1. Buddhism

2. Do not try to bend the spoon.
That’s impossible.
Instead only try to realize the truth…
THERE IS NO SPOON
Then you will see that it is not the spoon that
bends...
It is only yourself

3. Life of the Buddha
(Origins)
Presentations, Fill in the Blank
History or Illustrated Timeline and Little Buddha
Clips

4. Buddhism Spreads (History)
 The Buddha’s ideals were spread by his disciples
throughout India.
 By 390 BCE, there were two distinct groups
within Buddhism: Theravada and Mahayana.
 297 BCE Buddhism became the state religion of a
powerful empire in India; missionaries sent all
over Asia.
 Between 320 and 600 CE Vajrayana Buddhism
developed in Tibet.
 The spread of Islam and strengthening of
Hinduism reduced the influence of Buddhism in
India during the 11th – 15th centuries.
 Buddhism continued to thrive in other countries
(ex. Western Buddhism).

5. THE SERMON AT DEER PARK
Primary Source Reading:

6. Buddhism vs. Hinduism
 Buddhism arose during the Upanishad
period (c.560 BCE) so Buddhism shares
many ideas with Hinduism.
 Hindus generally regard Buddhism as being
a close relative of their own religion but the
Buddha himself was in many ways reacting
against the Hinduism of his day.

7. Similarities
 Cyclical timelines – both maintain that the
universe is eternal with ages of creation and
destruction following upon each other. Both are
believed too be “eternal” religions (they have
come to be and passed away over and over again).
 Many worlds exist among this cyclical time
scheme. Various heavens are inhabited by Gods
and Goddesses and hells are inhabited by
demons. Between them are middle realms
including those of animals and humans.
 Liberation (moksha or nirvana) from samsara
(rebirth in one realm or another) is central to
both.

8. Differences
 Hinduism is more speculative and focused on ritual
while Buddhism is practical and focused on direct
inward observation of the human condition
 Buddha taught that questions about the existence of
God were for individuals to deal with on their own (for
all official purposes there is no “God” in Buddhism).
 The Buddha rejected all systems of class or hierarchy
(i.e. the caste system)instead he made everyone
responsible for their own faith and salvation.
 Earliest sacred texts of Buddhism were written in Pali
(a local dialect) vs. Sanskrit (the language of priests).
 The Buddha believed that through self effort Nirvana
could be reached in one lifetime, regardless of one’s
position in society.

9. Buddhism - Creed
 End Suffering – It is important, very important, to remember
that the primary goal of Buddhism is to end suffering. This was the
goal of the Buddha.
 Personal Responsibility – The Buddha did not leave specific
instructions on how to reach Nirvana, but instead focused upon
introspection. It is the personal responsibility of each person to
look into one’s self in order to reach salvation.
 Samsara – Like Hindus, Buddhists also believe in reincarnation
and the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
 Dharma – Like Hindus, Buddhists are expected to follow the
Dharma. HOWEVER, the KEY difference is that Dharma refers to
the teachings of the Buddha, not duty.
 Women in Buddhism – In Buddhism there is no distinction
between male and female. As such there is perfect equality. To a
Buddhist the distinction between male and female is an illusion
because all humans have had past lives, both male and female

10. Three Marks of Existence
Student Worksheet

11. The Three Marks of Existence (Creed)
 Anicca (impermanence) – is the Buddhist
idea that the world is in constant flux and
that nothing stays the same. Impermanence
can be applied to everything and everyone on
the face of the earth and excludes nothing.
 Q: Are you the same person you were 10 years
ago? 10 minutes ago?

12. The Three Marks of Existence (Creed)
 Anatta (no-self) – this is the philosophical
Buddhist concept that there literally is “no
self”. There is no permanent identity or
existence.
 We cannot point to one thing in ourselves that
we can say is “self.” Everyone is made of a
variety of parts, all of which are impermanent
and ultimately an illusion.
 Rather than finding Atman within, the Buddha
found no self, no ultimate reality within, no
essence underlying existence.

