What is the philosophy of Buddhism. What are value judgments? My Nine Commandments of Buddhism.
As is known, in modern society There are three world religions: Christianity, Buddhism and Islam. Of these three faiths, Buddhism is the smallest, but the history of its emergence and the development of its traditions and principles is no less interesting than information about Christianity and Islam.
Buddhism is considered one of the most ancient religious and philosophical teachings. However, the very term "Buddhism" was created in Europe already in the 19th century. Buddhism originated in India, and the founder of this doctrine is called Siddhartha Gautama, who later received the name Buddha Shakyamuni. The followers of this teaching called him "Dharma" or "Buddhadharma".
After observing his mind for several years, Shakyamuni Buddha expressed his idea that the cause of all human suffering is themselves. The Buddha believed that people are very attached to material values, that they have a habit of creating illusions. He believed that the way to get rid of this suffering consisted of meditation and the practice of self-restraint (that is, following certain commandments). In Buddhism, the main thing is the desire to cleanse the mind from fear, selfishness, jealousy, laziness, greed, anger and other states that we used to call vices. Buddhism develops such qualities leading to well-being as hard work, kindness, compassion and others.
Prince Gautama Siddhartha is considered the founder and main object of worship in Buddhism. According to legend, at the age of 35 he achieved enlightenment and was able to change not only his life, but also the lives of those who followed him. Gautama's followers gave him the name Buddha.
During its spread, Buddhism absorbed a large number of different beliefs and rituals. Some adherents of Buddhism consider self-knowledge, which occurs through meditation, to be the main thing, others adhere to the idea that this happens through good deeds, and others - reverence for the Buddha.
In the early teachings special place occupied Buddhist meditation. It is a method of physical and spiritual self-improvement.
All followers of Buddhism rely on doctrine. The first doctrine contains the Four Noble Truths containing information about suffering (dukkha): about suffering itself; about the causes of suffering; about the possibility of liberation from suffering; about ways to get rid of suffering. The second doctrine contains the doctrine of karma. There is also the anatmavada doctrine, the kshanikavada doctrine, and Buddhist cosmology. There are several interpretations of the doctrines, they may differ (depending on the school). There are several schools, but in each of them the path to enlightenment is based on three main components: first, it is a theory about how the world works; secondly, meditation is an integral part; thirdly, a certain way of life, when a certain level of development of consciousness has already been reached.
All schools of Buddhism differ in their belonging to one of the "Three Vehicles". The first is the Hinayana (“Little Vehicle”). It is, after all, based on the Four Noble Truths. People belonging to this school are most often monks. The second school is called Mahayana ("Great Vehicle"). The basis of this school are teachings about compassion and the emptiness of phenomena. Practitioners of the Mahayana observe the Bodhisattva vow, according to which they, performing any action, must think about the welfare of other beings. Another school is the Tantrayana or "Chariot of the Tantras". Here the Buddha's teaching about nature is the basis. The highest achievement in this school is the final enlightenment. The practitioners of this school are mostly yogis or lay people.
It is impossible to become a follower of Buddhism from birth, because you need to realize and understand three jewels: Buddha (the most important jewel; Shakyamuni Buddha or any enlightened one), Dharma (the teaching of the Buddha, the object of teaching is nirvana) and Sangha (a small group of Buddhists or Buddhists in general ). After realizing these jewels, it was necessary to follow the five Buddhist precepts: abstaining from murder, theft, debauchery, deceit and intoxication. However, non-observance of these commandments was not punished in any way - the Buddha relied on the common sense of his followers, and not on fear. The morality and ethics of Buddhists are built on not doing harm, cultivating a sense of concentration in a person. Meditation helps to learn the connection between spiritual, bodily and psychological processes.
The Buddha's teaching is connected with the so-called middle way, according to which neither asceticism nor hedonism is considered unacceptable. The Buddha himself explained that his teaching is not a divine revelation, it was received by him through meditative contemplation of his own spirit. The results depend only on the person himself. The Buddha believed that it was necessary to follow his teachings through testing by one's own experience. The goal of the Buddha's teaching is to achieve the full potential of the human mind.
The concept of God in Buddhism is very unusual, which distinguishes it from most Western religions. Buddhists do not have a single and permanent God, any of the enlightened can become a Buddha. However, it is in the Buddha that they see a mentor.
The most important written source of Buddhism is the complete collection of teachings of the Buddha, consisting of 108 volumes. This collection is called "Kanjur". "Tenjur" - comments on the teachings, they consist of 254 volumes.
Life, according to Buddhism, is a manifestation of the "streams" of dharmas, which are invisible and imperceptible. Dharmas constitute the experience of sentient beings. Under living beings is understood not only a person, but also everything that exists in this world. When the flow of dharmas disintegrates, death occurs, after which dharmas are formed anew, therefore, the process of reincarnation (transmigration of souls) starts. The course of this process is greatly influenced by the karma acquired in a previous life. The endless process of reincarnation, during which a person experiences suffering, stops with the achievement of nirvana (a state of peace and bliss, merging with the Buddha).
The concept of "dharma" is very common in Buddhist literature, especially in various philosophical writings. The term “dharma” also refers to the teachings of the Buddha.
Buddhist teaching is very multifaceted and interesting, first of all, because it is not based on faith. Experience is also important in Buddhism, so it is not enough to confine ourselves to describing the content of Buddhism. Buddhism in short is a very complex philosophy of life. All the distinctive features of Buddhism can be seen if we compare it with other religions and worldviews. It is important to remember one thing: it is worth approaching this teaching only when the mind is freed from various moral standards.
