Buddhism Terminology

Buddhism Terminology: Buddha: The Awakened One, founder of Buddhism

Marga: Indian word for Path Middle Path: Hinduism was a religion of extremes, Buddha thought there
should be NO extremes, so Buddhism is known as the Middle Path religion
Nirvana: Enlightenment for Buddhism just at Moksha is for Hinduism
Dukka: Indian term for suffering
Tanka: Indian term for attachments
Four Noble Truths: The core or essence of the teachings of the Buddha: 1. All human beings suffer, it
is the DISEASE of humanity 2. The CAUSE of the disease is ATTACHMENTS or tanka to things of this
world 3. to HEAL, one must rid one's self of attachments/tanka in order to reach Nirvana. 4. In order to
rid one's self of attachments, one must follow a PRESCRIPTION, the Eight-Fold Path. Eight Fold Path:
series of 8 rights things that one must do in order to rid themselves of attachments/tanka: 1. right
speech 2. right action/karma 3. right livelihood; 4. right effort/intention; 5. right mindfulness; 6. right
meditation; 7. right thought; 8. right understanding. By living a life following the Eight-Fold Path,
Nirvana/Enlightenment is attainable by ALL ... no more CASTE system.
anatman: In Hinduism they believed in a survivable soul known as atman. In Buddhism, there is no
survivable soul, so NO SOUL or SOULLESSNESS...called anatman, opposite of atman. maya: Indian
term for illusion. skandas: rather than a survivable soul, at death what makes up a person is not a
soul, rather it is a bundle of metaphysical energy known as skandas.
Three Refuges: also known as the Three Gems: I take refuge in the Buddha; I take refuge in the
Dharma [teaching of the Buddha]; I take refuge in the Sangha [teachers of the teachings of the
Buddha or teacher]. This is repeated several times a day by Buddhists.
Sangha: Members of followers of Buddha, much like monks.
Serman at Deer Park: Buddha's first sermon after reaching Enlightenment and becoming a
Bodhisattva. T
he Greater Vehicle: Mahayana Buddhism
The Lesser Vehicle: Theravadan Buddhism
The Mystical Vehicle: Tantric or Tibetan Buddhism
Pali Canon: sacred text for Buddhism
Non-Theistic: Buddhism does not believe in deities, it is said to be non-theistic, though they do believe
in the Creator God, Brahma.
Kama Sutra: Text found within tantric Buddhism, deals with human sexuality.
Bodisatva [sometimes spelled Bodhisattva]: One who reaches enlightenment but refuses to enter
Nirvana and decides instead to return to help others to know the Path to Nirvana. Buddha was first of
these.

Buddhism Lecture #1
Buddhism Lecture #1
Founder of Buddhism: Siddharta Gautama
Sacred Texts/Scripture: Pali Canon [documents much like Christian "gospels" of the New Testament in
that they attest to the life and times of the religion's founder.

Both the Hindu and the Buddhist strive for enlightenment. The Hindu word for enlightenment is
Moksha. The Buddhist word is Nirvana.

Buddhism, along with Sikkhism and Jainism, was born out of a desire for reform or revolt against the
inequitable caste system of Hinduism. Hinduism was a religion of EXTREMES. At one end of the caste
or varna spectrum, the caste had everything and at the other, they had less than nothing.

Whereas, Hinduism is a polytheistic and henotheistic religion, Buddhism is thought by many to be a

non-theistic religion. This means that there are no deities or gods/goddesses worshipped in Buddhism.
Even the founder, the Buddha was mere man, not a god.

Buddhism began in India around the sixth century BCE as an alternative or reform to Hinduism. It is a
religion that teaches NO EXTREMESHinduism was full of extremes. No extremes means that
immediately, the caste system was rejected and the texts upholding that system were rejected as
well. This new Buddhism would be a religion for everyone, a religion of no extremes, a MIDDLE PATH.
Buddhism is often called the Middle Path religionno extremes, just down the middle in order to have
harmony within the universe.

