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As a royal child Prince Siddhattha no doubt received a good education, although the books give no details about his schooling. Being a scion of the warrior race, he must have been specially trained in the art of warfare. At the early age of sixteen, he married his beautiful cousin Princess Yasoodharaa,[9] who was of equal years. After his happy marriage, he led a luxurious life, blissfully unaware of the vicissitudes of life, outside the palace gates. The
Five Precepts There are three fundamental modes of training in Buddhist practice: morality, mental culture, and wisdom. The English word morality is used to translate the Pali term sila, although the Buddhist term contains its own particular connotations. The word sila denotes a state of normalcy, a condition which is basically unqualified and unadulterated. When one practices sila, one returns to one's own basic goodness, the original state of normalcy, unperturbed and unmodified. Chanting
in Buddhism Chanting is very common to any religion. Buddhism is no exception in this regard. However, the aim and purpose of chanting is different from one religion to another. Buddhism is unique in that it does not consider chanting to be prayer. The
Buddhist Holidays There are many special or holy days held throughout the year by the Buddhist community. Many of these days celebrate the birthdays of Bodhisattvas in the Mahayana tradition or other significant dates in the Buddhist calendar. The most significant celebration happens every May on the night of the full moon, when Buddhist all over the world celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha over 2,500 years ago. It has become to be known as Buddha Day. Early
Buddhist Ceremonies Buddhism is unique among religions in that it knows no ceremonies comparable to those in other religions. Ceremonies and rituals, elaborate and tiresome in performance, have no room in Buddhism. We do not find any instance in the Pali Canon where the Buddha lays down the rules and methods for the performance of ceremonies for the laity. It is left to the individual whether or not to perform them. He has only one thing which he must take into consideration, that is his performing of ceremonies does not clash with the teachings of the Buddha. Buddhism
and Vegetarianism There are differences of opinion between Buddhists on this issue so we will attempt to present the arguments of those who believe that vegetarianism is necessary for Buddhists and those who do not. Do
Buddhists believe in God? Why is it... The Buddha never talked about the One God of the desert, the Judeo-Christian God? Does this mean that all Buddhists are atheists and don’t believe in God? Did the Buddha believe in God? Do
Buddhists go to Heaven? But, do Buddhists even go to Christian heaven or hell in the first place? Or do Buddhists have their own afterlife, complete with heaven and hell? The
Problem With Sex in Buddhism It seems these days in Los Angeles, it's OK to do or be anything you want sexually... And if you're lucky enough to find your true sexual identity, you will be happy and fulfilled the rest of your life. A
Buddhist Approach to Health Care Over the years many commentaries have been written to add clarity and understanding to his teachings. Buddhist monks and nuns have taught and still teach his Dharma (Truth). New schools of Buddhism based on culture and meaning arose in every part of the world spreading his message, “Suffering is Optional.” The
Buddhist Concept of Impermanence Early Buddhism dealt with the problem of impermanence in a very rationale manner. This concept is known as anicca in Buddhism, according to which, impermanence is an undeniable and inescapable fact of human existence from which nothing that belongs to this earth is ever free. ...Buddhist Suttas and Sutras... A Map Showing the Major Divisions of the Tipitaka. Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, when practicing deeply the Perfect Wisdom clearly saw that all five Skandhas are empty and passed beyond all suffering... Sariputra, form does not differ from emptiness: Emptiness does not differ from form. Form then is emptiness. Emptiness then is form. Sensation, perception, volition, and consciousness, are also like this. Metta is the highest need of the world today, indeed it is more needed than ever before. Because in this new world, there are sufficient materials, money and brilliant wise men and scientists. In spite of these, there is no peace and happiness. It shows that something is lacking, That is Metta. