Buddhism Course

1.  Enlightenment is a word that should always be defined when used, for it is a word we use both in speech and writing as if the person hearing it or reading it knows exactly what we mean.  People who are at different stages on the spiritual path definitely do not have the same idea about enlightenment.  For purposes of  this answer, enlightenment is defined as the understanding of the nature of reality.  Another definition is "knowing the truth.  Enlightenment is something we aim for like an arrow shot toward a target, and we do it through personal development and mindfulness, using tools such as meditation to "enlighten" ourselves. 

Some people use the meditation tool simply to calm the mind, lower blood pressure, and other physiological benefits.  Others seek enlightenment through meditation.  It is possible that any one person may use meditation for any and all purposes.   Meditation is a versatile tool that has many benefits and uses.

2.  Westerners, trained from birth to be "busy," both physically and mentally, may at first find meditation rather impossible.  That was my experience.  Meditation requires quieting the mind, being still and guiding thoughts to seek and find truth.  Many years ago when I started meditating I found it quite impossible and even irritating to sit still and (try to) meditate.   It took some work and concentration, and now I like silence and meditation and not being busy.  I assume that most Westerner have the same experience, and therefore misgivings about meditation.  Meditation can be irritating to someone trained from birth to be busy.  

3.  Mindfulness has proven to be a most useful tool in achieving productive meditation, that is, meditation that leads to insights about life in general, but also feelings of peace and well-being.  Quieting the mind and focusing on the task at hand has proved to be a new way of life for me and others who have learned to practice meditation.

Nancy Anderson

aka Lotus
Lesson 6

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"Imagination is everything.
It is the preview of life's coming attractions."
-- Albert Einstein

 
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To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Buddhism Course

• #1.  I think Buddhism resonated so deeply with so many kings and rules, as well as individuals in different times and places worldwide, because there was a degree of readiness to realize there is a "better way."  Brutality and wars were a way of life.  Emperor Ashoka was one example of a king who saw the devastation caused by his ruthlessness and war against a neighboring state, and became transformed.  He practiced compassion and kindness, and helped spread Buddhism by sending missionaries to other countries.  He is an example of a ruler who "woke up" to a better way.  As Buddhism spread, other rulers saw the "sense of it."  Japan, for example, adopted Buddhism as the state religion.

Karen Armstrong wrote an interesting book called The Great Transformation in which she describes an Axial Age where Axial Sages (Buddha was one of them) ushered a new way of living, ruling and thinking.  To these Axial Sages, what mattered most was the welfare of the people, kindness and compassion, here and now.  The time was "right" as it may have been for all who change their way of life, thinking and behavior and start on the Buddha trail.

Another factor may have been fear of negative karma.  Rulers who led armies to war, who treated their people harshly, and who were motivated by nothing more than greed, may have begun to realize they were probably in for a bad rebirth if they did not change.

#2.  Primary factors in the spread of Buddhism were the missionaries who went to foreign countries to teach.  Emperor Ashoka, for example, was a strong proponent of sending missionaries to other countries.  In addition, the trade routes, such as the Silk Road, were used to carry Buddhism to other lands.  Written scriptures were easy to carry, as well, replacing oral transmission.  Another factor is no doubt "readiness," as in #1.  The students in other lands were "ready," and the teachers appeared.

#3.  Our world as we know it would be totally different if rulers were guided by the dharma.  There would be cooperation, not war; compassion, not exploitation; there would be truth, not falsehood.  If all rulers followed the Eightfold Path and the Ten Precepts we would live in a world we would hardly recognize by today's standards.  It would be fun, however, to live in such a world.  Perhaps that is our job -- bit by bit, piece by piece, truth by truth -- to anchor the dharma on planet Earth.