The founder of Buddhism was a man named Siddhartha Gautama. Gautama was born as a prince, so
he was born into a "Hindu top caste"his life was full of everything of wealth, privilege, authority.
There are many renditions of the story of the life of Gautama before he became the Buddha. Buddha
means the Awakened One. Gautama, Awakened to the truth as he saw it. When he was born, it was
foretold to his parents that he would be a great man. Hearing this, he was sheltered from the realities
of daily life as most people experienced them. One story tells that he was not allowed to witness
sickness, human death, unhappiness, povertyhis life was one where every need and desire was
satisfied, but he was confined to the Palace grounds in order to ensure that he did not stumble onto
any of the above realities.

Your text tells one version of his life, here is anotherthere are many, but the gist of the story is the
same. As he got older, he was curious to see what existed outside the Palace walls and so he
conspired to explore. Almost immediately after leaving the protection of the grounds of the Palace, he
was confronted with all the things his parents had tried to protect him from. He witnessed death,
misery, poverty, illness, you name it! He witnessed LIFE as most know it. Upon learning all of this
and what he had been kept from, he decided that his life of luxury had been wrong and that he
needed to now live a life of poverty and want. He went too far in the "other" direction. He starved
himself, living the life of an ascetic [one who punishes or deprives themselves and/or their bodies in
search of truth and meaning]. This story says that as he neared death, a woman revived him with
just one kernel of rice and a cup of milk as he reclined under a Bodhi Tree [Tree of Knowledge]. While
under the tree, he attained enlightenment, but chose to stay and teach others. He had seen and
lived both extremes of human life, that of having all needs met in abundance and that of having
nothing. To him, both were too extreme, there had to be, he thought, a Middle Path.

As he gained a small amount of strength, he AWAKENEDhe awakened to the truth and that truth
was not what Hinduism had taught him. Since he was a member of the top caste, he could have died
and gone on to Moksha, but instead, he shunned death at that particular time and became the first
Bodhisattva [one who chooses] to reject physical death at the time of enlightenment and instead
decides to stay on earth longer in order to help others find their way to Nirvana.

He became the Buddha, the one who Awakened to the truth of life and he wanted to help others along
their own path toward this truth. So he stayed behind [to eventually die many years later] and he set
about teaching what he felt was the "truth" He gave his first sermon or lesson in Deer Park in India
where he laid out his idea of the truth path. In Indian, path is "marga".
In Hinduism, we learned that dharma was duty to one's caste, in Buddhism, dharma is still duty, but it
is one's duty to follow the dharma or teachings of the Buddha. The very heart of Buddhism is called
the Triple Treasure or sometimes called the Three Refuges. It is repeated by Buddhists several times
daily:

1. I take refuge in the Buddha Buddha is the Teacher

2. I take refuge in the Dharma Dharma is the Teaching of the Teacher
3. I take refuge into the Sangha Spreading the Teachings of the Teacher

The Sangha is a community of followers of the Buddha, monks whose duty it is to transmit and teach
the Buddha's teachings.

" Taking refuge" makes the difference between Buddhists and non-Buddhists. The idea
behind taking refuge is that when it starts to rain, we like to find shelter. The Buddhist

shelter from the rain of problems and pain in this world is threefold: Buddha; Dharma;
Sangha. It means that when we have some understanding of suffering, then we have
confidence that the Buddha, his teaching or dharma, and his Sangha will help us.
To recap the 3 refuges: Take refuge in the Teacher, in his Teachings and in the Teachers
of the Teachings of the Teacher!

