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01/04/15

Filed under: General
Posted by: site admin @ 8:42 pm

BUDDHISM IN A NUTSHELL !

DO NO EVIL !

ALWAYS DO GOOD

BE MINDFUL !

- EASY FOR A 7 YEARS OLD BOY TO UNDERSTAND

Discrimination against SC/ST/OBCs in giving Bharat Ratna, says BSP Chief Mayawati

Prostration (Buddhism)

A prostration (Pali: panipāta)
is a gesture used in Buddhist practice to show reverence to the Triple Gem (comprising the Buddha, Dhamma (his teachings), and the Sangha (spiritual community) and other objects of veneration.

Among Buddhists prostration is believed to be beneficial for practitioners for several reasons, including:

• an experience of giving or veneration
• an act to purify defilements, especially conceit
• a preparatory act for meditation
• an act that accumulates merit (Kamma)

In contemporary Western Buddhism, some teachers use prostrations as a practice unto itself,while other teachers relegate prostrations to customary liturgical ritual, ancillary to meditation.

Prostrations may also be subsumed within sadhana repetitions of various vinyasa forms of yogic discipline, such as Trul Khor, e.g. Importantly, vinyasa forms were directly influenced from Buddhist ‘impermanence’ (anitya) as was the language of Patanjali’s Yoga Suttas informed by Buddhist discourse.

In the Pali canon, laypersons prostrating before the then-living Buddha is mentioned in several suttas In Theravada Buddhism, as part of daily practice, one typically prostrates before and after chanting and meditation. On these occasions, one does typically prostrates three times: once to the Buddha, once to the Dhamma, and once to the Sangha. More generally, one can also prostrate before “any sacred object of veneration.”

Theravada Buddhists execute a type of prostration that is known as “five-point veneration” (Pali: patitthitapanca) or the “five-limbed prostration” (Pali: pañc’anga-vandana) where the two palms and elbows, two sets of toes and knees, and the forehead are placed on the floor. More specifically:

… In the kneeling position, one’s hand in añjali [palms together,
fingers flat out and pointed upward] are raised to the forehead and then
lowered to the floor so that the whole forearm to the elbow is on the
ground, the elbow touching the knee. The hands, palm down, are four to
six inches apart with just enough room for the forehead to be brought to
the ground between them. Feet are still as for the kneeling position
and the knees are about a foot apart….

In Thailand, traditionally, each of the three aforementioned prostrations are accompanied by the following Pali verses:

First Prostration	Araham samma-sambuddho bhagava Buddham bhagavantam abhivademi.	The Noble One, the fully Awakened One with Awareness, the Exalted One, I bow low before the Exalted Buddha.
Second Prostration	Svakkhato bhagavata dhammo Dhammam namassami.	The Exalted One’s well-expounded Dhamma I bow low before the Dhamma.
Third Prostration	Supatipanno bhagavato savakasangho sangham namami.	The Exalted One’s Sangha of well-practiced disciples I bow low before the Sangha.

In Theravadin countries such as Sri Lanka, when one goes before one’s
teacher, in order to “open one’s mind up to receive instructions,” one
bows and recites the phrase, “Okāsa ahaṃ bhante vandāmi” (”I pay homage
to you venerable sir”).

http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism1.htm

Buddhism

Buddhism’s core beliefs

Core beliefs of Buddhism:

Buddhism, like most of the great religions of the world, is divided into a
number of different traditions. However, most traditions share a common set of
fundamental beliefs.

One fundamental belief of Buddhism is often referred to as reincarnation —
the concept that people are reborn after dying. In fact, most individuals go
through many cycles of birth, living, death and rebirth. A practicing Buddhist
differentiates between the concepts of rebirth and reincarnation. In
reincarnation, the individual may recur repeatedly. In rebirth, a person does
not necessarily return to Earth as the same entity ever again. He compares it to
a leaf growing on a tree. When the withering leaf falls off, a new leaf will
eventually replace it. It is similar to the old leaf, but it is not identical to
the original leaf.

