Buddhism

There are around 500 million Buddhists

Most Buddhist countries in East Asia are less than 1% Christian.

70-98% Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bhutan, Sri Lanka ; 40-65% Tibet, Laos, Viet Nam, Japan, Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong, Mongolia; 17-25% China, S Korea, Malaysia.

Is intertwined with nationalism and ethnicity.

Buddhism

around 560 B.C. Siddhartha Gautama was born in Nepal

He was deeply troubled when he encountered suffering for the first time

He began to search for the source of suffering and how to eliminate it

Attained enlightenment after six years

The Four Noble Truths

Life is dukkha (suffering)

Cause of dukkha is tanha-thirst for existence, selfish craving

They way to end dukkha is by overcoming tanha

This can be done by following the eight-fold path

Eight-fold Path

Wisdom/Insight 1. Right Understanding 2. Right Attitude

Ethical conduct/morality 3. Right Speech 4. Right Action 5. Right Way of living

Eight-fold Path

Mental Discipline 6. Right Effort 7. Right Awareness 8. Right concentration

Basic Buddhist Concepts

Nirvana-the end goal-it is the extinction of the boundaries of the finite self

The human self-has no soul (anatta) no separate identity which lives on after death

Transmigration-like a wave-nothing is permanent

The five aggregates (skandhas)

Matter or form: a mass of foam

Feeling or sensation: a water bubble

Perception: a mirage

Mental formations: without substance

consciousness: a mock show

Buddhism Today

Mahayana Buddhism: enlightenment is available to everyone. Pali Canon plus later writings from Tibet, Japan, China, India. Found in Hong Kong, China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam

Theravada Buddhism: The Way of the Elders, enlightenment available to the few. Pali Canon only. Found in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos

Buddhism Today

Zen Buddhism-a world of nonsense dialogue, obscure riddles, paradoxes, contradictions. Seeking to go beyond reason.

Tibetan/Tantra Buddhism-use of all of the energies in the human make-up to develop spiritual power.

Dalai Lama is the exiled spiritual and political leader of Tibet. Believed to be the 14th reincarnation of Avalokiteshvara.

The Dalai Lama

Believes that Buddhism is the best for him but no religion is the best for everyone.

“Frankly speaking, my own happiness is mainly due to my own good karma. It is a fundamental Buddhist belief that my own suffering is due to my mistakes. If some good things happen, that is mainly due to my own good actions, not something related to a direct connection with Buddha.”

Building Bridges

Listen!

Look for similarities-Desire, moral life, self-discipline, mind is important, compassion

Bridge through literature