13. The 5 Aggregates (Creed)
 The Buddha believed that all a human being
is, is a collection of FIVE AGGREGATES.
 These five things that combine to make a
person are constantly changing. They are
not things, they are processes. As a result,
they are IMPERMANENT.
 If all the components of self are
Impermanent, then how can there be a self?
It must be an illusion.
 This can lead us to overcome hope & fear

14. The 5 Aggregates (Creed)
Feeling
(emotional
response to situations).
Will (habits)
Form (raw
materials
like earth, water and fire).
Consciousness
(knowing)
Perception or Awareness

15. The Three Marks of Existence (Creed)
 Dukkha (dissatisfaction)
– the Buddhist concept
that all humans and
animals experience
suffering. Physical and
mental pain are extreme
examples of this
characteristic. The Buddha
taught that there is no such
thing as perpetual
happiness on earth. This is
why he set out to end
suffering through reaching
Nirvana.

17. Karma and Samsara
 Since Buddhism denies the existence of a
self (atman does not reside within everyone)
the question of what is reborn is critical.
 Buddhism’s response – rebirth is the
transference of an every changing bundle of
energy which is patterned according to ones
Karma.
 When an individual dies his or her karma
continues on its particular trajectory
eventually bringing about rebirth.
 Buddhists understand karma as being
directly related to intentions.

18. The Four Noble Truths (Creed)
1. To live is to Suffer (life is suffering)
 This is not meant to be a negative statement.
To Buddhists we inevitably have to endure
physical suffering such as pain, sickness,
injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death.
This is inevitable. In addition we will have to
endure psychological suffering such as sadness,
fear, frustration, disappointment, and
depression. This noble truth does not negate
the fact that life can also be filled with
happiness – it just won’t last forever.

19. The Four Noble Truths (Creed)
2. The cause of suffering is desire (Tanha) and
attachment to impermanent things
 The origin of suffering is attachment to transient
things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things
not only include the physical objects that surround
us, but also ideas, and in a greater sense, all objects
of our perception.
 Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our
mind is attached to impermanent things. The
reasons for suffering are desire (Tanha), passion,
pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame
and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging.
Because the objects of our attachment are
transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will
necessarily follow.

20. The Four Noble Truths (Creed)
3. Suffering can be brought to an end.
 The cessation of suffering can be attained
through nirvana. Nirvana refers to the
unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual
attachment. The third noble truth expresses the
idea that suffering can be ended by attaining
dispassion. Nirvana extinguishes all forms of
clinging and attachment. This means that
suffering can be overcome through human
activity, simply by removing the cause of
suffering. This means freedom from all worries,
troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas.

21. The Four Noble Truths (Creed)
4. The solution to suffering is the Noble
Eightfold Path
 There is a path to the end of suffering - a
gradual path of self-improvement, which is
described in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle
way between the two extremes of excessive self-
indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-
mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the
end of the cycle of rebirth. The path to the end
of suffering can extend over many lifetimes,
throughout which every individual rebirth is
subject to karmic conditioning.

22. A monk asked Kegon,
"How does an
enligthtened one return
to the ordinary world?"
Kegon replied, "A
broken mirror never
reflects again; fallen
flowers never go back
to the old branches."

23. TANAH AND THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
Discussion:

24. Enlightenment
 To follow the 8 fold path to its end is to reach
Nirvana.
 Final nirvana (parinirvana) awaits the death
of the body. In the meantime the life of the
arhat (the saint who has become awakened) is
forever changed, having experienced a
foretaste of the final nirvana.
 Having become awakened the Arhat is fully
aware of the truth and is free of
imprisonment by suffering, desire and selfish
individualism.
 As a result the Arhat is perfectly
compassionate, friendly and even minded
towards all things.

25. Nirvana
 All Buddhists look forward to experiencing
nirvana like the Buddha, however Buddhas
are different from their followers in that they
are able to awaken on their own (without a
model or teacher).
 When the life of the Arhat ends, he or she
enters the state of nirvana – the life energy
of the Arhat is blown out.
 The Buddha refused to say if a person exists
in nirvana he simply said it is the total
cessation of suffering and thus absolute
peace.