Nancy Anderson

aka "Lotus"

 Lesson 4

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To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Buddhism Course

1. A Zen Buddhist will try to break the language barrier so that he/she can experience or show forth Zen without words. Zen is said to be a way of life, of humility, of service and in that much, can not be described with words. To use words to describe Zen would fall short since words are only labels. We reflect on the lesson of the Flower that the Buddha used, which is one reason some call Zen "the secret of the flower". I would venture to say that anyone who tells us that they know true Zen and can describe it to us, does not know Zen at all.

2. The title Gateless Gate is in and  of itself a koan. A puzzle. I think the title is something to be meditated on and pondered just as the text inside it.

3. I think Zen has become popular in the West because it offers a calming way and approach into ones own mind. Modern life can be very hectic and the quiet of Zazen, without the restrictions of alot of ceremony and fanfare that other religions require, is appealing to a westerner who desires quieting. It also offers a less rigid way to view life and the universe, where no one just gives an answer, but a practictioner must seek the answer themselves.

4. LOL

Rev. Mark J. Larose

"We are all streams of water

.....flowing into the same river." 

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To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Buddhism

Lesson 11 Thank you Amy!!!!!! 1. The first unique trait of Mahayana Buddhism is a belief that all people, not just monks or nuns, can become enlightened. It is sometimes called Buddhism for the People and it focuses much attention on actions, not words. They follow the Pali canon which they believe is closer to what the Buddha lived and taught and they base much of their teachings on the many sutras that have been compiled, most importantly being the Heart Sutra, since compassion, rather than wisdom is their focal point. 2. Sanskrit for "mind of awakening", Mahayana Buddhism teaches that to attain bodhicitta, the first important step is to take a series of vows. These are the vows of the Bodhisattva, who in general, puts the best of others before his/her own well being. An altruistic attitude is a staple for them. To attain bodhicitta, the Bodhisattva must accumulate merit by deeds and thoughts and meditations aimed at helping others in their attainment of enlightenment also. 3. I think Mahayana is attractive to so many people because of a.) it's focus on compassion b.) it's ability to show people a clear path and c.) that it involves real actions and changes in attitude, not just a belief.  Compassion is something that every human being wants, and has the ability to show forth. I think also, because Mahayan teaches much on the interconnectedness of all things, that we begin to see how each of us affects the other and that we are all a part of a large mechanism and we each play a part in it's workings. Rev. Mark J. Larose ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Buddhist Studies

Lesson 2 1. I don't think that just one guideline in particular is most important. I believe that all must be not only examined and learned but practiced and given conscious thought. Just like anything in life one must first learn from a teacher and then put what is taught into one's own practice. It is my opinion that all things end, including the universe we live in. We see it every day, yet the best thing about something's end is another things beginning or cycle. These practices of understanding the Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths are like fragments of enlightenment. Apart they are good and virtuous, but when practiced together its like looking at the big picture compared to smaller aspects. 2. The unifying concept is that if all were to follow these guidelines for living simple lives, being mindful of others, and one's own thoughts and actions through the Dharma the Sangha and The Buddha then the plane of existence we exist in would have a united humanity living in harmony with only concern, care, and compassion for one another. If we are in constant meditation of mindfulness this can be achieved. 3. I think the Buddha would see much sorrow, discontent, and dishonesty in the world we live in today. Not much has changed in the general public even since the time when Buddha would have walked the Earth even before his enlightenment. The stories of things he saw after he left the palace and truly saw how much suffering was in the world are very similar to today's situations. For the most part, I believe the Buddha would use any company that places greed, money, and personal gain as an example of suffering and the opposite of what right action and right mindfulness should be. I think he would be able to explain that people can still do honest work that revolves around taking care of humanities basic needs such as food and shelter instead of working in a dishonest environment that is also wasteful and promoting unethical conduct masked by what someone only perceives as ethical conduct. There are so many examples in the workforce that could be used that it would be nearly impossible for me to name them all. The majority of people these days seem to have an ulterior or egocentric motivation. We must be mindful of these people as they do not realize the suffering they create nor how to get out of that suffering. We must be examples using the Buddhas guidelines of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path and wish for all beings everywhere realize suffering and the path out of suffering and wish only good and virtuous things for them for this is the right mindfulness of which the Buddha spoke so knowledgeably about. Thank you, Jesse ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Buddhist Studies

