Barbara R. Ambros (Unc Chapel Hill)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
The Bad Karma of the Buddha1
Buddhist Studies Review 19, 1 (2002) 70 other THE BAD KARMA OF THE BUDDHA 1 In conclusion, the spiritual progress of the early Buddhists in the Pali Canon depends on their understanding and practice of the GUANG XING Dhamma, rather than their status as lay people or monastics. If the latter are more likely to make substantial progress, this is because important The bad karma of the Buddha is more than probable an of their unique situation. The householder who is fully engaged in because it is historical issue concerning the concept of the Buddha working and supporting his or her family may have to concentrate Mahayana and found in all three Buddhist traditions: Theravada, slla, teachings to lay people by the deeds are on dana and and the offered Vairayana. In the Pali Canon, the Buddha's unskilful and also Buddha and by senior monks usually concentrate on various as- recorded in the Pubbakammapiloti of the Apadana ot the pects of these two methods of acquiring punna, 'merit' or 'karmic referred to in the Milindapanha. In the Chinese translation the fruitfulness'. But teachings on the Four Noble Truths, or on Tripitaka, they are found in ten different texts, while in five texts concerning this matter. various aspects of meditation, may also be included if the hearers Tibetan Canon there are at least are seen as ready to understand more of the Dhamma. While many became Stream-Winners, those lay disciples in particular who have 1 conference, SOAS, 3 July 2001. a measure of independence from worldly ties, or those who are Originally presented at the UKABS 2 issue, a tradition there is another source relevant to this coming to the end of their lives, seem to have a genuine oppor- In the Theravada Dasabalasrlmitra in his list of sixteen incidents transmitted by tunity to become nee-Returners, or even Non-Returners, and (in Sammatlya O list a Sinhalese Samskrtasamskrtaviniscaya. -
The Bodhisattva Precepts
【CONTENTS】 Foreword 03 Introduction 06 The Source of Compassion 10 Who Is a Bodhisattva? 13 How to Overcome Difficulties 15 On Vinaya Practice 20 The Five Precepts 23 The Ten Good Deeds 25 The Three Sets of Pure Precepts 31 On Violation of the Precepts 35 The Four Immeasurable Minds ‥‥ 37 The Four Methods of Inducement 41 Participation in the World ︱ The Bodhisattva Precepts Foreword his book consists of talks on the bodhisattva T precepts by Master Sheng Yen given at the Chan Meditation Center in New York from December 6 through 8, 1997. We sincerely hope that this commentary on the bodhisattva precepts will provide the reader with a clear understanding of their meaning, as well as the inspiration to integrate these teachings into their lives. We wish to acknowledge several individuals for their help in producing this booklet: Guo-gu /translation Simeon Gallu/organization and editorial assistance The International Affairs Office Dharma Drum Mountain January, 2005 Introduction ︱ Introduction here is a saying in Mahayana Buddhism: "Those T who have precepts to break are bodhisattvas; those who have no precepts to break are outer-path followers." Many Buddhists know that receiving the bodhisattva precepts generates great merit, yet they believe this without a real understanding of the profound meaning of the precepts, or of what keeping these precepts entails. They receive the precepts as a matter of course, knowing only that receiving them is a good thing to do. To try to remedy this situation, we are conducting the transmission of the bodhisattva precepts over the course of three days so that prior to the formal transmission ceremony, I can explain to all participants the meaning and significance of these precepts within the Mahayana tradition. -
Virtues Without Rules: Ethics in the Insight Meditation Movement Gil Fronsdal
Virtues without Rules: Ethics in the Insight Meditation Movement Gil Fronsdal INTRODUCTION Observers have commented that for Buddhism to take firm hold in the West it needs to develop a well- articulated ethic. This chapter is a study of how Buddhist ethics is taught within one rapidly growing movement of Western Buddhism: what I will be calling the Insight Meditation movement. While the movement has so far published no overview of its ethics, enough material is now available for us to discern some general points. Among Buddhist movements in the West, the Insight Meditation movement is unique in that it is not simply a transplant of an Asian Buddhist tradition. Rather, it can be seen as a new tradition taking shape in the West around particular meditative practices of vipassanā, often translated as “insight meditation” or colloquially as “mindfulness practice.” Vipassanā practice is clearly derived from the Theravāda Buddhism of South and Southeast Asia, where