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the three characteristics of existence and the six perfections

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the three characteristics of existence and the six perfections

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the three characteristics of existence are Anicca, Dukkah, and Anatta.
Anicca
- The aspect of impermanence
- Derived from the word nicca, which means permanent continuity
- Every naturally occurring substance or concept within nature is subject to continual alteration and decay
- This also pertains to the human body and all mental processes
- Therefore, all phenomena have a limited duration and will eventually cease to exist
- When a Buddhist subscribes to the principle of Anicca and acknowledges its innate existence in all walks of life, they advance towards enlightenment

Dukkah
- The aspect of suffering
- Entirety of the difficulties in our lives and the hardships we regularly encounter are all attributed to various manifestations of suffering
- In order to reside within this world, we must encounter and endure all means of suffering
- It conveys to all followers that the optimistic belief that there is hope for a virtuous world, rather than already possessing such a world, is evidence itself of the world being a desolate place before an outstanding one
- The primary rationale for why we all must sustain this suffering is to eventually transcend it and ultimately alleviate all suffering

Anatta
- The belief that there is no innate spiritual essence within the human body, usually regarded as the idea of a soul
- This is a departure from the Hindu belief of the Atman
- Instead of a soul, it is believed that individuals are composed of five factors that are constantly changing

The six perfections
For those desiring to obtain Buddha-hood, a Bodhisattva, one must practice the six perfections or Paramitas.  They are the perfections of giving, morality, patience,  energy, meditation,  and wisdom.

Perfection of Giving (Dana Paramita)

- Giving of property to individuals of greater need
- The giving of Dharma, which involved teaching/educating other beings
- The giving of refuge, consisting of the restraint from war and killing and assisting any being that may be in danger
- The giving of love

Perfection of Morality (Shila Paramita)
Refraining from using the body in any harmful or potentially offensive manner
- Protect others from committing wrongful deeds
- Skillful (moral) action as opposed to unskillful (immoral) action

Perfection of Patience (Kshanti Paramita)
- Never harm others in retaliation
- Any suffering you experience is a direct result of your actions,  and you should display patience and rectify your lifestyle until the suffering ceases
- Keep concentration during meditation

Perfection of Energy (Virya Paramita)
- Energy of the mind that refrains from desiring unprofitable things
- Energy that protects against fatigue, especially in meditation
- Energy of confidence, ensuring we do not disparage ourselves

Perfection of Meditation (Dhyana Paramita) and Wisdom (Prajna Paramita)
- These two paramitas are heavily interconnected
- The perfection of wisdom is a true insight into the nature of our reality
- The perfection of meditation leads into a transcendent state of universal awareness

sources:
http://en.dhammadana.org/dhamma/3_characteristics.htm
https://www.britannica.com/topic/anatta
http://www.lamayeshe.com/article/chapter/six-perfections

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Deities, Reincarnation and the Afterlife.

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Deities, Reincarnation and the Afterlife.

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Though Theravada Buddhism is largely atheistic in nature, it does not deny the existence of divine beings, which may collectively be referred to as "gods". Mahayana Buddhism, on the other hand, believes that the universe is filled with bodhisattvas and celestial Buddhas, who are revered as deities. Buddhism may have adopted this concept of deities from the religions it came into contact with, including Hinduism and other religious philosophies and sects from across China, Tibet and Thailand. GAUTAM BUDDHA

The Buddha, that is, Gautama Buddha, as we know him, lived around 500 BC and is the most widely revered Buddha, both in Asia and around the world as well. The Buddha is generally given common attributes in art and sculputure. He is clad in simple clothing and wears no jewellery. More importantly, all the Buddhas are shown having elongated ears (as they can hear all), a bump on top of their head (to depict their all-knowing nature) and a mark on the forehead (symbolizing their all-seeing ability). Buddhas are also depicted with mudras or traditional hand gestures.

The Five Dhyani Buddhas
The five Dhyani buddhas represent the basic mandala in ourselves, our environment and in the cosmos. All deities belong to one of these buddha families.

The white father Vairocana transforms anger

The blue father Aksobhya transforms ignorance and stupidity

The yellow father Ratnasambhava transforms pride

The red father Amitabha transforms passion

The green father Amoghasiddhi transforms jealousy

In the top centre sits Vajradhara, flanked by Gedun Drukpa, the first Dalai Lama (left) and his disciple Panchen Zangpo Tashi (right).
In the bottom corner are two of the great stupas, on the left Budhgaya (India) and on the right Borobudur (Indonesia).

