Religion_not mine

1. INTRODUCTION TO WORLD RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEMS
LESSON 9
THERAVADA BUDDHISM

2. 1. Historical Background
2. Life of the Buddha
3. Sacred Scriptures
4. Beliefs and Doctrines
5. Four Noble Truths
6. Law of Dependent
Origination
7. Impermanence of Things
8. The Sangha
9. Worship and Observances
10. Subdivisions
11. Selected Issues
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3. Buddhism is one of the most practical
among the world’s great religions because its
belief system intends to meet basic
human needs and solve humankind’s
spiritual problem without depending on
supernatural forces (Brown, 1975).

4. TWO MAIN DIVISIONS
01 CHINA
JAPAN
MONGOLIA
360M FOLLOWERS
Buddhism is the religion of around 500 million
people or about 7% to 8% of the world’s population.
02 MYANMAR
THAILAND
SRI LANKA
150M FOLLOWERS
MAHAYANA BUDDHISM THERAVADA BUDDHISM

5. ASIAN COUNTRIES THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST
BUDDHIST IN TERMS OF POPULATION
1. Cambodia 97%
2. Thailand 90%
3. Myanmar 80%
4. Bhutan 75%
5. Sri Lanka 75%
6. Laos 66%

6. H E R A V A D A
B U D D H I S M
T
A major branch of the religion,
Theravada Buddhism (“school of elder monks”
or “school of the ancients”) or the “Southern
School of Buddhism” draws on the collected
teachings of the oldest recorded texts of
Buddhist texts to become its central precept,

7. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Buddhism has been in existence for over
2,500 years and has never experienced any
drastic or radical schisms in its evolution.
Disciples of Siddhartha Gautama
spread his word and preached throughout
various communities. There came a need
for them to adapt to local culture, politics,
and economic context.

8. The sage Siddhartha
Gautama may have been born
between 563 B.C.E. to 480 B.C.E.
into the Sakya tribe in Lumbini (in
present-day Nepal) near the town
of Kapilavastu (the capital city of
the Sakya state) in the foothills of
the Nepalese Himalayas
(Kulananda 2001).
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA Born into the Kshatriya caste,
his father was Suddhodana, an
aristocratic Hindu chieftain, and
his mother was Mahamaya, a
Koliyan princess.
Buddha's family name was
Gautama or Gotama.
The name "Siddhartha”
means "he who achieves his
aim."

15. 1. An old man
2. A crippled man
3. A decaying corpse
4. An ascetic monk or shramana
FOUR SIGNS

19. • Infographic Style
Siddhartha advocated the
avoidance of two extremes,
namely, self-indulgence and
self-denial, and taught the way
toward the "Middle Path" that
was a life of self-discipline and
introspection but not self-
flagellation (Losch, 2001).
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA

21. Siddhartha was 35 years old when he
attained enlightenment or became Buddha.
A new spiritual community or sangha
sprang forth and soon there were sixty
enlightened beings in the world.
Siddhartha preached throughout the
regions of India, such as Magadha and
Kosala. He preached during the reign of
Bimbisara, the ruler of the Magadha Empire
from 542 B.C.E. to 492 B.C.E.
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA

23. At the age of 80 and on a full
moon, Siddhartha died in
Kushinagar between 483 B.C.E.
to 400 B.C.E. during the early
years of Ajasatru (Bimbisara's
successor) who ruled around 492
B.C.E. to 460 B.C.E.
The cause of death was a meal
received from a metalworker that
led to dysentery.
Mahakasyapa was one of
Siddhartha’s principal disciples
and led 500 disciples to compile
his teachings. LIFE OF THE BUDDHA

24. Subject to decay are all
component things.
Strive earnestly to work
out your own salvation.
- Siddhartha Gautama’s last words

25. SACRED SCRIPTURES
Pali Canon or the Tipitaka/Tripitaka
("three baskets") of Theravada Buddhism
survives of the school of Buddhism.
Preserved in the Pali language, this
standard collection of scriptures of
Theravada is the most conservative, and the
most complete extant early canon of
Buddhist writings.
In Pali language, the word pitaka
translates as "basket" referring to the
receptacles where the palm leaf manuscripts
were stored by the monks.
PALI CANON