it has a central soteriological role. However, in bringing this meditation practice to the West, the founders of the Insight Meditation movement have consciously downplayed (or even jettisoned) many important elements of the Theravāda tradition, including monasticism, rituals, merit-making, and Buddhist cosmology. Without these and other elements, the Insight Meditation movement has been relatively unencumbered in developing itself into a form of Western Buddhism. In doing so, it has retained only a minimal identification with its Theravāda origins. Ethics, morality, and virtue have central roles in the Asian Theravāda tradition. All three of these English terms can be used to translate the Pāli word sīla that appears in the important three-fold division of the Therāvadin Buddhist spiritual path: sīla, samādhi, and paññā (ethics, meditative absorption, and wisdom). -
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 -
Great Disciples of the Buddha GREAT DISCIPLES of the BUDDHA THEIR LIVES, THEIR WORKS, THEIR LEGACY
Great Disciples of the Buddha GREAT DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA THEIR LIVES, THEIR WORKS, THEIR LEGACY Nyanaponika Thera and Hellmuth Hecker Edited with an Introduction by Bhikkhu Bodhi Wisdom Publications 199 Elm Street Somerville, Massachusetts 02144 USA www.wisdompubs.org © Buddhist Publication Society 2003 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system or technologies now known or later developed, without permission in writing from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Nyanaponika, Thera, 1901- Great disciples of the Buddha : their lives, their works, their legacy / Nyanaponika Thera and Hellmuth Hecker ; edited with an introduction by Bhikkhu Bodhi. p. cm. “In collaboration with the Buddhist Publication Society of Kandy, Sri Lanka.” Originally published: Boston, Wisdom Publications, c1997. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-86171-381-8 (alk. paper) 1. Gautama Buddha—Disciples—Biography. I. Hecker, Hellmuth. II. Bodhi, Bhikkhu. III. Title. BQ900.N93 2003 294.3’092’2—dc21 2003011831 07 06 5 4 3 2 Cover design by Gopa&Ted2, Inc. and TL Interior design by: L.J.SAWLit & Stephanie Shaiman Wisdom Publications’ books are printed on acid-free paper and meet the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. Printed in the United States of America This book was produced with environmental mindfulness. We have elected to print this title on 50% PCW recycled paper. As a result, we have saved the following resources: 30 trees, 21 million BTUs of energy, 2,674 lbs. -
Buddhism Without Merit: Theorizing Buddhist Religio-Economic Activity in the Contemporary World
Journal of Global Buddhism 2019, Vol.20 87–104 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3238221 www.globalbuddhism.org ISSN: 1527-6457 (online) © The author(s) Special Focus: Buddhism and Economics Buddhism Without Merit: Theorizing Buddhist Religio-Economic Activity in the Contemporary World Jeff Wilson University of Waterloo Merit is the fundamental product of the Buddhist system. Buddhists generate and distribute it through their activities, and merit economics have shaped Buddhist practices, organizations, material culture, and inter-personal relations. But what happens when merit ceases to be recognized as a valuable product? For the first time in Buddhist history, some Buddhists are operating entirely outside of the merit economy, with resulting changes in organization, ritual practice, and economic activities. When merit is devalued, it is replaced by elements from culturally dominant non-merit economies and may take on their associated values and practices. Jettisoning the Buddhist merit economy has financial consequences for Buddhist groups, and those who operate without the merit economy must create new post- merit Buddhisms. A sifting process occurs, as practices, ideas, and institutions that are dependent on merit economic logic are altered or abandoned. Successful forms of Buddhism will be those that can be recast with non-merit logic. Preamble: Half-Baked Buddhology n May 2017, a small group of scholars working on Buddhism and economics were invited by Drs. Elizabeth Williams-Oerberg and Trine Brox of the Centre for Contemporary Buddhist Studies in Copenhagen to gather for a special workshop. We were encouraged not to bring fully fleshed out, Icompleted case studies. Rather, the organizers asked us to focus on how to theorize the study of Buddhism and economics, especially in the contemporary period. -
The Nibbāna of Mahākassapa the Elder: Notes on a Buddhist Narrative Transmitted in Thai and Lao Literature François Lagirarde
