Transcript The Means (5)

The Means (5)
How are the goals achieved?
Taking refuge in the three
Jewels helps human beings to
achieve the goals.
Sub-topics
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The Buddha — his life and example (the 4 Sights,
Going Forth and Enlightenment).
The Dhamma — the Truth; not the source of
enlightenment but indicating the way.
The Sangha — the Aryasangha; lay Buddhists; monks
and nuns; Western Buddhist communities.
(Therevada and Mahayana understandings of the
Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha should be addressed).
The Three Jewels/Refuges
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“Just about every Buddhist tradition
includes taking refuge in the Buddha,
the Dhamma and the Sangha. These
three provide a focus for our
commitment and for our reflections on
the practice.”
Ajahn Sumedho, The Mind and the Way
The Three Jewels/Refuges

When someone formally decides to become a
Buddhist, he or she recites what is called the
Three Jewels/Refuges, three times each:
I
take refuge in the Buddha,
 I take refuge in the Dhamma,
 I take refuge in the Sangha.
…or as it was developed by the Buddha himself in Pali
 Buddham
saranam gacchami
 Dhamman saranam gacchami
 Sangham saranam gacchami
The Three Jewels/Refuges
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Called the ‘Jewels’ as they are so
precious and valuable.
Commitment to Buddha as teacher;
Dhamma as guidance; and Sangha as
companions through life.
The Three Jewels from a
Buddhists perspective
1.
Consciously identifying enlightenment
as his/her ultimate aim (including
acceptance of Buddhist understanding
of ‘true happiness’).
2.
Making a personal commitment to
follow the Buddha’s teachings and put
them into practice (scriptures,
practices, festivals etc.)
The Three Jewels from a
Buddhists perspective
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‘Refuge’ does not mean a place to ‘hide’ or to
‘escape’ to e.g. refuge in the Buddha does not
mean a Buddhist is pleading or praying for
salvation.
Rather a decision based on the conviction that
we have the potential for enlightenment, and
it is possible to awaken this potential.
The Three Jewels from a
Buddhists perspective
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‘Refugees’ from samsara, the endless
cycle of suffering.
Refuge means an expression of reliance
the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha but
most importantly your own
enlightenment potential.
Dhammapada 380
‘One
is one’s own master,
one’s own refuge.’
So
what does this mean
for your everyday life?
‘Refuge’ in everyday life
A
commitment to make every
effort not to harm others or
ourselves in any way.
 So
how does a Buddhist take
refuge?
How does a Buddhist take
refuge?
1.
Refuge ceremony: usually held in local monastery
with several monks to witness the recitation. In
Buddhist countries this takes place when children
are about 7 (however they are free to change
religion with no sanctions). In the Tibetan tradition
you are given a refuge name and if a lay person, a
small lock of hair is cut to symbolise the giving up
of vanity in favour of spiritual values.
2.
Reciting refuges: each day as a reminder of the
original commitment. Morning and evening prayers
begin with recitations.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7gOVq
JwyaA
The Buddha
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His life and example:
 The
4 Sights (Old age, Sickness, Death and a Holy
Man or Ascetic)
 Going
Forth (Dissatisfaction with life, mission to
find an answer to suffering and the cycle of
rebirth)
 Enlightenment
(Finding the middle way, realising
reality, defeating Mara)
The Buddha
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Following enlightenment he taught until
his death.
The teaching were preserved orally for
about 500 years, then written down.
Good extract p.107
The Buddha
Therevada
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Acknowledge historical role
in communicating Dhamma:
historical founder.
Mahayana
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Buddha (Shakyamuni) as
ultimate teacher and guide:
his life sets an example.
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An extraordinary human
being, the embodiment of
enlightenment.
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Trikaya doctrine of earthly,
heavenly and ‘transcendent’.
Refuge all other buddhas of
the past and the future (not
just Buddha Shakyamuni).
Most significantly to
Sambhogakaya buddhas as
well.
Variation within Mahayana:
Pure Land - Buddha
Amitabha; Zen - buddha
nature within.
The Dhamma
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Dhamma (Skt) or Dharma (P) have many different
meanings: Universal truth; Teachings of the Buddha;
Path; Personal realisation of truths; ‘Buddhism’.
Taking refuge in it: means an understanding that the
teachings of the Buddha are there to be heard, read,
studied, understood, practised and realised.
The most important? The Dhamma can be seen as the
key that opens the meaning of all of the Three
Refuges.
The Dhamma
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Not a source of enlightenment in and of
itself – analogy with path to a mountain
/ raft to cross the ocean to nibbana.
The Buddha’s finger pointing to the
moon.
Good extract p.109
The Dhamma: Tripitaka (3
baskets)
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A Therevada approach in particular. Mahayana
accept teachings from other sources too.
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Think back to one of the Buddhists first teachings
– what works for you.
