Describe the formation of the Sangha and identify the importance of the first two councils in the development of Buddhism.
The formation of the Sangha began with Buddha's journey to Deer Park in northern India, to get Enlightenment. Buddha and 5 monks who discarded Buddha before he got Enlightenment are formatting the first Sangha. With the conversing of Yasa and fifty four of his friends, the figure of arahants increased to sixty within the first two monks. The relocate of the three Kassapa brothers and their 200, 500 disciples increased the Sangha to over 1000, and they were sent out to explain the Dharma to the public.
The first book of the Vinaya, the five book of the Vinaya, the five volumes Book of behaviour, begins with the Enlightenment of the Buddha and illustrates in general terms the growth of the Sangha in excess of the next twelve years. It then presents numerous anecdotes about the processing of prominent lay figures into the Buddhist Sangha and the development of an informal lay following. The informal lay following would be used as a permanent base for sustaining the...
Yu, Han. “Memorial on Buddhism”. Making of the Modern World 12: Classical & Medieval Tradition. Trans. Richard F. Burton. Ed. Janet Smarr. La Jolla: University Readers, 2012. 111-112. Print.
Walking into the Hall of the Buddhas, there was a sense of peace and guidance lingering inside me. The seated Bodhisattva, of the Northern Wei dynasty (386-534), CA.480, from the Yungang, Cave xv, Shani Province, made of sandstone, guarded the entrance. At first, I thought it was a time to be disciplined, but the transcending smile from the statue was a delicate fixed gesture that offered a feeling of welcome. It was not a place to confess your wrongdoings; neither was it a place for me to say, “Buddha I have sinned.” It was a room to purify the mind, the mind that we take for granted without giving it harmony. There was a large mural decorating the main wall called “The Paradise of Bhaishajyaguru”(916-1125). I sat down wandering if the artist of the portrait knew that his work would one day be shared on this side of the world, in my time. Much like Jesus Christ and his followers, the mural is a painting of healers and saviors. It was a large figure of the Buddha of medicine, (Bhaishajyaquru) surrounded by followers of Bodhisattvas, Avalokiteshvara, and Mahosthamaprapta with twelve guardian generals who have pledged to disseminate the Buddha’s teaching (Tradition of Liao 916-1125, Metropolitan Museum wall plaque).
occupation to promote the spread of Buddhism rapidly to a large and diverse collection of
Buddhism is a religion from the East that has spread to many different countries all over the world. It has spread to the West, and has had a great influence and impact, especially in America. However, the Buddhism that is practiced in the United States is not exactly the same as the one that is practiced in Asian countries. If Buddhism differs between the different traditions of the Asian countries themselves, it is obvious that it will differ greatly in America as well. However, even though there are obvious differences, it is important to maintain the core values and fundamental principles the same. This research explores how the three different types of Buddhist practitioners have adopted Buddhism in America, and it describes some differences
The Buddha did not want to teach at first, but as stated in old stories the king of the gods, Brahma, convinced the Buddha to share his ways (Editors of Biography.com). The Buddha found his five former followers and said his first sermon to them (“Buddha” Reynolds) in present day Varanasi, India (“Buddha” Compton’s). He taught them the Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths, which are both central teachings in Buddhism and they became his first followers (Editors of Biography.com). He also taught Dharma, which means “saving truth”, throughout India (“Buddha” Reynolds). The Buddha founded an order of monks after reaching enlightenment. They did not pray to any gods and the Buddha did not claim to be a god. (“Buddha” Compton’s). The Buddha taught for 80 years and died in India (Editors of
Mishra, Pankaj. An end to suffering: the Buddha in the world. New York: Farrar, Straus and
Armstrong, Karen. Buddha. New York: Lipper/Penguin, 2004. 66-98. Print.
Buddhism is currently the fourth most popular religion in our society today, following Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. Its major ideologies are based on the philosophies of Siddhartha Guatama, also known as “Buddha”, who began his teachings in 598 BCE at the age of 35, according to Buddhist texts. A Buddhist’s foremost aspiration is the obtainment of Bodhi, or enlightenment through meditation and Anapana-sati (awareness of the breath). Buddhism shares many ideologies with India’s Hinduism and Yoga such as non-harming, non-violence, and self-awareness. In many instances, people regard Buddhism as a way of life rather than a religion, for it has no clear belief in the idea of a God or Gods. Its structure is built upon a hierarchy much like Christianity where superior orders such as Lamas or the Dalai Lama are said to be chosen by nature through the process of reincarnation rather than by a council like Christianity’s Pope. Though these “higher level” Buddhists are rare (not everyone is a reincarnation of an ancient Buddhist “priest”), all are permitted to follow “The Middle Way” either as a Buddhist monk or the simple attendance of a weekly teaching session from time to time. Throughout the last few hundred years the Buddhist population has blossomed into a healthy 381,611,000 and over fifteen different sects including Zen, Mahayana, and Theravada.
Bibliography: Religious Persons and Traditions Buddhism- Plain and Simple
"You know, my friend, that even as a young man, when we lived with the ascetics in the forest, I came to distrust doctrines and teachers and to turn my back to them. I am still of the same turn of mind, although I have, since that time, had many teachers. A beautiful courtesan was my teacher for a long time, and a rich merchant and a dice player. On one occasion, one of the Buddha’s wandering monks was my teacher. He halted in his pilgrimage to sit beside me when I fell asleep in the forest. I also learned something from him and I am grateful to him, very grateful. But most of all, I have learned from this river and from my predecessor, Vasudeva. He was a simple man; he was not a thinker, but he realized the essential as well as Gotama, he was a holy man, a saint" (141).
"Basics of Buddhism." n.d. The Living Edens: Thailand. Public Broadcasting Service. Website. 6 March 2014. .
"What is Buddhism? | The Buddhist Centre." What is Buddhism? | The Buddhist Centre. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014. .
The Web. The Web. 18 Mar. 2014. The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. " The Buddhist World: Lay Buddhist's Guide to the Monk's Rules. "
Vetter, T. (1988). The Ideas and Meditative Practices of Early Buddhism. New York: E.J. Brill.
‘One is one’s own refuge, who else could be the refuge?’ said Buddha. This section in the article of Buddhist Attitude of Mind explains Buddhas stand point about what does taking refuge really mean, and where and in whom people have to find their shelter. Based on this section, Buddha admonished his disciples to ‘be and find refuge only in themselves’, and never to seek refuge in or help from anybody else. He encouraged and stimulated each person to develop himself and work out his own emancipation. According to Buddha, only a person has the power to liberate himself from all bondage through his personal effort and intelligence. The Buddha says: ‘You should do your work, for the Tathagatas only teach the way.’ The Buddha is called a ‘saviour’,