Buddhism: Origins and Development

Origin and Development of Buddhism

• Buddhism originated in northern India as a reform movement within Hinduism.
• Siddhartha Gautama, the founder, sought a new way of practicing religion and finding truth through direct religious experience, not blind faith.
• The central idea is that everyone has the right to find the truth, even outside of Buddhism.
• The ultimate goal is to end suffering and attain absolute peace and joy.

Origin and Life of Buddha

• Buddhism was founded approximately 2500 years ago (around 6 BCE) in India.
• Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha, was born around 563 BCE into a Kshatriya family.
• Siddhartha's father, King Shuddhodana, belonged to the Gautama clan.
• Siddhartha's exposure to suffering led him to leave his family and become an ascetic, practicing self-discipline for religious purposes.
• Siddhartha traveled, seeking enlightenment (perfect happiness and understanding) and the cause and cure of suffering.
• After meditating for 49 days, he attained enlightenment, understanding human suffering and how to escape it to reach nirvana.
• Nirvana is the end of personal suffering and the experience of unchanging peace.

Location and Demographics

• Most Buddhists today live in Southeast Asia.
• There are about 500 million followers of Buddhism, around 7% of the world’s population.
• It is the fourth-largest religion in terms of the number of followers.

Branches of Buddhism

• By 390 BCE, two distinct groups emerged: Theravada and Mahayana.
• Theravada Buddhism, the “doctrine of the elders,” is most popular in Southern Asia.
• A devout Theravada Buddhist is called an arhat, a monk.
• Mahayana Buddhism, called the “greater vehicle,” has attracted more followers.
• Compassion is the foremost quality the Dalai Lama possesses.

Buddha’s Teachings

• The Wheel of Dharma signifies that all humans are caught in a cycle of birth and death.
• Freedom from desire is the only way to free oneself from the cycle and suffering.
• Desire is considered the root of suffering.
• The hub of the wheel represents the Three Jewels of Buddhism: the Buddha, the Dharma (teaching), and the Sangha (community).

Four Noble Truths

• Dukkha: Life is full of suffering, sickness, and unhappiness; pleasure is fleeting.
• Samudaya: People suffer because they desire things; greed and self-centeredness bring suffering.
• Nirodha: It is possible to end suffering by becoming aware of and ending one's desires, leading to lasting peace.
• Magga: By changing one’s thinking and behaviour, a new awakening can be reached through the Eightfold Path, also known as the Middle Way.

Eightfold Path

• The Eightfold Path contains eight steps for eliminating dukkha (suffering).
• Right Understanding: Clearly understand the Four Noble Truths and the workings of one's mind.
• Right Thought: Think kindly of others and avoid dwelling on the past or future.
• Right Speech: Speak kindly and truthfully.
• Right Action: Act kindly toward all living things and do not be attached to the results of actions.
• Right Work: Have a vocation that does not harm others.
• Right Effort: Be determined to cleanse the mind.
• Right Mindfulness: Be fully aware of what one is doing, with concern for others.
• Right Concentration: Intensely concentrate during meditation to focus on being one with any situation.

Five Precepts

• These precepts are guidelines for Buddhist lay people to control improper physical, and verbal behaviour that might cause suffering.
• Abstain from killing or harming living beings.
• Abstain from stealing.
• Abstain from improper sexual conduct.
• Abstain from false speech.
• Abstain from alcohol and harmful drugs.

Three Marks of Existence

• Anicca (Impermanence): Nothing is permanent; everything is changing all the time.
• Dukkha (Suffering): All life involves suffering, including physical pain, illness, and boredom.
• Anatta (Not Self): There is no permanent identity or existence; a person is made up of five parts: body, feeling, perception, mental actions, and awareness.

Buddhist Rituals and Practice

• Two main sectors: Theravada and Mahayana.
• Rituals aid in spiritual development, understanding Buddha's teachings, and encouraging mindfulness and compassion.
• Meditation is a core practice, focusing on mindfulness and mental clarity.
• Common meditation types: Samatha (calm abiding) and Vipassana (insight).
• Chanting (Puja) involves reciting sacred texts (sutras and mantras) to purify the mind and connect with teachings.
• Offering rituals symbolize gratitude and letting go of attachment, with common offerings like flowers, incense, food, water, and candles.
• Prostrations and bowing show reverence and humility toward the Buddha or spiritual teachers.
• Wesak/Vesak celebrates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death.
• Ullambana is a ritual to honour deceased ancestors.
• Initiation rituals (Pravrajya) involve an ordination ceremony where one commits to monastic life, shaving their head and receiving robes.
• Prayer wheels are spun to release prayers into the universe.
• Mandalas are intricate patterns used in meditation and rituals.

Reincarnation

• Until enlightenment and nirvana are achieved, death is the end of one life and the beginning of another.
• Death involves the passing of merit to the next rebirth.
• Merit is accumulated through wholesome deeds and intentions, creating good karma.
• Karma is the law of cause and effect, where one’s thoughts and actions determine their fate in the next life.

Theistic Religion: Nonotheistic/Polytheistic

• Buddhism is nontheistic, not centering around gods but not necessarily denying their existence.
• There is no creator god in Buddhism.
• Some traditions include gods (devas) who are not central to the religion as a whole.
• Devas live in heavenly realms and have great powers but are still part of samsara and are not eternal.
• Theravada focuses on the teachings of the historical Buddha, where gods play a minor role.
• Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are treated like deities in devotional practices but are not gods; they are enlightened beings who help others reach enlightenment.

Supernatural Figures

• Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin in China, Kannon in Japan) is the Bodhisattva of compassion.
• Manjushri is the Bodhisattva of wisdom, carrying a flaming sword and a book of wisdom.
• Tara (Green) is known for helping people in times of trouble or fear, while White Tara symbolizes healing, long life, and serenity.
• Vairocana is the cosmic Buddha, representing the embodiment of the Dharma.
• Amitabha is the ruler of the western pure world.
• Kumari is a young girl believed to be the human incarnation of the Hindu goddess Taleju maintained by Buddhists in Nepalese culture.

Behavioural Expectations

• Buddhists must maintain a calm and serene demeanour.
• They are expected not to cry, laugh loudly, or show excessive emotion.