The Nibbāna of Mahākassapa the Elder: Notes on a Buddhist Narrative Transmitted in Thai and Lao Literature François Lagirarde To cite this version: François Lagirarde. The Nibbāna of Mahākassapa the Elder: Notes on a Buddhist Narrative Transmit- ted in Thai and Lao Literature. Buddhist Legacies in Mainland Southeast Asia, 2006. hal-01955848 HAL Id: hal-01955848 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01955848 Submitted on 21 Dec 2018 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. François Lagirarde The Nibbāna of Mahākassapa the Elder: Notes on a Buddhist Narrative Transmitted in Thai and Lao Literature THIS LEGEND OF MAHākassapa’S NIBBāNA from his last morning, to his failed farewell to King Ajātasattu, to his parinibbāna in the evening, to his ultimate “meeting” with Metteyya thousands of years later—is well known in Thailand and Laos although it was not included in the Pāli tipiṭaka or even mentioned in the commentaries or sub-commentaries. In fact, the texts known as Mahākassapatheranibbāna (the Nibbāna of Mahākassapa the Elder) represent only one among many other Nibbāna stories known in Thai-Lao Buddhist literature. In this paper I will attempt to show that the textual tradition dealing with the last moments of many disciples or “Hearers” of the Buddha—with Mahākassapa as the first one—became a rich, vast, and well preserved genre at least in the Thai world. -
The Transfer of Merit Rev
The Transfer of Merit Rev. Master Mokugen Kublicki Copyright © 1985 Reproduced with permission from the Journal of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives [This article first appeared in the Spring 1985 issue of The Journal of Throssel Hole Priory (Volume 12, No. 1) and is reproduced here with permission. ed.] To train to the best of our ability is to transfer merit to all sentient beings. The merit of keeping the Precepts and training cannot be limited or measured; the results extend far beyond self, family and friends. When we turn our gaze to the Cosmic Buddha and act from the still centre of our heart for even one moment, the whole universe benefits and rejoices. The important thing is no matter where we are, whatever we may have done, whatever state we may be in, that we wholeheartedly turn to the Eternal and take responsibility for our lives. When we act from the core of our being thus, we allow the flow of compassion of the Eternal to cleanse, comfort, and sustain not only ourselves, but all beings. Merit is not something materialistic that we can set out to accumulate as a sort of currency to buy peace and happiness for ourselves and others. It cannot be the object of training. Rather, merit is the consequence of living by the Precepts, ceasing from evil and doing only good. It is the turning of the Wheel of the Dharma impelled by the effort of sincere training. Just as a smile can brighten the hearts of many who behold it, so the merit of training is far-reaching and gives help and encouragement to countless beings. -
Wh273. Ānanda: the Guardian of the Dhamma
Ānanda The Guardian of the Dhamma by Hellmuth Hecker Buddhist Publication Society Kandy • Sri Lanka The Wheel Publication No. 273 Copyright © 1975, 1980 Buddhist Publication Society. First Edition 1975 Reprinted 1980 BPS Online Edition © 2008 Digital Transcription Source: Buddhist Publication 2 Society Translated, with kind permission, from the German Buddhist magazine Wissen und Wandel XVI, 2 (1968). For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted, reprinted and redistributed in any medium. However, any such republication and redistribution is to be made available to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and translations and other derivative works are to be clearly marked as such and the Buddhist Publication Society is to be acknowledged as the original publisher. 3 Contents 1. Ānanda’s Personal Path 2. Ānanda’s Renown 3. Ānanda as the Buddha’s Attendant 4. Ānanda as the Guardian of the Dhamma 5. Ānanda’s Attitude Towards Women 6. Ānanda and His Fellow Monks 7. Ānanda’s Conversations with the Buddha 8. Ānanda’s Former Lives 9. The Last Days of Gotama the Buddha 10. After the Death of the Buddha 4 82,000 teachings from the Buddha I have received; 2,000 more from his disciples; Now, 84,000 are familiar to me. [1] Who nothing has heard [2] and nothing understood, He ages only oxen-like: His stomach only grows and grows, But his insight deepens not. Who has much heard and learned, But does despise him who is poor in learning, Is like one blind who holds a lamp. So must I think of such a one. -
Ahimsā and Its Ambiguities: Reading the Story of Buddha and Aṅgulimāla
