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Buddha felt that the world would be better with the triumph of natural law over supernaturalism.
b. Right Resolve- clear perception of the true doctrine and free oneself from
lust, ill, will and cruelty
c. Right Speech- to avoid and abstain from telling a lie, to speak of truth, to
avoid tale bearing, to avoid harsh language and avoid vain talk.
d. Right Action or Conduct- abstain from killing any living sentient things,
avoid immoral sexual behaviour, to avoid intoxicating drinks.
f. Right Effort- strive to avoid the arising of evil, and maintain meritorious
condition that have already arisen
THEORY OF KARMA
- Based on Patticasamutpada.
- For Buddhism refers to the fruits of one’s action
- What kind o life you had before would determine the kind of life you have
now (past shapes the future)
BUDDHA’S EPISTEMOLOGY
The Buddha learned yogi meditation and became aware of the extrasensory powers that
could be developed by such means. Through this, he realized the limitation of sense-perception
as a source of knowledge.
2. Clairvoyance- knowledge of the deceased and the survival of other beings who wander
in the cycle of existences in accordance with their behaviour (karma)
- together with retrocognition, it enables one to verify the phenomenon of
rebirth.
3. Knowledge of the destruction of defiling impulses- together with the three and
Telepathy, provides an insight into the four Noble Truths
- Buddha accepts reason and perception as sources of information but doesn’t
consider these as the only valid source of knowledge
ETHICS
Buddhism does not separate knowledge from conduct. The ultimate goal of knowledge is
freedom- freedom from the world tormented by decay, birth and death.
He who has attained freedom from sufferings is called “one who has done what has to be
done” (Katakaraniyo). To reach this goal there are gradual and ordered steps that needs to be
accomplished:
• The Moral Virtues are grouped into various Categories. The MOST BASIC is the:
• The final product of all these is the Buddhist ideal of “perfect man”; ARHAT
• The whole idea was launched to crush the cycle of birth and death, namely suffering. The
most effective way to achieve this goal was by Renunciation of craving (tanha) for the
things of this world
NIRVANA
- Literally means “blowing-out”
- Summum bonum of Buddhism
- The person who attained the state is called an ARHAT
- Defined as the goal of Buddhism
- Elimination of craving, state of detachment, state where there is no suffering,
state of perfect happiness.
- (Highest reaches)- purification of mind; its restoration to its primitive
simploicity or radiant transparency.
- In its Highest reaches, when a person attained this kind of state this become
enlightened, a Buddha.
- Everyone is a potential Buddha
- Siddhartha Gautama is the 4th buddha
Nirvana of the 2nd type was characterized by a complete liberation from all fetters.
• Arhat with substrate- he experiences all impressions of the senses, able to prevent the
generation of attachment, impressions produce respective feeling of pleasue or pain, the
arhat is unmoved by them.
• Arhat without substrate- at death of man, the five aggregates which compose man,
namely: matter, feelings, perception, dispositions, consciousness- disappear. He is
described neither as “will be reborn” nor as “will not be reborn”
THE HINAYANA AND THE MAHAYANA
After the Buddha’s death, 2 major Schools of Thought emerged:
1. Hinayana
2. Mahayana
Hinayana Mahayana
No God Buddha was made God
The End was Nirvana taken as The end is Nirvana, taken as
Extinction of Suffering Positive Bliss
Highest ideal is the Arhat Highest ideal is the Bodhisattva
The Means to an end is The Means to an end is the
Contemplation and Meditation on the Middle Path
4 Noble Truths Salvation is with the help of others
Believe in Self-help Salvation
Exhibits dry asceticism Exhibits loving interest in the world
Negativistic and egoistic in outlook Positivistic in outlook
HINAYANA
MAHAYANA
- 1st systematic expounder of Mahayana- ASVAGOSHA
- His Doctrines: Reality is Tathata- (Bliss)
6 ways of looking at at it
1. As Ultimate Existence- it is called Bhutatathata
2. As Pure Spirit- Alayavihanana
3. As Harmonious Whole- Dharmakaya
4. As Bliss having infinite merits- Tathatagarbha
5. From the empirical standpoint
6. From the Ultimate standpoint