Buddhism

Michael S Barth

Master of Buddhism Final Essay

      This course about Buddhism was fascinating.  I have heard people talk about it but I never knew too much about Buddhism.  I felt that this course was presented well with great explanations of Buddhism terms and ideas/concepts were.  I started learning things about Buddhism from the very first lesson that I received to the very last lesson.

      I really loved the first lesson and how Buddhism got started.  I did not know that Buddha meant the enlightened one.  I always had thought that Buddha was the actually name of the person who started and founded Buddhism.  I did not know that the Buddha's actually name was Siddhartha Gautama.  I found his early life, before founding Buddhism, very fascinating.  I was very surprised that he had never left his home until he was 29 years old.  I also learned that the Bodhi Tree- the Tree of Enlightenment- was the tree that Siddhartha Gautama was sitting/meditating under when he experienced enlightenment.  I also enjoyed how he set out to explain to people how he had found enlightenment.

      I also liked learning about the Four Noble Truths.  I had heard of the term the Four Noble Truths before taking this class but did not know what the Four Noble Truths consisted of.  I am glad that this class went into each of the Four Noble Truths and how the Buddha explained them to his first disciples.  I had also had heard the term the Eightfold Path but did not know what the eight different points were in the Eightfold Path.  I enjoyed how this course described the Eightfold Path.

            The topic of the Three Jewels was totally new to me.  I had never heard of the Three Jewels before.  I was really grateful that the Three Jewels (The Buddha, The Dharma, and The Sangha) were explained beautifully in this class.  This class went into some detail about the Three Jewels and learned quite a lot about the Three Jewels.  Also, I enjoyed the lesson about the Buddhist Councils that were held and what was discussed at these council meetings.  I liked how this course explains how the world ended up with different branches of Buddhism that came out of the Second Buddhist Council.

            I liked the section on how Buddhism spread into the different countries in Asia and then into the West.  I feel that it is too bad that some of these countries that people practice Buddhism have tried to control Buddhism or eliminate Buddhism (e.g. China, etc.).  I was surprised that the Dalai Lama had been exiled from Tibet since 1979.  I know who the Dalai Lama is but did not know he had been exiled for so long.

            Karma was covered in this class and I was glad that I learned how and what Karma is and is not.  The Wheel of Life was something totally new to me.  I did not know that there is a pig, rooster, and a snake at the very center or that the two paths around the center are the dark path and the white path.  I also did not know before about the six realms around the Wheel of Life.

            Some other topics I enjoyed learning about include enlightenment, meditation, and the different branches of Buddhism.  I did not know that the Dalai Lama was the leader of Tibetan Buddhism.  I had previously had thought that he was the leader of all Buddhists in the world.

            This was a great course for me.  I learned a lot and each lesson contained a lot of information that I had never known before and could go on much longer about all the other things that I learned in this course.  I am glad that I took this course because I think it is important for me to know about other religions/philosophies when I do my work with people.  I think this class is worth taking and I think that this course would broaden the horizons of a lot of people who do not know very much about Buddhism.