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The Dhamma must be interpreted – Buddhists seek
to find lessons from wherever they can.
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1.
2.
3.
The Tripitaka are:
Vinaya pitaka
Sutta pitaka
Abhidhamma pitaka
Tripitaka: Vinaya pitaka
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Rules and guidelines for monastics.
Includes ‘punishments’ and is mainly
concerned with physical concerns e.g.
sex, drugs, negative thoughts, vanity
etc.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/vi
n/index.html
Tripitaka: Sutta pitaka
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Elaborations on teachings of the
Buddha (by the Buddha).
Use of analogies etc.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/su
tta.html
Tripitaka: Abhidhamma pitaka
1.
Theoretical rather than practical –
focus on philosophy of teachings.
2.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/ab
hi/index.html
The Dhamma: Mahayana
understanding
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The main point of difference between
traditions is the composition of what is
accepted as the body of scripture.
Emphasis on taking refuge in the Dhamma as
universal truth, not necessarily the words of
scripture e.g Zen places more emphasis on
meditation than scriptural study (the ultimate
truth is beyond words, words are a
hindrance).
The Sangha
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Brainstorm some ideas about these words:
BUDDHIST MONK
BUDDHIST
The Sangha
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Various misconceptions about Buddhist monks:
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Various misconceptions about Buddhists:
 Meditate all day long
 Live within monastery walls
 No contact with community
 Don’t have jobs, don’t earn money
 They are all monks!
 Give up all their possessions
 Give
up sex, alcohol, chocolate etc.
The Sangha
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The community of those who follow the Buddhist path.
Monks and nuns: called bhikkus and bhikkunis these are
the ordained members of the Buddhist community.
Aiming for enlightenment and have devoted their life to
attaining it (Therevada Arhat and Mahayana
Bodhisattva).
Aryasangha: a subgroup within the monastics –
enlightened beings like the Dalai Lama (the elite?).
Lay people: ordinary, everyday Buddhists who follow the
teachings in a varying degree of strictness. Usually
hoping to produce good kamma throughout lives.
The Sangha: the role of
monastics
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First initiated by the Buddha, who set out rules and
guidelines.
Primary role is to maintain Buddhism as a living
religion: study scripture; practise meditation every
day; teach the Dhamma to others; perform ritual and
ceremony; offer advice according to Buddhist values.
In their personal lives: uphold ethical values as living
examples of the Dhamma.
The Sangha: the role of
monastics
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By taking refuge a lay person is acknowledging the
vital role that monastics play.
Members of the ordained Sangha are worthy of
respect and gifts (positive kamma). Just as a seed
planted in better ground yields better fruit…
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More practically lay people honour the monastics with
respectful behaviour, food, clothing, medicines etc.
and rely on them for advice.
The Sangha: Mahayana
understanding
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Quite different from Therevada, and
variation within Mahayana traditions.
Main difference concerns the nature of
monasticism:
 the
role of monks
 their way of life
 the discipline they follow
 their relation to the larger community
The Sangha: Mahayana
understanding
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In China and Japan the Therevada Vinaya
(rules and guidelines) evolved and changed e.g.
True Pure Land Buddhism (Japan): no monks,
priests instead who are allowed to marry and
have families, take jobs and earn money. Live
as householders and perform duties on
certain occasions only.
The Sangha: Mahayana
understanding
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Sambhogakaya buddhas and
bodhisattvas are included within
‘Sangha’ that you take refuge into.
You can aspire to emulate them, develop
their enlightened qualities and pray for
help and protection.
The Sangha: Western Buddhist
Communities
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For FWBO see pp. 113-114
Kagyu Samye Ling: Europe’s oldest Tibetan Buddhist
Monastery and the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre to
have been established in the West.
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Located on the banks of the river Esk in Scotland.
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Open to people of all faiths and none.
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Offers meditation retreats and courses available
throughout the year.
Kagyu Samye Ling
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Founded in 1967 and currently
under the guidance of Abbot
Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche
(right).
Samye Ling is part of Rokpa
Trust, a registered charity
which has three main areas of
activity: spiritual,
humanitarian aid, and Tibetan
medicine and therapy.
Kagyu Samye Ling – wee research
project
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Make an information sheet on Kagyu Samye Ling- to
be given out to all pupils on the way there (no more
than 2 pages of A4). If you want to go to Samye Ling
you must complete this activity.
Make it as original, eye catching and informative as
you can. Your peers (and maybe even a monk) will be
reading it!
http://www.samyeling.org/
Sub-topics: check your learning
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The Buddha — his life and example (the 4 Sights,
Going Forth and Enlightenment).
The Dhamma — the Truth; not the source of
enlightenment but indicating the way.
The Sangha — the Aryasangha; lay Buddhists; monks
and nuns; Western Buddhist communities.
(Therevada and Mahayana understandings of the
Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha should be addressed).