Encyclopedia
1. Gautama Buddha (Siddhartha, Sakyamuni, Tathagata)
Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Sakyamuni or Shakyamuni ("sage of the Sakyas"), or Tathagata ("one who has thus gone" and "one who has thus come") was a spiritual teacher who founded Buddhism.
Birth of Buddha at Lumbini.
Siddhartha, said to have been destined to a luxurious life as a prince, had three palaces (for seasonal occupation) especially built for him. His father, King Suddhodana, wishing for Siddhartha to be a great king, shielded his son from religious teachings or knowledge of human suffering.At the age of 29, Siddhartha left his palace in order to meet his subjects. Siddhartha was said to have seen an old man. Disturbed by this, when told that all people would eventually grow old by his charioteer Channa, the prince went on further trips where he encountered, variously, a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. Deeply depressed by these sights, he sought to overcome old age, illness, and death by living the life of an ascetic.
A statue of the Buddha from Sarnath, 4th century CE.
After asceticism and concentrating on meditation Siddhartha is said to have discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way. Sitting under a pipal tree, now known as the Bodhi tree, he vowed never to arise until he had found the Truth. At the age of 35, he attained enlightenment in the fifth lunar month. Gautama, from then on, was known as the Buddha or "Awakened One." Buddha is also sometimes translated as "The Enlightened One."At this point, he is believed to have realized complete awakening and insight into the nature and cause of human suffering which was ignorance, along with steps necessary to eliminate it. This was then categorized into "Four Noble Truths"; the state of supreme liberation — possible for any being — was called Nirvana. He then allegedly came to possess the Ten Characteristics, which are said to belong to every Buddha. Go to top
2. Ten Characteristics of Buddha
- thus gone (tathāgata)
- a worthy one (arhat)
- perfectly self-enlightened (samyak-sambuddha)
- perfected in knowledge and conduct (vidyā-carana-sampanna )
- well gone (sugata)
- unsurpassed (anuttara)
- knower of the world (loka-vid)
- leader of persons to be tamed (purusa-damya-sārathi)
- teacher of the gods and humans (śāsta deva-manusyānam)
- the Blessed One or fortunate one (bhagavat)
3. Middle Way
Buddhism teaches a Middle Way, i.e. avoiding the extreme views of eternalism and nihilism.
The Middle Way
Go to top4. Four Noble Truths
Four Noble Truths formulated by Sakyamuni Buddha:- The Nature of Suffering.
Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering. In brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering. - Suffering's Origin.
Cause of suffering is craving, which leads to a cycle of birth and death (samsara). The source of suffering is attachment and hatred. All the rest detrimental emotions are usually generated by them. Their effects lead to suffering. The source of attachment and hatred is ignorance, ignorance of the true nature of all beings and inanimate objects. This is not simply a consequence of a lack of knowledge, but a false world view, wrong understanding of reality. - Suffering's Cessation.
State, in which there is no suffering, is achievable. Elimination of attachment, hatred, envy, and intolerance is the way to a state beyond suffering. - The Way (marga) Leading to the Cessation of Suffering.
It is the Noble Eightfold Path.
5. Noble Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path is one of the principal teachings of the Buddha, who described it as the way leading to the cessation of suffering (dukkha) and the achievement of self-awakening. It is used to develop insight into the true nature of phenomena (or reality) and to eradicate greed, hatred, and delusion. The Noble Eightfold Path is the fourth of the Buddha's Four Noble Truths; the first element of the Noble Eightfold Path is, in turn, an understanding of the Four Noble Truths. It is also known as the Middle Path or Middle Way.
The Dharma wheel, often used to represent the Noble Eightfold Path
All eight elements of the Path begin with the word "right", which translates the word samyañc (in Sanskrit) or sammā (in Pāli). These denote completion, togetherness, and coherence, and can also suggest the senses of "perfect" or "ideal":- Right view
- Right intention
- Right speech
- Right action
- Right livelihood
- Right effort
- Right mindfulness
- Right concentration.
In Buddhist symbolism, the Noble Eightfold Path is often represented by means of the dharma wheel, whose eight spokes represent the eight elements of the path. Go to top
6. Three marks of existence
Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta
According to the Buddha there are "three characteristics" of existence:- Anicca (Sanskrit anitya) "inconstancy" or "impermanence". This refers to the fact that all conditioned things are in a constant state of flux. In reality there is no thing that ultimately ceases to exist; only the appearance of a thing ceases as it changes from one form to another. Imagine a leaf that falls to the ground and decomposes. While the appearance and relative existence of the leaf ceases, the components that formed the leaf become particulate material that may go on to form new plants.