26. The Triple Gem
 Buddhists seek refuge (assistance) in what are
often referred to as the Triple Gem, Three Jewels
or Triple Jewel. These are:
◦ The Buddha: Awakened one, enlightened one. The
original nature of the heart; the attainment of
Nirvana.
◦ The Dharma: The body of teachings expounded by
the Buddha. The nature of reality.
◦ The Sangha: Community of monks and nuns who
have become enlightened. Also could be translated as
awakened community.
 It is impossible to escape one's karma. The one,
who is seeking to become enlightened, commits by
pursuing enlightenment and following in the
footsteps of the people who have followed the path
to enlightenment before.

27. The Eightfold Path (Handout)

29. Five Precepts Work Sheet

30. Buddhist Values (Code)
 Self-determination
◦ Each person is responsible for following the 8-fold path on
their own.
 Mindfulness
◦ Buddhists are to live in the present and not become
distracted by the past or future.
 Compassion
◦ The ability to see and feel from another's point of view
must lead to action.
 Loving-Kindness
◦ Extending goodwill, caring and warmth to others without
expecting reward.
 Detachment
◦ Looking at all events without bias or emotion.
“Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful”

31. Ahinsa (Code)
 Ahinsa (Sanskrit = to do no harm) is an important tenet of
the religions that originated in India
 Ahimsa prohibits the killing or injuring of living beings. It is
connected with the notion that all kinds of violence entail
negative karmic consequences.
 The earliest references to ahimsa are found in the texts of
Hinduism, dated to 8th century BCE.
 Prominent figures of Indian spirituality such as Swami
Vivekanada and Ghandi emphasized the importance of
ahimsa.
 Violence in self-defense, criminal law, and war are accepted
by Hindus and Jains.
 Ahimsa is not used as a technical term in Buddhism, but it
condemns ritual sacrifice and violence, and moral codes
emphasize the importance of not taking life.

32.  June 11, 1963, Thich Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk from Vietnam, burned himself to death
at a busy intersection in downtown Saigon to bring attention to the repressive policies of the
Catholic Diem regime that controlled the South Vietnamese government at the time.
Buddhist monks asked the regime to lift its ban on flying the traditional Buddhist flag, to
grant Buddhism the same rights as Catholicism, to stop detaining Buddhists and to give
Buddhist monks and nuns the right to practice and spread their religion. While burning
Thich Quang Duc never moved a muscle.

33. Discussion
Questions:
 How does this image represent the
efforts of Buddhists to address
situations of global injustice while
still following their particular
moral codes?
 How does this differ from
contemporary culture’s response to
problems?
 Do you believe non-violence is an
effective means of solving world
problems?
 Do you think non-violence is a
realistic method of dealing with
problems in a world where others
do not share your views on
violence?

34. The Three Pure Precepts
I vow to cease from evil.
I vow to do only good.
I vow to do good for others.

35. The Coconut Monk
What does this book tell you/reinforce for
you about Buddhist ethics?

36. Sacred Writings
 The Triptaka (three baskets) which includes:
◦ The Vinaya-Pitaka (basket of discipline) addresses
the rule of monastic life and codes of conduct.
◦ The Sutta-Pitaka (basket of discourses) contains
the teachings of the Buddha and the Jatakas, a
collection of birth stories about the previous lives of
the Buddha meant to illustrate morality.
◦ The Abhidamma-Pitaka (basket of furthur
teachings) discusses the nature of consciousness and
includes the Dhammapada, a collection of 424
versus on ethics.
 This is considered by most to be the most
accurate record of the Buddha’s teachings.

