Now We Know Buddhist's Follow the 8 Rules of the Eightfold Path, Why Do
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Thinking in Buddhism: Nagarjuna's Middle
Thinking in Buddhism: Nagarjuna’s Middle Way 1994 Jonah Winters About this Book Any research into a school of thought whose texts are in a foreign language encounters certain difficulties in deciding which words to translate and which ones to leave in the original. It is all the more of an issue when the texts in question are from a language ancient and quite unlike our own. Most of the texts on which this thesis are based were written in two languages: the earliest texts of Buddhism were written in a simplified form of Sanskrit called Pali, and most Indian texts of Madhyamika were written in either classical or “hybrid” Sanskrit. Terms in these two languages are often different but recognizable, e.g. “dhamma” in Pali and “dharma” in Sanskrit. For the sake of coherency, all such terms are given in their Sanskrit form, even when that may entail changing a term when presenting a quote from Pali. Since this thesis is not intended to be a specialized research document for a select audience, terms have been translated whenever possible,even when the subtletiesof the Sanskrit term are lost in translation.In a research paper as limited as this, those subtleties are often almost irrelevant.For example, it is sufficient to translate “dharma” as either “Law” or “elements” without delving into its multiplicity of meanings in Sanskrit. Only four terms have been left consistently untranslated. “Karma” and “nirvana” are now to be found in any English dictionary, and so their translation or italicization is unnecessary. Similarly, “Buddha,” while literally a Sanskrit term meaning “awakened,” is left untranslated and unitalicized due to its titular nature and its familiarity. -
The Middles of the Middle Way
The Middles of the Middle Way In his very first sermon, the Buddha introduced his path of practice as a middle way that avoids two extremes: a commitment to sensual pleasures related to sensual desires, and a commitment to self-affliction. On the surface, this statement makes the path sound like a middling way, at a bland halfway point on the continuum between pleasure and pain. But if you read further in the Canon on the middle way, you realize that its middleness is much more complex than that. To begin with, there are times when the Buddha recommends pursuing pleasant practice; and other times where he recommends painful practice. There are also times where he talks of the middleness of his middle way in different terms entirely. When discussing one of the more advanced stages of the first factor of the path, right view, he describes it as a perspective that avoids questions requiring an either/or response, where both the either and the or entangle you in issues that distract you from the task of putting an end to suffering and stress. This aspect of the path is middle in the sense that it cuts right through the middle of such questions and throws both alternatives off to the side. This means that the Buddha chose his words carefully. The path doesn’t necessarily lie between two extremes. It avoids two extremes. But exactly which directions it goes in avoiding them is up to the discernment of each practitioner to find out. Sometimes you avoid extremes by finding a point of moderation on a continuum running between them: a point that doesn’t always stay right in the middle, and that can move unexpectedly. -
A Departure for Returning to Sabha: a Study of Koan Practice of Silence Jea Sophia Oh West Chester University of Pennsylvania, [email protected]
West Chester University Digital Commons @ West Chester University Philosophy College of Arts & Humanities 12-2017 A departure for returning to sabha: a study of koan practice of silence Jea Sophia Oh West Chester University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/phil_facpub Part of the Buddhist Studies Commons Recommended Citation Oh, J. S. (2017). A departure for returning to sabha: a study of koan practice of silence. International Journal of Dharma Studies, 5(12) http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40613-017-0059-7 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Arts & Humanities at Digital Commons @ West Chester University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Philosophy by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ West Chester University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Oh International Journal of Dharma Studies (2017) 5:12 International Journal of DOI 10.1186/s40613-017-0059-7 Dharma Studies RESEARCH Open Access A departure for returning to sabha: a study of koan practice of silence Jea Sophia Oh Correspondence: [email protected] West Chester University of Abstract Pennsylvania, 700 S High St. AND 108D, West Chester, PA 19383, USA This paper deals with koan practice of silence through analyzing the Korean Zen Buddhist film, Why Has Boddhidharma Left for the East? (Bae, Yong-Kyun, Why Has Bodhidharma Left for the East? 1989). This paper follows Kibong's path along with the Buddha's journey of 1) departure, 2) journey in the middle way, and 3) returning with a particular focus on koan practice of silence as the transformative element of enlightenment. -
