Where are we at?Where are we at?

This week (wk 12) – BuddhismThis week (wk 12) – Buddhism Next week (wk 13) – IslamNext week (wk 13) – Islam Week 14 (begins 2 June) last week of Week 14 (begins 2 June) last week of

lectureslectures Week 15 (begins 9 June) no lecture, but Week 15 (begins 9 June) no lecture, but

tutestutes

Coherence Systems - BuddhismCoherence Systems - Buddhism

Not to commit evilNot to commit evil

But to do all that is goodBut to do all that is good

And to keep one’s thought pure -And to keep one’s thought pure -

This is the teaching of all the This is the teaching of all the BuddhasBuddhas

Coherence Systems - ObjectivesCoherence Systems - Objectives

On successful completion of this module, you On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:should be able to:

  identify the principal religious traditions of identify the principal religious traditions of Australia, Asia and the Pacific, and those Australia, Asia and the Pacific, and those countries where each is practisedcountries where each is practised

describe key ideasdescribe key ideas of each religious of each religious tradition included in this moduletradition included in this module

Coherence Systems - ObjectivesCoherence Systems - Objectives

identify the central source booksidentify the central source books or written or written record (if any) of each religious traditionrecord (if any) of each religious tradition

identify the ways in which a particular identify the ways in which a particular religious tradition can affect the behaviour religious tradition can affect the behaviour of believers of believers

Overview of today’s workOverview of today’s work

Discussion of Buddhist teaching by reference Discussion of Buddhist teaching by reference to the parable of the mustard seedsto the parable of the mustard seeds

Buddhist answers to our three organising Buddhist answers to our three organising questionsquestions

A note on Buddhist scripturesA note on Buddhist scriptures The geographical spread of Buddhism and The geographical spread of Buddhism and

Zen BuddhismZen Buddhism

Buddha’s Parable of the Mustard Buddha’s Parable of the Mustard SeedsSeeds

The daughter of a poor The daughter of a poor family married, and, family married, and, because she was from because she was from a poor family, she was a poor family, she was contemptuously contemptuously treated. When she treated. When she gave birth to a son she gave birth to a son she was treated with was treated with respect. However, ….respect. However, ….

Four Issues for DiscussionFour Issues for Discussion

The image of the Buddha as a teacherThe image of the Buddha as a teacher Links between Buddhism and Links between Buddhism and

HinduismHinduism The attachment of the mother to her The attachment of the mother to her

sonson Buddha’s reference to a universal lawBuddha’s reference to a universal law

The Buddha as TeacherThe Buddha as Teacher

Siddartha Siddartha GautamaGautama

Born 563 BCE in Born 563 BCE in North East IndiaNorth East India

His self-disciplineHis self-discipline His enlightenmentHis enlightenment

Links Between Buddhism and Links Between Buddhism and HinduismHinduism

Cremation Cremation practicespractices

Ideas of Ideas of inequality and inequality and karmakarma

The Mother’s Feelings for Her The Mother’s Feelings for Her SonSon

Loss and grief seem Loss and grief seem “natural”“natural”

Buddhists see death Buddhists see death differentlydifferently

Peace comes from Peace comes from acceptance that all acceptance that all things are things are impermanentimpermanent

The Buddha’s Universal LawThe Buddha’s Universal Law

The idea that The idea that change, decay and change, decay and death death areare inevitable, inevitable, that that they affect they affect everyone and everyone and everythingeverything, , ushered ushered in Buddha’s in Buddha’s teaching of the teaching of the “Four Noble Truths”“Four Noble Truths”

The Four Noble TruthsThe Four Noble Truths

All life involves sufferingAll life involves suffering The cause of suffering is desireThe cause of suffering is desire The end of desire is the end of The end of desire is the end of

sufferingsuffering The end of desire may be achieved The end of desire may be achieved

by following the “eight part path”by following the “eight part path”

All life involves sufferingAll life involves suffering

All life is suffering: birth is suffering, decay is suffering, presence of objects we hate brings suffering; separation from objects we love brings suffering.

The cause of suffering is desireThe cause of suffering is desire

The cause of suffering is desire: we thirst for pleasure, for existence, for prosperity. All are impermanent, and clinging to them causes suffering, because they will cease, fade away.

The end of desire is the end of The end of desire is the end of sufferingsuffering

The end of desire is the end of suffering: if we let our desire for pleasure, existence and prosperity go, we destroy desire and destroy suffering. If we let go our desire to have and to hold, if we can let go, just like the woman in the cremation ground, then we release ourselves from suffering.

The end of desire and theThe end of desire and the

Eight Part PathEight Part Path The end of desire may be achieved

by following the eight-part path: if we live right, have right aspirations, right speech, right conduct, right means of livelihood, right endeavour, right memory and right meditation, then we put an end to suffering.