Buddhism Lecture #2
Buddhism Lecture #2

At Deer Park the Buddha laid his discovery as to how human beings should live in order
to reach Nirvana and what keeps them from doing so. He explained that there are four
steps in reaching enlightenment. Those four steps become the core of the teachings of
Buddhism and they are known as the Four Noble Truths. They are:

1. Dukkha, which is suffering, this is the DISEASE of all of humanity, ALL suffer.

2. Tanka, which is attachments. This is the CAUSE of the disease.

3. Nirvana, which is the extinction of dukkha. This is the HEALING or the CURE.

4. The overall prescription to HEAL from the DISEASE suffered by all human kind is to
follow and live the Eight-Fold Path.

The Eight-Fold Path is a balance of three things:

1. Discipline
2. Mental Training
3. Natural Wisdom

The Eight-Fold Path is a series of eight "rights" or eight ways to live right or morally and
ethically in this world.

1. Right Speech
2. Right Action
3. Right Livelihood
4. Right Effort or intention
5. Right Mindfulness
6. Right Meditation
7. Right Thought
8. Right Understanding.

As mentioned earlier, Buddhism is the Middle Path or marga. There are NO extremes, all
people regardless of caste positions can attain enlightenment. ALL have hope. Buddha further
explained that the base of all troubles is suffering and that marga was the pathway out of suffering.
This pathway would cause a cessation of suffering. Once this takes place, Nirvana is reached. Nirvana
literally means a blowing-out, or extinguishing of all craving and desires. In other words, when the
mind no longer grasps and craves what is by nature impermanent, then suffering ends and the Cycle
of Samsara is broken.

Buddhism rejects four major components of Hinduism. The priests have no authority; the
Vedas have no authority, there is no self or soul or atmanthere is ANATMAN or

" soullessness" no soulthe opposite of Hindu atman. Finally, the entire caste system is rejected for it
is unequal
and does not offer the same opportunities to all.

Buddhism Lecture #3
Buddhism Lecture #3:

Buddha's central tenets are a doctrine of anatman which denies the existence of self as
the core of a human being or a survivable soul as taught in Hinduism. Buddhism rejects
the idea of Atman/atman as a means of breaking the Cycle of Samsara, maintaining that
ALL reality is impermanent and that ALL notions of Atman/atman are false. Thus, self is
an illusion or maya for the Buddhistthere is no survivable soul that transmigrates to the
next life, carrying with it one's accumulated karma. Instead there is only an illusion of
one's self and that illusion is made up of five skandas or elements of metaphysical
energy, not a soul. Those skandas, when bound together [which is what happens at birth],
make up the individual and at death those elements break apart and disperse out into the
universe only to have five more come together at the birth of each new individual. Those
five elements or skandas are:

1. form sensory activity [Body]

2. sensation beyond senses or pleasures such as pains and thoughts [Feelings]
3. perception or web of association or experiences [Perceptions]
4. conditioning [karma]-consequences of past actions [Dispositions]
5. consciousness-how we perceive the world [Consciousness]

All five elements, when bound or tied together, create this " illusion of self". ALL are
dependent on the others for creation. Selfhood or a survivable soul then,
makes no sense because there is no self or no surviving soul. Therefore, atman/soul/self
cannot exist because it cannot self-create, it is dependent on the other elements for
construction.

Attachment to atman does not exist because nothing exists outside the skandas or
elements and they cannot self-construct. Buddhism stresses the absolute, impermanence
of this world and enlightenment is characterized by liberation from this world by
extinguishing all sensation. Once all suffering, cravings, and attachments cease to exist,
then Nirvana is reached and the skandas or elements will cease to reunite for another
rebirth and the Cycle of Samsara is now broken for that one individual.
Buddha taught that all is impermanent, nothing will last and that all suffering comes
From attachments. Therefore, all attachments must be gotten rid of before one can
Experience enlightenment or Nirvana. But the road to this enlightenment is different
from Hinduism.
Buddhism is a Middle Path/Marga and therefore, the caste system is not in place. So it
does not matter which caste you are in, if you recognize the Buddha's Four Noble Truths
and practice his Eight-Fold Path, then Nirvana is open to ALL.