Open Theology 2015; 1: 160–174 Violence of Non-Violence Open Access Research Article John Thompson Ahimsā and its Ambiguities: Reading the story of Buddha and Aṅgulimāla DOI 10.1515/opth-2015-0005 Received February 12, 2015; accepted March 18, 2015 Abstract: This paper focuses on the story of the Buddha’s encounter with Angulimāla, a vicious brigand who, subdued by the Buddha, renounces his outlaw ways for the monastic life, eventually attaining arahant status. The tale of Angulimāla has proven quite popular in Buddhist history and is often cited as evidence of how under the Dhamma no one is beyond salvation. Yet this story poses problems for our understanding and as such, has been repeatedly (sometimes radically) re-interpreted over the years. Taking my cue from literary theorists, I maintain that these retellings encourage us to read the story in its various incarnations as an on-going narrative struggle with issues surrounding violence, suggesting a fundamental ambivalence towards violence (and the much-touted virtue of ahiṃsā). Such struggles become even clearer when we compare Aṅgulimāla to another storied Buddhist figure, Asoka Maurya. While perhaps discomforting to those seeking for those seeking a Buddhist basis for rejecting violence, it may be that embracing such ambivalence points towards a more realistic ethic for our world. Keywords: ahiṃsā, ambiguity, Aṅgulimāla, Asoka, interpretation, narrative, violence Those who harm me come against me, Summoned by my own evil karma. But they will be the ones who go to hell, And so it is myself who brings their ruin. The Bodhicaryāvatāra, Chapter 6, v. 47 Despite clichéd descriptions of Buddhism as a “religion of peace,” the actual reality is far more complex. -
The Sevenfold Puja
THE SEVENFOLD PUJA WORSHIP With mandarava, blue lotus and jasmine, With all flowers, pleasing and fragrant, And with garlands skillfully woven, I pay honour to the princes of the sages, So worthy of veneration. I envelop them in clouds of incense, Sweet and penetrating; I make them offerings of food, hard and soft, And pleasing kinds of liquids to drink. I offer them lamps encrusted with jewels, Festooned with golden lotus, On the paving, sprinkled with perfume, I scatter handfuls of beautiful flowers. AVALOKITESVARA MANTRA Om Mani Padme Hum SALUTATION As many atoms as there are, In the thousand million worlds, So many times I make reverent salutation To all the Buddhas of the three eras, To the Saddharma, And to the excellent Community. I pay homage to all the shrines And places in which the Bodhisattvas have been. I make profound obeisance to the teachers And those to whom respectful salutation is due. GOING FOR REFUGE This very day, I go for my refuge To the powerful Protectors, Whose purpose is to guard the universe, The mighty conquerors who overcome suffering everywhere. Wholeheartedly also I take my refuge In the Dharma they have ascertained, Which is the abode of security against the rounds of rebirth; Likewise in the host of Bodhisattvas I take my refuge. refuges and precepts Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa Buddham Saranam Gacchami Dhammam Saranam Gacchami Sangham Saranam Gacchami Dutiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchami Dutiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchami Dutiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchami Tatiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchami Tatiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchami Tatiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchami translation Homage to Him, the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One! To the Buddha for refuge I go. -
Buddhism: Merit Making and the Religious Field
Buddhism: Merit Making and the Religious Field 1. Ten Precepts of the Monk: 2. Lay precepts: 1. Not to destroy life intentionally 1. Not to destroy life intentionally 2. Not to steal 2. Not to steal 3. Not to engage in sex 3. Not to engage in sexual misconduct 4. Not to lie 4. Not to lie 5. Not to take alcoholic beverages 5. Not to take alcoholic beverages 6. Not to eat after noon 7. No participation in entertainment , shows, 4. Ideology of Merit: the Mallika Sutta : dancing, singing "When a woman has not been irascible or violent, 8. No wearing garlands, perfumes, finery and though much is said about her, she has not felt 9. No wide or high beds spiteful, angry, enraged, or sulky, nor manifested 10. Not to accept gold or silver hatred or heart-burning; When she has given alms to In addition: 227/250 Vinaya Rules monks of food, drink, building sites and has not felt envious at the gains, honor, reverence, respect and 3. Ways of Making Merit ( punya ): homage that came to others; Then, when she leaves [in the Pali Canon] that existence and comes to this one, wherever she it ā 1. d na - giving born, she is beautiful, attractive, pleasing, and ī 2. sh la - moral observance possessed of surpassing riches, affluent, and high in ā ā 3. bh van - meditation the social scale." (Anguttara Nik āya , Pali Canon) 4. apacitisahagatam - respect for elders 5. veyyavaccasahagatam - service to a superior 5. Living with Karma, Making Merit: 6. patt āhuppad ānam - transferring merit "The beings, O Brahmin, have their karma as their 7.