37. Types of Buddhism Chart
Three Paths to Cross the River

38. Theravada
(Way of the Elders)
Mahayana
(Great Vehicle)
Vajrayana
(Tantric Buddhism)
Origins Believed to be from the original followers of
Buddha.
200 BCE Mahayana (a more liberal
school) emerges.
750 CE Buddhism spread to Tibet and
mixed with local religion.
Areas of
Practice
Southeast Asian countries (i.e. Sri Lanka,
Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Cambodia,
Laos, South Vietnam)
China, Korea and Japan Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan.
Focus Cultivation of wisdom through knowledge of
the 4 noble truths and practice of the 8-fold
path (especially meditation).
Emphasis on monastic life resulting in a
religious hierarchy. The Sanga consists of
monks/nuns and only they can achieve
enlightenment. Lay people support the
monks/nuns and can gain merit by following
the Buddha..
Guidelines for monks/nuns include: chastity,
begging for good, giving up possessions,
meditating and pacifism.
Buddhism for the masses –
emphasizes compassion for all living
things (particularly fellow humans)
as the supreme virtue.
Does not hold to monasticism as the
only legitimate path (more inclusive).
Focuses on the Buddha himself,
celebrates him as a divine saviour.
Fighting fire with fire – harness the
sensual energies of life and turn them
against themselves.
Practices used to achieve this are:
mandalas, mudras, mantras, and in rare
cases ritualized (tantric) sex. All of which
can only be learned through study with a
master.
Together these practices invoke sound,
movement and sight, capitalizing on
sensual energies as ways to enhance
spiritual energies.
View of
the
Buddha
A human who experienced enlightenment
and then taught others how to do the same.
Buddha is forever beyond human reach as
he has passed into the eternal peace of
nirvana.
The Buddha’s teachings, not the figure of
the Buddha are central.
Buddha is more than one historical
person. Buddhas existed before
and well exist after Gautama and
are considered divine beings.
Buddhahood is everlasting and
creates new Buddhas from its
power. Every person is a potential
Buddha.
A human who experienced enlightenment
and then taught others how to do the
same.

39. Theravada
(Way of the Elders)
Mahayana
(Great Vehicle)
Vajrayana
(Tantric Buddhism)
Important
Individuals
Ultimate goal is to become an
Arhat (worthy one, saint who
has achieved Nirvana).
Arhats are the ideal types that
all strive to imitate.
Reject the idea of heavenly
figures etc. helping followers.
Believe in Bodhisattvas (persons who have
reached enlightenment bust refuse to enter
Nirvana until everyone has achieved
enlightenment) who answer prayers and aid
people (guides).
These individuals are Buddhas in the making
and can dwell on earth or in one of the
Buddhist heavens from where they offer
divine assistance (transference of their
Karma) to those who worship them.
Lamas are important religious leaders
who reincarnate to continue leading out
of compassion.
Dali Lama is the current leader of Tibet
(the 14th in a direct line of succession
through re-birth).
Scriptures Follows the early texts and
teachings of the Buddha.
Scriptures = Tripitaka (“Three
Baskets”) recorded sayings of
the Buddha or historical Buddha
documents.
The Tripitakas are worthy scriptures but
there are others including “secret” teachings
of the Buddha and later Chinese & Tibetan
writings.
In English it is also known as Tantric
Buddhism, due to its reliance on sacred
texts called Tantras.
End Goal Liberation from the world =
enlightenment achieved through
individual effort (meditation,
NOT worship).
Believes in compassion and liberation for
everyone. Salvation is offered through the
grace and compassion of the Buddha.
Wisdom is attained through meditation,
devotion to a bodhisattva, ritual and spiritual
exercises.
***To reach Nirvana in a single lifetime –
rather than passing through countless
lives before achieving salvation. In
Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism,
followers hope to gain enough merit in
this life to reincarnate into the next with
better Karma - thereby moving one step
closer to Nirvana.

40. 7 YEARS IN TIBET
Film:

41. Prayer Service:
Tibetan Prayer Flags
 Yellow = Earth
 Red = Fire
 Green = Water
 Blue = Sky/Space
 White = Air/Cloud
Tibetan Buddhists string cloth flags in front of
homes and from mountaintop to
mountaintop. The flag colours represent the
five elements of the faith and the flags have
Buddhist prayers, mantras and symbols
written on them so that the wind will spread
goodwill and compassion everywhere.

42. Prayer Service:
Tibetan Prayer Flags

43. Monasticism (Cult)
Monastic Life (Burma and
Thailand)
 Young men spend several
months in a monastery
 Initiation includes a
ceremony where their heads
are shaved and new names
are given
 Yellow robes and begging
bowls are also given at this
time
 A man will not marry until he
has served as a monk
(initiation into adulthood)
and may return to this life
when he is older
 Monks and nuns may choose
re-enter society at any time

44. Zen Buddhism (Cult)
 Buddhism spread into Japan from China.
 When Buddhism entered Japan in the 12th
Century C.E., the Samurai were especially drawn to
it due to Buddhism’s emphasis on overcoming the
fear of death and the training in right mindfulness.
 Samurai training in martial arts advanced this
principle.
 Zen Buddhism is popular in Japan
today.
 Today activities range from
dance (movement) to
calligraphy to tea ceremonies
to poetry.

