Part I Buddhism Packet

Buddhism General Overview

Buddhists follow the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama – the enlightened one. When he became enlightened he was saved from Samsara. Buddhists follow the four main truths – life is suffering, suffering is caused by desire for personal gain, the suffering can be ended, follow the eightfold path. The Eightfold Path mentioned is right understanding, speech, thought, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and right concentration. Buddhists samsara is reliant on karma for guidance in reincarnation, but there is no ataman or soul. Buddhists are encouraged to work out their own salvation without relying on gods.

The Three main parts of Buddhism are the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the Three Jewels

The Life of Buddha

The most important elements in the Buddha’s life were

- His seeing of the old man, the sick man, the dead man, and the holy man.

- His decision to become an ascetic

- His attaining of enlightenment under the Bodhi tree

- Teaching his ideas on reaching enlightenment and the possibility of it for everyone.

The Buddha Image

Early Buddhist art Buddha was not depicted, but represented with symbols, like the dharma wheel or his footprints. Buddha is depicted today in many different styles from all over the world. He can be represented sitting in meditation or standing, with a halo showing his enlightenment, or with Greek Influences in his Meditation throne, and many other ways.

The picture gives Buddha the hair of an ascetic showing his journey as a holy man. He is sitting on a meditation throne which was used in early Buddhist art to show his presence. He Is sitting in the meditation posture to encourage the meditation in his teachings. The Buddha’s hands are in a posture near to the wheel turning posture because they are often represented with a hand posture.

Stupas, Temples and Relics

Buddhist Stupas are ancient burial mounds containing relics of kings and heros or even of the Buddha. They are often adorned with stone carvings and scenes depicting the life of Buddha. They are used as a showing of devotion.

The main features of a Stupa are the depictions of Buddha’s life, showing his achievement enlightenment, the celestial spirits bearing offerings to the Buddha, the wheel of Law which represents the wheel of life, samsara, and Karma, the Stupa Gates, The Buddha to be represented as a fear-banishing gesture, and stone lions guarding the entrance to the stupa.

Devotion

Buddhists are not just personally focused; there is a greater sense of a religious collective. People make pilgrimages to places made holy in the Buddha’s life to gain merit and insight. Many people give offerings of food, clothing, or lodging. There are also many services and rites performed.

One Act preformed is that of the pure land sect in Japan. Young Priests attend a mandatory head shaving ceremony, which is a symbol of giving up everything within personal desire. They even must give up the desire to become enlightened to achieve enlightenment.

Cosmology

Buddhists share the same general understanding of the cosmos as the other Indian religions. There are many different realms things are born and reborn into in as a place to seek enlightenment.

Mandalas are the sacred representation of the cosmos and representations of certain worlds usually associated with a God. These can be made with colored sand, carved in stone or painted. They are supposed to represent the macroism of the cosmos and the practitioner’s psychic energy.

The four most important parts of the wheel of life are the four traumas of life; Birth, Sickness, Aging, and Death. These are the most important because they happen to everyone without exception and are inescapable.