- Dukkha (Sanskrit duhkha) or "unsatisfactoriness". Nothing found in the physical world or even the psychological realm can bring lasting deep satisfaction.
- Anatta (Sanskrit anatman) or "non-Self".
7. Ten negative actions
- 3 of the body: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct
- 4 of the speech: lie, words that divide, bad words and twaddle
- 3 of the mind: desire (to have something what belongs to an other), malevolence and mistaken visions
8. Samsara
Traditional Tibetan picture or Thanka showing The wheel of life and realms of samsara
Samsara is the cycle of birth, death and rebirth (i.e. reincarnation). The concept of samsara is closely associated with the belief that one continues to be born and reborn in various realms in the form of a human, god, animal, or other being, depending on karma ("action" or "doing"; whatever one does, says, or thinks). Thus Samsara is the cycle of cause and effect. Go to top9. Nirvana
Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya, India, where Gautama Buddha attained Nirvana under the Bodhi Tree
The Buddha described nirvana (nibbāna) as the perfect peace of the state of mind that is free from craving, anger and other afflictive states.
The way to Nirvana
The Buddha explains nirvana as "the unconditioned" mind, a mind that has come to a point of perfect lucidity and clarity due to the cessation of the production of volitional formations. This is described by the Buddha as "deathlessness" and as the highest spiritual attainment, the natural result that accrues to one who lives a life of virtuous conduct and practice in accordance with the Noble Eightfold Path. Such a life engenders increasing control over the generation of karma. It produces wholesome karma with positive results and finally allows the cessation of the origination of karma altogether with the attainment of nirvana. Otherwise, beings forever wander through the impermanent and suffering-generating realms of desire, form, and formlessness, collectively termed samsara.A person can attain nirvana without dying.
10. Parinirvana
When a person who has realized nirvana dies, his death is referred as parinirvāna, his fully passing away, as his life was his last link to the cycle of death and rebirth (samsara), and he will not be reborn again. What happens to a person after his parinirvāna cannot be explained, as it is outside of all conceivable experience. Go to top11. Moksha
In Indian religions, Moksha or Mukti, literally "release" (both from a root muc "to let loose, let go"), is the liberation from samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth or reincarnation and all of the suffering and limitation of worldly existence after the realization that the Atman is in fact Paramatman in Advaita philosophy.Moksha's meaning is similar to that of Nirvana in Buddhism. Go to top
12. Klesha
The Buddhist term klesha (kilesa) is typically translated as "defilement" or "poison". In early Buddhist texts the kleshas generally referred to mental states which temporarily cloud the mind and manifest in unskillful actions. Over time the kleshas came to be seen as the very roots of samsaric existence.
Three Poisons
Three Poisons:- ignorance;
- attachment;
- craving.
The Five Poisons, also known as the Five Disturbing Emotions are:
- Passion (desire, greed, lust);
- Aggression (anger, hatred, resentment);
- Ignorance (bewilderment, confusion, apathy);
- Pride (wounded pride, low-self esteem);
- Jealousy (envy, paranoia).
13. Mara
In Buddhism, Māra is the demon who tempted Siddartha Gautama the Buddha by trying to seduce him with the vision of beautiful women who, in various legends, are often said to be Mara's daughters. In Buddhist cosmology, Mara personifies unskillfulness, the "death" of the spiritual life. He is a tempter, distracting humans from practicing the spiritual life by making the mundane alluring or the negative seem positive.
Mara's assault on the Buddha
The early Buddhists, however, rather than seeing Mara as a demonic, virtually all-powerful Lord of Evil, regarded him as more of a nuisance. Many episodes concerning his interactions with the Buddha have a decidedly humorous air to them.In traditional Buddhism four senses of the word "mara" are given:
- Klesa-mara, or Mara as the embodiment of all unskillful emotions.
- Mrityu-mara, or Mara as death, in the sense of the ceaseless round of birth and death.
- Skandha-mara, or Mara as metaphor for the entirety of conditioned existence.
- Devaputra-mara, or Mara the son of a deva (god), that is, Mara as an objectively existent being rather than as a metaphor.
14. Dharma
Dharma (dhamma) is the term that means one's righteous duty, or any virtuous path. In Indian languages it can be equivalent simply to religion, depending on context. The word dharma translates as that which upholds or supports, and is generally translated into English as law.