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of bhikkhus, entered a town of the Kalama people called Kesaputta. The Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta: "Reverend Gotama, the monk, the son of the Sakyans, has, while wandering in the Kosala country, entered Kesaputta. Thus, using his way eye, he regarded the world and saw that his deceased mother had been born among the hungry ghosts, having neither food nor drink, she was but skin and bones. Mahaudgalayana felt deep pity and sadness, filled a bowl with food and went to provide for his mother. She got the bowl, screened it with her left hand, and with her right hand made a fist of food. But, before it entered her mouth, it turned into burning coals which could not be eaten. The Book of Protection which is an anthology of selected discourses of the Buddha compiled by the teachers of old, was originally meant as a handbook for the newly ordained novice. The idea was that those novices who are not capable of studying large portions of the "Discourse Collection" (sutta pitaka) should at least be conversant with the Book of Protection. Even today it is so. Discourses of the Ancient Nuns The growing interest in women's spirituality has led to a renewed focus upon the Therigatha, the Verses of the Elder Nuns, as the oldest existing testament to the feminine experience of Buddhism. Despite this recent attention to the Therigatha, however, it seems that all but a few scholarly commentators have overlooked a short chapter in the Samyutta Nikaya that serves as an important supplement to the larger work. The Turning of the Wheel Sutta Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Baranasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus of the group of five thus: The Eightfold Path: Pali & English A Factorial Analysis of the Noble Eightfold Path The Shorter Exposition of Kamma You want: long life, health, beauty, power, riches, high birth, wisdom? Or even some of these things? They do not appear by chance. It is not someone's luck that they are healthy, or another's lack of it that he is stupid. Though it may not be clear to us now, all such inequalities among human beings (and all sorts of beings) come about because of the kamma they have made individually. Once in the Jurassic about 150 million years ago, the Great Sun Buddha in this corner of the Infinite Void gave a discourse to all the assembled elements and energies: to the standing beings, the walking beings, the flying beings, and the sitting beings--even the grasses, to the number of thirteen billion, each one born from a seed, assembled there: a Discourse concerning Enlightenment on the planet Earth. ...Buddhist History... Was invented in 1880 by an American, Colonel Henry Steele Olcott. The horizontal bars signify peace and harmony between all races throughout the world while the vertical bars represent eternal peace within the world. A
Buddhist Timeline Life of Siddhartha Guatama, the historical Buddha: conventional dates: 566-486 B.C.E. (According to more recent research, revised dates are: 490-410 BCE). Theravada
Buddhism Generally three main schools of Buddhism have been identified. These are Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. While this threefold classification is useful it does not encompass the totality of schools and approaches that one encounters in Buddhism, both in the historical past as well as today. The
Buddhist Councils King Ajatasattu sponsored the First Council. It was convened in 544 B.C. in the Satiapanni Cave situated outside Rajagaha three months after the Buddha had passed away. A detailed account of this historic meeting can be found in the Cullavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka. The
Edicts of King Asoka Asoka's edicts are mainly concerned with the reforms he instituted and the moral principles he recommended in his attempt to create a just and humane society. How
Buddhism Was Reincarnated By rights, Tibetan Buddhism should have faded like the dying light in a thousand butter lamps before a thousand knowing Buddhas. But something extraordinary happened after the Dalai Lama rode a mountain pony into exile in 1959, disguised as a soldier, his glasses in his pocket: Tibetan Buddhism found a new incarnation. ... Thich Nhat-tu... Buddhism,
as a new philosophical way of life, emerges as a counter-movement
against ethical and metaphysical doctrines of Brahmanism.
Buddhism being a naastika completely rejects the authority
of the Vedas and disproving the Brahmaa as the lord of
all creatures.
...Wapola Rahula... Let
us discuss a question often asked by many people: What
is the difference between Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism?
To see things in their proper perspective, let us turn
to the history of Buddhism and trace the emergence and
development of Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.
...Ananda W.P. Guruge... Thus
the Buddha assumed the role of a re-discoverer rather than
that of an original path-finder. What he meant by this
statement is subject to interpretation and has given rise
to a controversy among students of Buddhism and Indian
philosophy.
