ULC Buddhism Course - lesson 13

1. The mystique of secrecy, the fact that many well-known celebrities practice, the aura and Tantric sex may all contribute to popularity in the West, but for the more serious person, the fact that enlightenment may be achieved in one lifetime must be an important reason. of course, the popularity of yoga may also help tie -in to the popularity.

2. I prefer Mahayana. i have taken vows into Jodo Shu, the Pure Land Way revealed through Master Honen. Pure Land and True Pure Land are the two most popular Buddhist sects in japan. i have been living in japan for 30 years, and have a Japanese wife and two daughters. of course, my wife`s relationship has a big effect on my choosing Mahayana, but apart from that, i truly believe in, and appreciate the fact that one can achieve birth in the Western Pure Land by calling on the name of Amida Buddha. one does not need to meditate, read scripture, nor any other practice except to honestly and truly call on the name of Amida Buddha. whilst some may say this is the easy or lazy way, it all comes down to faith, and doing what one sees as the best Way.

3.  I think that being born with Buddha -nature is beneficial, and that one must strip down to reveal this inherent characteristic, rather than starting from scratch and trying to create perfection. it is always better to start with perfection enclosed in impurity. this way, stripping away the impurities will reveal the goal.

Wayne Cuthbert
japan
Universal Life Church

ULC Buddhism Course lesson 14

1. To remind ourselves of what it is to be a Buddhist. to strengthen faith and belief, and to have a basic code of conduct across the differing Sects of Buddhism.

2. No, the precepts should be undertaken with true committment, to make sure the true Way is followed. a light infraction may be pardoned if a lesson is learnt and the transgressor realises the wrong and corrects it.

3. It means to spread the Word of Buddha to those who have not heard it, and to spread compassion to all.

Wayne Cuthbert
Japan
Universal Life Church

Master of Buddhism – Week Three Questions and Answers

Master of Buddhism – Week Three

1.      Could the fact that the Dharma wasn't written by the Buddha himself be problematic? If so, in what ways?

         A: I think it could be problematic for some. However, the message of the Dharma, that of promoting peace and good within oneself and others, is a good message, and appears to capture the essence of the teachings of the Buddha.  I would doubt all of the Dharma is 100% correct and in line with the teachings of the Buddha, but overall the meaning of the Buddha's teachings come through clear and concise enough.

2.      Imagine you are preparing to go for refuge. What necessary changes would you need to make in your life first?

         A: I would need to put more of an effort into being mindful, and finding the ability to sit longer as would be required at the Sangha.

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?

         A: Each of the Three Jewels was manifested outside of oneself. It is these outside forces that one finds the refuge of the three jewels within themselves.

John M. Stephenson

Buddhism Course Information

Buddhism is founded on the teachings of Buddha who did not subscribe to an immortal soul or supreme deity (God).

Christianity is founded on the belief of Jesus Christ as the son of God who was crucified and died to pay for the sins of man then resurrected from the dead. Those who believe this in their heart and confess it to others can call themselves Christians.

There difference is very subtle!  Both belief systems are nonscientific and also provides a way for common people to tackle real hardships of the world.  The major difference is scale of influence. If some powerful empire will follow a saman belief system and spread it across 1/3 of the world.  It'll become something like Christianity.  SO in that sense the belief systems which are regional with limited institutionalization are usually termed as shamanism.

My own spiritual path is very complex in the sense I am not a healer nor a shaman I am an individual who believes in Christianity but also studies other beliefs through my studies I do not lean one way nor the other as a bias for any religion but try to think rationally through each belief.

No, I believe they are both different due to their complexity.

The path of shamanism is via the axis mundi i.e. the central pivot between heaven and Earth.

Rev. Andrew

Buddhism Lesson 15 - Rev. Cuthbert

1. I think not, as they are the backbone, or meaning, of Buddhism. as Buddha said, we are not an individual, but are dependent on others for our existence. we exist because others exist. we help and are helped. we teach, and we learn. Monks, nuns, laypeople are all part of this cycle, of giving, receiving both in physical and spiritual terms.  I guess a reasonable analogy is, could a school exist if we had no teachers?

2. To receive inspiration from the Buddha, as we can no longer learn from direct teachings. a pilgrimage can give us spiritual motivation and put us in close contact with the Dharma and Sangha, represented by the objects  and places we visit on our  pilgrimage.

3. Maybe in ancient times, the reliance may have been more of a physical reliance, in relation to food and shelter. in modern times, maybe spiritual matters are more to the forefront, in relation to the fast-paced and ever changing modern society.  So, I believe that now, spiritual reliance is greater than physical reliance.

Wayne Cuthbert, japan
Universal Life Church

Buddhism Lesson 16

1. Maybe it was thought she may wield  influence over Buddha. Buddha may have thought that he needs to be free of attachment, and her proximity may , in itself, be a reminder of attachment, hence his disciples may think Buddha does not want to let go of attachment. it may be difficult for those monks who must instruct and chastise her because of her relationship to Buddha.

2. I think it is a loss as women have so much compassion and wisdom to contribute. the Sangha is for the benefit of helping society, and women are the best at knowing what women need.  Many women would undoubtedly prefer to confide and seek help from another woman. in this way, lay women may be drawn closer to the teaching of Buddha.

3. I think He would tell them not to focus on their differences, but on their similarities, and their duty to promulgate the Dharma.  Also, to use their uniqueness for the benefit of society, to move beyond Man vs Woman, and to put more effort into resolving inequities between Man vs. Inhumanity.

Wayne Cuthbert
Japan.

Master of Buddhism Lesson 2

1. Which of these guidelines do you think is the most important? Why?

The guideline which I think is the most important is right understanding. This is because I believe that all of what we are, including our actions and our makeup begin in the mind. That is, we are our brains. When we begin to form our thoughts or interpret what is presented to us, much care needs to be taken before we act on those thoughts. We need to see what we perceive for what it really is and not simply act on it without regard for consequence or repercussions.

2. What is the unifying concept of these guidelines?

I think that the unifying concept is when "suffering" is understood and acted upon with a realization that everything is interconnected, it can end and can be transformed to not only attain a better mental state for oneself but for everything we come into contact with not only physical but emotional as well.

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?

The Buddha might say that right livelihood is something people need to focus more on and less on their material, social, or economical status. People should focus more on why they are in the position they are in and why they think they need (or needed) to get there. For example, people still find it necessary to accumulate things to out do one another. There are so many people I know who simply work just to own a brand new car. The financial stress alone is enough to set the suffering wheel on warp speed. Then there are the illegal drugs dealers. Because of all the immediate money they can attain, they tend to not consider thinking about the personal suffering or effect it has on everyone and everything else.

Two examples I can think of which the Buddha might say to avoid would be testing consumer products on animals (e.g. makeup, drugs, etc), the tobacco industry (e.g. cigarettes and chewing tobacco). Both of these not only have a huge potential to affect the immediate animal or person using the products but can also place a long-term mental and physical burden on them as well.