46. Bodhisattva Vow (Beastie Boys)
As I Develop The Awakening Mind I Praise The
Buddha As They Shine
I Bow Before You As I Travel My Path To Join Your
Ranks,
I Make My Full Time Task
For The Sake Of All Beings I Seek
The Enlightened Mind That I Know I'll Reap
Respect To Shantideva And All The Others
Who Brought Down The Dharma For Sisters And
Brothers
I Give Thanks For This World As A Place To Learn
And For This Human Body That I'm Glad To Have
Earned
And My Deepest Thanks To All Sentient Beings
For Without Them There Would Be No Place To Learn
What I'm Seeing
There's Nothing Here That's Not Been Said Before
But I Put It Down Now So I'll Be Sure
To Solidify My Own Views And I'll Be Glad If It Helps
Anyone Else Out Too
If Others Disrespect Me Or Give Me Flack
I'll Stop And Think Before I React =
Knowing That They're Going Through Insecure Stages
I'll Take The Opportunity To Exercise Patience
I'll See It As A Chance To Help The Other Person
Nip It In The Bud Before It Can Worsen
A Change For Me To Be Strong And Sure
As I Think On The Buddhas Who Have Come Before
As I Praise And Respect The Good They've Done
Knowing Only Love Can Conquer In Every Situation
We Need Other People In Order To Create
The Circumstances For The Learning That We're Here To
Generate
Situations That Bring Up Our Deepest Fears
So We Can Work To Release Them Until They're Cleared
Therefore, It Only Makes Sense
To Thank Our Enemies Despite Their Intent
The Bodhisattva Path Is One Of Power And Strength
A Strength From Within To Go The Length
Seeing Others Are As Important As Myself
I Strive For A Happiness Of Mental Wealth
With The Interconnectedness That We Share As One
Every Action That We Take Affects Everyone
So In Deciding For What A Situation Calls
There Is A Path For The Good For All
I Try To Make My Every Action For That Highest Good
With The Altruistic Wish To Achieve Buddhahood
So I Pledge Here Before Everyone Who's Listening
To Try To Make My Every Action For The Good Of All Beings
For The Rest Of My Lifetimes And Even Beyond
I Vow To Do My Best To Do No Harm
And In Times Of Doubt I Can Think On The Dharma
And The Enlightened Ones Who've Graduated Samsara

47. Worship and Practices (Cult)
 Bowing
◦ This is performed on
many occasions.
◦ A lay person bows before
monks and nuns to show
respect.
◦ Monks and nuns bow
before any member of the
sangha.
◦ Buddhists bow before
sacred objects (i.e..
Images of the Buddha)
three times to honour the
three refuges.

48. Worship and Practices (Cult)
 Offerings
◦ Offerings are performed with appropriate chanting and
can help a Buddhist get closer to enlightenment, show
respect for the three jewels or give material support so
the monks can live.
◦ The most common offering is flowers because as they
fade and wilt they demonstrate impermanence
(Anicca).
◦ Incense sticks burn in the home to symbolize the
Buddha’s “odour of sanctity.”
◦ Another common offering (the light of a candle)
represents the Buddha’s enlightenment.

49. Worship and Practices (Cult)
 Meditation
◦ Buddhists pray through
meditation.
◦ Meditation quiets the
mind so that one can enter
more fully into the
spiritual world.
◦ Meditation brings insights
into compassion and
humility and can also
improve confidence and
lead to better general
mental and physical
health.

50. Worship and Practices (Cult)
 Chanting Mantras
◦ Mantras are symbolic phrases that are chanted to
help Buddhists keep in touch with their spiritual
nature. They can also serve to enhance
meditation.