Reincarnation and Afterlife
When a person dies they are reborn, and that process of dying and being reborn continues until Nirvana is attained. What is "a person"? Most religions believe that the core of the person, is the soul, a nonmaterial an eternal entity that survives the afterlife. Buddhism says that the person is made up of thoughts feelings and perceptions, which work with the body in a constantly changing way. At death this mental energy is placed in a new body. Thus Buddhism explains the continuity of the individual without recourse to the belief in a n"eternal soul", an idea which contradicts the universal truth of impermanence. Different Buddhist traditions, explain this process differently. Some say that rebirth takes place right away, others say that it takes 49 days. Other say that there is an intermediate state (antarabhava) and others that there is not. However all agree that the circumstances into which one is reborn is conditioned by the sum total of the karma created in the previous life. (Karma is similar to Hinduism).

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What is the Noble Eightfold Path?

The fourth of the Four Noble Truths

It is the guide to the end of suffering

The Eight parts of the Noble Path are:

1. Right* Understanding (Samma ditthi)

The understanding of things as they are, and the Four Noble Truths

2. Right Thought (Samma sankappa)

Thoughts of love and non-violence, projected towards all beings

3. Right Speech (Samma vaca)

Abstention from telling lies, back talking, spreading rude messages, or spreading useless gossip

4. Right Action (Samma kammanta)

Imposing and promoting peaceful and moral conduct

5. Right Livelihood (Samma ajiva)

Making your living off of something that does not bring harm to others, (eg. trading arms, slaughtering animals, etc.)

6. Right Effort (Samma vayama)

The need to produce and develop good mindsets and things, as well as prevent and get rid of any evils that arise.

7. Right Mindfulness (Samma sati)

To be aware and attentive of the activities of the body (kaya), sensations or feelings (vedana), the activities of the mind (citta) and ideas, thoughts, conceptions and things (dhamma).

8. Right Concentration (Samma samadhi)

Leading to the four stages of Dhyana, generally called trance or recueillement:

1. Unwholesome thoughts are discarded.

2. Intellectual activities are suppressed, tranquillity of the mind is developed.

3. Active feeling of joy disappears, but the disposition of happiness remains.

4. All sensations, happiness/joy and sorrow/despair, disappear, only pure equanimity and awareness remains.

Despite the way it is commonly listed, the path is not linear and is not meant to be followed like a checklist of instructions. The eight parts of The Noble Eightfold Path are meant to be developed together to the fullest extent possible for the individual. Some claim that it may not even be possible to develop one part without developing another (ex. Samma sati and Samma kammanta). The eight parts are completely intertwined with each other and help cultivate the individual practitioner and those around them.

*Samma cannot be translated perfectly. It can mean “proper”, “whole”, “thorough”, “integral”, “complete”, “perfect”, and ‘'right”. It is often translated as right, however this does not encompass the entirety of its meaning. There is no “wrong” way. (Ex. the opposite of “Right Action” is not necessarily “Wrong Action”. It may simply be incomplete or absent.) The Path is not narrow and it does allow for many approaches to spirituality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urh4XryRNDI

Resources:
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/8foldpath.htm

https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/

http://secularbuddhism.org/2013/05/03/what-is-the-eightfold-path/

http://rockymountaininsight.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/8fold.png

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/8foldpath.htm

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CT4KfYZnHEQ/UhDqrZXjaPI/AAAAAAAAAeE/7f4sjStR4A4/s400/cooking-pot-analogy-8fp.tif

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Mandalas: A mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Buddhism that represents the universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point. Each gate is in the general shape of a T and often exhibit radial balance. In the mandala, the outer circle of fire usually symbolizes wisdom. The ring of eight charnel grounds represents the Buddhist exhortation to be always mindful of death, and the impermanence with which samsara is suffused, and on the inside of the rings lie the walls of the mandala palace itself, specifically a place populated by deities and Buddhas. The mandala is also often used to aid in meditation and to give offerings to the universe.

http://www.religionfacts.com/mandala

http://www.buddhanet.net/mandalas.htm

Buddhapada: The buddhapada is a symbolic imprint of Buddha's footprint, which is highly revered in all Buddhist countries, especially in Sri Lanka and Thailand. Symbolizing the grounding of the transcendent, feet have been objects of respect in India long before Buddhism. According to Buddhist legend, after the Buddha attained enlightenment, his feet made an imprint in the stone where he stepped.In another tradition, the infant Buddha took seven steps after his birth to symbolize his spiritual domination of the universe. Overall, the footprints of the Buddha symbolize the Buddha's presence, and at the same time, they signify Buddha's absence after entering nirvana. In terms of appearance, the Buddha's footprints are usually depicted with the toes of all one length and with a dharmachakra (wheel) in the center.
Other early Buddhist symbols also appear on the heels and toes, such as the lotus, the swastika and the Triratna (Three Jewels).