Dharma Wheel
The Dharma, as the liberating law discovered and proclaimed by the Buddha, is summed up in the Four Noble Truths. Beings that live in accordance with Dharma proceed more quickly toward nirvana (personal liberation)."Dharma" usually refers not only to the sayings of the Buddha, but also to the later traditions of interpretation and addition that the various schools of Buddhism have developed to help explain and to expand upon the Buddha's teachings. Dharma in the Buddhist scriptures has a variety of meanings, including "phenomenon" and "nature" or "characteristic".
For others still, they see the Dharma as referring to the "truth," or the ultimate reality of "the way that things really are". "dharma" is also used to infer one's duty in a righteous way; thus a Raja's dharma is to protect its people, a barber's dharma is to cut hair, a teacher's dharma is to teach. Dharma with a capital "D" (as opposed to thousands of dharmas or little ways and methods, with a little "d") means universal or absolute truth. Go to top
15. Sangha
Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose.
The Sangha Jewel
There are three distinct definitions of Sangha:- all Buddhist practitioners;
- community of ordained monks and nuns;
- community of those who have attained enlightenment, who may help a practicing Buddhist to do the same.
16. Refuge
In Buddhism, instead of looking for any external savior, most Buddhists believe one can take refuge in oneself.
Three Jewels
Buddhists are said to "take refuge" in, or to "go for refuge" to, the Three Jewels ("Three Refuges"):- the Buddha, who, depending on one's interpretation, can mean the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, or the Buddha nature — the ideal or highest spiritual potential that exists within all beings;
- the Dharma;
- the Sangha.
The idea behind taking refuge is that when it starts to rain, we like to find a shelter. The Buddhist shelter from the rain of problems and pain of life is threefold: the Buddha, his teachings (the Dharma) and the spiritual community (the Sangha). Taking refuge means that we have some understanding about suffering, and we have confidence that the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha (the "Three Jewels") can help us.
The analogy of sickness is often used: Buddha is the doctor, Dharma is the medicine, Sangha is the nurse, we are the patient, the cure is taking the medicine, which means practicing the methods. Taking refuge is like unpacking the medicine and deciding to follow the doctor's advice.
- To refrain from harming living creatures (killing).
- To refrain from taking that which is not given (stealing).
- To refrain from sexual misconduct.
- To refrain from false speech.
- To refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness.
17. Tummo
Tummo (Tibetan: gtum-mo, also spelled Tumo, or Tum-mo; Sanskrit: caṇḍālī) is a Tibetan word, literally meaning fierce, inner fire. The Sanskrit terms caṇḍālī and kuṇḍalinī are clearly etymologically related.The practices are taught in a suite of Six Yogas of Naropa, which describe contemplative practices, spiritual energetic work or meditations such as those used in the Himalayan traditions of Vajrayana and Bön. This discipline is key to all advanced (completion stage) spiritual practices in Tibetan Buddhism.
The Tummo practices were first described in writing by the Indian yogi and Buddhist scholar Naropa, although the Tibetan Buddhist tradition holds that the practice was actually taught by Shakyamuni Buddha and passed down orally until the time of Naropa. The Tummo practice is also found in the Tibetan Bön lineage. One of the most famous practitioners of Tummo according to the Tibetan tradition was held to be Milarepa.
Nicholas Roerich. Milarepa, the One Who Hearkened.
Tummo-meditation is commonly associated with descriptions of intense sensations of body heat, which are a partial effect, rather than a goal, of the practice. Stories and eyewitness accounts abound of yogi practitioners being able to generate sufficient heat to dry wet sheets draped around their naked bodies while sitting outside in the freezing cold. While the physiological effects of Tummo are well known, they are not the primary purpose of the meditation practice. Tummo is a tantric meditation practice that transforms and evolves the consciousness of the practitioner so that "wisdom" (prajna) and "compassion" (karuna) are manifested in the individual.
Nicholas Roerich. On the Heights. (Tumo)
Not unproblematic, Tummo must be practiced in conjunction with appropriate empowerment and under the direction of a traditionally qualified Tantric Guru. Extensive preparation and pure motivation, most specifically bodhichitta, are absolutely essential both to beneficial results and to the avoidance of physical pain and discomfort in rlung (wind or breath) disorder or other imbalances.The Buddhist tantric systems present several different models of the chakras, and for tummo the "energetic winds" (prana, rlung) are being accumulated at the navel chakra, four fingers below the navel. In Tibetan Buddhism the primary purpose of Tummo is to gain control over subtle body processes as a foundation for very advanced mystical practices analogous to Completion stages of "highest yoga tantra" (Anuttarayoga Tantra). Such refined internalized yogas are practices to support entry into the highest contemplative systems, for example the Dzogchen or Mahamudra systems.