I found the ULC Master of Buddhism course to be a great refresher for my past twenty years of Buddhist study. As students and practitioners we can often get buried under a mountain of Buddhist texts and teachings. I found it revitalizing to go through the weekly lessons and get back to the "roots" of Buddhist study and practice. These same lessons can serve as an excellent starting point for people new to Buddhism or those just exploring the teachings. From lesson 1 in which we are given the history of Siddhartha Gautama – his birth, his 29 years as a pampered prince to his battles with the demon Mara and his more than forty years as the enlightened teacher Buddha – to the final lesson in which we are asked to consider Buddhist virtues, meditation and the life "perfections" of a Bodhisattva, the ULC Master of Buddhism course provides the student with all of the basic tools to begin a lifelong study of the dharma. I also appreciated that the lessons discussed different "schools" within Buddhism. Vajrayana, Mahayana and Zen Buddhism all have various subtleties within them that may attract different potential practitioners. The lesson on Karma was well written and was a straightforward elucidation of this often misunderstood concept. I particularly appreciated that the course stressed Buddhism's consistent call for one to take responsibility for their actions. It is said the Buddha lived many lives and took many forms before finally becoming reaching enlightenment. The Jataka Tales of lesson number 10 are a fun and often humorous way to present the teachings of the Buddha through parables built around his many incarnations. I found myself passing along some of my favorites via e-mail. For me personally, the ULC Master of Buddhism course allowed me to reconnect with my Path and be reminded of why I became so fascinated with Buddhism from an early age. I was reminded of the tremendous versatility within the Buddhist disciplines that allows people from many different places, cultures and economic backgrounds to find common ground in the dharma. I was reminded of the Buddhist call to embrace simplicity, to reduce selfishness and to seek the Middle Way. I was inspired, once again, by Buddhism's call for compassion and loving kindness. Given the state of our political and social systems today, these messages and reminders seem more important than ever. There was very little I didn't care for in the program. Even those minor points have nothing to do with the content, but more so in regards to the delivery of the content. On one occasion I had to write to receive a missed lesson. This was no big deal and the lesson was sent very quickly. My only other problem with the e-mail system is that some of the image links were bad and/or missing. My final comment is that I would have hoped the full course would be available for either digital download or in a more user-friendly print format. As I mentioned in my opening comments, I think this course is an excellent resource for new students as well as a great "refresher" for those who have been studying for many years. It would be great to have this reference material more readily available than having to dig through e-mail to find it. Regards, James ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Buddhism

 Lesson 3

#1.   The fact that the Dharma wasn't written by the Buddha himself could indeed be problematic.  The Dharma was transmitted orally from generation to generation.  Questions arise about how much the teachings were truly the Buddha's teachings.  Most likely oral transmission was reliable until the teachings were written down, and until they jumped across language hurdles and national/cultural borders.  In each case, mistakes could have been made in interpretation.  In each case, where Buddhist teaching/transmission to other countries occurred, it landed in a backdrop where there were pre-existing religions and cultural factors and most likely these factors influenced Buddhism with local "color."  Interpretation could also have been changed for personal gain, such as the desire for power over converts.

#2.   If I were to go for refuge (I already have), rearranging my lifestyle and changing priorities are/were necessary.  It is also necessary to stop and think about motivation and expected results when going for refuge.  In the final analysis, refuge has to be perceived as a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel, or the awakening after a long, terrifying nightmare.  When going for refuge, lifestyle, perception and priorities change.

#3.   The Three Jewels are ultimately found within.  Conditions outside oneself are impermanent -- money, lovers, friends, physical environment and physical bodies -- they all deteriorate, change, and go away.   Even the Sangha, made up of mortal beings, can go away.  The two permanent things we can rely on is the Buddha and the Dharma -- yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Nancy Anderson

aka "Lotus"

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To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.