Stupas: A stupa is a monument that usually contains the ashes of Buddhist monks or nuns and contains relics. It is also used as a place to meditate. It has a circular base, with a solid dome on top and an umbrella shape on top of that (refer to picture). The base is surrounded by a railing and four gateways which are decorated with sculptures that tell the story of the Buddha, Jataka events, and other figures. The stupa is a symbol for the sacred person who is held in the particular stupa. In order to worship a stupa, one needs to walk around it in a clockwise direction. Stupas are found in India, Tibet, Nepal, Sri Lanka and regions of East Asia.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/stupa

lotus flower: The lotus flower has many meanings in Buddhism. The first one is one of purification, as the lotus flower grows in muddy water, which represents suffering and the temptation of evil, so it literally rises and blooms above the murky water to achieve enlightenment. It also represents faithfulness, as those who want to achieve enlightenment will have to be faithful in order to rise above. The color of a lotus also changes its meaning: red represents compassion and love, pink represents the history of the Buddha, blue represents common sense, a purple lotus refers to spirituality, and a gold lotus represent the achievement of all enlightenment. Also, the stages of the lotus represent different things: a closed bud represents a time before a Buddhist found Buddhism, while an open lotus represents full enlightenment and self-awareness. Finally, a lotus also represents rebirth.

https://buddhists.org/buddhist-symbols/the-meaning-of-the-lotus-flower-in-buddhism/

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By Alexa and Sophie

Major Festivals

Buddhist New Year

For three days after the first full moon in April, Buddhists celebrate the New Year.

Families and friends gather to celebrate together

This can change depending on several aspects

Those who celebrate the Tibetan New Year celebrate with family the first day and with their friends for the next two days. There are special religious ceremonies and rituals that they take part in to get rid of evil spirits.

Magha Puja or Sangha Day

Occurs on the day of the full moon in March.

This day is believed to be the day that Buddha gave his followers a message called the “Ovadha Patimokha,” resulting in wondrous things.

One of these things involved 1,250 Buddhists coming to see him in the Magaha state capital to pay their respects.

The followers joined together to form the “Fourfold Assembly” because they all:

1. Were enlightened Arahats-monks.

2. Were all appointed by the Buddha.

3. Formed the assembly without planning.

4. Came on the full moon of March.

Vesak

Vesak is the major Buddhist festival of the year as it celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha on the one day, the first full moon day in May,

This celebration is called Vesak being the name of the month in the Indian calendar.

During the Vesak celebration, an image of the new-born Buddha is usually displayed in the shrine room.

Buddhists use light to celebrate Vesak to recall that the Buddha showed people how to become enlightened.

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By Taylor and Jennifer

The teachings of Buddha were originally passed down orally for hundreds of years by Buddha’s followers before being written down.

Buddhism has two types of sacred texts:

Canonical texts (aka Sutras or Suttas) are believed to be the actual words/writings of the Buddha.

There are more than 2000 Sutras (i.e. Lotus Sutra and Heart Sutra).

Non canonical texts are commentaries on the Sutras.

Three major non canonical texts are The Tripitaka, Mahayana Sutras, and the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

The Tripitaka, or Pali Canon (in Theravada Buddhism), is a collection of scriptures that contains teachings in the “three baskets”. These are the

Vinaya Pitaka (discipline basket), which contains 227 rules of conduct and discipline (for monks and nuns).

Sutta Pitaka (teaching basket), which contains the main teachings and writings of Buddha.

The Abhidhamma Pitaka (metaphysical basket), which contains the “higher and further teaching” → a study of the nature of God and Buddhism beliefs.

Different sects follow different scriptures to various degrees (canonical, noncanonical). Most sects of Buddhism are based on certain texts.

Zen Buddhism rejects scriptures altogether.

Vajrayana Buddhism reveres the Tripitaka. It also uses the Mahayana Sutras, the writings of Nagarjuna, and several Tantric texts.

Mahayana Buddhism follows Sutras and also sees the Pali Canon as sacred texts.

Tibetan Buddhism follows the Book of the Dead, which about the stages of death in their point of view (it is popular in North America).