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18. Bodhisattva
Prince Siddhartha Gautama as a bodhisattva, before becoming a Buddha
Bodhisattva means either "enlightened (bodhi) existence (sattva)" or "enlightenment-being" or "heroic-minded one (satva) for enlightenment (bodhi)". Another translation is "Wisdom-Being". It is the name given to anyone who, motivated by great compassion, has generated bodhicitta, which is a spontaneous wish to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all living beings.The various divisions of Buddhism understand the word Bodhisattva in different ways. Theravada and some Mahayana sources consider a Bodhisattva as someone on the path to Buddhahood, while other Mahayana sources speak of Bodhisattvas renouncing Buddhahood. But especially in Mahayana Buddhism, it mainly refers to a being that compassionately refrains from entering nirvana in order to save others. So the Bodhisattva is a person who already has a considerable degree of enlightenment and seeks to use their wisdom to help other sentient beings to become liberated themselves.
While Theravada regards it as an option, Mahayana encourages everyone to follow a Bodhisattva path and to take the Bodhisattva vows. With these vows, one makes the promise to work for the complete enlightenment of all sentient beings.
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara
The Bodhisattva Path:- One hears the Dharma.
- Inspired by the Dharma, one performs good deeds and accepts the grace of others (e.g., teachers, bodhisattvas), thus benefiting from their merit and building one's own merit.
- One develops the "thought of enlightenment" (bodhicitta), which
- cancels previous bad karma
- stimulates the development of merit
- ensures good rebirths.
- One takes the bodhisattva vows, which become a driving force - a personal destiny that leads one higher and higher.
- One practices the six perfections.
19. Six paramitas (perfections)
- Dāna paramita - self-sacrifice, transfer of one's own merit to others;
- Śīla paramita - virtue, morality, discipline, proper conduct;
- Ksānti (kshanti) paramita (patience) - not becoming disturbed or agitated by anyone or anything, having faith in such doctrines as shunyata, "emptiness", practicing forgiveness;
- Vīrya paramita (right effort);
- Dhyāna paramita (meditation);
- Prajñā paramita (wisdom) - at this stage ("the Perfection of Wisdom"), the bodhisattva could, if he/she chose to do so, leave samsara and enter nirvana. But out of compassion for others, he/she continues to work in this world...;
Stages one through six of the bodhisattva path constitute the practices of ordinary bodhisattvas, e.g., humans like us who are trying to perfect ourselves in hopes of nirvana. But, once one has freed oneself from the attachments that bind one in samsara, there are four additional stages, which constitute the practices of "cosmic bodhisattvas" (such as Avalokitesvara and Manjushri): -
"going far" - practicing the ten perfections, i.e., the six mentioned above and four more:
- Upāya (skillful means, contrivances, devices) - any method used to help others progress along the path. For instance, one might describe the Pure Land as though it is a material place where jewels hang from trees, in order to arouse the listener's interest. The successful bodhisattva is said to practice "skill in means" (upaya-kaushalya), continually leading others toward perfection. Ultimately, of course, all presentations of the Dharma - inwords or symbols - merely constitute upaya, expediencies.
- Pranidhāna (pranidhana) paramita - steadfastness in one's "vow".
- Bala - "strength" in practicing the perfections.
- Jñāna - "knowledge", that one's practices are correct and effective.
- acala - "immovable", the ability to achieve one's goals spontaneously, by pure will;
- sadhumati - "good intelligence", apparently, a higher order of prajñā paramita;
- dharmamegha - "clouds of Dharma": total perfection, like that of the Tathagata, bathed (as it were) in clouds of wisdom and virtue.
20. Dhyana
Dhyāna is usually translated as "concentration," "meditation," or "meditative stability." Dhyāna is the fifth of six pāramitās (perfections).