Mindfulness and the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path
Chapter 3 Mindfulness and the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path Malcolm Huxter 3.1 Introduction In the late 1970s, Kabat-Zinn, an immunologist, was on a Buddhist meditation retreat practicing mindfulness meditation. Inspired by the personal benefits, he de- veloped a strong intention to share these skills with those who would not normally attend retreats or wish to practice meditation. Kabat-Zinn developed and began con- ducting mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in 1979. He defined mindful- ness as, “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment to moment” (Kabat-Zinn 2003, p. 145). Since the establishment of MBSR, thousands of individuals have reduced psychological and physical suffering by attending these programs (see www.unmassmed.edu/cfm/mbsr/). Furthermore, the research into and popularity of mindfulness and mindfulness-based programs in medical and psychological settings has grown exponentially (Kabat-Zinn 2009). Kabat-Zinn (1990) deliberately detached the language and practice of mind- fulness from its Buddhist origins so that it would be more readily acceptable in Western health settings (Kabat-Zinn 1990). Despite a lack of consensus about the finer details (Singh et al. 2008), Kabat-Zinn’s operational definition of mindfulness remains possibly the most referred to in the field. Dozens of empirically validated mindfulness-based programs have emerged in the past three decades. However, the most acknowledged approaches include: MBSR (Kabat-Zinn 1990), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT; Linehan 1993), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT; Hayes et al. 1999), and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT; Segal et al. -
Buddhist Doctrines (Source: Phillip Novak
Buddhist Doctrines (source: Phillip Novak. The World’s Wisdom. Edison, NJ: Castle Books. 1994:65-83.) a. The Three Jewels (The Buddha “the Awakened One,” Dharma (Sanskrit)/Dhamma (Pali) – the way of truth he taught, and the Sangha – the community of those who live by that teaching, are called the Three Jewels because of their purity and inestimable value. They are held as essential by all schools of Buddhism. The triple recitation of the following formula is a basic Buddhist act of piety.) I go for refuge to the Buddha. I go for refuge to the Dharma. I go for refuge to the Sangha. b. The Four Noble Truths (from the Buddha’s first sermon, “Setting Rolling the Wheel of Truth.”) Suffering (Dukkha), as a noble truth, is this: Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, sorrow and pain . and despair are suffering, association with the loathed is suffering, dissociation from the loved is suffering, not to get what one wants is suffering – in short suffering is the five (groups) of clinging’s objects (the five skandhas/skandas or “groupings of existence,” that make up a human individual). Thus the origin of suffering, as a noble truth, is this: It is the craving that produces renewal of being, accompanied by enjoyment and lust – in other words, craving for sensual desires, craving for being, craving for non-being (Tanha). Cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, is this: It is remainderless fading and ceasing, . letting go and rejecting, of that same craving (Nirvana/Sunyata). The way leading to the cessation of suffering, as a noble truth is this: It is simply the eightfold path of (Prajna) right view and right intention, (Sila) right speech, right action and right livelihood, and (Dhyana) right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. -
The Dao Or Tao Quanzhen School of Daoism
The Dao or Tao The Dao or “The Way” is one of China’s major religions. The main belief is to follow “the way”. It traces its roots back to the sixth century BC. A Chinese philosopher called Laozi wrote a famous book (“Tao te Ching”). After Laozi, came the philosopher Zhuang Zi. He wrote in the Zhuang Zi of “The Butterfly Dream”. In this he describes how he dreamt he was a butterfly but when he work up he asked himself: “Was it the butterfly dreaming he was the Tuan Zhuangzi?” The person who is a believer in “The Way” (the Dao) is called a daoist. The daoist believes that life is generally happy but that it should be lived with balance and virtue (“being good”.) During the Tan Dynasty (618-906 AD), Daoism became the official religion but in later dynasties it was overtaken by Buddhism. During the Cultural Revolution from 1966-1976 many Daoist temples were destroyed. Following the economic reforms in the 1980s, many have been restored and the number of Daoists has grown. There are currently 25,000 Daoist priests and nuns in China. Quanzhen School of Daoism This is a “school of thought”. It consisted of meditation and breathing exercises to help people live longer. Many are also vegetarian. Daoists do not believe in extremes. There is nothing totally good or totally evil. The symbol which shows this clearly is the black and white Ying and Yang. Ying – black: negative, feminine. A symbol of dark, cold, moon, emptiness, weakness. 1 Yang – white: positive, masculine .A symbol of strength and activity, light, warmth, sun, full. -
