Master of Buddhism Essay

Master of Buddhism Essay

The Master of Buddhism course by Tricia Stirling was instructive and very helpful in jogging my memories of Buddhism classes long ago.  She lays out the history of Buddhism, its legends and its evolution in a concise way that holds your attention and keep you looking forward to the next lesson.  Particularly useful, is the way she quotes from Buddhist scriptures and gives references to where you can look for more information in each particular form of Buddhism be it Theravada (teaching of the elders), Hinayana (the lesser vehicle), Mayahana (the greater vehicle), Vajrayana (the diamond vehicle) and all the subdivisions derived from them. 

In past studies of Buddhism, I was struck with core similarities between Buddhism and mystic Christianity.  I was reminded of this again as I read through the lessons of this course, in particular the one on monasticism.  Christians seek union with God which relieves us from our suffering, Buddhists seek release from the suffering and the cycle of rebirth.  In Christianity, it's taught that God is love (1 John 4:8) and so when a Christian is told that the greatest commandment is to "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matt. 22:36-40), they are essentially being told to Love the Greatest Love with all their heart, mind, and soul, and to love others as themselves.  In Buddhism, compassion and love for those who are in the midst of the cycle of rebirth leads Buddhists to help guide others to their release and to also be filled with compassion and love.  Love and desiring to help others to be released from the bondage of behaviors that bind them to their inner darkness are both present in the two religions. 

Accepting the five precepts was another similarity I found with Christianity.  In the 15th lesson, it's stressed that to go against the five precepts after taking them on was to be in a worse state than before accepting the five precepts. The same has been said about Christians after baptism, that to return to a previous state of sin (or in Buddhism, it would be wrong living), is worse than not to have accepted the faith at all.  There are many such parallels between the two religions.  The point system described in this lesson assigned to meritorious deeds is also like the Catholic system of indulgences, as well as the practice of going on pilgrimages to places their religious leaders were born, preached, or performed miracles at. 

An ideal set forward to Christians, to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, is very similar to what is found in The Teaching of Buddha, published by Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai, Tokyo,  "Lay followers should always keep in mind that sooner or later they will be obliged to part with their parents and families and pass away from this life of birth and death; therefore, they should not become attached to things of this life but should set their minds on the world of Enlightenment wherein nothing passes away."  It's nice to see this much harmony in the spiritual traditions.  I can see why Thomas Merton was drawn to Buddhism as well as to his own faith. 

This course sets out the different paths of Buddhism, goes into the practices of laypeople, and provides history and background that makes it sensible and easy to understand.  I'd definitely recommend this course to anyone seeking to learn more about Buddhism.

Rev. Janet

Master of Buddhism Lesson 1

1.Does the story of Siddhartha Guatama, particularly in the years before he became the Buddha, ring true? Is it legend or hearsay? Does it matter?

I think the story of Siddhartha before he became the Buddha has some elements of truth in it like any story. Yes I believe Siddhartha was a real person and a prince. Yet beyond this and how exaggerated the stories are and how he came to be is another question which can not be entirely answered. This is because all of the history and teachings of the time were handed down through word of mouth for many generations before they were actually written down in some form (not to mention different interpretations and various schools of thought having a hand with the history). To that end, I would say that it is more legend than fact. However, the embellishments and allegories in much of the history seem to make good use of conveying and setting a framework for the path the student of Buddhism would take. For example, what better way to illustrate the idea that everyone suffers (i.e. sickness, aging, and death) than by having a great prince who has been sheltered for the first 29 years of his life with every luxury and want fulfilled to suddenly have his whole world turned upside down when he comes into contact with the common "afflictions" of life. He then comes to a realization that those things are inevitable for everyone whether they are a prince or not.

I do not think it matters whether the story is legend or hearsay. It is all about what we take from it and how we use it. The main goal of Buddhism is to end one's suffering and like any teaching one has to figure out if it works for them.

2. What does enlightenment mean to you?

Enlightenment to me means being free of a burden or burdens. A burden in the sense of something that creates a constant cycle of suffering. For example, being attached to things which make us unhappy at the thought of losing them. Or, dwelling on situations which make us upset instead of figuring out why they happened in the first place. Sometimes we even remain ignorant of the past until it happens then get upset all over gain. Enlightenment is the cessation of these things or the recocgnition and

3. Do you believe that enlightenment is possible? Is there more than one way to be enlightened? If so, what?

I do believe enlightenment is possible if we lead a mindful life. That is, understanding how our actions will affect other people, the environment, and ourselves. If we reflect on: the things we do, the way we think, the way we perceive life, the way we view every thing – we can at least begin on a path to end suffering by transforming it into something much more positive.

I think that the path to enlightenment can be different depending on the person and what they take from their lessons from a teacher, book, or any other number of sources. Were there only one way, then Siddhartha would not have spent a large portion of his life trying to find it.