Dhyana
In the Pali Canon the Buddha describes eight progressive states of absorption meditation or jhāna. Four are considered to be meditations of form and four are formless meditations. The first four jhānas are said by the Buddha to be conducive to a pleasant abiding and freedom from suffering. The deeper jhānas can last for many hours. When a meditator emerges from jhāna, his or her mind is empowered and able to penetrate into the deepest truths of existence. Go to top21. Arhat
Arhat (Sanskrit) or arahant (Pali) is a spiritual practitioner who had "laid down the burden", realizing the goal of nirvana, the culmination of the spiritual life. In early Buddhist scriptures, the word arahant refers to an enlightened being. The exact interpretation and etymology this word remains disputed.
A garden featuring depictions of various arhats (Hsi Lai Temple, California)
In Theravada, it means anyone who has reached the total Awakening and attained Nibbana, including the Buddha. Arahant is a person who has destroyed greed, hatred and delusion, the unwholesome roots which underlie all fetters. Who upon decease will not be reborn in any world, having wholly cut off all fetters that bind a person to the samsara. In the Pali Canon, the word is sometimes used as a synonym for tathagata.In Mahayana, it usually means anyone who has destroyed greed and hatred, but is still subject to delusion. According to most, but not all, Mahayana authorities, an Arhat must go on to become a Bodhisattva. If they fail to do so in the lifetime in which they attain the enlightenment, they will go to some sort of dormant state, thence to be roused and taught the Bodhisattva path, presumably when ready. Go to top
22. Samyak Sambodhi (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi)
Anuttara means supreme, highest, incomparable, unsurpassed, or peerless. Samyak means right, correct, true, accurate, complete, or perfect, and sambodhi means enlightenment. The expression Samyak Sambodhi by itself is also used to mean perfect enlightenment. Bodhi and sambodhi also mean wisdom or perfect wisdom. In this sense, anuttara-samyak-sambodhi means supreme perfect wisdom.Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (Sanskrit) is a supreme perfect enlightenment, the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha; the unsurpassingly merciful and enlightened heart; applied to liberated, perfected beings collectively, who then may "pass through all the six worlds of Being (Rupaloka) and get into the first three worlds of Arupa."
"The Bodhisattva Way is cultivated by those who seek the great fruit. Foreign lands are not sought after, because Bodhisattvas are not small landlords who set about conquering other countries in order to build an empire. Only Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, the highest fruit of cultivation, is the goal of great beings." Go to top
23. Maitreya
Maitreya (Sanskrit), Metteyya (Pāli), or Yampa (Tibetan) is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on Earth, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma. According to scriptures, Maitreya will be a successor of the historic Śākyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.The name Maitreya is derived from the word Maitri (Sanskrit) or Metta (Pali) meaning "loving-kindness".
The large statue of Maitreya in Tikse
Maitreya currently resides in the Tusita Heaven, said to be reachable through meditation. Sakyamuni Buddha also lived here before he was born into the world as all bodhisattvas live in the Tusita Heaven before they descend to the human realm to become Buddhas. Go to top24. Asanga
Asanga was one of the most famous Indian Buddhist saints, and lived in the fourth century. He went to the mountains to do a solitary retreat, concentrating all his meditation practice on the Buddha Maitreya, in the fervent hope that he would be blessed with a vision of this Buddha and receive teachings from him.For several years Asanga meditated in extreme hardship without the slightest sign from the Buddha Maitreya.
The day wore on, he came across a dog lying by the side of the road. It had only its front legs, and the whole of the lower part of its body was rotting and covered with maggots. Despite its pitiful condition, the dog was snapping at passers-by and pathetically trying to bite them by dragging itself along the ground with its two good legs.
Asanga was overwhelmed with a vivid and unbearable feeling of compassion. He cut a piece of flesh off his own body and gave it to the dog to eat. Then he bent down to take off the maggots that were consuming the dog's body. But he suddenly thought he might hurt them if he tried to pull them out with his fingers, and realized that the only way to remove them would be on his tongue. Asanga knelt on the ground, and looking at the horrible festering, writhing mass, closed his eyes. He leant closer and put out his tongue. The next thing he knew, his tongue was touching the ground. He opened his eyes and looked up. The dog was gone; there in its place was the Buddha Maitreya, ringed by a shimmering aura of light.
...when, in a flash of light, the dog turned into the Buddha Maitreya
"At last," said Asanga, "why did you never appear to me before?"Maitreya spoke softly: "It is not true that I have never appeared to you before. I was with you all the time, but your negative karma and obscurations prevented you from seeing me. Your twelve years of practice dissolved them slightly so that you were at last able to see the dog. Then, thanks to your genuine and heartfelt compassion, all those obscurations were completely swept away and you can see me before you with your very own eyes."
