Buddhism: Three Marks of Existence

• Buddhism entails various beliefs and practices central to its tradition
• Practices involve living according to the Eightfold Path, following the Five Precepts, participating in the Sangha, and engaging in meditation and devotion
• Three core beliefs are the Three Marks of Existence, the nature of human beings, and concepts of Samsara and Nibbana

Three Marks of Existence

• Key concept in Buddhism for understanding how to overcome suffering
• Include Anicca (impermanence), Anatta (no-self), and Dukkha (suffering)
• All apply universally
• Heavily interconnected and inseparable

Anicca (Impermanence)

• Literally translated as "impermanence"
• All things are constantly changing
• Not accepting impermanence leads to craving, resulting in suffering and dissatisfaction (Dukkha)
• Realizing the impermanence in reality is key to ending suffering by reducing craving (Tanha)
• Supports accepting loss and gives hope
• Helps avoid materialism
• Supported by science
• Acknowledges the link between cravings and suffering
• Advertisement plays to the desire for newness

Anicca Practice - Mandala Creation

• Understanding that attachment is bad
• Creates detailed sand patterns
• Symbolic teaching of impermanence as the mandala is destroyed in a ceremony

Anatta (No-Self)

• Means living beings have no soul and no unchanging essence
• Applied to humans
• Everything changes over time
• "I" is merely a name for a collection of ever changing things
• Consists of five fundamental parts called Skandhas, physical matter, sensations, perception, mental formations, and consciousness
• Buddhists avoid concern with appearance, let go of ego, act compassionately, and improve themselves
• Like a chariot's parts, humans are parts in constant flux (the 5 Skandhas)

Dukkha (Suffering)

• Translated as suffering or general unsatisfactoriness
• Caused by the three root poisons (greed, hatred, and ignorance) which lead to suffering
• Ending suffering breaks the cycle of Samsara and moves closer to Nibbana
• Accepts both good and bad will occur
• Encourages a realistic worldly view
• Provides the desire to meditate

Dukkha Practice - the story of Kisa and the mustard seed

• A woman learns of the universal nature of suffering
• Understood not to become too attached since everything will come to an end

Kamma

• Meaning "doing" or "action", affecting rebirth based on past actions
• Not generated by all actions, but only those with ethical content
• The law of cause and effect
• No soul (Anatta), the kammic energy passes from life to life
• Good and bad dependent on skillful and unskillful actions
• Actions come about from the intention rather than what happens

Parable of the Burning House

• Father lies to save his children
• A good, skillful decision even though lying is bad
• Acts of kindness lead to Nibbana
• Encourages careful thought before acting
• Discourages selfishness
• Welcomes acceptance as a consequence
• Means we are all connected

Three Root Poisons & Tanha

• Negative states of mind driving unskillful actions
• Ignorance, Greed/Lust and Hatred/Anger
• Ignorance, the most important, leads to misconceptions about reality
• Clinging to illusions causes craving (Tanha) and invariably leads to suffering (Dukkha)
• Highlights the causes that fuels negative thoughts and actions
• Allows behavior change in Buddhists

Tanha

• Means craving
• Explains why people suffer, because reality is impermanent
• Promotes acceptance to overcome suffering
• Encourages participation in teachings and observances

Beliefs about the Buddha

• Buddhists follow the Dhamma
• The individual who became the enlightened one 2500 years ago in India was named Siddhartha Gautama
• Enlightenment means knowing how to overcome suffering
• Those who follow the Buddha and his teachings believe one can overcome suffering

Gautama Buddha

• Son of a wealthy king
• Predicted to become a religious leader if he ever saw the ills of the world
• Gave up his wealth to understand the meaning of the world

Importance of the Buddha

• Offers teaching about illusion
• The world is suffering and this is an explanation
• Possible to reach enlightenment and offers Inspiration
• Is not a god and this is why one can follow his actions

Samsara (Cycle of Rebirth)

• The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth filled with suffering
• One hopes to eventual escape
• No reincarnation because no soul
• Instead, kamma accumulates positive or negative effects
• Impacts your 'rebirth'
• Cycle continues due to impermanence and thirst
• One must understand their position in the cycle

The wheel of life

• Depicts the never ending struggle with the three root poisons, greed, hatred and ignorance
• Emphasizing everything is in a cause and effect cycle

Nibbana

• State where craving, ignorance, and suffering cease to exist
• The end
• Achieved only upon your own and by ending cravings
• There are two states, with remainder and without
• Is the ultimate goal that is achieved by following Buddha's way
• Bodhisattva means 'being of enlightenment
• To reach this, must strive for both inspiration and teaching
• A Buddhist has a compassionate mind

Eightfold Path

• The middle way to reach enlightenment
• Ethical and mental development path to liberation, Nibbana
• All eight steps are used at the same time, not one at a time
• Developed over three levels, Wisdom, morality and mental training

Levels of the Eightfold Path

Wisdom

• Right View requires the student to understand the 3 Marks
• Right Intention the student must desire to live a life of freedom and be unselfish with actions

Morality

• Right Speech, avoid lying; do not be hurtful and to have self control of your tone
• Right Action, aim to control your morality
• Right Livelihood, living a principled life by being mindful of actions

Mindfulness

• Right Effort, be aware and determine how you think
• Right Mindfulness, is about being clear on your intention and purpose

The Five Precepts

• Provide a path for acting out the Eightfold path
• Help to build good kamma
• Abstaining shows how to work toward enlightenment

Precepts to abstain from

• Abstaining from taking a life shows love
• Abstaining from taking shows generosity
• Abstaining from sexual misconduct shows respect
• Abstaining from bad speech shows honesty
• Abstaining from drugs and alcohol shows mindfulness

Sangha

• Comprised of the followers of Buddha
• Laity - ordinary people who are not monks
• Ordained - are monks, nuns and priests

Purpose of the Sangha

• Preserves the importance of teachings
• Community support is valued to help teach the teachings, and provide support to support others
• Provides support to those who are seeking enlightenment
• There should have right beliefs toward the purpose
• One should value meditation

Meditation

• Key part of Eightfold Path, involving Right Effort, Mindfulness and Concentration for purifying the mind
• Transformation possible only through clear thoughts
• Two main types Samatha and Vipassana
• The Lotus position, body should be relaxed

Samatha

• The concentration which helps Buddhists clear the mind

Vipassana

• The goal is insight to better understand the ways of the world
• A meditation practice involving the concept of Anatta

Devotion (Puja)

• Love, loyalty or enthusiasm for a person or activity
• Devotion comes from action
• Devotion leads to good moral conduct
• By doing devotions you develop a great attitude toward the mind

Pilgrimage

• Going to a important place to show devotion
• This has three principles of right worship, the right faith, community

Purpose of Devotion

• To help build strength toward right mind and action
• Used to better understand Anicca
• Practice helps toward self reflection and contemplation

Explore core beliefs and practices in Buddhism, focusing on the Three Marks of Existence: Anicca (impermanence), Anatta (no-self), and Dukkha (suffering). Understanding these interconnected concepts is key to overcoming suffering and dissatisfaction by reducing craving. Embracing impermanence promotes acceptance, hope, and detachment from materialism.