Buddhism Recap
We looked at Buddhism with its founder, a Hindu Priest named Siddhartha Gautama. Buddhism grew
out of Hinduism. It was a revolt against much of the basic tenets of Hinduism, such as: it did not
recognize the caste system at all; it rejected the power and/or authority of the priestly caste; and it
rejected the authority of the Vedas. So, it would eventually be a new religion, apart from Hinduism. It
would have its own sacred scripture and its own ideas of karma and dharma and how the Cycle of
Samsara works. It will also have a different concept of what or if there is a survivable soul at physical
death, but you must wait for future lectures for that!

Buddhism is considered non-theistic, it professes to have no deities, gods/goddesses. What the

Buddha decided to stay behind and teach was: the Four Noble Truths: [1] All human beings suffer.
Suffering is called dukka and it is the DISEASE of all humanity. [2] The CAUSE of the disease is
attachments or tanka to things of this world. [3] To HEAL, one must rid one's self of
attachments/tanka and NIRVANA, then is the healing because in order to achieve NIRVANA one must
have no more desires for attachments. [4] Lastly, the overall prescription to accomplish healing the
cause of the disease and then the disease itself is accomplished through the EIGHT FOLD PATH
[MARGA]. It is a path/marga that outlines an upright and moral life, the right way to life: [1]right
speech; [2] right action/karma; [3] right livelihood; [4] right effort/intention; [5] right mindfulness; [6]
right meditation; [7] right thought; [8] right understanding. By living a life following the Eight Fold
Path, Nirvana/Enlightenment is attainable by ALLno more caste system. Buddhism grew out of
Hinduism. It was a revolt against much of the basic tenets of Hinduism, such as: it did not recognize
the caste system at all; it rejected the power and/or authority of the priestly caste; and it rejected the
authority of the Vedas.
Sacred Scripture or Text of Buddhism: Pali Canon, accounts of the life and teachings of the Buddha.
The founder of Buddhism was born Siddhartha Gautama, born sometime around 500 BCE.
He was born a prince with all of the advantages and wealth that that title entailed. Prior to his birth,
his father was told by a fortuneteller that Siddhartha would be a golden child and that he would
accomplish much in life. His father wanted to protect his golden child and therefore tried to protect
him from all unpleasantries such as death, sickness, poverty, and other realities of human suffering.
But he was curious and he left the palace. After seeing what life was like outside the Palace,
Siddhartha became an ascetic [one who deprives their body/mind of comforts of existence]. In this
case, he starved himself almost to death until a woman took pity on him and gave him one kernel of
rice and some milk. Now Siddhartha had lived both ends of the spectrum of humanity and to him,
they were both extreme. There had to be a middle path [marga]. Buddhism is known as the Middle
Path [Marga] religion. There are no extremes, all is balanced in harmony. At this point, Siddhartha
reached enlightenment or Nirvana while sitting under a Bodhi Tree. He became the Buddha or the
Enlightened One. Rather than entering Nirvana, however, he decided to stay behind and become the
first Bodhisattva. A Bodhisattva is one that unselfishly stays behind in order to teach others the path
to Enlightenment.
What the Buddha decided to stay behind and teach was: the Four Noble Truths: [1] All human beings
suffer. Suffering is called dukka and it is the DISEASE of all humanity. [2] The CAUSE of the disease is
attachments or tanka to things of this world. [3] To HEAL, one must rid one's self of
attachments/tanka and NIRVANA, then is the healing because in order to achieve NIRVANA one must
have no more desires for attachments. [4] Lastly, the overall prescription to accomplish healing the
cause of the disease and then the disease itself is accomplished through the EIGHT FOLD PATH
[MARGA]. It is a path/marga that outlines an upright and moral life, the right way to life: [1]right
speech; [2] right action/karma; [3] right livelihood; [4] right effort/intention; [5] right mindfulness; [6]
right meditation; [7] right thought; [8] right understanding. By living a life following the Eight Fold
Path, Nirvana/Enlightenment is attainable by ALLno more caste system.
The Cycle of Samsara is now, in Buddhism a Cycle of Rebirth. Buddhism rejects the Hindu concept of
one's soul/atman as being the true self and imperishable [survives physical death], traveling into the
next life to be reincarnated.
In Buddhism there is no imperishable soul, there is the opposite, anatman or no soul/soullessness.
What is the true self is not one's atman, rather it is an aggregate of five elements, known as the five
skandas. They define the true self at death and they carry the accumulated karma into the next
rebirth.
These five skandas are what make up one's personality, one's true identity at death: [1] physical
body; [2] feelings; [3] understanding; [4] will; [5] consciousness. When all five elements/skandas are