Then the Buddha Maitreya took Asanga to the Tusita Heaven, and there gave him many sublime teachings that are among the most important in the whole of Buddhism. Go to top
25. The future coming of Maitreya
Maitreya is prophesied by the Buddha Shakyamuni to be the next Buddha to appear in our world system. He will be last of the the five Buddhas to gain Supreme Enlightenment in this kalpa (aeon, long period of time).Maitreya's coming will occur after the teachings of the current Gautama Buddha, the Dharma, are no longer taught and are completely forgotten. Gautama predicts that when man's life span is eighty thousand years he who is named Maitreya shall arise in the world.
Gautama Buddha prophesied the advent of a future Buddha who would restore the true teaching and establish the next golden age. He shall proclaim the Teaching pleasant in its beginning, pleasant in the middle, and pleasant in the end thereof, and shall make known its spirit and its letter: in its perfection and in all its purity.
Nicholas Roerich. Maitreya the Conqueror.
Sutra of Maitreya Bodhisattva's Attainment of Buddhahood:The one with unsurpassed virtue
Will rightfully appear in the world.
That one will pronounce the wondrous Dharma,
And all will be infused with it,
Like the thirsty drinking the sweet nectar.
All will swiftly set off on the Liberation Path.
Many Buddhist texts contain variations of the legend that Mahakasyapa, a disciple of Gautama Buddha who took over the leadership of the Sangha after Gautama's passing, is in deep meditation inside a mountain awaiting the coming of Maitreya so that he can pass him Gautama's robe. Gautama Buddha instructed four of his disciples, Mahakasyapa, Kundopadhaniya, Pindola, and Rahula, not to enter nirvana, but instead to remain in the world until Maitreya appears: "You must wait for my Law to come to its end, then you may enter nirvana." Sakyamuni particularly singles out Mahakasyapa. Go to top
26. Atman (Buddhism)
Atman or Atta (Pāli) literally means "self", but is sometimes translated as "soul" or "ego". In Buddhism, the belief in the existence of an unchanging ātman is the prime consequence of ignorance, which is itself the cause of all misery and the foundation of samsāra.With the doctrine of anatta Buddhism maintains that the concept of atman is unnecessary and counterproductive as an explanatory device for analyzing action, causality, karma, and rebirth. Buddhists regard postulating the existence of atman as undesirable, as they believe it provides the psychological basis for attachment and aversion.
Atman Brahman
While the suttas criticize notions of an eternal, unchanging Self, they see an enlightened being as one whose changing, empirical self is highly developed. One with great self has a mind which is not at the mercy of outside stimuli or its own moods, but is imbued with self-control, and self-contained. The mind of such a one is without boundaries, not limited by attachment or I-identification. One can transform one's self from an "insignificant self" into a "great self" through practices such as loving-kindness and mindfulness. The suttas portray one disciple who has developed his mind through loving-kindness saying: "Formerly this mind of mine was limited, but now my mind is immeasurable."At the culmination of the path is the Arahant, described as "one of developed self", who has carried the process of personal development and self-reliance to its perfection. Such a person has developed all the good aspects of their personality. An arahant is described as "one with a mind like a diamond", it can "cut" anything and is itself uncuttable; nothing can affect it.
Śāntideva (an 8th-century Indian Buddhist philosopher and practitioner) informs us that in order to be able to deny something, we first of all need to know what it is that we are denying:
"Without contacting the entity that is imputed
You will not apprehend the absence of that entity"
In 2005, commenting on the Tibetan Book of the Dead, the 14th Dalai Lama explains how Highest Yoga Tantra Buddhism (of which the Tibetan Book of the Dead is a manifestation) conceives both of a temporary person, and a subtle person or self, which Highest Yoga Tantra - the Dalai Lama states - links to the Buddha Nature. He writes:
‘… when we look at [the] interdependence of mental and physical constituents from the perspective of Highest Yoga Tantra, there are two concepts of a person. One is the temporary person or self, that is as we exist at the moment, and this is labeled on the basis of our coarse or gross physical body and conditioned mind, and, at the same time, there is a subtle person or self which is designated in dependence on the subtle body and subtle mind. This subtle body and subtle mind are seen as a single entity that has two facets. The aspect which has the quality of awareness, which can reflect and has the power of cognition, is the subtle mind. Simultaneously, there is its energy, the force that activates the mind towards its object – this is the subtle body or subtle wind. These two inextricably conjoined qualities are regarded, in Highest Yoga Tantra, as the ultimate nature of a person and are identified as buddha nature, the essential or actual nature of mind.’
