Buddhism9/11/15BuddhismBuddha—“awakened one”Birth of Siddhartha- Says our unwillingness to experience the world as one makes us “asleep”- Suggests that we already know everything—its about remembrance- Cult leader/foundero Siddhartha was originially hindu- Buddhism is a cult movement out of Hinduism- Argues his religion (Hinduism) is not right- Siddhartha is impatient; as a hindu is born into second to highest caste - Wants moksha—wanted all to have access to enlightenment - Raised in culture of darsan—“to see the gods”- Says moksha is all around us Queen = Maya- Siddhartha is born from illusion - Rips open his mothers side, lands on two feets, walks, takes 7 steps, lotus flowers grow under his feet, he talks- Says, “ This is my final birth” – original turning of the wheel of dharma - Destroys all of hindu history - Prophecy made by hindu ascetic—Asitao Says Siddhartha is going to be 1. Worlds most powerful king (have everything) OR 2. Worlds most famous renouncer or Ascetic or Sannyasin (have nothing)- The King wants to use his resources to make sure his son gets everything- Castle metaphor:o 1. Literally raises kid in a castle with the best everything so he will never want to leave homeo 2. He builds a castle for Siddhartha’s mind—mental metaphor of your world view—taught him everything he could ever want to know- In his mid 20s is married and has a son (stage 2 of classic hindu system—householder) - Son’s name is Rahula- Siddhartha hears the sound of a woman screaming in pain, sadness, suffering- Has never actually heard suffering in his life- His friend Channa was assigned to Siddhartha the day he was born—his best friend as well as secret service to the king- Sid says to Channa, “WHAT IS THAT SOUND”- Channa says, “that is the sound of suffering”- “What is suffering?”- “Before you die you will come to realize that everything in the universe will suffer- “You’ve now told me something I know nothing about, tell me more”- “Go get my horses, we’re leaving the castle”- METAPHOR- for anytime anyone in this room left home—began process of leaving your parents’ world view, considering other cultures, possibilities, world views- Leaves, looks closely past the happy people his father set up—sees sight 1- 4 Passing Sights—when the door to ones mind and perception opens—about to experience: o 1. 2 old men, grayed, hunchbacked, canes, toothless, babbling (old age), Sid asks Channa if old age 1. will happen to him and 2. His parents All the money and luxury wont stop aging—all people get oldo 2. Sees woman covered in boils, puss, screaming in pain and sickness Asks channa if that will happen to him/his parents—getsick, suffer Sickness comes regardless of wealth or gendero 3. Begins taking his clothes off (metaphorically getting rid of his past);starting to renounce impatiently; walks down to river and sees a deadbody DEATHRahula means Fetter (to tie something)Goes into the woods and denies himself everything—goes to having nothing for 6 yearsPerfect jain asceticism Pratitya-samutpada- the philosophy of dependent origination Any THING that exists is part of an infinite process of things that came before, therefore dependent on originationAn-atmanThings do not exist 9/16/15Four Noble Truths1. Dukkha—sufferingAnicca- all things are impermanent2. Tanha—attachment (desire,wanting,clinging)3. Nirvana—non-attachment to self, things, relationshipsa. The experience of non self; to experience nirvana you cannotexperience nirvana; no self to experience itb. The problem is that its impermanent c. To experience nirvana you cant want to experience nirvana- we endure Dukkha because we’re so focused on I (self) which Siddhartha says doesnot existBuddhism—to wake up to the impermanent nature of dharmaSiddhartha’s Temptation by Mara- mara is the manifestation of ignorance, self- scares sidd, throws lightning, beautiful women, to try and breakconcentration- hand up in nonviolence, puts other hand down to gesture the earth, becomesBuddha - asks himself, “should is stay or should I go?” (teach or stay and be in nirvana)- decides to teach - Parinirvana—ability to know where when and why you will die (onlybuddhas can experience)- He ate pork, knew it would be bad (cause hes the Buddha), ate it anywaycause he didn’t want the cook to suffer karmic consequences- Before he dies:o 1. Be a lamp unto yourself (know thyself)o 2. Know yourself, study yourself, you don’t need anythingo All things are impermanent. Observe this carefully, constantly. 9/21/15- if you’re an orthodox jew, God is too big for human conception or expressionUpayaIndra’s Net—Indra is a hindu God, king takes every cosmological node and brings them together—everything is infinitely reflecting everything elseMetta—love or compassion; if it means love, what would that entail and mean?- The only way to love another human being in this context, you have to love yourself; you can have compassion if you recognize the entropic nature of all things(entropy—disorder, breaking down, falling apart, losing organization)- A sun that is currently organized into a thing will eventually lose its organization—all things are running out of energy, becoming disorganized- An-atman—I am not a thing because my body is constantly changing- Existence is fragile; things are constantly changing, falling apart- If this I the case you can only trust 3 things: 3 refuges (triple Gem)You may take refuge in: 1. The Buddha—his existence2. Dharma—his teachings3. Sangha—community of monks that follow teachings of BuddhaTheravada BuddhismVipassana Meditiation3 marks—1. Existence of suffering—dukkha2. Object in which suffering happens—anatman (nothingness)3. Impermanent nature of that object—anicca (impermanence)5 skandas (similar to 5 senses)1. Materiality2. Sensation of material things3. Perception4. Particular moods towards the table as you experience it5. Thoughts of what said material is- All an illusion—5 qualities that make all of us mistakenly believe in and get attached to things—all about your relationship to things (atman) 4 foundations—must practice- Sustained awareness—apply this to all 4 things1. Your body—be aware always of your body2. The sensations of your body3. Your mind4. The sensations of your mindFor this Buddhist practice, if nirvana is going