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Buddhism

My interest in this class on Buddhism came about because of my interest in daily meditation, mindfulness, the books of the latest Dalai Lama, and the way I feel the God or spirit connection through nature and my garden. I have taken a local class in Buddhist meditation and connected greatly with the special classes on mindful walking and eating, as I have a practice of both walking and eating fast. Each practice has brought about a slowing down that has brought a special awareness of simple things of joy that have added much peace to a otherwise sometimes stressful life.       As I studied the weekly classes I liked the simple ways taught of kindness, compassion and a path to peace though non violence.  While my fundamental Christian family would not like the idea of me as comparing Jesus and Buddha as brothers, for most who have grown up with knowledge of just their own faith can never see beyond their own teachings, I personally, began to see each in a new light after this study.  I could see Jesus and the Buddha as almost twins or best friends of like minds in many ways, but as with my on Christian religion (that I find myself disappointed in at times) I found myself thinking as Jesus or the original Buddha might if each returned to day to evaluated or grade the current spiritual practices carried out in their behalf.  I feel sure that each would be highly disappointed and would no doubt give both spiritual paths a D minus when it came to caring forth the original mission of each man.  Jesus did not like the emphases on rules of his Jewish heritage that miss the point of love, compassion, forgiveness and love and perhaps the Buddha heard so much about all the Hindi gods and all their rules that he did not even want to utter the name God when it came to spiritual faith for he felt even that word had been misused so much it left the real meaning of a higher power wanting for something more.  AND YET look at both faith each have come down to proving ones faith by the keeping of rules, rules and rules.    I heard a lecture lately where the speaker said, that when mankind could study all faith and find common ground and not criticism of one being better than the other then perhaps the world would grow a little closer to peace.  I listened and thought to myself perhaps both Jesus and the Buddha saw this too and tried to help guide mankind's heart and eyes to viewing all mankind as one with the focus on Love and Soul and not the ego and rules, rules, rules.     I found myself wondering as we all become more and more educated and study all the many faiths maybe we will see the common ground and not the differences and move a little closer to peace. It would be nice to think that could come soon, though Jesus lived over 2000 years ago and Buddha long before him, and yet all things began with a vision and a dream and we must continue to carry their dreams forward for a better future for all mankind. Rev. Linda Francis ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church  materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Buddhism

Buddhism

Kenneth J. Swanson

It has been seven months since I sat down to write this. To me, it would be easier to answer the Zen Koan “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” I know that clapping involves two hands, so there is no logical answer to this question. I feel that this course has not been about what “was” stated, but “how” it was stated in order to make me think into the nature of reality. In my humble way, I will try to explain Buddhism from my perspective.

Buddhism began about 2500 years ago in Northeast India. It is based on the teachings of an Indian noblemen Siddhartha Gautama, born 563 BCE in Kapilavastu, India, who became the Buddha, and enlightened, after many years of fasting and hardship in the village of Bodh Gaya. He realized that because people suffered because they wanted more than they had.

Buddhists do not worship Buddha as a god, but honor him as a great teacher. They follow his teaching as a guide to living and understanding the world. Today, there are approximately 360,000,000 Buddhists in the world.

Buddha traveled and taught for about 45 years after his enlightenment. Nothing he said was written down during his lifetime. But he entrusted individuals with memorizing each discourse. He died at the age of 80 in Kushinagara, India. According to legend, before his death he stated “do not accept any of my words on faith, believing them just because I said them. Be like an analyst buying gold who cuts, burns, and critically examines his product for authenticity. Only accept what has passed the test by proving useful and beneficial in your life.” This statement gives Buddhists the power to accept or reject anything said by the Buddha or his disciples.

Like Christianity or Islam, Buddhism is a misisionary religion. Within 300 years after Buddha’s death, it spread beyond India and reached Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Monks and travelers carried it to other parts of Asia. It reached Japan and Tibet in the Seventh Century.

According to Buddhism, liberation is attained through understanding and practice of the Four Noble Truths:

* There is suffering in life

* Suffering is caused by desire for pleasure, existence, and prosperity

* Suffering and rebirth cease when one ceases such desires leading to enlightenment (or Nirvana), a blessed state in which peace, harmony, and joy are attained.

* The way, or path, to Nirvana is the Eightfold Path, which is:

o Right understanding’

o Right thought

o Right speech

o Right conduct

o Right occupation

o Right meditation

o Right mindfulness

o Right effort

The Eightfold Path is also called the Middle Way because it emphasizes avoiding such extremes as following sensuous pleasures on one hand and self-punishment on the other. A Buddhist must at all times observe the high moral principles in the Eightfold Path which emphasizes non-violence and the brotherhood of all.

The best-known Buddhist scriptures are the Tripitake (“Three Baskets”). First written down in Ceylon by the Sixth Buddhist Council held at Rangoon, Burma in 1954-56. The three Pitakas are about four times as long as the Bible.

