Religion 234 Exam 2

nirvana

"Extinction" - the goal of Buddhist practice. At the moment of nirvana, the highest insight into the nature of reality is attained. Desire, ignorance, and hatred are finally extinguished. No further karma is created that would keep an enlightened person (a Buddha) in the cycle of rebirth (samsara). The historical Buddha achieved complete enlightenment, or nirvana, after meditating under the Bodhi tree and purifying his mind to the highest degree. When the Buddha attained nirvana, he neutralized all of his previous karma. Does not happen when one takes the Bodhisatva vow.

gongan (koan)

"public case", a brief anecdote or statement made by a former Chan master, used as a focus of meditation. Dahui Zonggao popularized gongan, or koan in Japanese, meditation. In Chan Buddhist usage, it is a short question, or an anecdote involving one of the great Tang dynasty masters, which has no logical answer and is used as a focus of meditation. A teacher assigns a gongan to a student who meditates on it until he or she comes up with a response, not necessarily an answer, which demonstrates to the teacher that a new level of enlightenment has been reached. The purpose of gongan is to exhaust the rational mind until it allows one's intuitive enlightenment to express itself.

abstinence from grains

Abstinence from grains is a Daoist fasting technique associated with achieving transcendence, or immortality. Grains were the basic staple food for peasants and a refusal to eat them was a rejection of the sedentary life and the peasant condition. Agriculture was seen as the culprit in the imbalances of human civilization, the systematic destruction of the natural environment. This belief wan be seen as part of the tensions between Confucians and Daoists. The Confucian's viewed primordial times as a period of starvation, of violence and wilderness, while the Daoists viewed them as a golden age of Eden-like bliss.

Amitabha

Amitabha is the principle Buddha in Pure Land Buddhism. Amitabha made several vows while still a bodhisattva. His central vow was that, if he were to achieve the complete enlightenment of a Buddha, he would preside over the Pure Land, into which he would cause anyone who faithfully called on his name to be reborn. It would not be nirvana, but it would be a long lifetime with no suffering, spent in the company of Amitabha and many bodhisattvas. From there the person would be reborn one final time as a human and instantly achieve Buddhahood. The penultimate life in the Pure Land would therefore be a rewards for faith in the compassion and salvific power of Amitabha and would be the last step before nirvana

4 Sights

Before the historical Buddha achieved enlightenment, he was Siddhartha Gautama, the son of a Raj who shielded him from all suffering of the world. He became curious about the world outside and he snuck out of the palace four times. Each time he saw something he had never seen before. The first sight was a very old person, the second a diseased person, and the third a corpse. On the fourth night Siddhartha saw a wandering holy person, who seemed to have transcended suffering and vowed to follow that path. He left his family and luxurious lifestyle to become a wandering ascetic.

Chan Buddhism present itself as a return to the teachings and practice of the historical Buddha. In what ways does Chan make a connection with Shakyamuni, and in what ways can Chan be seen to express Mahayana developments in Buddhism?

Chan Buddhism traces its lineage back to a story about the Buddha and one of his disciples, Kasyapa. Once, when the Buddha was about to preach and his disciples were gathered around him, he merely held up a flower saying nothing. All of the disciples looked puzzled except Kasyapa, who smiled in understanding, The Buddha handed him the flower and said that he was passing down to Kasyapa a teaching beyond words. Chan describes itself as a "mind-to-mind transmission" that cannot be captured by words and regards Kasyapa as its 1st patriarch. When Kasyapa reached Enlightenment, it was the first transmission of the Dharma, making him the first patriarch of the Buddha. This connects to Mahayana Buddhism ____ all sentient beings have Buddha nature, and potential for enlightenment. Story of Huineng an illiterate kitchen helper composes a verse in a competition for Hongren's successor. Hongren sees genuine enlightenment in his verse and names him his successor. The Heart Sutra, one of the most important writings of Mahayana Buddhism, speaks about non-duality of form and emptiness: "form is emptiness, emptiness is form". Finally, the idea of the ideal of the Bodhisattva: Avalokitesvara embodies the striving for compassion

international & external alchemy

Daoism focuses on the balances of yin and yang in one's life. Internal alchemy focuses on the body and how you are able to use the Three Treasures: Qi, Jing, and Shen, to bring balance to your life. These are the energies that make up life. Inner alchemy uses techniques such as: composed meditation techniques, visualization, breathing and bodily posture exercises. Breathing exercises were used to preserve jing or "life essence" and bodily postures were used to improve qi or "energy" flow in the body. External alchemy refers to the practices relating to the process of making an elixir often containing herbal or chemical substances found outside of the body. This process involves esoteric oral instructions, building a laboratory, kindling and sustaining the special fires used in the production process, rules of seclusion and purification for the alchemist to follow and various practices including the performance of ceremonies to protect the self and the ritual area. External alchemy can also include following a dietary regimen which prescribes or proscribes certain foods.