Moreover, the Buddhist tantric scripture entitled "Chanting the Names of Mañjusri", as quoted by the great Tibetan Buddhist master, Dolpopa, repeatedly exalts not the non-Self but the Self and applies the following terms to this ultimate reality:
- "the pervasive Lord" (vibhu)
- "Buddha-Self"
- "the beginningless Self" (anādi-ātman)
- "the Self of Thusness" (tathatā-ātman)
- "the Self of primordial purity" (śuddha-ātman)
- "the Source of all"
- "the Self pervading all"
- "the Single Self" (eka-ātman)
- "the Diamond Self" (vajra-ātman)
- "the Solid Self" (ghana-ātman)
- "the Holy, Immovable Self"
- "the Supreme Self"
The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra has the Buddha speak of four essential elements which make up Nirvana. One of these is ‘Self’ (atman), which is construed as the enduring Self of the Buddha.
Within the Mahayana there exists an important class of sutras, generally known as Tathagatagarbha sutras, a number of which affirm that, in contradistinction to the impermanent "mundane self" of the five "skandhas"(the physical and mental components of the mutable ego), there does exist an eternal True Self, which is in fact none other than the Buddha himself in his ultimate "Nirvanic" nature. This is the "true self" in the self of each being, the ideal personality, attainable by all beings due to their inborn potential for enlightenment. The "tathagatagarbha"/Buddha nature does not represent a substantial self (atman); rather, it is a positive language and expression of "sunyata" (emptiness) and represents the potentiality to realize Buddhahood through Buddhist practices.
In the Dhammapada, one of the most respected texts of the Southern Buddhists, we read: "The self is the master of the self, for who else could be its master?".
Nicholas Roerich. Nagarjuna Conqueror of the Serpent.
Acharya Nagarjuna, one of the most important figures of early Buddhism, sometimes referred to as "the Second Buddha", in his commentary on the Prajnaparamita wrote: "Sometimes the Tathagata taught that the Atman verily exists, and yet at other times he taught that the Atman does not exist".Buddhism greatly influenced the development of the Hindu Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy. There too there the individual self is deconstructed. Advaita however postulates the existence of a monistic metaphysical being in itself, i.e. Brahman or Paramatman as part of its interpretation of the Upanishads, while Buddhism does not. Go to top
27. Atman (Hinduism)
The Ātman is a philosophical term used within Hinduism, especially in the Vedanta school to identify the soul whether in global sense (world's soul) or in individual sense (of a person own soul). It is one's true self (hence generally translated as "Self") beyond identification with the phenomenal reality of worldly existence. Go to top28. Anatta (Anatman, "not-self")
One of the central tenets of Buddhism, is the denial of a separate permanent "I", and is outlined in the three marks of existence.
Anatta
Anattā: "not-self," egolessness, impersonality. This doctrine teaches that neither in the material phenomena of the body, which are of four kinds (referred to collectively as "form" or materiality):- fluidity
- heat
- support
- solidity
- sensation
- perception
- intention
- consciousness
is there to be found anything that in the ultimate sense can be regarded as an enduring self, ego, soul, identity, essence, or personality. There is no abiding substance.
Whosoever has not penetrated the impersonality of all existence, and does not comprehend that in reality there exists only this continually self-consuming process of arising and passing bodily and mental phenomena, and that there is no separate ego-entity within or without this process, will not be able to understand Buddhism, that is, the teaching of the Four Noble Truths, in the right light.
Instead, one will think that it is one's ego, one's personality that experiences suffering, one's personality that performs wholesome and unwholesome actions (karma), and that will be reborn according to these actions. One will think that it is one's personality that will "enter" into nirvana, one's personality that walks the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Discourse on the Characteristic of Not-self was the Buddha's second discourse after enlightenment, delivered the first five disciples. After hearing it, they attained full enlightenment (arhatship).
The contemplation of not-self leads to the emptiness liberation. Herein the faculty of wisdom is outstanding. And one who attains the path of stream-entry in that way is called a Dharma-devotee. At the next two stages of enlightenment, one becomes a vision-attainer. And at the highest stage (arhatship) one is called "liberated by wisdom".