Right action is the cultivation of honorable and peaceful moral conduct, refraining from killing, stealing, illegal sexual relations and committing dishonest relationships. The right to life is to earn a living in an honest, blameless and harmless way, avoiding any profession that may be harmful to other living beings.
Mental discipline includes: direct effort, right attention and right concentration. Develop the Dhamma with care. Direct concentration is the discipline that leads us to the four stages of dhyana or absorption. In the first stage, desires and thoughts are left passionate and impure. In the second, mental activity has already gone, calmness and "unifying fixation of the mind" develops. In the third, conscious equanimity arises, and in the fourth, all sensations disappear, both happiness and suffering, joys and sorrows, remaining in a state of calm and clarity of mind.
It is believed that the Buddha was the first person who managed to plunge into nirvana. After that, coming to Sarnath near Benares, he gathered around him five ascetics, who became his first disciples, and read to them his first sermon. It already briefly, in the form of four theses, outlined the foundations of his teachings. This Buddhist "creed" was called "arya satya" - noble truths. The rumor about the new prophet began to spread rapidly throughout India.
This Noble Eightfold Path can be followed, practiced and developed by every individual. It is body, verbal and mental discipline. This is the Path that leads to the realization of the Absolute Reality, the achievement of liberation, happiness and peace through moral, spiritual and intellectual self-development.
Question: What is Buddhism and what do Buddhists believe? Answer: Buddhism is one of the world's major religions in terms of adherents, geographic distribution and socio-cultural influence. Although it has long been an "Eastern" religion, it is gaining more and more popularity and influence in the Western world. It is a religion unique in the world in its own right, although it has much in common with Hinduism in that the two can be called "eastern" religions that believe in karma, maya, and samsara, among other things. Buddhists believe that the ultimate goal in life is to achieve "enlightenment" as they perceive its existence.
His ideas were very attractive. As the legend colorfully tells, the path of the Buddha was a triumphal procession, especially after he managed to convert the famous sage and hermit Kashyapa and 600 of his students to his faith. Even many famous brahmins abandoned their teachings and became preachers of Buddhism. But largest number Buddha had followers in Varnas, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas.
Its founder, Siddhartha Gautama, was born in a kingdom in India 600 years before Christ. According to this story, he lived in luxury and was still married and had children with very little contact with the outside world. His parents tried to keep him from the influence of religion and any exposure to pain and suffering. However, shortly before his fragile shelter was penetrated, he saw an old man, a sick man and a corpse. His fourth vision was that of a peaceful ascetic monk. Seeing his gentle nature, he decided to become an ascetic.
He left his life of wealth and influence and sought enlightenment through asceticism. He was very adept at such self-abasement and strong meditation. He was a leader among his brethren. Eventually he let his efforts reach the final gesture. He "settled" himself with a bowl of rice and then sat under a fig tree to meditate until he achieved "enlightenment" or died in the attempt. Despite his sadness and temptations, he had already attained enlightenment the next morning, so he was known as "the enlightened one" or "Buddha".
Ideas of Buddhism
What was the essence of the new creed? The first noble truth was:
Everything in the world is full of evil and suffering.
The Buddha spared no effort to dispel the centuries-old illusion that clouded the mind of man: the illusion of the self-contained value of this world and its blessings. No one before him had found such strong expressions, such merciless assessments of temporary life.
Based on his new achievement, he began to teach his fellow monks. Among them, he had already gained great influence. Five of his companions became the first of his students. What did Gautama discover? This enlightenment lies in the "middle way" and not in luxurious self-complacency and self-abasement. Moreover, he discovered what would be known as the "Four Noble Truths" - to live is to suffer, suffering is caused by desire, one can eliminate suffering by removing all bonds, and this is achieved by following the noble eightfold path.
Following these special teachings, there are general teachings with Hinduism, called Reincarnation, Karma, Maya and the tendency to understand reality as Pantheism in its orientation. Buddhism also offers a complex theology of deities and exalted beings. However, like Hinduism, Buddhism can be difficult to succumb to considering your view of God. Some currents of Buddhism may legitimately be called atheists, while others may be pantheistic and yet other theists, such as Pure Land Buddhism.
He ruthlessly discarded all earthly consolations, calling to face the truth. Developing the old motives of the Upanishads, he excelled in vilifying bodily pleasures and the body itself and severely condemned people who are able to have fun, forgetting about universal sorrow.
Analyzing everything that exists, the Buddha comes to the idea of the illusory nature of the world:
However, classical Buddhism tends to be silent about the reality of the supreme being and is therefore considered an atheist. Today's Buddhism is very diverse. It is more or less divided into two major branches of Theravada and Mahayana. Theravada is a monastic form in which final illumination and nirvana are reserved for monks, while Mahayana Buddhism extends its goals of enlightenment to lay people as well, that is, to non-monks.
It is important to know that the Buddha never considered himself a god or divine being of any kind. Rather, he considered himself a "waypoint" for others. It wasn't until after his death that he was raised to the level of a god by some of his followers, though not all of his followers saw it this way. However, with Christianity, the Bible clearly states that Jesus is the Son of God. And there was a voice from heaven, saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" and that He and God are one - "I and the Father are one." You cannot consider yourself a Christian without professing faith in Jesus as God.