BOUND together, they make up one's true self and they travel along with one's karma to be reborn
again. The two hallmarks of Buddhism is anatman or no soul and no extremes because NOTHING is
permanent, all is ILLUSION [maya].
Unlike Hinduism, Buddhism does not recognize gods/goddesses and is sometimes called an atheistic
religion. It still holds the Hinduism belief of Brahma as the creator. It teaches the concept of the Triple
Treasure: 1. The Buddha is the Teacher 2. The Dharma is the Teaching [duty is no longer to one's
caste, but to the teaching of Buddhism] 3. The Sangha is the community of monks whose function is
to follow, preserve, and transmit or teach the teachings of the teacher, Buddha. The sangha also cites
daily refuges as prayers: [1] I take refuge in the Buddha; [2] I take refuge in the Dharma; [3] I take
refuge in the Sangha. This taking refuge is equated to: if it rains, we take refuge, we find helter.
The Buddha, his teachings [dharma] and his followers [Sangha], is the only reliable refuge one can
take to weather the storm. It is connects the teacher with the followers and creates harmony. To enter
Nirvana, one must still break the Cycle of Samsara, just like in Hinduism, by no longer having any
attachments to this world. In Hinduism that detaching comes through a series of reincarnations and
elevations/demotions of castes over possibly many lifetimes. In Buddhism that detachment comes
through recognizing the truths found within the Four Noble Truths, by following the Eight Fold Path,
and by taking refuge in the Triple Treasure.
Buddhism was the first missionary religion, sending out members of the sangha along the spice route
[the famous Silk Road] that took them into southeastern Asia. There Buddhism flourished. Today there
are three main branches of Buddhism, they are: 1. The Greater Vehicle: Mahayana Buddhism, the
liberal and largest group of Buddhists. 2. The Lesser Vehicle: Theravada Buddhism, the more
conservative group, smaller, adhering more strictly to the Pali Canon or teachings of Buddha. 3.The
Mystical Vehicle: Tantric or Tibetan Buddhism. Teaches discipline of mind and body with regards to
sexual activity. The document titled the Kama Sutra is taught in this discipline.
EXTRA NOTES FROM TEXT: There is nothing in the life and teachings of the Buddha to indicate that
he intended to found a new religion. He understood life in Hindu religious categories and taught his
followers using those categories and vocabulary. The Buddha, however, was opposed to many of the
various forms of worship and that included the caste system and the adherence of the Vedas. Buddha
was concerned that people find their own enlightenment than appeal to gods/goddesses for help and
support. He considered Hindu gods/goddesses to be mortal beings, subject to the laws of karma,
dharma, and reincarnation, therefore, he did not consider himself or anyone/anything else divine.no
gods/goddesses, just mortal beings trying to understand the meaning of this life and an afterlife.
Among the unique teachings of the Buddhas was that the soul did not exist. According to Buddha,
people live in a state of anatman [absence of enduring soulsor no soul]. What is called a soul is
actually a combination of five mental or physical aggregates: the physical body, feelings,
understanding, will, consciousness. This combination which makes up the human being is bound up in
to a bundle or skanda and is caught up in the endless cycle of birth, death, rebirth. The Buddha's
understanding of humankind's plight is presented in the classic Buddhist statement of the Four Noble
Truths. The person who follows the Eight-fold Path will break the bonds that tie one to life and will
achieve a release from the cycle. The word used to describe this release is Nirvana. The teachings of
the Buddha became the basis for an organization that took on many of the components of a religion.
His followers organized themselves into monastic orders called Sangha. His teachings became
codified in the form of scripture in the Pali Canon. The Buddha himself came to be regarded as the
greatest of beings, but no a god.

