Philosophy and Religion
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- Bu səhifədəki naviqasiya:
- Bodhisattvas
- B uddhist monks
- Tibetan Buddhism/Culture
- Tibetan Mandalas
- Tibetan Mandalas (continued)
- Nine main Siddhis
- Legends - Shambhala
- Tibetan Unrest 2008
- Zen Buddhism
- Flower Sermon
Samsara Samsara refers to the cycle of reincarnation or rebirth in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and other related religions. Under this concept, one continues to be born and reborn and either becomes a god or an animal (depending on karma). The concept of this cyclic existence is taught by many Buddhist teachers. (To better understand it, it’s important to know about the six realms of existence, what cyclic existence is, and enlightenment or the liberation from the uncontrolled cycle of existence). Moksha Moksha (Sanskrit: “liberation” or “release”) refers to liberation from samsara (the cycle of death and rebirth and all of the suffering and limitation of worldly existence) and is synonymous with nirvana. It is seen as a transcendence of phenomenal being, a state of higher consciousness, in which matter, energy, time, space, causation (karma) and the other features of empirical reality are understood as illusions. Rather than being a reward for good deeds that is achieved after death, however, liberation is experienced in this very life as a dissolution of the sense of self as an egoistic personality by which the underlying, eternal, pure spirit is uncovered. In Buddhism, the concept of liberation (e.g. Nirvana) is slightly different from Jainism and Hinduism. It occurs when the body (five aggregates) is extinguished from the cycle of rebirth. (In Hinduism too, the cycle of rebirth ends on liberation.) Furthermore, actions do not create karma (good or bad) when performed by an individual in the state of Moksha.
The Sanskrit term Dharma (simplified: 法 pinyin: fǎ) is traditionally an Indian spiritual or religious term that means one's righteous duty, or any virtuous path in the common sense of the term. Dharma is often a central concept in Buddhism that is used in order to explain the "higher truth" or ultimate reality of the universe. (The word 'dharma' literally translates as 'that which upholds or supports', and is generally translated into English as 'law'. Throughout the history of its philosophical context, it has governed ideas about the proper conduct of living that are upheld by the laws of the universe.) D For practicing Buddhists, references to "dharma" in the singular generally mean the teachings of the Buddha (and also to the later traditions of interpretation and addition that the various schools of Buddhism have developed to help explain and expand upon the Buddha's teachings), although the status of the Dharma is regarded variably by different Buddhist traditions. Some regard it as an ultimate truth that lies beyond worldly things, somewhat like the Christian logos. Others, who regard the Buddha as simply an enlightened human being, see the Dharma as the essence of the 84,000 different teachings that the Buddha gave to various types of people based on their propensity and capacity. For others still, they see the dharma as referring to the "truth" or ultimate reality or "the way things are". The Dharma is one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism of which practitioners of Buddhism seek refuge in. The three jewels of Buddhism are the Buddha (mind's perfection of enlightenment), the Dharma (teachings and methods), and the Sangha (awakened beings who provide guidance and support). Bodhisattvas B Mahayana Buddhism regards the Bodhisattva as a person who already has a considerable degree of enlightenment and seeks to use their wisdom to help other human beings to become liberated themselves. In this understanding of the word, the Bodhisattva is an already wise person who uses skillful means to lead others to see the benefits of virtue and the cultivation of wisdom. Mahayana encourages everyone to become bodhisattvas and to take the bodhisattva vows. With these vows, one makes the promise to work for the complete enlightenment of all sentient beings.