In the Diamond Sūtra it says: "If a bodhisattva abides in the signs of self, person, sentient being, or life-span, she or he is not a bodhisattva." Go to top
29. Paramatman (Supersoul)
Paramatma
In Hindu theology, Paramatman or Paramātmā is the Absolute Atman or Supreme Soul or Spirit (also known as Supersoul or Oversoul) in the Vedanta and Yoga philosophies of India.Paramatman is one of the aspects of Brahman. The Upanishads compare Atman and Paramatman to two birds sitting like friends on the branch of a tree (body). The Atman eats its fruits (karma), and the Paramatman only observes the Atman as a witness of His friend's actions. Go to top
30. Bhagavan
Bhagavan (Bhagwan or Bhagawan) in Hindi and Sanskrit means one who is clad in bhagwa i.e. light orange colour, that represents gyan or knowledge. Thus Bhagwān means one who wears gyan or knowledge.In some traditions of Hinduism it is used to indicate the Supreme Being or Absolute Truth, but with specific reference to that Supreme Being as possessing a personality (a personal God). This personal feature indicated in Bhagavan differentiates its usage from other similar terms such as Brahman, the "Supreme Spirit" or "spirit", and thus, in this usage, Bhagavan is in many ways analogous to the general Christian conception of God.
In Hindu Religion, the word Bhagwan has symbolic meaning too. The word encompasses Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space – the five elements:
‘Bh’ stands for Bhoomi or Earth
‘G’ stands for Gagan or Space
‘V’ stands for Vayu or Air
‘A’ stands for Agni or Fire
‘N’ stands for Neer or Water
Bhagavan used as a title of veneration is often translated as "Lord", as in "Bhagavan Krishna", "Bhagavan Shiva", "Bhagavan Swaminarayan", etc. In Buddhism and Jainism, Gautama Buddha, Mahavira and other Tirthankaras, Buddhas and bodhisattvas are also venerated with this title.
The title is also used as a respectful form of address for a number of contemporary spiritual teachers in India. Go to top
31. Gyani
In the Hindu religion, Gyani is a person trying to perceive Absolute Truth (Bhagavan or Brahman) relying just on the strength of his mind.The word "Ghian" in Punjabi means knowledge. So a "Ghiani" is someone who has spiritual and religious knowledge and can help the congregation. Go to top
32. Kali Yuga
Hindus believe that human civilization degenerates spiritually during the Kali Yuga, which is referred to as the Dark Age because in it people are as far removed as possible from God. Hinduism often symbolically represents morality (dharma) as a bull. In Satya Yuga, the first stage of development, the bull has four legs, but in each age morality is reduced by one quarter. By the age of Kali, morality is reduced to only a quarter of that of the golden age, so that the bull of Dharma has only one leg. Go to top
33. Tamang
The Tamang (also known as Murmi) are one of the several ethnic groups from north central hilly region of Nepal. The word Tamang may be derived from the Tibetan words "ta" and "mang", meaning horse and soldier respectively. Living mainly north and east of the country, they constitute 5.6% of Nepal's population, which places their population at 1,280,000, slightly higher than the Newars.
A mountainside village inhabited by Tamang
The name Tamang, normally it is Tamag in Tibetan, means horse warriors, Tamags were border police sent by king Trisong of Tibet around 755. They are also good mountaineers and trekking guides. Many of Tamang have been recruited to serve in Indian and British Gurkha regiments since British Raj.The Tamang generally follow Tibetan Buddhism mixed with elements of the pre-Buddhist Bön and the Tambaist religion. Due to their proximity to the Newar, a slight Hindu influence can be seen in their practices. According to the 2001 census, 88.26% of the ethnic Tamang in Nepal were Buddhists and 7.69% were Hindus. The typical song and dance of the Tamangs is "tamang selo" in which they dance to the beat of a drum called "damphu." Damphu is the traditional drum of the Tamangs. Go to top
34. Kunchusum
Kunchu means "Divine Being", while Sum means "Three", thus Kunchusum is "the Three Buddha".
Tamshing Lhakang, Bhutan
Kunchusum Lhakhang is a rural looking temple, in a short distance from Tamshing Lhakhang (the most important Nyingma school temple in Bhutan). The temple dates back to 7th century, it was discovered and restored by the treasurer in 15th century. The temple is famous for its bell, which bears an inscription from the 8th century. It was stolen from Tibet and transported to Bhutan. Perhaps the Tibetan Royal Family had cats which could hear the "sound of Buddhism". Go to topblog comments powered by DISQUS