Buddhist Festival and Special Foods

Any web sites posted for this class are not necessarily the opinion of either myself or the
university/college. Rather they are for your reading enjoyment and convenience only. Thank you.
BUDDHIST MONK'S SOUP:
http://www.recipesource.com/soups/soups/buddhist-monks1.html
BUDDHA'S DELIGHT:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Buddhas-Delight-233790
COSMIC CURRY: A DISH THAT PROMOTES HARMONY AND PEACE:
http://franlife.blogspot.com/2006/01/recipe-cosmic-curry.html
SERVED AT FESTIVALS FOR HEALING AND WELL-BEING

Buddhist Holidays and Holy Days

All websites are not necessarily my or the college's opinion, they are here for your reading and
enjoyment only. Thank you.
Buddhist Festivals and Holidays
There are many special or holy days held throughout the year by the Buddhist community. Many of
these days celebrate the birthdays of Bodhisattvas in the Mahayana tradition or other significant
dates in the Buddhist calendar. The most significant celebration happens every May on the night
of the full moon, when Buddhist all over the world celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of
the Buddha over 2,500 years ago. It has become to be known as Buddha Day.
Buddhist Festivals are always joyful occasions. Typically on a festival day, lay people will go the the
local temple or monastery and offer food to the monks and take the Five Precepts and listen to a
Dharma talk. In the afternoon, they distribute food to the poor to make merit, and in the evening
perhaps join in a ceremony of circumambulation of a stupa three times as a sign of respect to the
Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha. The day will conclude with evening chanting of the Buddha's teachings
and meditation.
* The Thai Buddhist Calendar (similar if not the same as the Laotian and Cambodian). Some holy
days are specific to a particular Buddhist tradition or ethnic group (as above). There are two aspects
to take into consideration regarding Buddhist festivals: Most Buddhists, with the exception of the
Japanese, use the Lunar Calendar and the dates of Buddhist festivals vary from country to country
and between Buddhist traditions. There are many Buddhist festivals, here are some of the more
important ones:
Buddhist New Year
In Theravadin countries, Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Laos, the new year is celebrated
for three days from the first full moon day in April. In Mahayana countries the new year starts on the
first full moon day in January. However, the Buddhist New Year depends on the country of origin or
ethnic background of the people. As for example, Chinese, Koreans and Vietnamese celebrate late
January or early February according to the lunar calendar, whilst the Tibetans usually celebrate about
one month later.

Vesak or Visakah Puja ("Buddha Day")

