Nepali /Tibetan monastery and stupa
German / Tibetan monastery
Chinese monastery
Japanese “World Peace” pagoda
Myanmar temple
Thai monastery
Tibetan monastery in Kathmandu
Lama Dance / Tibetan New Year
Karma Kagyu Tibetan Buddhists
Tibetan Buddhism in the world

• When the fire-ox

moves on wheels
and the iron bird
flies everywhere;
when Tibetans are
spread like ants
around the world,
my Dharma will
come to the land of
the white men.
– Padmasambhava,
1250 years ago
Kagyu Institute of Buddhist Studies
The Middle Way – 4 Truths

• All compounded • All things have no

things are inherent existence
impernanent

• All emotions are • Nirvana is beyond

pain concepts
You are not a Buddhist if …

• … you believe there • … you believe that

is some essential things exist and
substance or cannot accept that
concept that is all things are
permanent. illusory.
(e.g. atoms, soul)

• … you think that • … you think that

some emotions are enlightenment
purely positive. exists within the
spheres of time and
space.
Entering the Middle Way

• Ultimate Truth
– things do not have an inherent existence
• Relative Truth
– things exist in dependent origination
• Middle Way
– unity of appearance and emptiness
– only possible through meditation
• Avoid extremes
– nihilism and existentialism
• but embrace extremes within their validity
Example – a chariot (2008 model)
Madhyamakavatara 6:151

– We cannot consider a chariot as being

other than its parts;
– Nor identical; nor possessing these;
– It is not in the parts; nor are the parts in it;
– It is not the mere collection; and it is not
their shape.
 Madhyamakavatara 6:151
CHARIOT
<>
PARTS
– We cannot consider a chariot as being
other
other than its parts;
same – Nor identical; nor possessing these;
possess – It is not in the parts; nor are the parts in it;
within
– It is not the mere collection; and it is not
their shape.
contain

assembly

shape
 7-fold analysis: A car and its parts
CAR
<>
PARTS

other

same

possess

within

contain

assembly

shape
 7-fold analysis: A car and its parts
CAR
<>
PARTS

other

same

possess

within

contain

assembly

shape
 7-fold analysis: A car and its parts
CAR
<>
PARTS

other

same

possess

within

contain

assembly

shape
 7-fold analysis: A car and its parts
CAR
<>
PARTS

other

same

possess

within

contain

assembly

shape
 7-fold analysis: A car and its parts
CAR
<>
PARTS

other

same

possess

within

contain

assembly

shape
 7-fold analysis: A car and its parts
CAR
<>
PARTS

other

same

possess

within

contain

assembly

shape
7-fold analysis: A car and its parts

• When does it start being a car?

• When does it stop being a car?
• What defines ‘car’?
• some parts, a shape, the function or purpose,
your idea ‘car’, the road

• Dependent origination:
– existence of ‘car’ is dependent on:
• parts, materials, user, surroundings,
observer, concepts
Madhyamakavatara 6:158-9

• “… for living beings it is a means of

transport.
• Do not undermine conventions that the
world accepts!”

• Ultimate truth <> Relative truth

• The Middle Way

– use the car to drive to meditation class
Have a safe journey home!