Board Notes for Buddhism

Life of the Buddha

• birth
• Four Passing Sights
• asceticism and the Middle Path
• Enlightenment

Basic Teachings

• 3 Jewels (Triratna)
• • Buddha
  • Dharma
  • Sangha
• Practical vs. Metaphysical
• 3 Marks of Reality
• • anichcha
  • anatta
  • dukkha
• 4 Noble Truths
• • suffering
  • cause of suffering
  • ending suffering
  • Noble Eightfold Path (nirvana)
• Noble Eightfold Path
• • right understanding
  • right intention
  • right speech
  • right action
  • right work
  • right effort
  • right meditation (dhyana)
  • right contemplation (Samadhi)

Influence of Indian Thought

• Ahimsa
• Soul and Karma
• Nirvana and Samsara

Ashoka

Theravada Buddhism

• conservative
• emphasis on monastic life (arhat)
• Pali Canon (Tripitaka)
• • sutras (5 groups; includes Dhammapada)
  • vinaya
  • abhidhamma
• Art and Architecture
• • symbols
  • stupa

Mahayana Buddhism

• nirvana available to all (less emphasis on monks)
• importance of compassion (karuna)
• bodhisattva
• upaya
• Three-Body (Trikaya) Doctrine
• • Dharmakaya
  • Nirmanakaya (Maitreya)
  • Sambhogakaya (Amitabha)
• Heavenly Bodhisattvas (Avalokiteshvara)
• shunyata
• tathata
• new Sutras
• spread to China, Korea, Japan
• Major Schools
• • Shingon ("true word")
  • • mantras
    • mandalas
  • Tendai
  • Jodo (Pure Land)
  • Nichiren
  • Zen

Zen

• simplify
• northern vs. southern school
• Rinzai and Soto
• satori
• techniques
• • zazen
  • koan
  • manual labor
• arts

Vajrayana

• Tibet
• Tantric influences
• lama
• Gelug-pa
• Texts
• • Kanjur
  • Tenjur
• Rituals and Arts
• • vajra
  • mantras
  • mudras
  • mandalas
  • thangka

The West and Modern Challenges

• Fourth Vehicle: engaged buddhism
• some persecution in traditional countries