Everything is fragile, everything is destroyed, everything is carried away no one knows where. The demon of death reigns in the universe. All roads of life lead to the world of suffering. Everything is vain, everything disappears like a mist, the whole Universe is engulfed in incessant dying. Its very existence is meaningless. Everything is constantly flowing and changing, being in an aimless run. Everywhere we look, there is languor, dissatisfaction, the relentless pursuit of our own shadow, destruction and new creation, which, in turn, rushes towards death.
Three hundred years after his death, Buddhism spread so far that it covered most of Asia. Holy Scriptures and sayings attributed to the Buddha were written about four hundred years after his death. This later period between his death and the writings or commentaries containing his messages has raised many concerns among scholars about the authenticity and reliability of the Buddhist scriptures.
The Buddha lived and died long before the time of Jesus. His travels never took him two hundred kilometers from his home. The Bible and its message do not seem to have been known to the Buddha, and in fact he never spoke of God or Jesus; Consequently, Buddhists do not talk about God at all, as Christians do. In its classical form, Buddhism does not speak of any personal God or Divine Being.
When and why did this universal whirling, which constitutes the essence of being, arise? The Buddha did not answer this question. His followers only claimed that from beginningless time there were six types of beings:
- good spirits
- Demons
- Animals
- hell dwellers
- Vainly languishing souls who have gone astray, "like sleeping in a dream."
From this being lost in being, nothing arises except illusions and torments. But what gave birth to all suffering beings, and where are the roots of their very existence? Being, answered the Buddha, is only the eternal agitation of dharmas. What it is? The definition of this concept is difficult and can only be negative.
Sin is basically understood as ignorance. And where it was understood as a "moral error", the context in which "good" and "evil" are understood is immoral. Karma is understood as a natural balance and is not personally imposed. Nature is not moral; Therefore, karma is not a moral code, and ultimately sin is not moral. Therefore, we can say, according to Buddhist thought, that our error is not ultimately moral, since it is ultimately only an impersonal error and not an interpersonal transgression.
The consequence of this thinking is devastating. For a Buddhist, sin is more like a mistake than a violation against the nature of an almighty God. This understanding of sin does not correspond to innate moral conscience that man is condemned for his sin before a holy God.
Dharmas These are not particles or spirits, but everything is composed of them - both the material world and the spiritual-soul world.
They differ from each other according to the type of their manifestation. Therefore, later Buddhist philosophers divided them into categories and even tried to determine the number of these categories. With an imperceptible speed for ordinary perception, the vibrations of dharmas fly one after another, giving rise to the image of a transient existence. Therefore, there is nothing permanent in the world. There is no permanent body, there is no soul, just as there is no permanent "I". Thus, in his philosophy of denial, the Buddha went much further than the Brahmins, who also recognized the world as vain and illusory, but still considered the human "I" to be involved in the Eternal and Immutable.
Because sin is an impersonal and correctable error, it is inconsistent with the doctrine of depravity, which is the basic doctrine of Christianity. The Bible tells us that man's sin is a problem of eternal and infinite consequence. The Buddhist view of sin is very different. Therefore, the Savior does not need to save people from their reprehensible sins. For the Christian, Jesus is the only means of salvation for eternal damnation for our personal sins. For a Buddhist, there is only an ethical life and the use of meditation towards exalted beings in the hope of reaching enlightenment and eventually nirvana.
The Second Noble Truth of the Buddha declared that:
The cause of suffering is revealed.
He declared that suffering comes from craving:
- Genesis
- pleasures
- creations
- Authorities
And similar empty earthly attachments and aspirations, symbolized by Bhava Chakka, or the Wheel of Being. The Buddha taught that even in the womb, from the very moment of conception, the future person flashes the original, undifferentiated, vague consciousness.
But, most likely, one would have to go through a series of reincarnations in order to pay off the huge accumulation of a debt of karma. For the true followers of Buddhism, religion is a philosophy of morality and ethics, enclosed in a life of renunciation of egocentrism. But ultimate reality is impersonal, not relational, so it doesn't love. Not only is God seen as illusory, but by dissolving sin into a non-moral error and rejecting all material reality as maya, we lose our "being".
The personality itself becomes an illusion. When asked how the world began, what or who created the universe, it is said that the Buddha was silent because in Buddhism there is no beginning or end. Instead, there are endless cycles of birth and death. One might ask what kind of being created us to live, endure much pain and suffering, and then die again and again? This may lead to consideration of what is an object, why bother? Christians know that God sent His Son to die for us, just once, so we don't have to suffer for eternity.
This consciousness forms a namarupa around itself (the psychophysical sphere in its entirety). Namarupa is divided into "six areas" - five senses and thinking. Their presence determines sensations and feelings. As a result, Trishna develops in a person:
He sent His Son to let us know that we are not alone and that we are loved. Buddhism teaches that nirvana is the highest state of being, the state of pure existence. And this is achieved by means in relation to the individual. Nirvana defies rational explanation and logical order and therefore cannot be taught, understood. On the contrary, Jesus was very specific. He taught us that our physical bodies die, but our souls rise up to be with Him in heaven: "For when they rise from the dead, they will neither marry nor be married, but be like the angels that are in heaven."
- Thirst for pleasure
- lust for life
- The craving for lust and the related attachment to the sensual
From these vain strivings an invincible will to live is forged. It is she - this is the brainchild of Trishna - that plunges a person into the next incarnation and leads to birth, which ends with old age and death.
This is where the Buddhist formula of fate ended, but in essence it has no end. After all, after the death of a person who has not conquered desire in himself, further lives follow, after them again and again, and so on ad infinitum. Moreover, revivals can take place not only in the human form.
For Buddhists, there is no merciful Father in heaven who sent His Son to die for our souls, for our salvation, to give us the way to His glory. The Buddha taught that people do not have individual souls because the individual being or ego is an illusion.
In this first part, the principles of Buddhism are shown in a list of twenty-six items. Source: original article Buddhism - Key Differences: Snapshots of Buddhism: Summaries of Teachings and Topics. Buddhism is not a religion if it is understood in the context of believing in certain doctrines or dogmas that are beyond the scope of individual study, and which involve worship and service in order to obtain some benefit or goodwill from a supernatural being. This concept also includes unconditional submission and the renunciation of personal freedom dependent on the will of a supernatural being. In Buddhism there is no concept of a savior. The Buddha is not a savior who saves others through his personal salvation or special mandate. Although the Buddhist takes or leaves as a refuge for the Buddha as an incomparable guide to the path of purity, there is no surrender or submission to the Buddha. The Buddhist does not believe that it can be purified only by hiding in or believing in the Buddha. Buddhas do not wash other people's impurities with water, but it shows how each of them can do what is necessary to remove these impurities. Buddha is not the incarnation of God. The relationship between the Buddha and his students and followers is one of teacher and student. Liberation of oneself is the responsibility of oneself. Buddhism does not require the blind and unquestioning faith of those who follow it. The emphasis is on self-reliance, self-discipline and personal effort. Dharma, i.e. the principles of Buddhism, exist on their own, without making the existence of a Buddha improbable or not. He is not the creator of these principles, nor is he a prophet of an omnipotent being who communicates these truths to others. Each being, if it makes the proper effort, should be able to detect them on its own. The teachings are only a skillful means or method to facilitate and hasten this discovery. They are not revelations of a mysterious truth that only a Buddha can know, on the contrary, the Buddha's motivation is to enable beings to benefit from this personal discovery. His teachings are intended to provide the necessary methodological support according to the position of the various types of beings. It is especially emphasized in Mahayana Buddhism that all beings have the Nature or Essence of the Buddha. Such liberation from Samsara is associated with the cessation of suffering through the elimination of four types of obstacles: those that arise due to negative emotions or negative mental states; Negative karmic tendencies; Accumulated negative karma; and the impossibility of knowing through experience the full reality of things and beings without any obstruction or impediment. This state allows the natural qualities of the mind to fully manifest, which is called "Enlightenment" or "Awakening". In the initial stages, first there is the release of gross and subtle levels of emotional obstacles and the release of gross states of knowledge, as this is called Liberation. Once the higher level, which corresponds to the elimination of the subtle levels of ignorance, is reached, then the natural qualities are fully expressed and this phase is called full awakening. Karma and the power of karma are the cornerstones of Buddhist doctrine. They are explained in great detail in Buddhism. Karma or action and its result, sometimes understood as cause and effect, corresponds here to an important metaphysical concept related to actions and their consequences. It is the law of karma that explains the problem of suffering, the mystery of the so-called "predestination" in some religions, and, above all, the obvious problems and shortcomings of humanity and beings in general. It is true, there are simple levels of explanation as well as extremely subtle levels of understanding of karma. This is not obvious from the first approach to these concepts and requires deep study, analysis, reflection and, according to Buddhist practice, personal experience, which comes from deep processes of meditation or direct observation of mind and phenomena, Simple logical or rational analysis based on abstract principles , is insufficient and can lead to great confusion, as evidenced by various stories about the time of the Buddha. An example of this is the dialogues between the Buddha and Vakchagota. Rebirth is another key teaching in Buddhism and goes hand in hand with karma. There is a subtle difference between rebirth and reincarnation as outlined in Hinduism. Buddhism rejects the theory of a permanent soul that is transgressive, created by God, or emanating from a divine essence. Loving Kindness, Maitri in Sanskrit, Metta in Pali; And compassion, Karuna in Sanskrit and Pali, for all beings, including animals. Buddhism strictly forbids animal sacrifice for any reason. Vegetarianism is recommended but not required. The importance of non-alignment. Buddhism is not only for good, but for good. To kill is to break a key moral precept in Buddhism. Suffering is another cornerstone in Buddhism. This is the first of the four noble truths. Suffering is very well analyzed and explained in Buddhism. The idea of original sin or sin has no place in Buddhism. Moreover, sin should not be equated with Buddhism. Buddhist teachings do not reveal the beginning or end of life or life. There is practically no recognition of the first cause - for example, How did the first human existence come about? The Dharma gives a very detailed explanation of the doctrine of anatman or their inherent non-existence of the phenomena of transcendent identity, i.e. there is not one essence of the soul, not in one life among many. Buddha is omniscient, but not omnipotent. He is capable of countless feats, but there are three things he cannot do. Furthermore, the Buddha does not claim to be the creator of life or the universe. Prajna or Transcendental Wisdom has a special place in the Buddhist teachings. Buddha Shakyamuni expounded the concepts of Prajna for about 20 years of his priesthood. One will be taught to balance compassion with prajna, i.e. emotions with rational foundations. The tradition and practice of meditation in Buddhism is relatively strong and important. In short, this doctrine affirms the transcendent nature of ultimate reality. It declares the phenomenal world to be devoid of all restrictions associated with secretization and suppresses all dualistic concepts. Conditional sprouting, Sanskrit prat-thiasamutp-da, pali-patika-samupp-da, or dependent origination, is another key teaching in Buddhism. This is not the place of eternal damnation that the "almighty creator" religions see. In Buddhism, it is only one of the six kingdoms in Samsara, which is the worst of the three undesirable kingdoms. In addition, in Buddhist cosmology, there is an almost infinite number of hells, as well as an infinite number of Buddha realms. Buddhist cosmology differs significantly from other religions, which generally recognize only this solar system as the center of the universe and are unique to living beings. From a Buddhist point of view, the Buddha's world is one billion solar systems. In addition, Mahayana Buddhist teachings show that there are other worlds with the Buddha at the same time, such as the pure land of Amitabha and the Bhaisajyaguru system. Samsara is fundamental concept in Buddhism and is simply the "eternal cycle of existence" or endless cycles of rebirth in the six realms of existence. This picture of cyclic rebirth will only end when the sentient being reaches Nirvana, i.e. virtual depletion of karma, traces of habits, impurities and illusions. All other religions preach heaven, earth and hell, but this perspective is very limited compared to Buddhist samsara where heaven is only one of the six realms of existence and contains 28 planes.
- In Buddhism, there is no concept of an omnipotent god.
- No one can reward us or punish us, or supposedly "Judgment Day".
- The existence of things is then explained by the concept of cause and effect.
- We can define it as a non-theistic religion or doctrine.
Philosophy of Buddhism
Merciless karma drags the sinful being through the abyss of indescribable torture, causing him to be reborn in hell or in the form of an animal. However, the question arises: if "I" does not exist, then who reincarnates, who is reborn in the bright world of the gods or in the terrible abyss of hell?
A person's actions create certain karmic forces, which do not disappear after his death, but under the influence of the law of karma form a new being. The relationship between the deceased and this being is the same as that between parents and children. Just as children bear the mark of their fathers, so each human life has a mysterious connection with some previous one.
There is a duality and even inconsistency in this teaching, which gives rise to many questions, but which remains unexplained by the Buddha himself. Addressing the broad masses, he did not destroy the prevailing idea of infinite reincarnations, which make sense only if human soul recognized as immortal. But when he addressed the philosophers and the elect, he said that "I" does not exist.
It is said that one day a monk bluntly asked the Buddha if the atman "I" existed. But the Buddha did not answer him. "Then maybe there is no 'I'?" the monk continued to ask. The Buddha again did not answer. When the monk left, the disciples expressed surprise at the teacher's evasiveness. The Buddha replied that by his silence he wanted to avoid defending two wrong ideas: permanence and annihilation.
Obviously, he generally considered such a formulation of the question to be incorrect and did not want his followers to be distracted by the solution of these issues. (Already after his death, almost a thousand years later, Buddhist philosophers developed the doctrine of santana, which was understood as a kind of closed individual unity, which in each stream of dharmas forms Living being. "I" does not persist after death, but Santana persists, and it is this that all subsequent reincarnations comprehend.)
The essence of Gautama's preaching was the third noble truth:
Ending suffering is possible.
If “manifested being” by its very essence is something painful, painful, woven from sorrows, if this senseless, disgusting existence is supported by ignorance and a stupid, seductive thirst for life, then the destruction of this thirst and the enlightenment of the spirit will bring man liberation. He will leave this ghostly world and merge with Silence and Peace.
To all those who are exhausted and exhausted in the battle with life, the Buddha promised to open the abode of tranquility. For this, he urged them to put on the armor of indifference and not expect anything from the vain world. He taught that the one who managed to conquer his desires "destroyed the thorns of existence: this is his body - the last." Such a person slips out of the muddy waves of samsara, which continue to strive their course already somewhere away from him. Such a person has reached the highest happiness, the highest being - nirvana.
The disciples repeatedly asked the Buddha about what nirvana is, but each time they received ambiguous, vague answers. The Buddha himself apparently believed that the realization of nirvana was beyond human understanding. But one can definitely say that although nirvana lay outside our being, it was not for the Buddha "naked nothingness." Perhaps he felt it as a kind of Superexistence or Absolute Beginning, close to the Brahman of the Upanishads. He resolutely denied the Personal God, the Living God.
In his universe there is nothing but nirvana and a tediously useless turmoil of dharmas. The only goal worthy of a person is liberation, freedom from everything, including oneself.
For this purpose, the Buddha proposed the "eightfold path", which is the fourth noble truth - about the path to deliverance. It included:
- Correct views, that is, based on "noble truths".
- Correct determination, that is, readiness for a feat in the name of truth.
- Correct speech, that is, benevolent, sincere and truthful.
- Right conduct, that is, not causing evil.
- Right image life, that is, peaceful, honest, pure.
- Right effort, that is, self-education and self-control.
- Right attention, that is, active vigilance of consciousness.
- Correct concentration, that is, correct methods of contemplation and meditation.
The mastery of these principles was seen by the Buddha as a series of gradually ascending stages. Starting with an inner determination to conquer the transient excitement in himself, a person suppresses his dark and evil inclinations. He must be kind to everyone, but not in the name of Good, but in the name of freeing himself from the power of evil.
A true Buddhist “will not destroy anyone's life; and he will throw away the rod and sword, full of meekness and pity, he is compassionate and merciful to all beings endowed with life.
Buddhist rules:
- He must avoid stealing
- be chaste
- be truthful
- Gotta drop the rudeness
- Gotta drop the greed
- Gotta drop the idle talk
- Must seek justice in everything
But the observance of these moral precepts is of no value in itself. It only helps a person to develop the forces leading to nirvana, contributes to the approach to the next step, on which complete self-control will dominate and neither hatred nor love will be able to disturb inner peace.
This is the stage of final mastery of one's physical nature.
He who thinks wisely endures both cold and heat, and hunger and thirst, is not afraid of poisonous flies, wind, sun and snakes; he is meek before the word of reproach, before bodily suffering, before the most bitter torment, wearisome, restless, destructive to life.
Here Buddhism fully assimilated the tradition of previous Indian ascetics, who brought themselves into a state of complete insensibility and compared their body with the skin shed by a snake.
Final eighth step:
Path of Buddhism
Following the centuries-old principles of Yoga, Buddhists divided this stage into a number of special stages, the highest of which was the state of sambodhi, when everything human disappears in a person, when his consciousness fades away and no laws have power over him, for he plunges into the incomprehensible "calmness" of nirvana. The being who has come to this limit is the true Buddha. However, there are only a few such Enlightened Ones.
Several very important conclusions followed from these basic tenets of Buddhism. First, everyone can be saved from revivals by their own efforts. True, the path to nirvana is long and difficult; it is necessary to live many lives, rising from step to step towards the highest goal, but when victory is achieved, it is achieved only by the personal efforts of a person, and he does not owe anything to anyone.
Therefore, for the gods who acted in traditional religion guardians of people, there was no place in Buddhism. The Buddha did not deny the existence of the gods, but in his teaching they were simply more perfect beings than people who had advanced further along the path to nirvana.
The Buddha considered rituals and sacrifices to be useless, but he expressed his judgments on this matter very carefully. He openly rebelled only against the bloody sacrifices associated with the killing of animals. He also rejected the authority of all sacred books, including the Vedas, but he was not an active enemy of the scriptures.
Secondly, from the point of view of Buddhism, the generosity of the seeker, his tribal origin, belonging to one or another varna turned out to be of little importance. The origin itself does not give a person anything and cannot ensure the achievement of nirvana. Although the Buddha promised salvation and attainment of nirvana only to ascetics who left their homes and freed from all attachments, many lay people accepted his teachings. At the same time, they had to fulfill the simple ethical code of Pancha Shila (Five Commandments):
- Refrain from killing.
- Refrain from stealing.
- Refrain from fornication.
- Refrain from lying.
- Refrain from stimulating drinks.
Following these rules, a person takes a small step towards nirvana. But only monks could count on a positive change in their karma.
Founder of the religion Buddhism
Already in the first years of the existence of Buddhism, a monastic community of sangha was formed around Gautama, that is, an association of people who abandoned everything that had previously connected them with society:
- From family
- From belonging to Varna
- From property
Basically, Buddhist monks lived off the well-wishing alms from the laity; hence their usual name was bhikshu - beggar. The monk was supposed to silently, without raising his eyes, go around the houses of the laity with a cup in his hand, not asking for anything and not insisting on anything, not rejoicing at abundant alms and not upset when he did not receive it at all.
During the life of the Buddha, the first Buddhist monasteries appeared. Usually they were based in groves donated to the Teacher by rich rajas. The monks built huts and houses for general meetings there. Pantries, canteens, baths and other utility rooms appeared next to them. A special post of housekeeper was established, who oversaw the work and fussed about deliveries.
The Buddha closely observed the development of these monasteries and wrote the statutes for them with his own hand. Every step of the monk was strictly regulated in them. However, the founder of the doctrine himself, right up to his death, strictly observed the prescriptions of his charters, not allowing himself any indulgences.
The death of the Buddha did not prevent the further development and spread of his doctrine. He himself, as already mentioned, laid only its foundations. Many questions and the most important provisions of the new religion buddhism required further development and clarification. The first step towards this was taken shortly after the death of the Master.
History of Buddhism Religion
About 470 B.C. the few then still Buddhists gathered in a cave near Rajagriha for the First All-Buddhist Council, where, under the leadership of Kashyapa, the most learned of the followers of the Buddha, they approved the main points of the charter of the community and took measures to preserve the judgments and sayings of the Teacher.
(Obviously, we could only talk about a collection of short oral prescriptions and instructions from the deceased Buddha. Naturally, this took into account, first of all, frequently repeated and often heard maxims of general content, concise wise sayings, etc. In the Buddhist tradition, they were called sutras. Over time, various explanations and indications were added to the sutras as to where, when, on what occasion and for whom each of these sayings was uttered. As a result, some of the sutras have acquired a significant volume).
Shortly after the First Council, two trends emerged in the sangha:
- orthodox
- liberal
Representatives of the first current insisted on greater rigor in ascetic exercises and the literal observance of all the surviving precepts of the Buddha. Supporters of the second emphasized moral perfection, weakening, however, the requirements of the charter.
- The former believed that salvation was possible only for monks who strictly observed the charter of the community established by the Buddha.
- The second believed that under certain conditions, all living beings can achieve nirvana.
Each of these currents of Buddhism offered its own way of religious salvation, or, as they said then, its own "chariot" - yana, on which one could cross from this earthly existence to the other side of being.
The demarcation between the two schools actually took place already at the Second All-Buddhist Council, which took place a hundred years after the First. Further:
- The orthodox school was given the name Hinayana ("Little Vehicle" or "Vehicle of Individual Liberation").
- And the liberal one is Mahayana (“The Great Chariot”, or “The Chariot of Universal Salvation”).
However, within each school, Buddhism was also not homogeneous. In the III-II centuries. BC the Buddhist church is divided into many sects that challenge each other for the right to be considered the truth of the Dhamma. (Ceylon chronicles, early Indian and Tibetan historians speak of 18 Buddhist schools.)
In 253 B.C. Ashoka, one of the kings of the Mauryan dynasty, convened the Third All-Buddhist Council in Pataliputra. Here the foundations of the Buddhist doctrine that had developed by that time were approved, and heresies were condemned. Only two of the 18 schools were recognized as orthodox - Theravada and Vibhajavada, who defended the orthodox point of view. The unbelieving monks were then to leave Magadha, the main residence of the Theravadis, and go to Kashmir. There they gained strength and became known as Sarvastivadins.
Nagarjuna
The next who significantly expanded the concepts of Buddhism was Nagarjuna, who lived 400 years after the Buddha, in stories and legends he appears as an even more legendary figure than the founder of Buddhism himself. At the age of 20, Nagarjuna was already widely known for his learning. Science, however, was not his only passion.
Going to the mountains to the stupa of the Buddha, he took a vow and within 90 days studied all three Pitkaki, comprehending them deep meaning. However, their teaching seemed to him incomplete, and Nagarjuna set off to wander in search of unknown sutras. Returning to his homeland, Nagarjuna preached Mahayana Buddhism in South India and was very successful in this. His authority grew every year.
He is reported to have expelled from the monasteries a number of transgressing bhikkhus, among whom were men of great power. After that, all Mahayana schools recognized him as their head. Summing up the activities of Nagarjuna, the Tibetan Buddhist historian Daranta writes that he supported the supreme religion Buddhism in all possible ways:
- teaching
- By building temples
- Maintenance of missionaries
- Drafting rebuttals
- And sermons
And thus contributed to the widespread dissemination of the Mahayana. But Nagarjuna had another great merit before his descendants - it was thanks to him that Buddhism turned from the doctrine of liberation and salvation for a few zealous ascetics into a close and understandable for all people. religion Buddhism.
Nagarjuna formulated the main provisions of his philosophy in 450 karikas - short verses intended for memorization and commentary. These karikas constituted Nagarjuna's main treatise, the Madhyamikasutra (Sutra of the Middle Teaching), a classic work that was then commented on by many famous Buddhists in India, Tibet, China and Japan.
Mahayana
The next course in which the Buddha from a teacher-man who indicated the path to salvation and the first to enter nirvana turns into a deity becomes Mahayana. At the same time, supporters of this trend emphasized that, for all the significance of his Buddha personality for his era, he is nothing out of the ordinary.
However, in the first centuries of our era, Mahayana Buddhism quickly spread in Central Asia, penetrated into China, and through it - into Japan and Korea. Later, it also gained a foothold in Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia and Central Asia. But in India itself, Mahayana Buddhism did not become widespread.
Hui-neng
Transferring Buddhism from native Indian soil to culture and everyday life China can be considered one of the most significant events in the history of this creed. The process of its strengthening and development here was complex and lengthy. It took several centuries before Buddhist religion spread throughout the Middle Empire.
At the same time, Buddhism became strongly Sinicized and acquired specific features that make it possible to speak of it as a special dogma. Among the many new schools that appeared in the middle of the first millennium, the most original phenomenon that developed on Chinese soil was the teaching of Chan Buddhism.
Chan is believed to have originated in India as a meditative "dhyana" school of Mahayana Buddhism. For her followers, the most important point among the huge number of legends about the Buddha was the fact of his enlightenment. Supporters of this sect urged their followers to renounce the outside world more often and, following the ancient Indian traditions, immerse themselves in themselves, concentrate their thoughts and feelings on one thing, concentrate and go into the endless depths of the existent and mysterious.
The goal of dhyana was to achieve trance in the process of meditation, because it was believed that it was in a state of trance that a person could reach the hidden depths of his "I" and find insight, the truth, as happened with Gautama Shakyamuni himself under the Bo (Bodhi) tree.
At the time when the founder of the Chan school, Bodhidharma, arrived in China, the first preachers of Buddhism began their activities in Tibet. Tibet was then a barbaric mountainous country, located on the very outskirts of the civilized world.
However, it was he who was destined to become, over time, the most important world center of Buddhism, the place where this creed received the most complete development and became a true source of mental and moral education for the entire people.
Nowhere else in the East has Buddhism been able to achieve such a complete victory over other creeds, nowhere else has it gained such a strong position among the population and such power over the minds. The most powerful hierarchical Buddhist church in the world was also formed here, which received the name Lamaist by the nickname of the clergy. (Lamas are the Buddhist monasticism of Tibet; literally, "lama" is translated as "the highest".)
Asanga
After Nagarjuna, a great influence on the development of Buddhism had philosophical school yogacharov, which combined the ancient practice of yoga with the mythology and philosophy of the Mahayana. The founder of this system is the great scientist, abbot of the famous Nalanda monastery, Arya Asanga, who lived in the 5th century after R.Kh.
The peculiarity of the yogachars' religious practice was that, along with the traditional provisions of Buddhist ethics, special techniques of yogic contemplation, as well as mysticism - spells, amulets and secret tantras, occupied an important place in it. Thus, Buddhist Tantrism was born. (In general, Tantrism is as ancient as yoga itself, and its origins are hidden in the depths of Indian history.)