51. Ritual and Temples (Cult)
Temple Life:
 Lay people can choose to
visit temples for instruction,
meditation and private
devotions to Buddha -
however most Buddhist
devotions are performed in
the home.
 There are monthly holy
days and other festivals
that draw people to the
temple.
 Buddhism has very
little common ritual

54. Ritual and Temples (Cult)
Symbols and Temple Art:
 In the early days, Buddha was not
represented as it was seen as impossible
and inappropriate. Instead images of his
disciples, the Bodhi tree, or his footprints
were depicted as symbols of Buddha’s
disappearance into Nirvana
 Later art shows depictions of Buddha in
the form of giant statues. Buddha is
typically shown in one of 3 positions:
 (a) sitting, representing his enlightenment
 (b) standing or walking, representing
followers of his teachings
 (c) lying down, representing his passage
into Nirvana
 The portrayal of the Buddha differs
depending on the part of the world where
the image is found.

55. F.Y.I:
Images of the Buddha
T he Buddha in the Lotus Position:
 This Buddha sits on the lotus
which represents purity. The
Lotus position is a position of
meditation. His hands are in the
teaching position which again, is
another meditation technique
The Emmaciated Sidhartha
Gautama:
 This Buddha image represents
the Buddha as a starving ascetic.
In this position the Buddha can
be seen as striving for
enlightenment

56. F.Y.I
Images of the Buddha
Amida Buddha of Immeasurable
Light/Life:
 This image of the Buddha developed out
of PURE LAND Buddhism- a form of
Mahayana. The Amida Buddha was a
previous incarnation of the Buddha who
refused to reach complete
enlightenment. He is sitting in a
Lotus
Buddha, Standing Dressed as a Monk:
 This Buddha is primarily found in
Japanese Buddhism. The standing
position is another popular
position for the Buddha
(along with reclining and sitting)

57. Ritual and Temples (Cult)
Theravada Temples:
 Single statue of Buddha or a relic found in a
stupa (shrine)
Mahayana Temples:
 Many statues of Buddha or bodhisattvas (male
and female)

58. Symbols (Cult)
 Mudras
◦ These hand gestures which appear in images of Hindu deities
are important Buddhist icons.
◦ Often used in meditation or seen on Buddha images.
◦ There are many mudras and they symbolize different states
of mind – the belief is that since we can often tell someone’s
state of mind by looking at their gestures, we can also
generate a specific state of mind by making certain gestures.

59. Symbols (Cult)
Wheel of Life
 Complete visual
representation of samsara –
this image shows all the
different levels and the beings
that inhabit them.
 Believed to have been designed
by the Buddha.

60. Symbols (Cult)
 Stupa
◦ Dome shaped mounds that were built to house the relics of
the Buddha or other holy figures.
◦ Almost every Buddhist temple has one. Lay people walk
around it 3 times when making their devotions.
◦ The inside may be decorated with paintings or carvings
illustrating the life of the Buddha.
◦ A pilgrimage to a stupa and the construction of small stupas
are considered merit-gaining activities by some Buddhists.

61. Symbols (Cult)
 Buddhapada
◦ These representations of
the Buddha’s footprints,
are revered in all
Buddhist countries.
◦ The footprints are
usually carved in stone
and feature signs of the
Buddha on the soles.

62. HTTP://WWW.CLEAR-VISION.ORG/SCHOOLS/IMAGES.ASPX
Video Clip:

63. Milestones (Cult)
Early Life:
 When a baby boy reaches one month of age, the
parents invite monks to their house or take the
baby to the temple so his head can be shaved.
 Sometimes parents will take their children to stay
with the monks for an extended period of time.
When a boy is brought into the temple he comes as
a novice, or a monk in training. The novice
participates in all of the activities of becoming a
monk.
 In some countries men can enter monkhood for a
limited period of time.

64. Milestones
Becoming a Monk:
 Stage 1 – at 7 or 8 a boy enters the monastery as a
novice. He undertakes the 10 precepts and usually
acts as an attendant to a senior monk. This monk
must teach the novice Buddhist rituals, philosophy
and scripture.
 Stage 2 – ordination at age 20 once the man can
read, write and chant simple texts. Once ordained
a monk must shave his head (a sign of rejecting
vanity), take a religious name and wear appropriate
robes. Upon ordination Buddhist monks renounce
their possessions and keep only what is necessary .

65. Milestones
Marriage:
 The bride and groom go to the monastery to
feed the monks in order to receive a blessing,
but the monks never attend the wedding
itself.
 For other important events, people go to the
temple to seek a blessing or to gain merit, but
monks are never involved in the ceremonies.