Traditionally, Buddha's Birthday is known as Vesak or Visakah Puja (Buddha's Birthday Celebrations).
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, except in a leap year when the festival is
held in June. This celebration is called Vesak being the name of the month in the Indian calendar.
Magha Puja Day (Fourfold Assembly or "Sangha Day")
Magha Puja Day takes places on the full moon day of the third lunar month (March). This holy day is
observed to commemorate an important event in the life of the Buddha. This event occurred early in
the Buddha's teaching life.
After the first Rains Retreat (Vassa) at the Deer Park at Sarnath, the Buddha went to Rajagaha city
where 1250 Arahats,(Enlightened saints) who were the Buddha's disciples, without prior
appointment, returned from their wanderings to pay respect to the Buddha. They assembled in the
Veruvana Monastery with the two chief disciples of the Buddha, Ven. Sariputta and Ven. Moggalana.
The assembly is called the Fourfold Assembly because it consisted of four factors: (1) All 1250 were
Arahats; (2) All of them were ordained by the Buddha himself; (3) They assembled by themselves
without any prior call; (4) It was the full moon day of Magha month (March).
Asalha Puja Day ("Dhamma Day")
Asalha Puja means to pay homage to the Buddha on the full moon day of the 8th lunar month
(approximately July). It commemorates the Buddha's first teaching: the turning of the wheel of the
Dhamma (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta) to the five ascetics at the Deer Park (Sarnath) near
Benares city, India. Where Kondanna, the senior ascetic attained the first level of enlightenment (the
Sotapanna level of mind purity).
Uposatha (Observance Day)
The four monthly holy days which continue to be observed in Theravada countries - the new moon,
full moon, and quarter moon days. Known in Sri Lanka as Poya Day. [ Web Link: Uposatha or
Observance Days ]
Pavarana Day
This day marks the conclusion of the Rains retreat (vassa). In the following month, the kathina
ceremony is held, during which the laity gather to make formal offerings of robe cloth and other
requisites to the Sangha.
Kathina Ceremony (Robe offering ceremony)
Is held on any convenient date within one month of the conclusion of the Vassa Retreat, which is the
three month rains retreat season (Vassa) for the monastic order. It is the time of the year when new
robes and other requisites may be offered by the laity to the monks.
Anapanasati Day
At the end of one rains retreat (vassa), the Buddha was so pleased with the progress of the
assembled monks that he encouraged them to extend their retreat for yet another month. On the
full-moon day marking the end of that fourth month of retreat, he presented his now-famous

instructions on mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati), which may be found in the Anapanasati Sutta
(MN 118) - The Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing.
Abhidhamma Day
In the Burmese tradition, this day celebrates the occasion when the Buddha is said to have gone to
the Tushita Heaven to teach his mother the Abhidhamma. It is held on the full moon of the seventh
month of the Burmese lunar year starting in April which corresponds to the full moon day in October.
Songkran
This Thai Buddhist festival goes on for several days during the middle of April. People clean their
houses and wash their clothes and enjoy sprinkling perfumed water on the monks, novices and other
people for at least two or three days. They gather around the riverbank, carrying fishes in jars to put
into the water, for April is so hot in Thailand that the ponds dry out and the fish would die if not
rescued. People go to the beach or river bank with jars or buckets of water and splash each other.
When everyone is happily wet they are usually entertained by boat races on the river.
Loy Krathong (Festival of Floating Bowls)
At the end of the Kathin Festival season, when the rivers and canals are full of water, the Loy
Krathong Festival takes place in all parts of Thailand on the full moon night of the Twelfth Lunar
month. People bring bowls made of leaves (which contain flowers) candles and incense sticks, and
float them in the water. As they go, all bad luck is suppose to disappear. The traditional practice of
Loy Krathong was meant to pay homage to the holy footprint of the Buddha on the beach of the
Namada River in India.
The Ploughing Festival
In May, when the moon is half-full, two white oxen pull a gold painted plough, followed by four girls
dressed in white who scatter rice seeds from gold and silver baskets. This is to celebrate the
Buddha's first moment of enlightenment, which is said to have happened when the Buddha was
seven years old, when he had gone with his father to watched the ploughing. (Known in Thailand as
Raek Na)
The Elephant Festival
The Buddha used the example of a wild elephant which, when it is caught, is harnessed to a tame
one to train. In the same way, he said, a person new to Buddhism should have a special friendship of
an older Buddhist. To mark this saying, Thais hold an elephant festival on the third Saturday in
November.
The Festival of the Tooth
Kandy is a beautiful city in Sri Lanka. On a small hill is a great temple which was especially built to
house a relic of the Buddha - his tooth. The tooth can never be seen, as it is kept deep inside may
caskets. But once a year in August, on the night of the full moon, there is a special procession for it.
Ulambana (Ancestor Day)
Is celebrated throughout the Mahayana tradition from the first to the fifteenth days of the eighth
lunar month. It is believed that the gates of Hell are opened on the first day and the ghosts may visit
the world for fifteen days. Food offerings are made during this time to relieve the sufferings of these
ghosts. On the fifteenth day, Ulambana or Ancestor Day, people visit cemeteries to make offerings to
the departed ancestors. Many Theravadins from Cambodia, Laos and Thailand also observe this