(1) The body is the Bodhi tree, the mind is like a clear mirror. At all ties we must strive to polish it, and must not let the dust collect. (2) Bodhi originally has no tree, the mirror also has no stand. Buddha nature is always clean and pure; Where is there room for dust?

Excerpt from the Platform Sutra of the Sixth patriarch of Chan Buddhism. The selection tells the story of how the Sixth Patriarch was chosen by the Fifth Patriarch. The Fifth Patriarch asked the monks to write a verse to show enlightenment. Hui-neng, impoverished and illiterate, after hearing the first verse which had been written by the head monk, Shen-hsui, wrote the second verse. The Fifth Patriarch saw that Hui-neng's verse showed his understanding and expounded the Diamond Sutra to him, after which he was immediately enlightened and named the Sixth Patriarch.

What Buddhist themes are conveyed in the parable of the person who sacrificed himself to the hungry tigress (or lioness)? Why is this story particularly influential in the Mahayana tradition? What are some of the ways themes from this story have reappeared throughout the Buddhist tradition?

In Jakarta legend, Mahsattva, a prince and Buddha in his past life, was with his brothers when he heard an animal crying. He went into the woods and found a tiger (or lion, in some versions of the story) who had just given birth and was too week to feed the newborn cubs. The tigress could die and the cubs would die, or it could eat its cubs to regain its strength. Mahsattva decides that he must sacrifice himself for the tiger to eat. In this story, the themes of suffering, anatman, compassion, self-sacrifice for the greater good and egalitarianism are common themes that reappear in Buddhist tradition. One of the things the Buddha realized once he reached Enlightenment was suffering is the root of all problems in society. Once suffering is eliminated, it is easier to reach Enlightenment. In this story, Mahsattva witnessed suffering and wanted to eliminate it. Anatman, or no self, self-sacrifice and egalitarianism all play to the same part of this story. Mahsattva self-sacrificed himself because he believed human lives and animal lives were equal. He had no sense of self and did not believe he was worth more than the tiger. Finally, compassion is commonly seen throughout Buddhist tradition. It is important to have compassion for others, and not just yourself. Mahsattva loved this tiger, even though it was not his tiger.

If there be countless hundred thousand myriad kotis of living beings suffering from pain and distress who hear of this Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, and with all their mind call upon his name, the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World will instantly regard their cries, and all of them will be delivered.

In the Lotus Sutra, in which the Bodhisattva Infinite Thought asked the Buddha for what reason the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara named Regarder of the Cries of the World. This excerpt is from the part of the Lotus Sutra where the Buddha answers the question. The Lotus Sutra represents the religious nature of Mahayana Buddhism.

Mahayana

Mahayana Buddhism is one of the two main branches of Buddhism, spread throughout East Asia. The term Mahayana means, "Larger Vehicle". Mahayana Buddhism was based on new scriptures and sutras. The chief model for enlightenment in Mahayana is the bodhisattva, a being who has achieved enlightenment, but who vows to remain in samsara until all other sentient beings are enlightened. As Buddhism spread through northern India and Central Asia it assimilated local gods, redefining them as Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Mahayana Buddhism can be regarded as a theistic tradition, with multiple Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as the chief objects of worship. In Mahayana, the possibility of enlightenment in this life is explicitly granted to laypeople.

anatman

One of the central doctrines in Buddhism is that the atman, the immortal soul of every human being, is immortal unchanging and absolute. It denies the reality of any independent, unchanging, autonomous selfhood. After death the atman is reborn into a new body. It was thought that, through being living multiple lives one could purify their souls enough to rejoin the Brahman. The Buddha repudiated the idea of atman, declaring a doctrine of anatman, or "no-self". The term literally means "no atman", that there is no immortal, unchanging self or soul. It is a premise of Buddhism that all things are impermanent, that all things that exist are momentary states, or dharmas.

Pure Land

Pure Land is the paradise believers of Pure Land Buddhism hope to be reborn. Pure Land Buddhism is a Chinese branch of Mahayana Buddhism. One of the premises of Pure Land Buddhism was that the present age, the period of disunity between the Han and Sui-Tang, was in decline. Sakyamuni is the Buddha of the present cosmic cycle, but this cosmos will come to an end and a new one will appear presided over by a new Buddha. Believing that they were living in this final age, Pure Land teachers felt that people of their day required the compassion and "grace" of Amitabha Buddha in order to transcend samsara via the Pure Land. The basic practice in Pure Land is not meditation but chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha, it can be done silently or out loud, individually or in groups, without any alteration of one's ordinary lifestyle.