...Special Interest... Mindfulness
in Plain English The subject of this book is Vipassana meditation practice. Repeat, practice. This is a meditation manual, a nuts-and-bolts, step-by-step guide to Insight meditation. It is meant to be practical. It is meant for use. Learn
Pali From the introduction: This book is chiefly intended for those who study the Buddhist teachings through the medium of the English language, but wish to familiarize themselves with some of the original Pali terms of doctrinal import. They are in the same position as a student of philosophy or science who has to know the terminology of his field, which for common parlance is mostly not less 'unfamiliar' than are the words of the Pali language found in the Dictionary. The
Eightfold Path One of the best explanations of the Eightfold path in print today... The present book aims at contributing towards a proper understanding of the Noble Eightfold Path by investigating its eight factors and their components to determine exactly what they involve. Bhikkhu Bodhi is concise, using as the framework for his exposition the Buddha's own words in explanation of the path factors, as found in the Sutta Pitaka of the Pali Canon. Eightfold
Path for the Lay Person "A series of ten talks, transcribed from audio tape, on the practice of the Eightfold Path, particularly geared to householders. There is a talk on each of the eight path factors, plus two concerning the five mental hindrances." A
Buddhist Approach to Dreams We know how the Buddha and certain Indian Buddhists in the past dealt with their dreams because detailed writings still exist in the scriptures and commentaries. This article will present a section from a particular Buddhist scripture, The Sutra on the Junti Bodhisattva Dharani, Spoken by the Mother of Seven Kotis of Buddhas (T.1077), which lists specific dream images. Bowing
as Contemplation Contemplating the nature of mind is a hallmark Buddhist occupation. The Buddha called the mind “a monkey," and "a wild horse." The monkey mind calculates and schemes, chases thoughts of self and others, clings to rights and wrongs, and quarrels over me and mine. Death,
Dying, and Health in Buddhism Good health is simply the slowest way a human being can die. Good
and Evil in Buddhism Because kamma is directly concerned with good and evil, any discussion of kamma must also include a discussion of good and evil. Standards for defining good and evil are, however, not without their problems. What is "good," and how is it so? What is it that we call "evil," and how is that so? The
Five Spiritual Powers The assumption underlying all his teaching is that we don’t have to be the way we are—that all the sorrow and pain and grief and fear that we all know is not necessary. It can be eliminated. The
Word of the Buddha The Word of the Buddha, published originally in German, was the first strictly systematic exposition of all the main tenets of the Buddha's Teachings presented in the Master's own words as found in the Sutta-Pitaka of the Buddhist Pali Canon. A
Sketch of the Buddha's life This modest selection of excerpts from the Pali Canon provides a rough sketch of the life of the Buddha. I hope you will find enough in this rather sparse selection to gain at least an inkling both of the range of the Buddha's teachings and of the sweeping trajectory of his extraordinary life. Non-Violence
in Early Buddhism In this short autobiographical passage, the Buddha describes his sense of dismay at the violence in the world, together with his important discovery: that the only escape from violence is to remove the causes of violence from one's own heart. Metta-
Universal Love in Buddhism Metta makes one a pure font of well-being and safety for others. Just as a mother gives her own life to protect her child, so metta only gives and never wants anything in return. Gemstones
of the Good Dhamma The discourses of the Buddha and his direct disciples have been collected together into a huge body of literature known as the Sutta Pitaka. Made up of both prose and verse, much of this literature is little known to the average Buddhist because of its great size and also because in both style and content it is highly philosophical. The
Discourse on Right View The Sammaditthi Sutta, the Discourse on Right View, is the ninth sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, the Collection of Middle Length Discourses. Its expositor is the Venerable Sariputta Thera, the Buddha's chief disciple and the foremost of the Master's bhikkhu disciples in the exercise of the faculty of wisdom The
Five Hindrances and their Conquest Unshakable deliverance of the mind is the highest goal in the Buddha's doctrine. Here, deliverance means: the freeing of the mind from all limitations, fetters, and bonds that tie it to the Wheel of Suffering, to the Circle of Rebirth. Meditation
Alters Brain Structure But although the Buddhists and scientists who met for five days last month in the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala, India, had different views on the little matters of reincarnation and the relationship of mind to brain, they set them aside in the interest of a shared goal. They had come together in the shadows of the Himalayas to discuss one of the hottest topics in brain science: neuroplasticity. The
Jhanas in Theravada Buddhism The Buddha says that just as in the great ocean there is but one taste, the taste of salt, so in his doctrine and discipline there is but one taste, the taste of freedom. The taste of freedom that pervades the Buddha's teaching is the taste of spiritual freedom, which from the Buddhist perspective means freedom from suffering. A
Study Guide: The Four Noble Truths The four noble truths are the most basic expression of the Buddha's teaching. As Ven. Sariputta once said, they encompass the entire teaching, just as the footprint of an elephant can encompass the footprints of all other footed beings on earth. A
Study Guide: The Ten Perfections Thus, historically, there have been two major ways of following the path to full Buddhahood: following guidelines gleaned from the early canons, and following the traditions set in motion by the experiences of visionaries from the beginning of the common era. The materials in this study guide take the first course. Jhanas,
Concentration, and Wisdom The role of jhana as a condition for transcendent discernment is one of the most controversial issues in the Theravada tradition. Three basic positions have been advanced in modern writings.
