yahoo post #6

Utilizing Smith’s material on Buddhism, discuss the main basic Buddhist teachings / concepts and how Buddha arrived at them.
When Siddartha Gautama uttered the words, "I am awake," he became the words he had spoken, he became Buddha. Although his father tried his best to ensure his son would remain "in the world," it was fated that Siddartha would become Buddha and Buddha would redeem the world. Siddartha became Buddha after traveling many roads on his quest for truth. At first he sought out religious leaders, then he became an ascetic, and finally he became a yogi mystic of sorts. Buddha’s story begins where Siddartha’s story ends, at the Bo tree. After intense meditation and temptation from Mara, Buddha awoke enlightened and arrived at The Middle Way.

Buddha taught that the way to enlightenment first starts with knowing The Four Noble Truths. First there is dukkha. Dukkha is the belief that suffering is the cause of all life’s troubles. The cause of suffering is our need for attachment. Attachment to life, health, youth, love, and material possessions. Next, there is tanha. Tanha is the seeking of pleasure for one’s own self. Simply stated, selfishness. Tanha is, therefore, responsible for dukkha because it is our selfishness that causes our suffering. The third Noble Truth posits that once we understand our role in our suffering, i.e. selfishness, we will be relieved of the suffering our selfishness creates. Finally, the Fourth Noble Truth is The Eightfold Path.

Buddha prescribes The Eightfold Path as Noble Truth four as a guide to end suffering. The Four Noble Truths is meant to identify why we are in a spiritual funk and The Eightfold Path is the guide to get us out of that malaise. Although there are eight steps Buddha intended us to follow, Smith points out that there is an inferred ninth step and it is in fact the unspoken first step, right association. Right association simply means to be sure you are following someone who has all ready traveled down the path; be sure you have an excellent example to follow when starting out. With that said, The Eightfold Path begins with right knowledge. This step begins where The Four Noble Truths end. Right knowledge is the fourth noble truth. Next is right aspiration. Right aspiration is simply what we truly want from this life. It’s a decision that needs to be made by the one seeking enlightenment as to whether or not they want to pursue this for all the right reasons. Then there is right speech. Simply, be mindful of your words. Be careful of the things you say because they may come true. Once conscious of our words, then concentrate on speaking truthfully. Next is right behavior. Right behavior is also known as the Five Precepts of Buddhism. The Five Precepts are do not kill, do not steal, do not lie, and do not be unchaste. In Buddhism, the aforementioned are the equivalent to the Ten Commandments. Then is right livelihood. Right livelihood is either being a monk or finding work that contributes to all of society. Next is right effort. Right effort is exactly what is implies, doing what is morally right. Then there is right mindfulness. Right mindfulness is to be aware of one’s thoughts and one’s actions. To understand that our emotions and moods are not real and have no real baring on our reality. Right mindfulness implies that one is in tune with all there is, starting with one’s own self and how that self interacts with its reality. Finally, there is right absorption. Right absorption is how one contemplates on the aforementioned on a daily basis. It is the reminder as to why one has chosen to travel down this path.

After Buddha realized The Four Noble Truths and embraced The Eigthfold Path, Buddha arrived at the basic concepts which drive Buddhism. The basic concepts are the Three Marks of Existence. The first mark is that the world consists of suffering (dukkha), the second mark is that we have no real identity (anatta), and the third mark is that nothing is permanent (annica). We must accept these if we are to achieve nirvana. Nirvana is the goal of all Buddhists.

In what way is Buddhism similar to Hinduism and in what way very different?
In comparing Buddhism and Hinduism one will see more differences than similarities. First the similarities. Buddhism and Hinduism shared commonalities in their reverence for all creatures in existence, the practice of not killing animals for fun, and allowing all believers to worship regardless of social status. Also, Siddartha practiced a form of meditation similar to raga yoga on his way to becoming the Buddha and like Hinduism, Buddhism believes in the concept of reincarnation. Now the differences. Unlike Hinduism, which had Brahmin as religious leaders, Buddhism has no religious authority to save your soul. In Buddhism there is no rites or practices. There was worshiping of trinkets or prayers to gods. Buddhism encourage the questioning of authority. Because Buddhism was a new religion, it was not weighed down by customs and rituals. Buddha encourage individuals to make up there own mind about what he had to offer rather than them just taking him on his word. Buddhism put salvation, for lack of a better word, strictly in the hands of the practitioner. He wanted the practitioner to experience what he was offering. Buddha put an end to Hinduism fatalism. Buddhism stated that one can escape the karmic cycle in this lifetime if one was willing to put in the work. Finally, Buddhism did not deal with the otherworldly.

Why does Smith think that Buddhism died out in India, the land of it birth, but Hinduism did not?
Smith thinks that Buddhism died out in India because Hinduism simply swallowed up Buddhism. Where Hinduism accommodated this new religion, Buddhism just started to sound like the existing religion.