After many such cycles,
if a person releases their attachment to desire and the self, they can attain
Nirvana. This is a state of liberation and freedom from suffering.

The Three Trainings or Practices:

These three consist of:

1. Sila: Virtue, good conduct, morality. This is based on two fundamental principles:
    
   

   	The principle of equality: that all living entities are equal.
   	The principle of reciprocity: This is the “Golden Rule” in Christianity — to do onto others as you would wish them to do onto you. It is found in all major religions.

2. Samadhi: Concentration, meditation, mental development. Developing one’s mind is the path to wisdom which in turn leads to
   personal freedom. Mental development also strengthens and controls our mind; this helps us maintain good conduct.
    
3. Prajna: Discernment, insight, wisdom, enlightenment. This is the real heart of Buddhism. Wisdom will emerge if your mind is pure and
   calm.

The first two paths listed in the Eightfold Path, described below, refer to discernment; the last three belong to concentration;
the middle three are related to virtue.

The Four Noble Truths:

The Buddha’s Four Noble Truths explore human suffering. They may be described (somewhat simplistically) as:

1. Dukkha: Suffering exists: (Suffering is real and almost universal.
   Suffering has many causes: loss, sickness, pain, failure, the
   impermanence of pleasure.)
    
2. Samudaya: There is a cause for suffering. (It is the desire to have and control things. It can take many forms: craving of
   sensual pleasures; the desire for fame; the desire to avoid unpleasant sensations, like fear, anger or jealousy.)
    
3. Nirodha: There is an end to suffering. (Suffering ceases with the final liberation of Nirvana (a.k.a. Nibbana). The mind experiences
   complete freedom, liberation and non-attachment. It lets go of any desire or craving.)
    
4. Magga: In order to end suffering, you must follow the Eightfold Path.

The Five Precepts:

These are rules to live by. They are somewhat analogous to the second half of the
Ten Commandments in Judaism and Christianity —
that part of the Decalogue which describes behaviors to avoid. However, they are
recommendations, not commandments. Believers are expected to use their own
intelligence in deciding exactly how to apply these rules.

1. Do not kill. This is sometimes translated as “not harming” or an
   absence of violence.
    
2. Do not steal. This is generally interpreted as including the avoidance
   of fraud and economic exploitation.
    
3. Do not lie. This is sometimes interpreted as including name calling,
   gossip, etc.
    
4. Do not misuse sex. For monks and nuns, this means any departure from
   complete celibacy. For the laity, adultery is forbidden, along with any
   sexual harassment or exploitation, including that within marriage. The
   Buddha did not discuss consensual premarital sex within a committed
   relationship; Thus, Buddhist traditions differ on this. Most Buddhists, probably
   influenced by their local cultures, condemn same-sex
   sexual activity regardless of the nature of the relationship between the
   people involved.
    
5. Do not consume alcohol or other drugs. The main concern here is that
   intoxicants cloud the mind. Some have included as a drug other methods
   of divorcing ourselves from reality — e.g. movies, television, the
   Internet. ₁

Those preparing for monastic life or who are not
within a family are expected to avoid an additional five activities:

 6.  Taking untimely meals.
 7.  Dancing, singing, music, watching grotesque mime.
 8.  Use of garlands, perfumes and personal adornment.
 9.  Use of high seats.
10. Accepting gold or silver.

There is also a series of eight precepts which are
composed of the first seven listed above, followed by the eighth and ninth
combined as one. “Ordained Theravada monks promise to follow 227 precepts!”
₃

The Eightfold Path:

The Buddha’s Eightfold Path consists of:

	Panna: Discernment, wisdom: 1) Samma ditthi Right Understanding of the Four Noble Truths 2) Samma sankappa: Right thinking; following the right path in life
	Sila: Virtue, morality: 3) Samma vaca: Right speech: no lying, criticism, condemning, gossip, harsh language 4) Samma kammanta Right conduct by following the Five Precepts 5) Samma ajiva: Right livelihood; support yourself without harming others
	Samadhi: Concentration, meditation: 6) Samma vayama Right Effort: promote good thoughts; conquer evil thoughts 7) Samma sati Right Mindfulness: Become aware of your body, mind and feelings 8) Samma samadhi Right Concentration: Meditate to achieve a higher state of consciousness

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Good Friends

“People affect each other in subtle and complex
ways, and it is important to develop the ability to discern the nature
of that influence. According to Buddhism, ‘bad’ friends are those who
encourage our weaknesses. A truly good friend is someone with the
compassion and courage to tell us even those things we would prefer not
to hear, which we must confront if we are to develop and grow in our
lives.”