festival.
Ulambana is also a Japanese Buddhist festival known as Obon, beginning on the thirteenth of July
and lasting for three days, which celebrates the reunion of family ancestors with the living.
Avalokitesvaras Birthday (Kuan Yin)
This is a festival which celebrates the Bodhisattva ideal represented by Avalokitesvara. Who
represents the perfection of compassion in the Mahayana traditions of Tibet and China. It occurs on
the full moon day in March.
Bodhi Day (Enlightenment Day)
Bodhi Day honours the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama -- the Buddha. Buddhists observe the
importance of this event by celebrating Bodhi Day usually on the eighth of December. The day is
observed in many ways, including prayer, meditation and teachings.
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/holidays.html

Comparisons between Buddha and Jesus' Teachings

Many have noticed a comparison in the teachings and words of the Buddha and Jesus of Nazareth:

Teachings of Jesus and Buddha:

1. Do unto others as you would have them do unto to you. Luke 6:31
consider others as yourself. Dhammapada 10:1

2. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also. Luke 6:29
If any should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick, or with a knife, you should
abandon any desires and utter no evil words. Majjhima Nikaya 21:6

3. Love you enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those
who abuse you. From anyone who takes your coat, give them your shirt as well. Luke 6:27
Hatreds do not ever cease in this world by hating, but by love: this is an eternal truth.
Overcome anger with love, overcome evil with good..overcome the miser by giving;
overcome the liar with the truth. Dhammapada 1.5 & 17.3

4. Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.
Matthew 25:45

If you do not tend one another, then who is there to tend to you? Whoever would tend me,
he should tend the sick. Vinaya, Mahavagga 8:26

5. Put your sword back into its place; for all those who live by the sword shall perish by the
sword. Matthew 26:52
Abandoning the taking of life, the ascetic Gautama dwells refraining from taking life,
without stick or sword. Digha Nikaya 1:1:8

6. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater
love than this, to lay down ones life for ones friend. John 15:12
Just as a mother would protect her only child at the risk of her own life, even so cultivate a
boundless heart towards all beings. Let your thoughts of boundless love pervade the whole
world. Sutta Nipata 149-150.

7. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17

The body of the Buddha is born of love, patience, gentleness and truth.
Vimalakirtinirdesha Sutra 2

8. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field, it is
the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a
tree so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. Matthew 13:31
Do not underestimate good thinking it will not affect you. Dripping water can fill a pitcher,
drop by drop; one who is wise is filled with good, even if one accumulates it little by
little. Dhammapada 9:7

9. Why do you see the speck in your neighbors eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye.
Luke 6:41
The faults of others are easier to see than ones own; the faults of others are easily seen,
for they are sifted like chaff, but ones own faults are hard to see. Undanavarga 27:1

10. Let anyone among you who is without sin by the first to throw a stone at the woman. John
8:4
Do not look at the faults of others, or what others have or not done; observe what you
yourself have and have not done. Dhammapada 4:7

11. Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Luke 6:20
Let us live most happily, possessing nothing; let us fee on joy Dhammapada 15:4

12. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. John 11:26

Those who have sufficient faith in me, sufficient love for me, are all headed for Nirvana.
Majjhima Nikaya 22:47

13. Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will
save it. Mark 8:35
With the relinquishing of all thought and egotism, the enlightened one is liberated through
not clinging. Majjhima Nikaya 72:15

14. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8
Anyone who enters into meditation on compassion can see Brahma with his own eyes, talk
to him face to face and consult with him. Digha Nikaya 19:43