A Bhikkhu (Buddhist monk; literally “beggar”) is a fully ordained male Buddhist monastic. (Female monastics are called Bhikkhunis). They keep many precepts living by the framework of Buddhist monastic discipline. Their lifestyle is shaped so as to support their spiritual practice, to live a simple and meditative life, and attain Nirvana. A bhikkhu has taken a vow to enter the Sangha (Buddhist monastic community) and is expected to obey rules of conduct (typically around 227 for a male), although there are considerable local variations in the interpretations of these rules. A novice monk or nun in the Tibetan tradition takes 36 vows of conduct. The minimum age to take bhikkhu vows is usually around 21 years (although this varies from country to country). These vows are taken by monks and nuns in order to develop personal ethical discipline. Monks and nuns take their vows for a lifetime, but they can "give them back" (up to three times in one life), a possibility which is actually used by many people. In this way, Buddhism keeps the vows "clean". It is possible to keep them or to leave this lifestyle, but it is considered extremely negative to break these vows. The robes of ordained people come from the idea of wearing cheap clothes just to protect the body from weather and climate. Since dark red was the cheapest color in Kashmir, the Tibetan tradition has red robes. In the south, yellow played the same role, though the color of saffron also had cultural associations in India and China; in East Asia, robes are yellow, grey or black. According to the spiritual development of his followers, the Buddha gave different levels of vows. The most advanced method is the state of a bikshu(ni), a fully ordained follower of the Buddha's teachings. The goal of the bikshu(ni) in all traditions is to achieve liberation from suffering. Tibetan Buddhism/Culture T From the perspective of Tibetan Buddhism, when one conceives of a particular object, the mind automatically gives rise to the appearance and qualities of that object. In perceiving the empty nature of all phenomena as well as each of their relative characteristics, one becomes both omniscient and omnipresent, and the same object would literally, then, “look” quite different (having its “qualities” stripped away). There are said to be countless beings that have attained Buddhahood (Buddhas). Buddhas spontaneously, naturally and continuously perform activities to benefit all sentient beings. However it is believed that sentient beings' karma ('actions') limit the ability of the Buddhas to help them. Thus, although Buddhas possess no limitation from their side on their ability to help others, sentient beings continue to experience suffering as a result of the limitations of their own former negative actions. Dalai Lama “Dalai Lama” is the title given to an individual who is the spiritual and, sometimes, temporal leader of Tibetan Buddhists worldwide. This person is believed to be the current incarnation of a long line of Tulkus, or Buddhist Masters, who have become so enlightened as to be exempt from the wheel of death and rebirth. These ascended masters have chosen of their own free will to be reborn to this plane in order to teach humanity. A Lama (meaning "Teacher") is a title given to many different ranks of Tibetan Buddhist clergy. Between the 17th century and 1959, the Dalai Lama was the head of the Tibetan Government, administering a large portion of the country from the capital Lhasa. Since 1959, the Dalai Lama has presided over the Central Tibetan Administration from India. (This has bee the source of great controversy, debate, and protest among followers and non-followers worldwide. With the riots in Lhasa just two months ago in March 2008, the issue continues to be heated, and even violent, between Chinese and Tibetans). Tibetans usually refer to the Dalai Lama simply as "His Holiness" (HH), or "His Holiness The Dalai Lama". Tibetan Mandalas M A mandala usually depicts a landscape of the Buddha land or the enlightened vision of a Buddha (which represent the nature of experience and the intricacies of both the enlightened and confused mind): a microcosm representing various divine powers at work in the universe. Such mandalas consist of an outer circular mandala and an inner square (or sometimes circular) mandala with an ornately decorated mandala palace placed at the center. Any part of the inner mandala can be occupied by Buddhist glyphs and symbols as well as images of its associated deities, which symbolize different stages in the process of the realization of the truth.
Mandalas are commonly used by tantric Buddhists as an aid to meditation. More specifically, a Buddhist mandala is envisaged as a "sacred space," a Pure Buddha Realm and also as an abode of fully realized beings or deities. While on the one hand, it is regarded as a place separated and protected from the ever-changing and impure outer world of Samsara, and is thus seen as a ‘Buddhafield’ or a place of Nirvana and peace. The view of Vajrayana Buddhism sees the greatest protection from samsara being the power to see ‘samsaric confusion’ as the shadow of purity (which then points towards it). By visualizing purelands, one learns to understand experience itself as pure, and the abode of enlightenment. The protection we need, in this view, is from our own minds, as much as from external sources of confusion. I To symbolize impermanence (a central teaching of Buddhism), after days or weeks of creating the intricate pattern, the sand forming a sand-mandala (taking months to create) is brushed together and is usually placed in a body of running water to spread the blessings of the mandala. Mandalas, by their very presence in the world, remind a viewer of the immanence of sanctity in the Universe and its potential in his or her self. In the context of the Buddhist path the purpose of a mandala is to put an end to human suffering, to attain enlightenment and to attain a correct view of Reality. It is a means to discover divinity by the realization that it resides within one's own self. Tantra Tantra (Sanskrit: "weave" denoting continuity), is any of several esoteric traditions traditionally rooted in the religions of India, but it also exists in South Asia, China, Japan, Tibet, Korea, Cambodia, Burma, Indonesia and Mongolia. The Tantric practitioner seeks to use the divine power that flows through the universe (including their own body) to attain purposeful goals. These goals may be spiritual, material or both. A practitioner of tantra considers mystical experience or the guidance of a Guru (spiritual guide) imperative. In the process of working with energy the Tantric has various tools at their disposal. These include yoga—to actuate processes that will yoke the practitioner to the divine. Also important are the use of visualizations of the deity and verbalization or evocation through mantras (religious poem)—which may be construed as seeing and singing the power into being; identification and internalization of the divine is enacted—often through a total identification with a deity, such that the aspirant "becomes" the deity.