26. SACRED SCRIPTURES
The first basket, the Sutta Pitaka, contains the conventional
teaching delivered by Siddhartha on different occasions.
Discourses of Siddhartha's disciples such as those of Sariputa,
Mogallan, Amanda, are also part of the Sultan Pitaka. It is
divided into 5 collections namely: Digha Nikaya (Collection of
Long Discourses), Majjhima Nikaya (Collection of Middle-Length
Discourses), Samyutta Nikaya (Collection of Kindred Sayings),
Anguttara Nikaya (Collection of Discourses arranged in
accordance with number), and Khuddaka Nikaya (Small
Collection).
SUTTA PITAKA

27. SACRED SCRIPTURES
The second basket, the Vinaya Pitaka, contains the disciplinary
code required of Buddhist monks (Milkhus) and nuns (bhillance).
Various rules and regulations must be followed by the monastic
community. It consists of five books, namely, Parapka Pali
(Major Offences), Parathys Pal (Minor Offences), Afahavagga
Pali (Greater Section). Cullavegga Pali (Smaller Section), and
Parivara Pah (Epitome of the Vinaya).
VINAYA PITAKA

28. SACRED SCRIPTURES
The third basket, the Abhidhamma Ptala, is a work on moral
psychology. The reflective philosophies of Siddhartha's
teachings are contained in the Abhidhamma Pitaka that is
strictly a Theravada collection. It is componed of seven works,
namely, Dharma Sangans (Enumeration of Phenomena),
Vibhanga (The Book of the Treaties), Katha Vatthu (Pont of
Controversy). Puggala Pannatti (Description of Individuals),
Dhatu Kotha (Discusion with reference to Elements), Yamaka
(The Book of Pairs), and Patthana (The Book of Relations).
ABHIDHAMMA PITAKA

29. SACRED SCRIPTURES
Buddha's doctrinal discourses; short poems to long prose narratives
about Siddhartha's previous lives.
Sutta Pitaka (Discourse)
Rules of discipline; stories that illustrate Buddhist moral principles.
Vinaya Pitaka (Discipline)
Systematic analysis of the categories of Buddhist thought.
Abhidhamma Pitaka (Ultimate Doctrine)

30. BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
Siddhartha did not claim to
be a savior, but a guide and
teacher as he pointed the way
for others to follow and gain
spiritual bliss in doing so.
Buddhism does not preach
that humans have an eternal
and indestructible soul.
Siddhartha never intended to start a new religion
especially, and so his teachings are focused
primarily on ethics and self-understanding as people
work for their salvation on their own without needing
the assistance of any supreme being.
Another unique feature of Buddhism is the belief
that soul or the Hindu atman does not exist as people
live in a state of nonsoulness or anatman/anatta.

31. BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES
The mark of impermanence or
anitya/anicca states that all
conditioned things are
transitory and passing; they
all have beginning and end to
their existence.
Humans do not have a
permanent, unchanging, real
soul that dwells within them.
Human existence, or what we actually call soul,
is a composite of five mental or physical aggregates
or khandas.
1. physical form or corporeality
2. feelings or sensations
3. understanding or perception
4. will or mental formation
5. consciousness

32. FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
This identifies the origin of the
problem, the dukkha. Suffering
can be experienced throughout
different stages of life.
BUDDHISM
This explains the cause of suffering
or the samodaya, in craving or desire
(or tanha), in the perpetual thirst of
humans to consume things,
experiences, or ideas.
This asserts that there is a cessation
or nirodha to suffering and bondage
by eliminating craving and desire.
This directs an individual to
the path or magga leading to
the termination of craving
and desire, and to eventual
cessation of pain.

33. NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH
EARN A LIVING IN A WAY NOT
HARMFUL TO ANY LIVING THING
RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
FREE ONE’S SELF FROM ILL-WILL,
CRUELTY, AND UNTRUTHFULNESS
RIGHT INTENTION
ABSTAIN FROM
UNTRUTHFULNESS, TALE-
BEARING, HARSH LANGUAGE,
AND VAIN TALK
RIGHT SPEECH
ABSTAIN FROM KILLING,
STEALING, AND MISCONDUCT
RIGHT ACTION
UNDERSTAND THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
RIGHT VIEW
PAY VIGILANT ATTENTION TO EVERY
STATE OF THE BODY, FEELING, AND MIND
RIGHT MINDULNESS
AVOID EVIL THOUGHTS AND
OVERCOME THEM, AROUSE GOOD
THOUGHTS AND MAINTAIN THEM
RIGHT EFFORT
CONCENTRATE ON A SINGLE
OBJECT, SO AS TO INDUCE
CERTAIN SPECIAL STATES OF
CONSCIOUSNESS IN DEEP
MEDITATION
RIGHT CONCENTRATION

34. Law of Dependent Origination
The Law of Dependent Origination or Paticca-samuppada is one
of the most insightful teachings of Siddhartha.
It follows that every effect has a definite cause and every cause
has a definite effect.
In Buddhism, dependent origination is twelve-linked chain
that explicates how all things are inter-connected how error
and attachment to error occur, and how, if the chain is
untangled, nirvana can be achieved.
The law of karma operates as a causal process that explains
the problem of suffering and in samsara.