Resource Links

https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/essays/buddhist-scriptures

http://www.thebuddhistsociety.org/page/scriptures-texts

https://www.myss.com/free-resources/world-religions/buddhism/buddhisms-sacred-texts/

http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/texts

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/guides/Religion-and-Spirituality/Sacred-Texts.pg_0.html

http://www.uwyo.edu/religionet/er/buddhism/btexts.htm

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Gwynn Mcleod, Chantal Arbic, Charlotte Myles

Chanting
Chanting is a buddhist practice where people recite or sing a standard text varying from school to school, usually in an Asian language. Buddhism is a nontheistic religion, therefore the purpose of chanting is rather than to worship a god, is to help practitioners realise “bodhi”. Bodhi is a buddhist concept referring to the enlightenment, or more precisely, the change in how we experience and perceive from one’s delusions, for example the delusions of ego and of a separate self. There are different types of chants; sutra, mantra, dharani, and gatha. When chanting a mantra or dharani, the sound is the focus. However, when chanting a sutra the focus is placed on the lyrics and messages, so it is not uncommon that the chant is translated to English. Although, there is a lot of controversy whether buddhist chants should be translated from their original languages, since many argue that using the original Asian language has a better sound effect, as well as maintains a better connection with dharma brothers and sisters across the globe.

Here you can listen to multiple different examples of buddhism chanting from around the globe.

http://www.buddhanet.net/audio-chant.htm

Mantras
A mantras is typically a set of meaningful words or syllables said together in a phrase and repeated many times over. Mantras are used in many diverse religions throughout the world, such as Buddhism and Hinduism. They are usually used to maintain elevated consciousness during meditation or to evoke enlightenment.
Most mantras are framed with the holy syllables "om (ૐ)

Tibeten Buddhism

A very popular mantra is the Avalokitesvara Mantra, Om Mani Padme Hum, which is meant to evoke the blessing of the Buddha of Compassion. In English, the mantra means: "Hail to the jewel in the lotus

The Amitabha Mantra, pronounced Oṃ Amideva Hrīḥ, is aimed at removing obstacles and hindrances in the chanter's path. This is the sacred mantra of Buddha Amitabha and repeating it 108 times a day is meant to guarantee rebirth in the "pure land."

Shingon Buddhism
This form of Buddhism is found commonly in the northern parts of Asia, most prominently Japan. It combines two major schools of thought in Buddhism, esoteric and exoteric (more or less knowledge found inside or outside of oneself), and has many mantras.
Shingon Buddhism also worships Buddha and his teaches, and therefore the path to enlightenment. The Awakening of the Mind of the Enlightened, pronounced Om bodhi-cittam utpadayami, translates to "Om I aspire to evolve the Awakened mind."

Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism is common in buddhism, as it is one of the precept values to do no (or as little) harm as possible to others  in life. The Buddha was not a vegetarian. It was not part of his teachings and many Buddhists today are not vegetarian. The Buddha got his food either by going on alms rounds or by being invited to the houses of his supporters and in both cases he ate what he was given. The Nipata Sutta underlines this point when it says that it is immorality that makes one impure (morally and spiritually), not the eating of meat. However, Buddhists gradually came to feel uncomfortable about meat eating and by the beginning of the Christian era, meat eating had become unacceptable, particularly amongst the followers of the Mahayana.

Buddhists who insist on vegetarianism have a simple and compelling argument to support their case. Eating meat encourages an industry that causes cruelty and death to millions of animals and a truly compassionate person would wish to mitigate all this suffering. By refusing to eat meat one can do just that.

The reason vegetarianism is so common in buddhism is simply because they do not like to harm other creatures. And while some are not vegetarian, very many are and they do not wish to support the death and cruelty to animals. The First Precept of Buddhism is do not kill. The Buddha told his followers not to kill, participate in killing or cause to have any living thing killed. To eat meat, some argue, is taking part in killing by proxy; and that is why so many buddhists are vegetarian today.

Resource Links
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/qanda08.htm
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd21.htm
http://www.thebuddhacenter.org/buddhism/mantras/
https://www.thoughtco.com/chanting-basic-buddhist-practice-449748

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Mudras:

Symbolic or ritualistic gestures commonly used in yoga and meditation.

Influences energies and moods around you

Held for a few minutes (approximately 15 minutes)

Buddha statues are commonly constructed with mudras

Prayer Flags:

First used by Tibetans before Buddhism began (around 4th Century BCE)

Colourful cloths placed on a single pole

Placed high in the mountains for the wind to carry blessings from the flag to everyone

The 5 colours of cloth (blue, white, red, green, yellow) symbolize the 5 elements within Buddhism.

Prayer Wheel:

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                    Buddhism: Prayers & Meditation

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                    Buddhism: Prayers & Meditation

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Francisca and Maddie

Meditation

A state of concentration the leads to enlightenment.