e-Learning There is a new era of technological innovation sweeping the world, which has spawned a new medium - the Internet's world wide web, a very powerful communications network and learning environment. The Internet should not be seen as just a new way to disseminating or repackage the Buddha's teachings but potentially as a base for an innovative online dharma community - a Cyber Sangha, that offers alternative social and spiritual values. Working
with Anger Anger seems to be an emotion that people have a lot of difficulty with, so I'd like to talk about how to deal specifically when such an emotion occurs. Say you're sitting and anger appears and you think, "Oh no - anger!" - that's resistance. But what about, "Oh, great, anger!"? Do you see the difference? We are usually very accepting of the moment when the bird sings, but with anger it is more difficult. The
Elimination of Anger The ultimate goal of Buddhism is the deathless condition of Nibbana, the sole reality. Hence, one who aspires to that state should renounce mundane pursuits and attachments, which are ephemeral, for the sake of that reality. But there are very few who are sufficiently mature to develop themselves to achieve that state in this very life. Living
in the World with Dhamma Most people still don't know the essence of meditation practice. They think that walking meditation, sitting meditation and listening to Dhamma talks are the practice. That's true too, but these are only the outer forms of practice. The
Four Nobel Truths The teaching I will present to you today is a way to solve problems in the present moment, in this present life. Some people say that they have so much work to do they have no time to practice the Dhamma. "What can we do?" Buddhist
Cosmology The topic of my Dharma talk today is Buddhist cosmology, a term which does not occur in everyday conversation. What then, is cosmology? The dictionary defines it as a branch of philosophy dealing with the origin, processes and structure of the universe. The
Five Aggregates In this chapter we will look at the teaching of the five aggregates--form, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. In other words, we will look at the Buddhist analysis of personal experience, or the personality. Kamma
on the Social Level In practical terms it can be said that the human world is the world of intentional action. Human beings have a very sophisticated level of intention, which, in conjunction with their thought processes, allows them to achieve things which would be impossible for other animals. Buddhism
in Modern Life Then let us look at what Buddhism is. What do we understand by Buddhism? It can mean many things to many people. To someone it can be only life of the Buddha; the example that the Buddha and his immediate disciples set -that glorious feat of a man, who stood before men as a man and declared a path of deliverance. Going
for Refuge The act of going for refuge marks the point where one commits oneself to taking the Dhamma, or the Buddha's teaching, as the primary guide to the conduct of one's life. To understand why this commitment is called a "refuge", it is helpful to look at the history of the custom. No-Self
or Not-Self? One of the first stumbling blocks that Westerners often encounter when they learn about Buddhism is the teaching on anatta, often translated as no-self. This teaching is a stumbling block for two reasons. Giving
Dignity to Life To ask what it means to live with dignity may sound strange in an age like our own, when our frantic struggle to make ends meet hardly allows us the leisure to ponder such weighty matters. The
Not-Self Strategy Books on Buddhism often state that the Buddha's most basic metaphysical tenet is that there is no soul or self. However, a survey of the discourses in the Pali Canon -- the earliest extant record of the Buddha's teachings -- suggests that the Buddha taught the anatta or not-self doctrine, not as a metaphysical assertion, but as a strategy for gaining release from suffering Meditating
on NO-Self In Buddhism we use the words "self" and "no-self," and so it is important to understand just what this "no-self," anatta, is all about, even if it is first just an idea, because the essence of the Buddha's teaching hinges on this concept. And in this teaching Buddhism is unique. Tolerance