Taishang Laojun

Taishang Laojun, or Lord Lao of the Most High, was the common name for Taiqing, The Grand Pure One. He is the sources of the revelations to the Celestial Masters of Daoism. One of the most famous Celestial Masters of Daoism is Laozi, a philosopher and poet of ancient China. He is known as the founder of philosophical Daoism. Laozi was said to be a contemporary of Confucius during the 6th or 5th century BCE. According to traditional accounts, Laozi was a scholar who worked for the royal court of Zhou. The stories say that he never opened a formal school but nonetheless attracted a large number of students and loyal disciples. Laozi grew weary of the moral decay of life in Chengzhou and ventured west to live as a hermit in the unsettled frontier at the age of 160. At the western gate of the city, he was recognized by the guard Yinxi. The sentry asked the old master to record his wisdom for the good of the country before he would be permitted to pass. The text Laozi wrote was said to be the Dao de Jing.

However innumerable the sentient beings, I vow to save them all. However inexhaustible the passion, I vow to extinguish them all. However immeasurable the dharmas, I vow to master them all. However incomparable the truth of the Buddha, I vow to attain it.

The Four vows of Bodhisattva. If one becomes a Bodhisattva, they must agree to never reach nirvana. However, if they do reach nirvana on their own, they must keep going through the cycle of death and rebirth (samsara) over and over again. In Mahayana Buddhism, a Boddhisvata is a being who has achieved enlightenment, but who vows to remain in samsara until all sentient beings are enlightened characterized by wisdom and compassion.

Lotus Sutra

The Lotus Sutra is one of the most popular and influential Mahayana sutras and is a discourse delivered by the Buddha toward the end of his life. It is the Central text of Tiantai Buddhism. The key message is that the ability to become a Buddha - a condition of absolute happiness, freedom from free and from all illusions - is inherent in all life. The development of this infer life state enables all people to overcome their problems and live a fulfilled and active life, fully engaged with others and with society. The Lotus sutra asserts the ultimate reality of the Buddha nature inherent in all life. The sutra is unique among the teachings of Shakyamuni in that it makes the attainment of enlightenment a possibility open to all people, without distinction based on gender, race, social standing or education.

bodhisattva

The term Bodhisattva has different meanings in the different branches of Buddhism. In Theravada Buddhism, it means a Buddha to be, or enlightened being, referring directly and exclusively to Shakyamuni in all of his previous lives before becoming the Buddha. In Mahayana Buddhism, a Boddhisvata is a being who vows to remain in samsara until all beings are enlightened. This refers to people that take the Bodhisattva vow and follow the path of compassion, or to a class of divine beings who can be worshipped in order to reach enlightenment to aid the world.

samsara

The term Samsara literally means cycle, and refers to the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The new person is determined by unresolved karma. In Buddhism, there are six levels of samsara in which one can be reborn, depending on one's karma: gods, demigods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and demons. However living eternally also means dying eternally, even though souls may be immortal and inviolate, to undergo the suffering of aging, disease and death for eternity is undesirable. From this arose the Buddhist desire to liberate oneself from the cycle of samsara.

Theravada

Theravada Buddhism was one of the two main branches of Buddhism. "Way of the Elders", the sole surviving school of several that flourished before the development of Mahayana. Found in South/Southeast Asia. Theravada is based on the teachings of the original Buddha. The chief model for enlightenment is Sakyamuni Buddha, who was a Buddha-to-be, or bodhisattva in his previous lives. Theravada accepts the existence of gods, it believes they are irrelevant to the Buddhist path; they can be of assistance for worldly goals, but they cannot help one achieve enlightenment, because they have not achieved it themselves, they are still in samsara. In Theravada, lay Buddhists are considered to be following the Eightfold Path, but they are not as far along the path as monks and nuns.

"I have just seen these two demons entirely devour the body that my mother and father gave birth to. Now my present body is entirely constituted by the flesh of another. Do I or do I no longer actually have a body? If I say I do, it is someone else's body; if I say I don't there is nonetheless a body here that looks very real."

This is an excerpt from the parable of The Man Who Lost His Body, the story of a layman who comes to the very existential realization of no-self. A man on a long journey spent the night in a deserted house. In the middle of the night a demon came in carrying a corpse, which he set down on the floor. Then another demon came in and argued with the first demon over whom the dead man belonged to. The demons then asked the traveler which demon the body belonged to. The traveler told them that it was the first demon who brought in the body. The second demon, angry, tore off the traveler's arms, legs, head and torso, but the second demon replaced them with corresponding parts from the corpse. Then the two demons devoured the original body of the travel. Following this the traveler became very troubled and the next day saw a group of monks. He asked them whether his body existed. After hearing what had happened to the traveler, the monks told him that from the beginning his body has always been devoid of Self, that there is no difference between his original boy and his current body. The monks converted the traveler to Buddhism and he cut of all defilements and achieved enlightenment.