Living The Eight Part PathLiving The Eight Part Path

live right, have right aspirations, right speech, right conduct, right means of livelihood, right endeavour, right memory and right meditation, then we put an end to suffering.

Buddhist Answers to the Buddhist Answers to the Three Organising QuestionsThree Organising Questions

From What? What is the nature of the human predicament? Well, Buddha’s answer is the First Noble Truth: all life involves suffering. The world is not what it seems. It is illusory, for while it seems stable, permanent, unchanging, all things are in fact impermanent.

Buddhist Answers to the Buddhist Answers to the Three Organising QuestionsThree Organising Questions

To What? To what do human’s aspire? The simplest answer is to end suffering, to be released from mortal existence which masks the true nature of reality. Humans aspire to the bliss of release, the bliss of emancipation.

Buddhist Answers to the Buddhist Answers to the Three Organising QuestionsThree Organising Questions

By What? How do Buddhists achieve their goals? By following the Middle Way. By following the eight-part path. By individual action, not by prayer, not by sacrifice or ritual, but by sticking to the path, by achievement, by living right.

Buddhist ScripturesBuddhist Scriptures

Three large categories of Three large categories of scriptures have been scriptures have been written by disciples written by disciples after Buddha’s death:after Buddha’s death:

Rules of conductRules of conduct Doctrine, teachingsDoctrine, teachings Commentary on Commentary on

teachingsteachings

The Geographical Spread of The Geographical Spread of BuddhismBuddhism

Buddhism Buddhism spread south spread south from India to from India to the Sri Lanka the Sri Lanka and Southeast and Southeast AsiaAsia

The Geographical Spread of The Geographical Spread of BuddhismBuddhism

Buddhism Buddhism spread north spread north from India into from India into the Himalayan the Himalayan countries, countries, China, Korea China, Korea and Japanand Japan

Zen Buddhism - One of Many Zen Buddhism - One of Many “Buddhisms”“Buddhisms”

Trevor Ling argues Trevor Ling argues that as Buddhism that as Buddhism spread it changed, spread it changed, and that we should and that we should think of Buddhisms think of Buddhisms in the plural, not in the plural, not just of a single, just of a single, unchanged traditionunchanged tradition

Zen and the Zen and the Lotus Flower SermonLotus Flower Sermon

Zen traces its origins Zen traces its origins to the “lotus flower to the “lotus flower sermon” of the sermon” of the BuddhaBuddha

The sermon used a The sermon used a lotus flower as a lotus flower as a signifier, and one of signifier, and one of Buddha’s disciples Buddha’s disciples intuited the signifiedintuited the signified

The Lotus Flower The Lotus Flower

the lotus rises from the darkness, from the mud, and though it lives in and from the world of mud, it rises from the mud through the water, and emerges serene, perfectly proportioned, spotless and pure, and shines in the world of light and air.

The Lotus FlowerThe Lotus Flower

How can one live in the world, and not be of the world? The lotus is an image of transcendence, an idea that demonstrates the ability to bring two different worlds into coherence, into order and balance. It suggests that a proper understanding of the material world, and a proper, self-aware way of living in this world, can release us, and bring us peace even while living in this world.

Zen’s Maddening PuzzlesZen’s Maddening Puzzles

A long time ago a man kept a A long time ago a man kept a goose in a bottle. It grew larger and goose in a bottle. It grew larger and larger until it could not get out of larger until it could not get out of the bottle; he did not want to break the bottle; he did not want to break the bottle, nor did he wish to hurt the bottle, nor did he wish to hurt the goose; the goose; how would you get it how would you get it out?out?

The Goose in the BottleThe Goose in the Bottle

The dilemma: the koan represents people The dilemma: the koan represents people and their circumstances. To be free of the and their circumstances. To be free of the world we can abandon the world; or we can world we can abandon the world; or we can be crushed by the world.be crushed by the world.

But both of these alternatives are forms of But both of these alternatives are forms of suicide: what do we achieve by abandoning suicide: what do we achieve by abandoning the world; what do we achieve if we allow the world; what do we achieve if we allow the world to crush us?the world to crush us?

The Way Out ….The Way Out ….

If we re-think our rigid view of life If we re-think our rigid view of life created out of our desire for created out of our desire for possession, then the goose is out of the possession, then the goose is out of the bottle and the bottle is unbrokenbottle and the bottle is unbroken

How can we escape from the Wheel of How can we escape from the Wheel of Birth and Death? Birth and Death? The Zen Master’s The Zen Master’s response “Who puts you under response “Who puts you under restraint?”restraint?”

Zen’s Maddening PuzzlesZen’s Maddening Puzzles

A sound is made by the clapping of two A sound is made by the clapping of two hands. What is the sound of one hand hands. What is the sound of one hand clapping? Response: ?clapping? Response: ?

How shall I escape from the Wheel of Birth How shall I escape from the Wheel of Birth and Death? Response: Who puts you under and Death? Response: Who puts you under restraint?restraint?