S There are many perspectives of attaining Siddhis. One school of thought states that they are a normal set of occurrences that should not be focused upon because they will pull one from the path. Other perspectives hold that each siddhi should be pursued because it will allow one to understand the power of the God. Siddhis may occur in many ways: naturally though the agency of karma, as a result of extended practice, through rigorous austerities or by grace. Siddhi powers are also said to be obtainable by meditation, control of the senses, devotion, mantras, or good birth. Seeking siddhi powers is often discouraged and considered to be an impediment to spiritual advancement. In the context of meditation, seeking siddhis is like desiring mere candles; instead one should “focus” on seeking the Sun of full Enlightenment and Liberation (moksha). Some siddhis include being able to hear things far away, teleportation, dying when one desires, knowing the past/present/future, and reading minds. Nine main Siddhis:
Legends - Shambhala In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala is a mythical kingdom hidden somewhere beyond the snowpeaks of the Himalayas. It is mentioned in various ancient texts, including the Kalachakra Tantra and the ancient texts of the Zhang Zhung culture which pre-dated Tibetan Buddhism in western Tibet. In Sanskrit, the term means "place of peace/tranquility/happiness.” As such, Shambhala is believed to be a society where all the inhabitants are enlightened, actually a Buddhist "Pure Land." The Kalachakra prophesizes that when the world declines into war and greed, and all is lost, the twenty-fifth Kalki king will emerge from Shambhala with a huge army to vanquish "Dark Forces" and usher in a worldwide Golden Age. Using calculations from the Kalachakra Tantra, scholars put this date at 2424 AD. Shambhala is said to have an "outer," "inner,' and "alternative" meaning. The outer meaning understands Shambhala to exist as a physical place, although only individuals with the appropriate karma can reach it and experience it as such The inner and alternative meanings refer to more subtle understandings of what Shambhala represents in terms of one's own body and mind (inner), and the meditation practice (alternative). These two types of symbolic explanations are generally passed on orally from teacher to student. There are various ideas about where this society is located, but it is often placed in central Asia, north or west of Tibet. Ancient Zhang Zhung texts identify Shambhala with the Sutlej Valley in Himachal Pradesh. Mongolians identify Shambala with certain valleys of southern Siberia
T Wen Jiabao (Premier of China) accused Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th and current Dalai Lama, of masterminding the violence, while the Dalai Lama denied the accusation and said that the uprisings were caused by wide discontent in Tibet. The tension between these two key players leading up to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing has drawn significant international press coverage of alleged human rights violations in China. The Dalai Lama claimed that he supports the Beijing Olympics, saying that it is "deserving for the Chinese people to host the Olympic Games", but his envoy has called for the Chinese government to put an end to the military crackdown and drop Tibet from the Olympic torch route. Chinese authorities have restricted the ability of foreign and Hong Kong media to enter and freely report on the region. They have also reportedly attempted to block access to several major internet media outlets by Chinese citizens during the turmoil and reportedly fired warning shots and used tear gas and electric prods to disperse hundreds of protesters, in addition to detaining up to 50 monks. According to the People's Daily, as of March 24, order has returned to some affected areas in Sichuan Province, as schools, shops and restaurants reopen to the public. Athletes were also considering boycotting the 2008 Summer Olympics in August over the crackdown in Tibet. There have also been several riots outside of Lhasa as well, not to mention international protests regarding the violence in March.