Ananda,
one of Shakyamuni Buddha’s closest disciples, once asked him: “It seems
to me that by having good friends and advancing together with them, one
has already halfway attained the Buddha way. Is this way of thinking
correct?”

Shakyamuni replied, “Ananda, this way of thinking is not correct.
Having good friends and advancing together with them is not half the
Buddhist way but all the Buddhist way.”

This may seem surprising, as Buddhism is often viewed as a solitary
discipline in which other people might be seen as more of a hindrance
than a help. However, to polish and improve our lives ultimately means
to develop the quality of our interpersonal relationships–a far more
challenging task than any solitary discipline. Our practice of Buddhism
only finds meaning within the context of these relationships.

From another perspective, given that Buddhist practice of polishing
and aiming to improve our lives from within is a constant challenge and a
difficult process, it is only natural that we need support from others
also dedicated to walking a correct path in life, trying also to create
value in their lives.

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda has written, “Having good friends is like
being equipped with a powerful auxiliary engine. When we encounter a
steep hill or an obstacle, we can encourage each other and find the
strength to keep pressing forward.” And as Nichiren (1222–1282) wrote:
“Even a feeble person will not stumble if those supporting him are
strong, but a person of considerable strength, when alone, may lose his
footing on an uneven path…”

In Nichiren Buddhism, good friends are known as zenchishiki or good influences, while akuchishiki
refers to bad influences. People affect each other in subtle and
complex ways, and it is important to develop the ability to discern the
nature of that influence. According to Buddhism, “bad” friends are those
who encourage our weaknesses. In Nichiren’s words: “Evil friends are
those who, speaking sweetly, deceiving, flattering and making skillful
use of words, win the hearts of the ignorant and destroy their goodness
of mind.”

Even when intentions are good, the degree of our positive influence
on each other will vary. Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, founder of the Soka
Gakkai, used the following illustration. Say you have a friend who needs
a certain amount of money. Giving your friend the money they need is an
act of small good, while helping them find a job is an act of medium
good. However, if your friend is really suffering because of a basic
tendency toward laziness, then constantly helping him or her out may
only perpetuate negative habits. In this case, true friendship is
helping that person change the lazy nature that is the deep cause of
their suffering.

A truly good friend is someone with the compassion and courage to
tell us even those things we would prefer not to hear, which we must
confront if we are to develop and grow in our lives.

Ultimately, however, whether people are good or evil influences in
our lives is up to us. In Buddhist terms, the best kind of zenchishiki
is one who leads us to strengthen our own faith and practice in order to
thoroughly transform our karma. To quote Nichiren again, “the best way
to attain Buddhahood is to encounter a zenchishiki, or good friend.”
Further, Nichiren comments that Devadatta, the cousin of Shakyamuni who
tried to kill him and divide the Buddhist order, was “the foremost good
friend to Thus Come One Shakyamuni. In this age as well, it is not one’s
allies, but one’s powerful enemies who assist one’s progress.”

This expresses a key concept in Buddhism. Due to the immense
transformative powers of Buddhist practice, even “bad” friends can have a
good influence if we make our relationships with them into
opportunities to examine, reform and strengthen our lives. The ideal is
ultimately to develop the kind of all-encompassing compassion expressed
by Nichiren when he wrote that his first desire was to lead to
enlightenment the sovereign who had persecuted him, repeatedly exiling
and even attempting to behead him.

[Courtesy January 2004 SGI Quarterly]

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