There are two major groups in Buddhism: Theravada and Mahayana. The name Theravada means “the way of the elders.” It is an austere religion that requires solitude, meditation, and self-mastery through which each follower hopes to achieve Nirvana. Because of these requirements, the possibility of liberation is limited to monks and nuns who spend most of their time in meditation and teaching. It is sometimes called “Hinayana Buddhism,” or “Small Vehicle.”

The Mahayana means “Large Vehicle.” It is less austere than Theravada, and it emphasizes liberation for everyone. Many Mahayana Buddhists believe in liberation through good faith and good works. Their object in life is not only to obtain Nirvana, but to help others to that goal. The Mahayanas have developed a system of Buddhas. The most important Buddha is Amitaba (or Amida), to whom appeals for deliverance can be made. Some Mahayana Buddhist also believe in a boddisatvas called Kwan Yin (in China) and Kwannon (in Japan), or Jizo, in Japan.

Many hundreds of texts make up the sacred texts of Buddhism. Different Buddhist groups follow their own sets of scriptures. Some texts are said to be accounts of the Buddha’s teachings, and others are works of great Buddhist monks and teachers. The sacred texts of the Theravada Buddhists are collected together in the Tripitaka or Pali Canon. The sacred texts of the Mahayana Buddhists are called Sutras.

To me, Buddhism is a way of seeing things as they present to me. I have a favorite Zen saying: “When you see horns over the hedge, you know there is an ox on the other side.” We spend so much time in our lives questioning what things mean—interpreting and analyzing; and sometimes you need to just accept what is there in front of you at that moment, and deal with that, fully, living in the moment.

Kenneth J. Swanson, Rev.

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Buddhist Studies

Master of Buddhism Final Essay

By Rev. Patricia Buben

The term "Buddha" means enlightened one.  Buddha was a young prince who was born in Nepal around 563 B.C.  His real name was Siddhartha Gautama.  There were prophecies about Siddhartha.  If he stayed within the palace, he would be great leader; if he left the palace, he would become a holy man.  Because holy men were poor and often became beggars, Siddhartha's father kept him within the palace.  At the age of 29, Siddhartha left the palace because he felt there was something missing in his life and could no longer bear to see the suffering in the world.  By the age of 35, Siddhartha became enlightened under the Bodhi tree, where he meditated and has been known as the Buddha from that time.

Buddha's compassion is very similar to the ten commandments.  These are the things that he taught himself to avoid:

-         The killing of any living creature so that he might attain a long life

-         The sin of stealing because he wished everyone to have everything they need

-         The sin of adultery; he wanted all people to know the blessedness of a pure spirit and not suffer from insatiable desires

-         All deception, he wanted all people to know the tranquility of mind that would follow in speaking the truth

-         Double-talk; he wanted all people to know the joy of fellowship.

-         Abusing others; he wished that all might have the serene mind that would follow by living at peace with others

-         Idle talk; he wished that all might know the blessedness of sympathetic understanding.

-         Greed; and by this virtuous act he wanted all people to know the peacefulness that would go with this freedom

-         Anger as he wanted all people to love one another

-         Ignorance; he wanted all people to understand and not disregard the law of causation.

-         Thus Buddha's compassion embraces all people, and his constant consideration is for their happiness. He loves people as parents love their children and he wishes the highest blessedness for them, namely, that they will be able to pass beyond this ocean of life and death

Like Jesus, the Buddha was a man of parables and this is how he taught his disciples.  The system of religion that has developed as a part of the Buddhist practice include the elements of the eight-fold path:

Right Understanding – approaching everything with a positive attitude or joy

Right Intention – a commitment to mental and ethical self-improvement

Right Speech – being careful of the words we speak

Right Action – behaving in ways that do not harm others

Right Livelihood – earning a living honestly

Right Effort – using diligence, perseverance and exertion

Right Mindfulness – pay attention to what we are doing when we are doing it

Right Concentration – meditation

In summary, living according to the Buddhist teachings will help to bring serenity, through ethical behavior, compassion and respect for all life.  The teacher can only bring you so far, the student must apply this knowledge in order to raise his or her own consciousness.

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