Z The emergence of Chán (Zen) as a distinct school of Buddhism was first documented in China in the 7th century CE. It is thought to have developed as an amalgam of various currents in Mahāyāna Buddhist thought. The origins of Zen Buddhism are ascribed to the Flower Sermon, the earliest source for which comes from the 14th century. It is said that Gautama Buddha gathered his disciples one day for a dharma talk. When they gathered together, the Buddha was completely silent and some speculated that perhaps the Buddha was tired or ill. The Buddha silently held up a flower and several of his disciples tried to interpret what this meant, though none of them were correct. One of the Buddha's disciples, Mahākāśyapa, silently gazed at the flower and is said to have gained a special insight directly from the Buddha's mind, beyond words. Mahākāśyapa somehow understood the true inexpressible meaning of the flower and the Buddha smiled at him, then acknowledged Mahākāśyapa's insight. Thus, through Zen there developed a way which concentrated on direct experience rather than on rational creeds or revealed scriptures. Wisdom was passed, not through words, but through a lineage of one-to-one direct transmission of thought from teacher to student. It is commonly taught that such lineage continued all the way from the Buddha's time to the present. Zen asserts that all sentient beings have Buddha-nature, the universal nature of inherent wisdom and virtue, and emphasizes that Buddha-nature is nothing other than the nature of the mind itself. The aim of Zen practice is to discover this Buddha-nature within each person, through meditation, koan practice, and mindfulness of daily experiences. Zen practitioners believe that this provides new perspectives and insights on existence, which ultimately lead to enlightenment. In distinction to many other Buddhist sects, Zen de-emphasizes reliance on religious texts and verbal discourse on metaphysical questions. Zen holds that these things lead the practitioner to seek external answers, rather than searching within their own minds for the direct intuitive apperception of Buddha-nature. The core of Zen practice is seated meditation, widely known by its Japanese name zazen, and recalls both the posture in which the Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, and the elements of mindfulness and concentration which are part of the Eightfold Path as taught by the Buddha. All of the Buddha's fundamental teachings also make up important elements of the perspective that Zen takes for its practice.
A kōan (公案; Japanese: kōan, Chinese: gōng-àn) is a story, dialogue, question, or statement in the history and lore of Chán (Zen) Buddhism, generally containing aspects that are inaccessible to rational understanding, yet may be accessible to intuition. A famous kōan is: "Two hands clap and there is a sound; what is the sound of one hand?" Kōans are said to reflect the enlightened or awakened state of such persons, and sometimes said to confound the habit of discursive thought or shock the mind into awareness. Zen teachers often recite and comment on kōans, and some Zen practitioners concentrate on kōans during meditation. Teachers may probe such students about their kōan practice using "checking questions" to validate an experience of insight or awakening. Kōans collectively form a substantial body of literature studied by Zen practitioners and scholars worldwide. Kōan collections commonly referenced in English include the Blue Cliff Record (Chinese: Bìyán Lù; Japanese: Hekiganroku), the Book of Equanimity (also known as the Book of Serenity; Chinese: Cōngróng Lù; Japanese: Shoyoroku), both collected in their present forms during the 12th century); and The Gateless Gate. Yüklə 1,5 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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harma constituted the religious and moral doctrine of the rights and duties of each individual. 
odhisattva (simplified: 菩萨; traditional: 菩薩; pinyin: púsà) means "enlightened (bodhi) existence (sattva)" or 'enlightenment-being' in Sanskrit. Another translation is "Wisdom-Being." The various divisions of Buddhism understand the word bodhisattva in different ways, but especially in Mahayana Buddhism, it mainly refers to a being that compassionately refrains from entering nirvana in order to save others.
uddhist monks
ibetan Buddhism is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition, meaning that the goal of all practice is to achieve enlightenment (or Buddhahood) in order to help all other sentient beings attain this state, as opposed to mere personal liberation. When one is freed from mental obscurations, one is said to attain a state of continuous bliss, mixed with a simultaneous cognition of the true nature of reality. In this state, all limitations on one's ability to help all other living beings are removed. This includes the attainment of omniscience - that is the removal of all obstructions to knowing all phenomena (or seeing the empty nature of each phenomenon as well as each of their relative characteristics). 
andala (Sanskrit: "circle", "completion") is a term used in the Tibetan branch of Vajrayana Buddhism. Traditionally paintings, they have also been developed into sandpainting. In practice, mandala has become a generic term for any plan, chart or geometric pattern that represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically, a microcosm of the Universe from the human perspective. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of aspirants and adepts, a spiritual teaching tool, for establishing a sacred space and as an aid to meditation and trance induction. Its symbolic nature can help one "to access progressively deeper levels of the unconscious, ultimately assisting the meditator to experience a mystical sense of oneness with the ultimate unity from which the cosmos in all its manifold forms arises." 
n many tantric mandalas, this aspect of separation and protection from the outer samsaric world is depicted. The ring of vajras forms a connected fence-like arrangement running around the perimeter of the outer mandala circle. The mandala is also a support 
iddhi (Sanskrit:सिद्धि) is a Sanskrit word that literally means "accomplishment", "attainment", or "success". It is also used as a term for spiritual power (or psychic ability). The term is used in that sense in Hinduism and Tantric Buddhism. These spiritual powers supposedly vary from relatively simple forms of clairvoyance to being able to levitate, to be present at various places at once, to become as small as an atom, to materialize objects, to have access to memories from past lives, and more. 
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en is the Japanese translation for Chán (Traditional: