Buddhism Preliminary Questions
1-What were the Buddha’s 2 main complaints about Hinduism?
1a-
1b-
2-What was the Buddha’s shortcut to spiritual enlightenment (Mosksha-Nirvana-Satori)
3-What are examples of the Buddha’s compassion?
4-What was the worst thing that the Buddha ever did?
Buddhism Lecture Points
A Hindu Royal Family in Kapilavastu, Nepal, Greater India
The Buddha’s name – Siddhattha Gautama
Siddhattha’ Father – King Suddhodana Gautama, King of the Shakya Tribe
Siddhattha’s Mother – Queen Maya Gotami
Siddhattha’s Aunt who raised him after his Mother’s death & later the 1st Buddhist Nun –
Pajapati Gotami
Siddhattha’s wife – Princess Yasodhara
Siddhattha’s & Yasodhara’s son – Rahula (shackle, fetter, chain, restraint, cuffs)
Queen Maya gave birth to Siddhattha in Lumbini, Nepal
Capital of Nepal today – Kathmandu
A Legendary & Miraculous Conception – a Dream in which a White Elephant touched Queen
Maya with his Trunk in order to magically Impregnate Her.
A Sage visited Queen Maya to Bless her & the Preborn Siddhattha after he Dreamt that the
boy would grow to be either a Great Political & Military Ruler or a Great Ascetic
Spiritual Leader.
King Suddhodana became determined to ensure that his heir Siddhattha develop into a
Ruler.
Nevertheless, Siddhattha, from an early age, felt Compassion for the small animals & birds
that he saw in the palace garden.
When he noticed this dedicated habit of Compassion, King Suddhodana strove to ensure
that young Prince Siddhattha would Never witness Human Suffering.
*Siddhattha’s Litter had beautiful Scenes painted on the Curtains.
*Siddhattha’s Servants had to Travel ahead of his Procession to Remove all the Poor,
Sick, Old, & Dead People from Sight.
A Major Turning Point occurred in Prince Siddhattha’s Life while he observed the first
Seasonal Plowing of an Agricultural Field during a Festival to Celebrate the Divine Gift
of the Fruits of the Earth because he felt Profound Pity on the Bugs & Worms that
were Chopped Up by the Plowshare & Eaten by the Birds that Followed the Plow.
Siddhattha married Yasodara & they made a baby boy that Siddhattha named Rahula
(which means Shackle because Siddhattha wanted to leave to figure out the Source
of & Solution to Suffering)
The most Decisive Turning Point of his Life was the Journey(s) beyond the Palace Walls
without his father’s permission when he Finally Observed Human Suffering when he
met a Poor Beggar, an Old Man, a Mortally Sick Man, a Corpse, & finally, a Healthy
Hindu Ascetic who appeared to be Peaceful. Siddhattha presumed the Ascetic to be a
Sage because he was the only person who was not overwhelmed by Suffering.
While his son Rahula was still a newborn, Siddhattha abandoned his family & escaped from
the Palace & began his career of Exploration, beginning with Asceticism by
prematurely following the Hindu Path of Action (Student, Householder, Hermit,
Pilgrim). He didn’t return
Buddhism
(per Siddatta or Siddarta Gautama in the Buddhavacana, Tipitaka, Suttas)
Siddatta Gautama, the Buddha, was born as a Hindu prince in Nepal which was then a part of Greater India.
Siddatta instituted a Noble Silence regarding Deities, Theology, Prayers, Hymns, Sacrifices, & Images in order to
correct the Hindu Idolatry of his day that was led by the Bramins/Hindu Priests. Siddatta taught a doctrine of
Impermanence. Siddatta established a Sangha/Monastery. Siddatta taught that beings don’t have a Soul/Atman,
but rather an An-Atman/Non-Soul/Consciousness. Siddatta taught that people could possibly achieve
Moksha/Nirvana/Satori/Enlightenment/End/Release from Reincarnation/Samsara in just one monastic lifetime,
although it was highly unlikely.
