Jainism and Buddhism

• Their goal was to achieve moksha —liberation from the cycle of birth,death, and rebirth or reaching thebest karma that you could actuallyreach.• The ideas of these religiousdissidents are reflected in theUpanishads.

Jainism• Founded by Mahavira - lived between 599and 527 B.C.E.• Belief that everything in the universe hasa soul and because of this should not beharmed• Had to take occupations that would notharm any creature– Tradition of working in trade andcommerce– Extremely wealthy community

Jainism• Jains practiced nonviolenceand went to extremes intheir attempts not to killany living thing• The most extreme wentnaked and starvedthemselves to death.• Brush ants from their path• Wear masks to notaccidentally suck in bugs

Buddhism Basics• Attempts to give answers to life’s s questions• Emphasis on “things to do” rather than “things to believe”• Avoid speculative questions (creation, Supreme power,afterlife) since there was little possibility of definitive answers instead spend time attempting to deal with the harshrealities presented by life here and now• Tolerant to any religion that allows a person to find “truth” ofhimself/ herself. Believe that setting an example which othersmay emulate.• ULTIMATE GOAL end suffering and attain absolute peaceand joy

SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA• Siddhartha Gautama born563 BCE into Kshatriyacaste in present dayNepalBUDDHA= ENLIGHTENED ONE• Kingdom of Gautama• Siddhartha had alegendary birth, life anddeath• Prophecy given to hisfather…

Miracles, miracles, miracles…• Immaculate conception -Siddhartha descended fromHeaven and entered mother’s(Queen Maya) womb in form ofbaby white elephant (purity)• Queen Maya carried Siddharthafor 10 months and could seehim in the womb• Gave birth from her side withassistance from tree branches• Water poured from the sky• At birth Siddhartha took 7 stepsand said “this is my last birth”

Four Sights• King wanted toshelter Siddharthafrom unpleasantnessof life• At 29, Siddharthavisited the city andsaw four sights:1) Old man2) Sick man3) Dead man4) Ascetic monk

FOUR SIGHTSThese sightscompelled him toreflect upon:• suffering• death• meaning of life• ultimate fate ofmanand inspired himto find a spiritualsolution toproblems ofhuman life

• He left his palace and for 7years searched for theultimate truth of life• Studied Hindu scriptures butfound them lacking• Tried raja yoga (meditation)but sensed his sacrifices werenot great enough• turned to asceticism andscourged and starved himself(1 grain of rice a day) = butno deep insight came• Determined best course wasthe MIDDLE WAY (pathbetween both extremes; alifestyle of moderation)

ENLIGHTENMENT OF BUDDHA• Under a Bodhi tree (tree ofWisdom) he meditated• Remembered all of his previouslives• Resisted the combats of Mara(Evil One), who tried manytemptations• Removed craving and ignorancefor himself• At dawn of his 35 th birthday, hismind “pierced the bubble” of theuniverse, enabling him to realizethe essential truth about life andthe path to salvation• Achieved NIRVANA and wasreleased from samsara (endlesscycle)• Stayed in this state for 7 daysNIRVANA= state of supreme realization andenlightenment= understand truth of life andfreedom from ignorance= state of total liberation, truth,tranquility, peace

ENLIGHTENMENT NEW RELIGION• After achieving enlightenment, Buddha wanted to share hisexperiences and insights with others and traveled to Benaresand encountered five ascetics.Argued that no rituals, gods or any type of outside power couldsave man. The only salvation lies in the realization of the FourNoble Truths and the diligent pursuit of the Eight Fold Path• Within years, Buddhist monasteries were emerging throughoutIndia, establishing Buddhism as a religion• The Buddha died in 486 BCE and achieved paranirvana(complete nirvana)

What do Buddhists believe?• Rebirth (reincarnation) results from attachments (karma)• Nirvana is a peaceful, detached state of mind• Achieving Nirvana means escape from the cycle of rebirth(samsara)Once Gautama Buddha died, after 80 years of life in thisworld, having achieved Nirvana and teaching multitudes hisway of life, he ceased to exist as a distinct being• Buddhism is non-theistic:Buddha is not the BuddhistGod – he is just a revered teacher

3 Characteristics of Existence• Annica = impermanence(world in constant flux)• Dukkha = dissatisfaction(all humans and animalsexperience suffering)ANNICADUKKHA• Anatta = no self(no separate, eternalunchanging self)ANATTA

FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

What is the fundamentalcause of all suffering? Therefore, extinguish the self, don’tobsess about oneself.

