Religious Figures And Sacred Texts Flashcards
Hagiography and myth- Paul Williams
“it is only self evidently appropriate to start the study of a religion with the life story of it’s founder if we hold that the life story of the founder is in some sense a crucial preliminary to understanding what follows” In Buddhism we wouldn’t understand the Dharma (teaching) without the life story of the Buddha.
Hagiography/mythological interpretations of the conception dream.
Maya (his mother) had a vivid dream that a white elephant (lucky) holding a lotus flower entered her womb from the side.
Hagiography/mythological interpretations of the birth of the Buddha
The pregnancy lasted 10 months, He was born from her side fully clean, the tree Maya was holding bowed down. He immediately stood up and took 7 steps and said this was the last time he would be reborn. He was brought up in luxury. No concepts of pain or suffering.
The 4 sights (a catalyst for his religious quest)
At the age of 29, he was dissatisfied by the life of luxury, he wanted to leave the grounds, he saw an old weak man, he then saw a sick man, he then saw a dead man being carried by family, he then saw a wandering holy man, who looked peaceful. These sights made him leave his life of luxury to seek a solution for suffering.
Dukkha (1st lakshana)
Suffering, frustration, dissatisfaction.
Dukkha- dukkha- ordinary pain caused by illness or injury.
Viparinama dukkha- suffering caused by impermanence
Sankhara- dukkha- frustration that we can never know the true answers to life’s big questions.
Anicca (2nd lakshana)
Impermanence
Anatta (3rd lakshana)
No self, chariot example.
The awakening/enlightenment of the Buddha- The renunciation
He named his new child “fetter” because he was anxious about bringing a new life into the world with suffering. Fetter means chains so he felt tied down by a new responsibility. He renounced by shedding his rich clothes and long hair, he took on the looks of the wandering holy man with a simple bowl for food offerings and a single robe. He sought out 2 teachers known for strict lifestyle and practice.
The renunciation- 2 teachers
The first teacher taught him meditational technique, he was quickly able to reach a state of trance, however this technique didn’t offer him a permanent solution to suffering, out of the trance the problems of illness and old age/death still remained. The second teacher taught him another meditation in which consciousness seemed to disappear.
The renunciation- 6 year later
He went out clothes or only wore rough clothes, he went washing or constant bathing, he tried to sit in on position without moving, he tried to stop/slow down his breathing and he finally stopped eat anything but a spoonful of soup each day. This didn’t help him learn the truth about life or suffering. He decided to take the middle way between luxury and asceticism so he accepted milk rice and ate that, he then decided to focus on meditation instead.
The awakening under the Bodhi tree/ the enlightenment of Siddhartha
After accepting the milk rice, he decided he wouldn’t move until he reached enlightenment. He was tempted by Mara who was tempted to stop, she sent he daughters who tried to tempt him, he gained enough self control to resist. She then tried to get rid of Siddhartha’s right to the earth he was sitting in, so he performed the earth touching mudra, so show he had a right to sit there. Mara was then defeated.
The awakening/enlightenment- 4 Jhana’s (first watch)
In the first watch, he reached the 4 stages of jhana (deep meditation). The 1st stage involves calm thinking. The 2nd stage is more detached and ordinary fades away leaving joy. The 3rd stage is purer joy. The 4th stage joy fades away leaving a peaceful tranquil mind that is clear. These stages prepared the Boddhisattva’s mind for the superknowledges. He gained the first superknowledge when he began to recall all his past lives.
The awakening/enlightenment- second watch
He gained another superknowledge (the heavenly eye), this is the ability to see other beings passing in and out of the possible realms of existence.
The awakening/enlightenment- third watch
He achieved the highest superknowledge (the end of all worldly desires, wrong views and end of ignorance.) He achieved enlightenment (nibbana). He understood the causes of dukkha and how to overcome it and he also became “the Buddha”- it is said to have happened at sunrise.
The Patimokkha
The patimokha is the 227 rules of the Buddhist community of monks and nuns (who have 331). There rules developed gradually in response to circumstances during the lifetime of the Buddha. The scripture contains the reason why the Buddha formulated each rule in the first place. They are to ensure peace and wellbeing, to support and protect and to help monks to avoid creating negative mental states.