Encompasses a variety of meditation techniques that aim to develop mindfulness, concentration, supramundane powers, tranquility, and insight.

There are two main types:

Vipassana (insight) and Samatha (tranquility).

The two are often combined or used one after the other (usually vipissana follows samatha).

Samantha

Basic purpose of samatha or tranquility meditation is to still the mind and train it to concentrate.

Vipassana

Mindfulness of breathing and of thoughts, feelings and actions are being used to gain insight into the true nature of reality.

Prayers

Buddhists don’t pray to a Creator God, but they do have devotional meditation practices which could be compared to praying.

The purpose of Buddhist prayer is to awaken the innate inner capacities of strength, courage and wisdom rather than to petition external forces.

The process of bringing forth the supreme state of life referred to as “Buddha nature.”

Over its long history Buddhism has developed into a wide variety of forms of prayer but all share in common a great respect for the teachings of the Buddha.

Golden Chain
I am a link in Lord Buddha’s golden chain of love
that stretches around the world.
I must keep my link bright and strong.
I will try to be kind and gentle to every living thing,
and protect all who are weaker than myself.
I will try to think pure and beautiful thoughts,
to say pure and beautiful words, and to do pure and
beautiful deeds, knowing that on what I do now
depends my happiness and misery.
May every link in Lord Buddha’s golden chain of love
become bright and strong and may we
all attain perfect peace.

Resource Links
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/b_faqs.htm
http://www.worldhealingprayers.com/3.html
https://tricycle.org/magazine/vipassana-meditation/
http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/meditation

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Teachings - The 5 Precepts & The 4 Noble Truths

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Teachings - The 5 Precepts & The 4 Noble Truths

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Josephine Ding, Stephanie Moyana, Amanda MacCarthy

The 5 Precepts:

Buddhism teaches that actions can have either harmful or beneficial consequences and the five precepts deal with principles and practices that help one to act in ways that help rather than harm. They control behaviour that might cause suffering, and are the minimal set of morals and ethics Buddhists must strive to abide by. If broken, one should be aware of it and examine how it may be avoided in the future.

1. Abstain from killing or harming living beings (known as Ahimsa), including animals, which is why many Buddhists are vegetarian or vegan. According to Theravada, Buddha allowed the eating pork, chicken and fish if the monk was aware that the animal was not killed on their behalf.

2. Abstain from taking what is not given

3. Abstain from improper sexual conduct (incest, prostitution, etc)

4. Abstain from false speech (telling lies, gossiping, etc)

5. Abstain from taking intoxicating substances (alcohol and harmful drugs), a traditional way of detoxifying our bodies and minds.

These additional precepts are observed by ordained Buddhist monks and nuns who have taken the vows of poverty and chastity, but not by all Buddhists. The additional precepts can vary and some monks and nuns can have up to 200 precepts to follow.

1. Abstain from eating at the forbidden time (after noon, can vary)

2. Abstain from dancing, music, singing and going to see any form of entertainment

3. Abstain from the use of products to beautify or adorn the body (makeup, decorative jewellery, perfume, etc..)

4. Abstain from using comfortable or luxurious beds

5. Abstain from accepting gold or silver (money)

The 4 Noble Truths:
Buddha observed that one can escape death and unhappiness, which resulted in the creation of the doctrine of the four noble truths. They are central concepts to the understanding of Buddhism.

1. Suffering (Dukka) - To live is to suffer from things such as birth, old age, disease, death, being apart from loved ones and not always get what we want.

2. Origin of Suffering (Samudaya) - The cause of suffering is negative desire, cravings, or selfishness which are a result of ignorance and delusion. The possessions that people desire most cause them the most suffering, if one has the basic necessities they should not want for more.

3. Extinction of Suffering (Nirodha) - The goal of Buddhism is to end suffering by reaching nirvana. Reaching nirvana will be possible only when the urge to possess more and more things is destroyed. To cut off greed means changing one’s views and living a more natural and peaceful life. The person attaining nirvana is in a blissful, happy and content state where nothing can cause them physical mental or emotional suffering.

4. Path Leading to the Extinction of Suffering (Magga) - To end suffering one must adopt the middle way by following the noble eightfold path.

Ressource Links:
https://tricycle.org/magazine/the-five-precepts/

http://www.sfzc.org/about-zen-center/principles-governance/ethics/ethical-principles/the-ten-essential-precepts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/fournobletruths_1.shtml

Images:
Buddha developed the 5 Precepts of Buddhism.