The Buddhist Followers Observed the Non-Greed Practice in Dhammapada Commentaries
The Buddhist Followers Observed the Non-Greed Practice in Dhammapada Commentaries 1Venerable Kuvera, 1Phramaha Somphong Khunakaro, 1Sanu Mahatthanadull 1International Buddhist Studies College Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University [email protected] ABSTRACT This research article aimed to study (1) the Buddha’s words on non-greed practice in Theravāda Buddhism, (2) a responsible understanding of the Buddhist followers observed that practice in Dhammapada commentaries, and (3) its benefi ts in Theravāda Buddhism. They were selected according to the scope of the research. The instrument for collecting data based on Theravāda Tipiṭaka Pāḷi Canonical Texts, commentaries, related books, dictionaries, and so on with qualifi ed academics, Analysis data by Descriptive statistics and Content Analysis. The research results were found as follow: 1) Non-greed practice is a good conduct to reduce and remove greed or bad desire. There are four kinds of such practice in Dhammapada commentaries: generosity, absence of sensual objects or sexual objects, absence of covetousness, and tranquility meditation, 2) Non-greed practice was mostly observed by some of the Buddhist followers at the time of the Buddha in their different kinds of conditions and different methods, 3) It can support practitioners in different kinds of its good benefi ts. Observing it, practitioners may attain good benefi ts of their lives in inner peace. This paper intends to show its development of the peaceful world in modern age according to different methods of it. Keywords: Non-greed, generosity, sensual objects, covetousness, tranquility meditation 50 The Journal of The International Buddhist Studies College 1. Introduction Sensual views of greed are tonics of the human beings. -
The Depth Psychology of the Yogacara
Aspects of Buddhist Psychology Lecture 42: The Depth Psychology of the Yogacara Reverend Sir, and Friends Our course of lectures week by week is proceeding. We have dealt already with the analytical psychology of the Abhidharma; we have dealt also with the psychology of spiritual development. The first lecture, we may say, was concerned mainly with some of the more important themes and technicalities of early Buddhist psychology. We shall, incidentally, be referring back to some of that material more than once in the course of the coming lectures. The second lecture in the course, on the psychology of spiritual development, was concerned much more directly than the first lecture was with the spiritual life. You may remember that we traced the ascent of humanity up the stages of the spiral from the round of existence, from Samsara, even to Nirvana. Today we come to our third lecture, our third subject, which is the Depth Psychology of the Yogacara. This evening we are concerned to some extent with psychological themes and technicalities, as we were in the first lecture, but we're also concerned, as we were in the second lecture, with the spiritual life itself. We are concerned with the first as subordinate to the second, as we shall see in due course. So we may say, broadly speaking, that this evening's lecture follows a sort of middle way, or middle course, between the type of subject matter we had in the first lecture and the type of subject matter we had in the second. Now a question which immediately arises, and which must have occurred to most of you when the title of the lecture was announced, "What is the Yogacara?" I'm sorry that in the course of the lectures we keep on having to have all these Sanskrit and Pali names and titles and so on, but until they become as it were naturalised in English, there's no other way. -
Chapter II DEFINITION of the TERM SATI and SAMMĀSATI
Chapter II DEFINITION OF THE TERM SATI AND SAMMĀSATI The word “Sati” has been used in Buddhist psychology in the sense of “mindfulness" for over 2500 years. Sati is the most important for cultivation of mind, and Vipassanā (insight meditation). There are different ways to explain the term Sati, it may be so useful to take a fresh look at mindfulness to clarify its meaning. The approach in this chapter is to seek the nature of mindfulness by studying the Suttas in which the Buddha and his students have used the term. In these Suttas we find a number of themes associated with mindfulness. It consists of the concept of the word Sati and also of the word Sammāsati, which is used to give the sense of correct (right) mindfulness. The definition and the meaning of Sati and Sammāsati, the types of the Sammāsati and different functions of Sati are also discussed in this chapter. Now we should go in detail in order to understand the Term Sammāsati clearly. II.1. Concept of Sati (mindfulness) The psychological concept of mindfulness involves the non- judgmental acceptance of thoughts, feelings and body sensations. 16 Mindfulness and a practicing of mindfulness can also decrease negative thoughts that intrude upon a leader‟s mind.8 The research has shown that Sati (mindfulness) leads to a better quality of life through feeling better and having less emotional distress. Sati plays a central role in the teachings of Buddhist meditation where it is affirmed that "correct" or "right" mindfulness is the critical factor in the path to liberation and subsequent enlightenment. -