and Diversity Today all the major religions of the world must respond to a double challenge. On one side is the challenge of secularism, a trend which has swept across the globe, battering against the most ancient strongholds of the sacred and turning all man's movements towards the Beyond into a forlorn gesture, poignant but devoid of sense. Association
with the Wise The Maha-Mangala Sutta, the Great Discourse on Blessings, is one of the most popular Buddhist suttas, included in all the standard repertories of Pali devotional chants. Buddha,
Dharma, Sangha When people ask 'What do you have to do to become a Buddhist?' we say that we take refuge in Buddha Dhamma Sangha and to take refuge we recite a Pali formula A
Look at the Kalama Sutta But does the Kalama Sutta really justify such views? Or do we meet in these claims just another set of variations on that egregious old tendency to interpret the Dhamma according to whatever notions are congenial to oneself -- or to those to whom one is preaching? The
Heart of Fundamentalism Why are people "fundamentalists"? They don't see themselves that way. It's a label we give to others whom we fundamentally disagree with. Fundamentalism is in our hearts--all our hearts. Once we recognize that, we can start to come to terms with it. The
Healing Power of the Precepts The
Buddha was like a doctor, treating the spiritual ills of the human
race. The path of practice he taught was like a course of Buddhist
Enlightenment vs Nirvana When I first started reading books on Buddhism back in the late 1970’s, I had trouble understanding *Nirvana and Enlightenment. These two words were often used interchangeably by authors writing on the *Theravada and *Mahayana traditions. Sometimes though, the meaning seemed to change depending on who was doing the writing. Bowing
as Contemplation Contemplating the nature of mind is a hallmark Buddhist occupation. The Buddha called the mind “a monkey," and "a wild horse." The monkey mind calculates and schemes, chases thoughts of self and others, clings to rights and wrongs, and quarrels over me and mine. The wild horse mind loves to run away into fantasies and false-thoughts, to wander far without warning and to return when it pleases. It is difficult to break the wild horse mind to the saddle of mindfulness and discipline. An
Overview of the Tipitaka Scriptures Although
the Master has left no written records of His Teachings, His disciples
preserved them, by committing to memory and The
Living Message of the Dhammapada The Dhammapada is a work familiar to every devout Buddhist and to every serious student of Buddhism. This small collection of 423 verses on the Buddha's doctrine is so rich in insights that it might be considered the perfect compendium of the Dhamma in its practical dimensions. The
Five Skandhas and the New Millennium It may be because we are coming to the end of one millennium and about to enter another that there is a great interest in news stories that signal the end of the world. In 1998, a new film was released called 'Deep Impact'. It was about a comet colliding with Earth.
An essay on breath meditation As
the title suggests, there is a significant puzzle to be solved by
any meditator or scholar who tries to clearly understand the Instructions
for Entering Jhana These
instructions have been taken from a nine-day retreat offered by
Leigh Brasington at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in April
of 2002. The Pali word jhana (Sanskrit dhyana) is sometimes simply
translated as “meditation,” but more accurately refers
to an “absorption” into a very focused, very stable
state of concentration. In the classical tradition there are several
stages of jhana, each one more focused than the previous The
Path of Concentration and Mindfulness Many
people tell us that the Buddha taught two different types of
meditation; mindfulness meditation and concentration meditation.
Mindfulness meditation, they say, is the direct path, while concentration
practice is the scenic route that you take at your own risk because
it's very easy to get caught there and you may never get out. |