After his own achievement of Moksha/Nirvana/Satori/Enlightenment/End/Release from Samsara/Reincarnation,
Siddatta taught: the 4 Noble Truths, the 8-Fold Path to Enlightenment, the Middle Path, the Noble Silence, & the
Doctrine of Impermanence.
The 1st Noble Truth is that Life is full of Duka/Suffering. The 2nd Noble Truth is that Duka/Suffering is the result of
Tanha/Desire & the false belief that you really exist as an individual. The 3rd Noble Truth is that Duka/Suffering can
be extinguished by ending Tanha/Desire, appetite, lust, greed. The 4th Noble Truth is that one can end
Tanha/Desire & Duka/Suffering by following 8-Fold Path to Enlightenment:
1. Proper Understanding – Rejection of the False Belief in the Self & Knowledge of the 4 Noble Truths
2. Proper Effort – Working hard to Resist Temptation
3. Proper Mindfulness – Paying Attention: to Your Own Inner Feelings, Thoughts, & Motivations; to
Society around you; & to the Current Events & Human Rights Abuses in the Whole World with the
Goal of Experiencing Compassion & Expressing Solidarity with People & other Sentient Beings who
Suffer
4. Proper Concentration – Focusing on worthy Goals; Meditation helps you achieve this
5. Proper Thoughts or Intentions – 3 sets of Thoughts: Asceticism, Generosity, & Nonviolence
6. Proper Action – No Stealing, Killing, extra-marital Sex, Lying, or Consumption of Mind-Altering
Chemicals, (Proper Action is like the Judeo-Christian Biblical 10 Commandments)
7. Proper Livelihood – Avoiding Jobs that are Destructive to People, Living Beings, & Nature/Creation;
Avoiding Work in: Production & Sales of Weapons, Mind-Altering Chemicals, & the
Slaughter of Animals
8. Proper Speech – Avoiding Lies, Slander, Gossip, Threats, Curses, & Foul or Harsh Words
The Noble Silence – Intentional avoidance of talk, theology, & teaching about deities. Not talking about
deities, about religious legends, not worshipping, not offering sacrifices, and not praying. The Nob
BUDDHISM
BUDDHA’s 2 Critiques of HINDUISM:
How to Handle Suffering? Abuse of the Sacrificial System by
the Wealthy & the Hindu Priests
BUDDHISM’s 2 REFORMS of HINDUISM:
Moksha-Nirvana-Satori-
Spiritual Enlightenment
Possible in 1 Monastic Lifetieme
NOBEL SILENCE: No More
Sacrifices, Worship, Theology,
Prayer
BUDDHA’S BIG QUESTION:
WHY is there SO MUCH SUFFERING?
WHAT should we DO about all this
SUFFERING?
4 NOBLE TRUTHS
1st Noble Truth – Life is full of
suffering
2nd Noble Truth – Suffering is the
result of desire (greed, lust,
selfishness) & the false belief
that you exist as an individual.
3rd Noble Truth – Suffering can be
ended by ending desire (greed,
lust, selfishness).
4th Noble Truth- Desire can be
ended by following the 8-fold
Buddhism’s 8-Fold Path
1. Proper Understanding – Rejection of the false belief in the Self;
Knowledge of the 4 Noble Truths
2. Proper Effort – Working hard to resist temptation
3. Proper Mindfulness – Attention to your own inner feelings &
thoughts, to society around you, & to
the whole universe
4. Proper Concentration – Focusing on worthy Goals; Meditation helps
you achieve this
5. Proper Thoughts or Intentions – 3 sets of Thoughts: Asceticism,
Generosity, & Nonviolence
6. Proper Action – No Stealing, Killing, extra-marital Sex, Lying, or
Consumption of Intoxicants
(similar to the 10 commandments of Judeo-Christianity)
7. Proper Livelihood – Avoiding jobs that are destructive to people,
living beings, & Nature/Creation;
Avoiding work in the sale & production of weapons, drugs &
intoxicating substances, & the slaughter of animals
8. Proper Speech – Avoiding Lies, Slander, Gossip, Threats, Curses, &
Foul or Harsh Words
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