The Middle Way the Art of Realisation
The Middle Way The Art of Realisation Jukka Kaisla 2015-2019 v. 5.4 2 Contents Introduction......................................................................................................... 3 It’s all evolutionary, instructs the Buddha ......................................... 6 The Buddha’s discovery .................................................................................. 7 The Four Noble Truths............................................................................ 12 The Middle Way .............................................................................................. 14 The Two Truths of Reality ..................................................................... 16 The middle in the Middle Way ............................................................. 19 Buddhist soteriology and the Middle Way ..................................... 20 Karma .................................................................................................................. 21 Rebirth ................................................................................................................ 27 Neither desirous nor repulsive ................................................................. 36 Homelessness ............................................................................................. 39 Of teachers and disciples ............................................................................. 47 Knowing a better way ............................................................................. 52 The Buddha -
Pali Terms Abhidhamma/Abhidharma (Pali/Sanskrit) the Third Section of the Buddhist Canon Devoted to Human Psychology and Philoso
Pali terms Abhidhamma/Abhidharma (Pali/Sanskrit) The third section of the Buddhist canon devoted to human psychology and philosophy Anapanasati (Pali) Mindfulness of breathing Anatta (Pali) Not self, insubstantiality, one of the three characteristics of existence Anicca (Pali) Impermanent, one of the three characteristics of existence. Buddhist teachings emphasize that all conditioned mental and physical phenomena are impermanent - nothing lasts, nothing stays the same. Beginner’s mind A mind that is open to the experience of the moment, free of conceptual overlays; first made popular by the Zen teacher Suzuki Roshi Bhikkhu (Pali) A Buddhist monk Bhikkhuni (Pali) A Buddhist nun Bodhi (Pali/Sanskrit) awakening Brahma-Vihara (Pali, Sanskrit) Divine or sublime abode, the four mind states said to lead to a rebirth in a heavenly realm: lovingkindness (metta), compassion (karuna), appreciative joy (mudita) and equanimity (upekkha) Buddha (Pali, Sanskrit) Fully awakened one; specifically the historical Buddha, Sakyamuni, who lived and taught in India 2,500 years ago; one of the three jewels of refuge Buddha-Dharma/Dhamma (Sanskrit/Pali) The teachings of the Buddha Dana (Pali/Sanskrit) The practice of giving; generosity. Dana is the first of the ten paramis, or qualities to be perfected in order to become a Buddha Dhammapada (Pali) The best known of all the Buddhist scriptures; a collection of 423 verses, spoken by the Buddha, that focuses on the value of ethical conduct and mental training Dependent origination The doctrine that all mental and -
Foundations of the Noble Eightfold Path © Rick Hanson, 2007
Foundations of the Noble Eightfold Path © Rick Hanson, 2007 Outstanding behavior, blameless action, open hands to all, and selfless giving: this is a blessing supreme. The Buddha Introduction The Eightfold Path is the fourth of the Noble Truths. Traditionally, the Buddha emphasized that people should establish a foundation of everyday virtue and morality before confronting the profound teachings of enlightenment contained in the Four Noble Truths: the truths of suffering, its cause, its ending, and the path to its ending. As Buddhism has moved to America, that order is often reversed, and people are first introduced to the dharma through the Four Noble Truths. That's fine, but it can skip over an important building block for your efforts to bear real fruit. So we invite you to consider the foundations of your practice, in the original terms the Buddha taught. How to Approach the Teachings Themselves Take nothing on faith The Buddha advised each person to "see for yourself." He stressed that people should not just take the word of some teacher or text, but should directly observe their inner and outer worlds to see what was true. Unlike other major religious figures, such as Jesus or Mohammed, he did not claim any special divine inspiration as authority for his teachings: he asked people to judge them on their merits alone. To paraphrase Ajahn Chah slightly (Being Dharma, p. 127): "The Buddha said he is only the one who points out the way. He teaches you how to swim. It's not that he swims for you. If you want the Buddha to swim for you, you are only going to drown." The Pali Canon Buddhism has three major strands: Theravadan, Tibetan, and Zen.