66. Milestones
Death:
 Elaborate and ritualized ceremony
based on the cremation customs
of India.
 Generally the ceremony consists of:
◦ A procession (the body is placed into
a funeral pyre so it is hidden from view)
◦ Prayers (monks perform a short funeral service that
includes chants and prayers, everyone recites the triple
refuge and the five precepts)
◦ Water-pouring rituals (while a prayer is chanted holy water
is poured on the body by family members and friends)
◦ Cremation (the pyre is lit, often by the eldest son)
◦ Final prayers
◦ A shared meal

67. Festivals (Overhead)

68. Wesak (Buddha Day)

69. Dharma DayDharma Day

70. Magha Puja Day
(Sanhga Day)

71. Songkran

72. Loy Krathong

73. THE MATRIX
Film/Essay Assignment

74. Buddhism and the Catholic Church
• Buddhism is a very practical religion; Buddha rejected
discussion of God because he wanted his followers to focus
on something they could understand and do something
about—suffering.
• Question of suffering is at the heart of Catholic-
Buddhist dialogue. Why might this be?
• For Catholics, suffering is not the main evil to be overcome.
– In some cases, suffering can be redemptive.
– For Catholics, Jesus suffered and died on a cross.
– This suffering for others is seen as an act of liberating
people to love.
– Love is what Christians seek and, for them, God is the
greatest example and source of love.

75. Buddhism and the Catholic Church
 Similarities in the importance given to love for one’s fellow human
beings without any desire to possess (sacrifice self interest for the
benefit of humanity).
 Most dialogue has been about spiritual experience focusing on
meditation, monasticism and ecology:
◦ Buddhist and Catholic monks and nuns have lived together to
learn the others mediation techniques .
◦ Buddhist monks, such as the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh,
have encouraged Christians to enter more deeply into their
tradition.
◦ In 1991, Pope John Paul II said they have learned from each
other “the universal value of self-discipline, silence, and
contemplation” in the development of the human person.
◦ Both faiths believe there is a spiritual dimension to the
ecological crisis and that religions can help by dealing with
human greed.

76. POPE JOHN PAUL II AND HIS HOLINESS THE DALI LAMA
Primary Source Reading:

77. Key Question:
 What are the similarities and
differences between Buddhism and
Hinduism?

78. Similarities
 Both emphasize the illusory nature of the world and the role of karma in keeping
men bound to this world and the cycle of births and deaths.
 Both believe in the transmigration of souls and the cycle of births and deaths for
each soul.
 Both emphasize compassion and non violence towards all living beings.
 Both believe in certain spiritual practices like meditation, concentration,
cultivation of certain bhavas or states of mind.
 Both believe in detachment, renunciation of worldly life as a precondition to enter
to spiritual life. Both consider desire as the chief cause of suffering.
 Buddhism and Hinduism have their own versions of Tantra.
 Both originated and evolved on the Indian soil. The found of Buddhism was a
Hindu who became the Buddha. Hindu’s believe the Buddha to be an incarnation
of Vishnu.

79. Differences:
 Hinduism is not founded by any particular prophet. Buddhism was founded by the
Buddha.
 Hinduism believes in the efficacy and supremacy of the Vedas. Buddhists do not believe
in the Vedas.
 Buddhism does not believe in the existence of souls or in the first cause, whom we
generally call God. Hinduism believes in the existence of Atman, that is the individual
soul and Brahman, the supreme creator.
 Hinduism accepts the Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu, one of the God’s of the Hindu
trinity. Buddhists do not accept this.
 The original Buddhism as taught by the Buddha is known as Theravada Buddhism or
Hinayana Buddhism. Followers of this do not worship images of the Buddha nor believe
in the Bodhisattvas. The Mahayana sect considers the Buddha as the supreme soul or
the highest being, akin to the Brahman of Hinduism and worship him in the form of
images and icons.
 The Buddhists consider the world to be full of sorrow and regard ending the sorrow as
the chief aim of human life. The Hindus consider that there are four chief aims (arthas)
in life which every being should pursue. They are dharma (religious duty), artha (wealth
or material possessions), Kama (desires and passions) and moksha (salvation).
 Hindus also believe in the four ashramas or stages in life. This is not followed in
Buddhism. People can join the Order any time depending upon their spiritual
preparedness.