Master of Buddhism: lesson 5 (assignment)

1.      Is the idea of karma uplifting or unsettling? Why? The idea of karma can be uplifting or unsettling, depending on the person. For some, karma is a disincentive to do evil and an incentive to undertake positive acts. For others, the idea (very widespread in protestant Christianity) that all our "sin" (negative karma) cannot be washed away all at once by the grace of Christ (or some other savior figure) may be unsettling. One down side of the teaching of karma is caused by improper understanding of how it works.  Karma is always proportionate and instructive (the idea being not to punish but to correct). However for some people, especially those with obsessive compulsive disorder or similar problems, the fear of excessive karmic retribution can be overwhelming (for example, that some relatively minor misdeed could bring about disproportionately grave karmic consequences – such a catastrophic illness, death of a loved one, financial ruin etc.). It must be noted that such fears can be found also in people not exposed to a karmic world view – in a traditional Judeo-Christian context such people my fear divine retribution disproportionate to their misdeed. 2.      Do you know anyone who exists in any or each of the symbolic worlds? I'm sure I do – but it's difficult to place people in the different worlds without being able to see inside their soul. For that matter it's hard to place one's own self in any of the worlds precisely. 3.      How do the symbolic six worlds differ philosophically from our Western concepts of Heaven and Hell? Well, the most obvious and most important difference is the idea of permanence. The Western Hell is eternal and inescapable – therefore its purpose is punishment only, not correction and reform. The Catholic idea of Purgatory is closer to the Buddhist Hell – however, in Purgatory the soul is ultimately guaranteed attainment of Heaven, and regressing to Hell is no longer possible. With the Buddhist worlds movement in both directions (from Hell towards to world of gods and from the world of gods towards Hell) is possible. J.P. Amis

Master of Buddhism: lesson 4 (assignment)

Master of Buddhism: lesson 4 1.    Why do you think Buddhism resonated so deeply with so many kings and rulers? Perhaps due to the "middle path" stressed in Buddhism and the reliance on self, rather than on gods that must be placated. 2.    What elements were necessary for the spread of Buddhism? Committing the Buddhist texts to writing and translating them into other languages was key. Also the missionary spirit of Buddhist allowed it to spread beyond India. 3.    What, if anything, could rulers of today's world learn from the dharma? Respect for all life. J.P. Amis

Master of Buddhism: lesson 3 (assignment)

Master of Buddhism: lesson 3 1.    Could the fact that the Dharma wasn't written by the Buddha himself be problematic? If so, in what ways? This could or could not be particularly important, depending on your perspective. If the person of the original Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, as being the source of truth is seen as important, then the fact of the Dharma not being written by him would be problematic.  However, if we look at the spirit of Buddhism – that Buddhahood is within everyone's reach – then the words of a certain historical person become less important. The Buddha Nature could be equally present in later Buddhists as it was in Siddhartha Gautama. 2.    Imagine you are preparing to go for refuge. What necessary changes would you need to make in your life first? Giving up meat altogether, for one, and minimizing alcohol consumption. Also getting my thoughts under control (just to name a few!) 3.    When going for refuge, are you relying on forces outside of yourself for peace of mind, or are the Three Jewels ultimately found inside yourself? Even though taking refuge is expressed in terms of seemingly outside entities, ultimately enlightenment must come from within – refuge with our inner Buddha. J.P. Amis

Master of Buddhism: lesson 2 (assignment)

Master of Buddhism: lesson 2 1.    Which of these guidelines do you think is the most important? Why? It's quite difficult to say that one guideline is more important than the others because they work together. Yet, if forced to choose, I think that perhaps "Right Speech" is the area most neglected today. In advanced countries we moved further and further away from physical violence. Yet verbal harm is still very pervasive. So, thinking before speaking, being aware of the impact words can have on others, is key to reducing suffering – both in others and in ourselves. However, in going back to my initial comment on the holistic nature of the Eightfold path, I must add that "Right Though" is a necessary prerequisite for "Right Speech".   2.    What is the unifying concept of these guidelines? Awareness seems to be a key unifying concept. We are to be aware of our thoughts, words, actions, surroundings and others. 3.    What do you think the Buddha would have to say today about "Right Livelihood?" Can you think of any positions in today's workforce that he might use as an activity one should avoid? Among the types of work to be avoided according to the principal of "Right Livelihood" (that are not already included by extension in the original Buddhist teaching, such as the tobacco industry which fits roughly into the category of intoxicants) would include industrial and financial/investment activity that destroys the environment, or that exploits or abuses workers for the profit of a few (for example, moving jobs from a high wage country to a low wage developing country – workers in the high wage country lose their livelihood, while workers in the low wage country are being paid inadequately while the investor's profit increases). We could also include production of entertainment forms containing excessive, unwarranted violence. J.P. Amis

Master of Buddhism: lesson one (assignment)

1.    The story of the early life of Siddhartha Gautama seems rather stylized, at least to a degree – events seem to foreshadow his coming enlightenment rather perfectly. I believe this is true of most stories surrounding great religious leaders, prophets and sages.  Yet, for me, whether the details of the story are historically and factually true or not is of little importance. What's important is the spiritual truth, the spiritual lesson for us today. 2/3.    On one level, enlightenment is an awakening to truth in a general sense. Such enlightenment can occur on this plane and more than once in a lifetime. The other type of enlightenment is absolute enlightenment – overcoming the cycle of death and rebirth and attaining Nirvana.  Both types of enlightenment are possible, yet I think it's difficult to attain Nirvana on this plane.  I think this stage of enlightenment is usually attained on a higher plane of existence beyond the physical plane. J.P. Amis