Buddhavacana
Damien Keown (c 1951-Present CE)
Matthew Meghaprasara. (c19??-present)
2.1: The Buddha
· India used to follow Brahmanism.
· Brahmans and Brahmins.
§ Universal soul = Atman.
§ Vivekananda:
· "I am the Atman."
o Very personal, affirms the self unlike Buddhist enlightenment in which the self is seen as an illusion.
· Caste system.
· Brahmanism developed into Hinduism.
Brahmanism influences on Buddhism:
· The Buddha accepted Yogic meditation and the idea of the cycle of samsara from Brahmanism.
· Also accepted the idea of karma.
· Reincarnation added to Cycle of Samsara, Nirvana adapted to fit the 4NT model.
· He did, however, reject the Caste system (unfair), Atman (replaced with Anatta), animal sacrifices (ahimsa).
· Ajivakas:
· Influenced Buddhism with the idea of Impersonal destiny but Buddha rejected extreme asceticism.
· Jains:
· Had the idea of Ahimsa; however, the Buddha did reject the idea of a personal atman.
§ Mahavira (Jain leader at the time of the Buddha) introduce ideas of the Soul being covered with a "fine dust" of negative karma.
· Yoga was understood to:
· Link the mind and the body.
· Life of asceticism based on 5 yannas or 'prohibitions', including stealing and killing.
· Origin of Asana posture and 4 Jhanas.
The Buddha's life:
· 6 acts of the Buddha:
1. Conception.
2. Birth.
3. Worldly accomplishment.
4. Youth.
5. Leaving the palace.
6. Ascetic.
· Buddha's birth myths:
o Conception: Earthquake and heavenly light.
o Birth: Standing Birth, painless, caused an earthquake, Baby could walk and talk.
§ Bhikkhu Nanam:
· "A great measureless light surpassing the splendour of the Gods appeared in the world."
· Buddha's accomplishments:
o Meditation under the Rose Apple Tree at ploughing festival.
o Proficient in wrestling and archery.
o Married at the age of 18.
o 4 sights when he left the palace:
§ Age.
§ Disease.
§ Corpse.
§ Ascetic.
· Bhikkhu Nanam:
o "The vanity of life entirely left me."
· His life as an ascetic:
o Aid "unborn, unaging, undying."
o Had teachers.
§ Alara Kalana:
· Taught him the idea of meditation.
o Spiritual awakening.
· They did disagree on the nature of rebirth.
o Kalama said there was no rebirth, but Buddha emphasized it.
§ Allowed the doctrine of anatta.
§ Uddaka Ramaputta:
· Introduced the idea of the dharma and "neither perception or non-perception" as a tranquil state.
· However, the Buddha found mere tranquillity not enough
o Argued in Kalama Sutta that this was "not the doctrine of the undying I long for."
o Extreme asceticism in woods, hair fell out, ate faeces.
o Gave up and ate rice and milk...
After asceticism:
· He had experienced all the extremes of life.
o Realised the 'middle way.'
§ Mahayana:
· Insight into Sunyata, halfway between existence and non-existence.
§ Theravada:
· Eightfold Path.
· To become enlightened the Buddha went to Bodh Gaya.
o '3 watches' on the night of the Buddha's awakening:
§ Achieved all stages of Jhana, gained First Super knowledge (memory of all past lives.)
§ Universal pity and vision, Second Super knowledge ('the heavenly eye').
§ End of ignorance, Highest Super knowledge (destruction of outflows).
· These are known as the 'Stream entering' steps.
§ 4 Jhanas:
· 1. Disappearance of the 5 hindrances
2. Applied and sustained 1-pointedness
3. Rapture
4. Happiness and peace
· Mara:
o A God who entraps people in sensual desire, influences Samsara, often a metaphor for inner desire/temptation. (Bad one!)
§ Urges Gotama to abandon quest and take up conventional religious life with good karma.
· Buddha's first sermon = Sarnath in the Deer Park.
o Set in motion the 'Dhamma-eye' after Kond'anna became enlightened by the teachings.
§ Dhamma-eye:
· The spread of teachings about Dhamma which will eventually lead to all being enlighted.
· Parable of the poisoned arrow:
o If a man is shot by an arrow, he does not ask why he was shot or who by, he removes the arrow.
§ Pragmatism of Buddhism- metaphysics unhelpful, cure to suffering is what's important.
The Buddha's death:
· Saddened by death of Bimbisara and assassins from failed Devadatta order.
· Ill after bad pork and Mushrooms. (Vegetarianism!)
· Died in Kusinara.
· Cremated.
· 6 day reverance.
· Parinibbana:
o Nirvana after death.
o Mahayana:
§ Ascended to heavenly realm, still reachable.
o Theravada:
§ End of Buddhist path, now in "Bliss of Nirvana", Dead and gone.
o Armstrong:
§ "Childhood had been spent in an unawakened state".
§ "Gotama had been fighting his human nature".
§ "disinterested compassion".
§ On Buddha's teachings:
· "Going forth from humanity."
Life and Work of the Buddha- K Armstrong and N Bhikkhu
· N Bhikkhu on Buddha’s changing on Karma = the worldview is ‘lead by the mind’
· N Bhikkhu on Buddha’s time in the palace = ‘delicate, supremely delicate’
· N Bhikkhu on the 4 sights = ‘the vanity of youth entirely left me’
· Armstrong on the founding of the Sangha = ‘a brilliant critique of the Vedic system’
· Armstrong on Buddha’s teachings = ‘going forth from humanity’
· Armstrong on Buddha’s struggle = ‘Gotama had been fighting with his human nature’
· Armstrong on the Rose Apple Tree = ‘the little boy gazed at the carnage and felt a strange sorrow'