The Buddha and His Teachings

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The Buddha and his Teachings Life of the Buddha Spread of Buddhism Ancient India Queen Maya’s Dream Birth of Siddhattha Gotama The Sages’ Predictions Attaining the Jhana Yasodhara The Four Sights Renunciation Alara Kalama Uddaka Ramaputta Extreme Asceticism Enlightenment Brahma Sahampatti Turning the Dhamma Wheel Yasa Teaching the Dhamma King Bimbisara Parinibbana Life of the Buddha • Born on full moon day of May, 6th century BC (est.) in Lumbini Park at Kapilavatthu (modern day Nepal) • Named Siddhattha Gotama (wish fulfilled) • Ascetics predicted he either becomes a great king or a buddha • Meditated under a rose apple tree at a ploughing festival in his childhood, attained absorption concentration (jhana) • Married his cousin Yasodhara at age 16 • Sheltered from the pains of life • Encountered the 4 sights – old man, sick man, dead corpse, monk • At age 29, renounced the world in search for Truth • Studied under Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta • Practised extreme austerity for 6 years, with 5 other ascetics • Renounced extreme austerity (5 ascetics left him) • On full moon day of May at age 35, sat under a Bodhi tree at Buddhagaya (Bodh Gaya) and attained enlightenment • Walked to the Deer Park in Isipatana near Baranasi (Benares) to preach to the 5 ascetics – Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta • Established the Sangha of monks and nuns, taught dhamma for 45 years • Passed into Parinibbana on full moon day of May, at age 80, in the Sala Grove at Kusinara Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites Sacred Pilgrimage Sites History of Buddhism • 1st Buddhist Council (circa 450 BCE) – Held 3 months after Buddha’s Parinibbana – Consists of arahants only, presided by Ven. Mahakassapa, under patronage of King Ajatasattu – Standardized the vinaya (recited by Ven. Upali) and suttas (recited by Ven. Ananda) • 2nd Buddhist Council (circa 350 BCE) – Held 100 years after Parinibbana – Attended by 700 monks, to settle vinaya disagreements – Ven. Yasa vs Vesali monks • 3rd Buddhist Council (circa 250 BCE) – Convened by Emperor Ashoka, presided by Ven. Moggaliputta Tissa – Goal was to purify the Buddha’s teachings and to remove monks who joined the sangha simply for the King’s patronage Major Buddhist Traditions • Theravada – 18 schools of early Buddhism developed after the passing away of the Buddha – Only Theravada survives today • Mahayana – Mahayana tradition developed in the first century AD – Adopted sanskrit as its language – Introduced the Bodhisattva ideal • Vajrayana – Emerged between 3rd and 7th centuries AD – Make wide use of visualisation and images Timeline Spread of Buddhism Spread of Buddhism • Southern transmission (Theravada) – 3rd century BC (Ashoka) → Sri Lanka – First 5 centuries AD → Burma (Myanmar), Indonesia, Thailand • Northern transmission (Mahayana) – Via the Silk Road – Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet (6th/7th century), Mongolia, Vietnam, China (6th century), Japan, Korea • Buddhism in the West – Modern day (19th century) What Is and Isn’t Buddhism Buddhism is… Buddhism is not… 1. A way of life 1. The outward rituals and 2. A philosophy rites 3. A personal transformation 2. Just for those seeking course enlightenment 3. About praying to an almighty God … based on universal laws that makes you a better person and society a better place Buddha’s Teachings in a Nutshell Avoid Evil Do Good Purify your Mind.

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