Tantras (literally - "intricacies") Called the secret, magical texts and conjuration formulas that give power over the world of spirits and free the hidden forces of man.
Yogacharas believed that, having mastered the art of Tantric spells and special techniques of Tantric meditation, one can achieve the state of enlightenment, merge with the deity and get out of the circle of rebirths much faster than the means indicated by the Mahayana (even during one rebirth!). However, one should not think that spells and higher power everything will be done for the person. Before resorting to the practice of tantra, the seeker must go through a long path of self-knowledge and moral improvement.
Since then, magic and all kinds of spells began to play a huge role in the worship. But at the beginning of the ninth century Buddhism was severely persecuted and fell into decay. King Langdarma ordered the destruction of many temples and the destruction of images of the Buddhas. Holy books were burned, and the llamas were forcibly turned into hunters and butchers. Anyone who opposed this was immediately put to death.
The next two centuries were the time of paganism. Only in the middle of the XI century. another native of India, Atisha, again revived Buddhism in Tibet, carrying out a series of reforms aimed at strengthening the traditions of the classical Maha-yana here. Through his efforts, several major monasteries which later became important Buddhist centers.
But the followers of Padma Sambhava, who still emphasized magic in their religious practice, did not want to hear about strict discipline and celibacy, were dissatisfied with Ati-shi's reforms. United around the influential Sakya monastery, they opposed innovations.
Since that time, a stubborn struggle began between two Tibetan schools:
- Red hats (red clothes were worn by followers of Padma Sambhava).
- And yellow hats (it was a symbol of classical Buddhism of Atisha's supporters).
The final success of Buddhism and the completion of the formation of its Tibetan variety - Lamaism were associated with the reforms of Tsongkhapa.
Tsonkhapa
By the beginning of the XV century. include the appearance of the main work of Tsongkhapa "The Great Path on the Steps of Wisdom" ("Lamrim"). It covered the widest range of theological issues: from deep metaphysical problems to the detailed development of the foundations of monastic life.
For the lamas, Tsongkhapa's work became a fundamental book, where one could find answers to all questions without exception. At the same time, the Lamrim expounded the most important provisions of the doctrine of salvation for the lowest rank of people, that is, for those who are immersed in earthly interests and have not seriously thought about the need for salvation.
Tsongkhapa believed that the teaching could not be comprehended by the seeker directly, without the help of the clergy. Of course, without the teachings of the Buddha - sutras - salvation is generally impossible, but only a lama can teach this teaching correctly. Summing up the most authoritative writings, Tsongkhapa showed that it was the lama who served as the source of knowledge of the path to salvation.
He is the condition for the conquest of bliss and the destruction of vice. Without it, the possibility of salvation cannot be realized. Therefore, the seeker of salvation must renounce his mind and surrender himself to the power of the "friend of virtue" - the lama. The veneration of the lama must be seen as the veneration of the Buddha himself.
In Tsongkhapa's Lamaism, it was no longer enough to proclaim one's devotion to the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha. Necessary condition comprehension of the innermost essence of the great teaching was the direct connection between the teacher and the student, which goes back to Buddhist Tantrism, and the connection is deeply personal, trusting, with the unquestioning obedience of the leader to the leader.
However, Tsongkhapa did not stop there. He considered and reformed literally all aspects of religious and church life. Tibetan Buddhism. He devised a complex system church hierarchy, developed an exemplary charter for lama monasteries, firmly established the celibacy of lamas and, which was especially important, allowed them to own property.
He developed many details of the rite and cult, introduced elements of theatrical performance and music into the practice of worship, and established many holidays. He greatly restricted the practice of magical rites, opposing much of what was brought by Padma Sambhava and became customary for the red hats. First of all, the prohibition concerned such extremes as emitting fire from the mouth, swallowing knives, etc., bordering on mere charlatanism. But those magical techniques that were based on the sacred Buddhist scriptures remained in full force.
Tsongkhapa died in 1419. His incorrupt relics were preserved for a long time in the Ganden monastery.
Shortly before his death, he announced his two best students as his successors, bequeathing them to constantly be reborn in the future. Since that time, the Tibetan Church has always been headed by two supreme lamas: the Dalai Lama, who had a residence in Lhasa, and the Bogdo Lama, who resided in Tashilumpo, in Lower Tibet.
It was believed that after death they (nine months later) were embodied in male infants, who were to be chosen and, after strict verification, proclaimed the next incarnation of the deceased lama. At the same time, the eldest of the two, the Dalai Lama (the greatest), began to be considered the incarnation of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, and the other, the Panchen Lama, the incarnation of Amitabha Himself.
Over time, the Dalai Lama concentrated in his hands the highest spiritual and political power and became the universally recognized authority of all adherents of Lamaism and many Buddhists. At first, Lamaism was practiced only in Tibet, but already in the 16th century. this doctrine spread widely among the Mongols, and then also among the Buryats, Kalmyks and Tuvans.
For several centuries, up to the middle of the 20th century, the lamas concentrated in their hands all the fullness of spiritual and secular power over Tibet. However, this did not happen immediately. It took several centuries of painstaking "Buddhization" and "Lamaization" before the structure of Tibetan society acquired its finished form and became, as it were, a continuation of the lamaist church, headed by the great Dalai Lama.
The honor of the final settlement of the Tibetan religious community belongs to the great medieval preacher Tsongkhapa, who can also be regarded as the last great theoretician of Buddhism, who completed in his writings the two thousand-year process of the formation of this dogma.