"He dreamt that he was an official with important responsibilities, enjoying a life of glory and prosperity. For fifty years his star kept rising, he had several wives and many children and grandchildren, when suddenly he became implicated in a scandal. His family was executed or scattered, and he himself was exiled. Abandoned and miserable, he was bemoaning the vicissitudes of human fate, when suddenly he awoke . . . "

This is from the Immortals, telling the story of one of the Eight Immortals, Lu Tung-pin, who is described as a carefree dropout. In his legend, he returned from a visit to the capital, he met an old man at an inn who invited him for a drink. While waiting for the wine to be warmed, Lu took a nap and had a dream. After waking, the wine was not warm. The old man said laughing, Lu then realized that it was his host that made him have this dream and that he was Chung-li Ch'uan, an immortal. Chung-li told him that he must accomplish three thousand good deeds before he teaches him, and then help him he would teach Lu how to turn stones into gold. By giving people in need the gold, he would be able to do much good, but told him the gold would return to stone after a thousand years. Lu then rejected Chung-li offer because his good deeds of today would bring harm to people of later times. Chung-li told him that because his answer showed that his kindness already extended to future generations Lu's 3000 good deeds were considered accomplished at that moments. Chung-li then taught Lu Tung-pin Inner alchemy and Lu became Chung-li's companion in his wanderings.

A special transmission outside the teaching, Not based on the written word; Directly pointing to the human mind, Achieving Buddhahood by seeing one's nature.

Verse Attributed to Bodhidharma, for Zen Buddhism. Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th or 6th century. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China, and regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. He loved to meditate, and felt like sleep would get in his way, so he ripped off his eyelids. Where his eyelids landed, a tea plant sprouted. His first disciple was Hui-Ko, a Chinese monk. Bodhidharma was meditating for so long, Hui-Ko ripped off his arm to show how serious he was about learning from the Bodhidharma. This text refers to the first lineage transmission, or, Kasyapa from the historical Buddha down his descendents, and eventually reaching the Bodhidharma. The Dao is not the Dao if it can be spoken

In the classical Buddhist tradition represented by Theravada, based on the teachings of the historical Buddha, what exactly occurs during nirvana? As a result, what exactly did the Buddha wake up to?

When someone reaches nirvana, their karma is extinguished and they no longer go through samsara. Before the Buddha woke up from nirvana, he was able to purify his mind to the highest degree and reached enlightenment. During nirvana, the Buddha extinguished all his previous karma. When he woke up, he was awakened to the truths of the cause and solution to suffering, known as the Four Noble Truths. The Four Noble Truths are: all life involves suffering, the cause of suffering is desire, to eliminate suffering, you must eliminate craving, and finally, the was to eliminate craving is to follow the Eightfold Path. Part of the Eightfold Path includes the Doctrine of No-self, or Anatman. Anatman says there is no un-changing, no permanent self, soul or essence in living beings. When we are empty of self, it is easier to eliminate suffering and craving.

The historical Siddhartha Gautama adopted an extreme ascetic life after leaving his fathers palace, where he lived in extreme luxury. He practiced for several years, but brought no solution to the problem of suffering, and also made him so weak that he couldn't practice any more. As a result he gave up on the path of extreme austerity and follow compromise between his early life of indulgence and the life of extreme self-denial. He called this the Middle Path.

ascetic Buddha

The footprint of the Buddha is an imprint of one or both of Buddha's feet. There are two forms: natural, as found in stone or rock, and those made artificially. They are an early aniconic and symbolic representation of the Buddha. The footprints are meant to remind people that Buddha was present on earth and left a spiritual 'path' to be followed. They are the only monuments that give Buddha a physical presence on earth.

footprint of the buddha

A reclining Buddha is a statue that represents Buddha lying down, reaching parinirvana. It is a major iconographic and statuary pattern of Buddhism. He is lying on the right flank, his head resting on a cushion or relying on his right elbow, supporting his head with his hand. The image represents the historical Buddha during his last illness, about to enter the Parinirvana. In Theravada Buddhism, parinirvana is the final nirvana, that only occurs at the death of a Buddha or any enlightened being, after which there is no further rebirth.

parinirvana

Buddha's teaching of the path to Nirvana, since the time of early Buddhism.

wheel of the Dharma