From Hinduism to Buddhism Freedom of the individual against the caste system of India Summary 1 Review of Hinduism Panentheism 2 Rise of Buddhism History of relation of Hinduism and Buddhism 3 Main ideas of Buddhism 4 Noble Truths 1 Republican conception of reincarnation Individual creates his own environment in Greek and Indian Republics Hence Plato s story of the soldier Er on reincarnation we choose our own lot in life Hence Hindu Advaita Vedanta we determine our karma through our ignorance of our true nature as divine beings Maya Or through our awareness of our role in the divine play Lila Brahman as the Essence of the World I am the fresh taste of the water I The silver of the moon the gold o the sun The word of worship in the Veds the thrill That passeth in the ether and the strength Of man s shed seed I am the good sweet smell Of the moistened earth I am the fire s red light The vital air moving in all which moves The holiness of hallowed souls the root Undying whence hath sprung whatever is Combine Pantheism and Monotheism Panentheism In Me are all existences contained Not I in them Bhagavad Gita 1 Pantheism God is everything everything is God Animism of early hunter gatherers 2 Monotheism there is one God separate from the world He She creates Combine 1 and 2 Panentheism 1 the world is the emanation of God 2 yet God also remains the conscious Unity in all expressions Matter Life Mind and Spirit evolution of God from non God back to God God s experience of being God Emanationism They comprehend not the Unheavenly How Souls go forth from Me nor how they come Back to Me 1 Soul Aspect Part of Brahman goes forth into forgetfulness devolution of spirit into matter 2 Karmic existence in samsara illusion of time and space 3 Return to consciousness of inner divinity moksha Sat Chit Ananda or bliss consciousness of being Can be attained even now evolution of spirit in matter Neo Kinship and the unity of God and the World 1 Ancient kinship animism pantheism Hinduism absorbs animistic hunter gatherers 2 Evolution of polytheism avatars and monotheism does not reject animism 3 Panentheism Pan all hen one Compare to Akhenaton Zoroaster other forms of animistic monotheism dualistic there is something outside of God But Brahman is non dualistic unity of both Day and Night Light and Dark Good and Evil Like the Dao East and West Panentheism Non dual advaita no separation unity of God and world expresses continuity with early beliefs of kinship society neo kinship Monotheism of the West and Middle East God is above and outside of nature separation of God and world in Judaism Christianity and Islam reflects legalistic break from ancient kinship Path to True Self Krishna is a conscious avatar because Krishna realizes his true being as Brahman Ordinary human Arjuna fails to understand this Hence Arjuna is caught up in cycle of birth and death Samsara and Illusion Maya To find peace joy bliss find your real Self This is God s own experience of being God in as you your true self Atman 2 Hinduism and Buddhism Two Entwined Paths in Indian History 1 Hinduism reflects the Caste System Individual is a member of a neo kinship caste system 2 Buddhism rejects the Caste System Freedom of the individual from caste oppression 3 Hinduism learns from Buddhism What is the true meaning of caste 4 Buddhism learns from Hinduism Spiritual kinship compassion for others from Theravada to Mahayana Buddhism Origin of Buddhism The monks were intellectually and spiritually free Decisions were made through group discussion perpetuating the pattern of the early republics of the north Indian hills Spodek 286 Buddha and Caste Siddhartha Gautama 563 483 BCE Father Kshatria warrior of a republican tribe the Shakyas Hence Shakyamuni Buddha see images p 240 298 not Chai Shen Chinese god of wealth with round stomach Abandons Kshatria caste duty Sangha community of equals Dharma duties but not caste rules Karma and rebirth without caste What does Buddha look like Not Cai Shen the Chinese god of wealth Film Little Buddha with Keanu Reeves 1 Early Buddhism Challenges external religion of Brahmins Late Vedic religion Ritualistic beliefs or dogmas are stressed Buddhism focuses on personal experience Buddha studies Vedanta philosophy of Upanishads Rejects caste rules Rejects worship of polytheistic gods and ritual practices Recreates republican spirit after demise of republics and against hierarchy Challenge to Hinduism compare Confucianism and Daoism 2 Hinduism evolves Vedanta philosophical doctrines turn Vedic religion into philosophy compare to Plato Rejects polytheism one God in all things Gods are manifestations of one Brahman Bhakti personal devotion Experience of God not just belief and rituals Buddha is incorporated into Hindu system 3 Buddhism evolves Mahayana separates from individualistic Theravada Hinayana Buddhism becomes a social religion Doctrine of the Bodhisattva e g Tenzin Gyatso the 14th Dalai Lama incarnation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva of Compassion Final goal of world history salvation of all humanity soteriological religion Like Hindu vision of a return of all to the Source 4 Final outcome Buddhism dies out in India is destroyed What s the difference Muslim state 1000 1200 attacks Buddhism as polytheistic atheistic Buddhism is strongly established in Southeast Asia China Japan Tibet 3 Basic ideas of Buddhism 1 Against worship of polytheistic gods The gods too need enlightenment Recall Socrates on the gods 2 No self anatman no permanent ego Denies reality of the little self or ego 3 Universal interconnection of all things dependent origination Go with the flow Basic ideas continued 4 Karma rebirth spiritual progress liberation Of individual in Theravada Of all humanity in Mahayana 5 Buddha nature is in all individuals the higher part of ourselves our true self We are all potential Buddhas enlightened ones If you meet the Buddha kill the Buddha Lin Chi 9 th century 6 Four Noble Truths 7 Middle Way First Noble Truth Life is suffering Dukkha 1st Dukkha childbirth sickness old age and death 2nd Dukkha difficulty of changing circumstances impermanence of things 3rd Dukkha impermanence of self ego Five Skandas of Buddhist psychology Five Skandas Conglomerations 1 A conglomeration of form Changes in our physical characteristics strength height weight etc 2 a conglomeration of of feelings or sensations 6 senses includes sensual mind 3 a conglomeration of perceptions Our likes and dislikes 4 a conglomeration of