36. However when one is
released from samsara, a being
escapes all these phenomena is
then reached a state called
nirvana wherein desire has been
extinguished from one's self and
a person's mind is at perfect
peace. Those who have achieved
nirvana are called arhat or one
who is "worthy of honor“.
Impermanence is an unavoidable fact of human existence.
Impermanence of Things

37. Sangha literally means "share” that refer
to monks who share in the general fund
of aims provided by a community”.
The Sangha
Kondanna, Siddhartha's follower
and one of the so-called "Five
Ascetics" was the first disciple
ordained to the sangha.
Ordained Buddhist monks are
called shikkus while nuns are
called shikkumis.
The so-called "Three Jewels” or triratna
summarize the Buddhist faith: I take
refuge in the Buddha, in the teaching, and
in the sangha.

38. Stupas are
commemorative monuments
that contain sacred relics
associated with Siddhartha
himself, and the venerable
monks and nuns. It
represents Siddhartha’s body,
speech, and mind.
WORSHIP AND
OBSERVANCES
STUPA

39. WORSHIP AND
OBSERVANCES
ADAM’S PEAK
OR SRI PADA
In Sri Lanka, many pilgrims
visit Adam's Peak or Sri Pada, a
tall conical mountain popular for
the mark of the sacred footprint
of Siddhartha (for Buddhists)
and Adam (for Christians). For
several hours, pilgrims climb the
mountain amidst arduous paths
and thousands of steps. Most
pilgrims undertake the journey
every month of April.

40. For Buddhist celebrations, the most
important festival occurs every May on
the night of the full moon as Buddhist
followers around the world
commemorate the birth, enlightenment,
and death of Siddhartha about 2,500
years ago. Known as Vesakha or Vesak,
it is also known as "Buddha Purnima"
or "Buddha Day." Vesak refers to the
lunar month that falls in May and
"Vesak Day" is the holiest day for all
Buddhists. Celebrated with immense
festivity, Buddhists send out thoughts
of affectionate benevolence to the
living and to the departed ones. They
also perform rituals at stupas.
VESAKHA OR
VESAK

41. Magha Puja Day occurs during the full
moon of the third lunar month. It
commemorates the event where
Siddhartha went to Rajgir to meet and
ordain the 1250 arhats in Venuvana
Monastery. Two of his chief disciples,
namely Sariputta and Moggallana, were
present during the assembly.
Meanwhile Asalha Puja Day
commemorates Siddhartha's first
teaching (or the turning of the wheel of
the dharma) held near Benares. During
this time, the monk Kondanna reached
the first level of enlightenment.
MAGHA PUJA DAY
ASALHA PUJA DAY

42. SUBDIVISIONS
During the third century BCE, the Indian emperor
Ashoka Maurya, who ruled between 269 B.CE to 232
B.C.E, propagated Buddhism in Sri Lanka that has
remained relatively unchanged through time as a
result of its rather peaceful history (Mizuno, 1987;
Hopfe, 1983). Ashoka's son Mahinda and daughter
Sanghamitra established Buddhism in then Ceylon.

43. Mahavihara
or “Great
Monastery”

44. Abhayagiri
Vihara

45. Abhayagiri
Dagoba

46. Jetavana

47. SELECTED ISSUES
War and Violence
In Buddhism, war is
evil or akusala and
some scholars state that
it has no rationalization
in Siddhartha's
teachings. However,
there are instances
wherein Buddhist monks
engaged themselves in
open conflict.

48. SELECTED ISSUES
Women on Buddhism
Both sexes are seen
as relevant in society
as they share equal
responsibilities in their
family duties. Within the
sangha, Siddhartha
recognized the potential
and value of the
Bhikkunis who were also
experts in teaching the
dharma.

49. THANK YOU!
GROUP 2