Foundation Course What the Buddha Taught… BRISTOL
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DHARMAFoundation Course what the Buddha taught… BRISTOL Bristol Buddhist Centre 1 Going for Refuge to The Three Jewels The Bristol Dharma Foundation Course Week 1 • Dharma study as a spiritual practice 1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Talking.the.Dharma........................................................................................................................................................ 1 Exposure.to.the.Dharma.is.transformative.............................................................................................................. 1 Dharma.study.gives.inspiration.................................................................................................................................. 2 Dharma.study.is.the.way.we.develop.wisdom........................................................................................................ 2 S´ruta-mayiˉ-prajñaˉ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 Cintaˉ.-mayiˉ-prajñaˉ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 Bhaˉvanaˉ-mayiˉ-prajñaˉ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 Dharma.study.helps.us.develop.Sangha................................................................................................................... 3 Study.groups.are.ways.to.work.on.ourselves........................................................................................................... 3 Notes.................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Week 2 • What is a Buddhist? 4 Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................... 4 The.Meaning.of.Going.for.Refuge............................................................................................................................... 4 Conversion.in.Buddhism................................................................................................................................................ 4 Going.for.Refuge.............................................................................................................................................................. 5 The.meaning.of.refuge.................................................................................................................................................. 5 Going.for.Refuge.at.the.time.of.the.Buddha............................................................................................................ 5 The.Buddha....................................................................................................................................................................... 6 The.Dharma...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 The.Sangha....................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Notes.................................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Questions.for.reflection.and.discussion.................................................................................................................... 8 Week 3 • The Buddha 1 • The Goal of Buddhism 9 Introduction...................................................................................................................................................................... 9 The.Ideal.of.Human.Enlightenment........................................................................................................................... 9 What.is.Enlightenment?................................................................................................................................................ 9 How.do.we.know.that.this.state.of.Enlightenment.is.the.ideal?.....................................................................10 Where.does.the.ideal.of.Enlightenment.come.from?..........................................................................................11 Misunderstandings.......................................................................................................................................................11 A.new.category..............................................................................................................................................................12 Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................................................12 Questions.for.reflection.and.discussion..................................................................................................................13 Week 4 • The Buddha 2 • The Founder and His Quest 14 Introduction....................................................................................................................................................................14 Who.is.the.Buddha?.....................................................................................................................................................14 One.who.is.Awake.........................................................................................................................................................14 The.early.life...................................................................................................................................................................14 The.Four.Sights..............................................................................................................................................................14 Going.forth.....................................................................................................................................................................15 Asceticism.......................................................................................................................................................................15 Meditation.and.Awakening........................................................................................................................................16 Teaching...........................................................................................................................................................................16 Who.are.you?..................................................................................................................................................................17 You.are.the.Buddha.–.potentially!............................................................................................................................17 Going.for.Refuge............................................................................................................................................................17 Questions.for.reflection.and.discussion..................................................................................................................18 Week 5 • The Buddha 3 • The Mythic Buddha 19 Introduction....................................................................................................................................................................19 Archetypal.Symbolism.in.the.biography.of.the.Buddha.....................................................................................19 The.language.of.the.depths........................................................................................................................................19 The.meaning.of.archetypal.symbolism...................................................................................................................20 Two.kinds.of.truth.........................................................................................................................................................20 Examples.of.archetypal.symbolism..........................................................................................................................20 The.Diamond.Throne....................................................................................................................................................21 Suggestions.for.reflection,.research,.and.discussion...........................................................................................23 Week 6 • The Buddha 4 • The Buddha we can contact 24 Introduction....................................................................................................................................................................24 In.the.presence.of.the.Buddha...................................................................................................................................24 The.benefits....................................................................................................................................................................24