Fundamental Ethicsof Buddhism is theEightfold Path.Buddhist scripturesare filled with storiesillustrating compassion,charity and non-violence

What is the Eight-Fold Path?Wisdom:•Right understanding•Right motivationMoral discipline:•Right speech•Right action•Right livelihoodMental discipline:•Right effort•Right mindfulness•Right meditation

Eightfold Path The union with the ultimatespiritual reality. Escape from the cycle ofrebirth.

FIVE PRECEPTS1) Abstain from killing orharming living beings2) Abstain from stealing3) Abstain from impropersexual conduct4) Abstain from falsespeech5) Abstain from takingalcohol and harmfuldrugs

More Numbers and Concepts…• Triple Jewel or Three Refuges: : Buddha(guide), Dharma (path), Sangha (teachers)• Six Perfections: : giving, morality, patience,vigor, meditation and wisdom• Bodhisattva: : person who has attained nirvanabut chooses to be reborn within samsara inorder to help others on path of enlightenment• Nirvana: : escape from cycle of rebirth (basedon karma, 8-fold 8path, enlightenment) to attainperfect freedom and bliss

Symbols• Wheel of Life• Mandala• Lotus Flower• Stupa• Temples• Swastika• Buddhapada

Hinduism vs Buddhism• Buddha rejected Hindu belief that human inequality was based onhereditary distinctions and that salvation can only be achieved byelite few• Same concepts: : reincarnation, samsara, , karma, dharma, nirvana,raja yoga (meditation which held the key to enlightenment and thesalvation of nirvana)• Rejected concepts: : caste system, Hindu rituals and offerings togods, theories, language of Sanskrit (he used Pali), nirvana only ifBrahmin caste, refusal to accept authority of Vedas and Upanishads• Buddhism view of Women: more equal in stance compared toHinduism; women may endure more “suffering” (ie.. childbirth).Buddha allowed either men or women from any caste to becomemonks or nuns and join the Sangha (brotherhood)

How does Buddhism differ fromHinduism?Buddhism rejects…• Authority of the ancient Vedic texts• The Vedic caste system• The Vedic and Hindu deities• The efficacy of Vedic worship and ritual• The concept of Brahman

How does Buddhism differ fromJainism?Buddhism rejects…• The concept of Atman (eternal spirit / soul)• The practice of strict asceticism andwithdrawal from the world (preferring the“middle way”)• Vegetarianism as required

Buddhism 101Founded:• 6 th century BCEFounder:• Siddhartha Gautama,otherwise known as theBuddha “EnlightenedOne”Place of Origin:• IndiaSacred Books:• oldest and mostimportant scriptures arethe Tripitaka, , (The ThreeBaskets of Wisdom)Number of Adherents:• approximately 200 million closeadherents, although someestimates surpass the 600 millionmark. Precision is impossible…Distribution:• predominant faith in Burma,Ceylon, Thailand and Indo-China.It also has followers in China,Korea, Mongolia and Japan.Sects:• two principal schools areMahayana and Theravadin (orHinayana) ) Buddhism

Religion or Philosophy?Religion• Attempts to examine themeaning of life and universse• Provides an ethical standardand an overall goald beyondthis life• Despite Buddha’s s wishes, hewas defied after his death bysome of his followers• Buddhism has taken on rituals,sacrifices, temple worship,elaborate scriptures andcomplex doctrinesPhilosophy• No sacrifices, worship, prayers,rituals• Rejected the principle ofauthority in religious matters• No god personified fatherfigure who created andpresided over the universe• Buddha- not proclaimed as agod but stated that he was“awake” and could point theway for an individual towardssalvation

Impact of Buddhism• Buddhism elevated the level of religious life and thoughtin most Asia• Forced Hinduism to remedy some of its abuses andrevitalize its teachings• Major effect upon philosophy, education, literature andart of south Asia, India (Gupta period), China (T’ang(Dynasty) and Japan (Zen Buddhism)• However, many argue Buddhism has discouraged socialprogress (since it accepts life as full of suffering anddoes not produce a great concern or solutions regardingpoverty, illiteracy, illness, pollution etc.)• Spread of Communism (Communist takeover of China in1949) led to nationalization of monasteries and allrevenues) government in exile in Tibet