BUDDHISM

MODULE 2
 INTRODUCTION
• PROPOUNDER- LORD GAUTAMA BUDHA
• NOT A PHILOSOPHER BUT AN ETHICAL
TEACHER
• REFLECTED ON PRACTICAL CONDUCT THAT
CAN LEAD ONE TO LIBERATION
• ROOT CAUSE OF SUFFERING IS IGNORANCE
• ELIMINATE IGNORANCE BY KNOWING AND
UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE
 THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
1. Life is Full of Suffering (Dukkha):
All forms of existence are subject to suffering. For Buddha it is a
universal truth. All known and unknown facts and forms of life are
associated with suffering.
Birth, sickness, old age, death, anxiety, desire, and despair, all such
happenings and feelings are based on suffering.

Buddhism recognizes suffering at three levels:

 Duhkah-duhkhatta: Such as the suffering we experience in our

daily life, like, birth, sickness, old age, death, despair, pain, desire,
etc.
 Samkara-duhkhatta: Suffering caused by the internal mental
conditions and the activities of the sense organs),
 viparinama-duhkhatta: Suffering caused by the impermanence of
objects and our relation to them.
2. Suffering has a Cause (Dukkha samudaya):
Everything in this cosmos has a cause, and
nothing exists and happens without a cause. If
this is the case, suffering should also have a
cause. Buddhism explains suffering through a
chain of twelve causes and effects, commonly
known as the Doctrine of Dependent
Origination (pratityasamutpada). In the final
analysis, the root of all miseries is desire
(Tanha). Desire is all pervasive. Desire for
possession, enjoyment, and a separate
individual existence are some of the virulent
forms of desire.
3. Cessation of Suffering (Dukkha nirodha):
If suffering has a cause, the seeker has to destroy this
cause to stop suffering. So desire has to be
extinguished to stop suffering. Nirvana is the state of
being without suffering. It is a state of supreme
happiness and bliss.

4. Ways to Destroy Suffering (Dukkha-nirodha-marga):

The ways to destroy suffering consists of the practice
of the eightfold virtue ,such as, Right View, Right
Aspiration, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right
Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Awareness, and Right
Concentration. In the practice of all these virtues one
has to avoid extremes and follow the middle path.
 EIGHTFOLD PATH
1. Right View (Samyak-dristi): It consists of the
grasp and acceptance of the four noble
truths, rejection of the fault doctrines, and
avoidance of immorality resulting from
covetousness, lying, violence, etc.

2. Right Aspirations (Samyka-sankalpa): It

implies thought on renunciation, thought on
friendship and good will, and thoughts on
non-harming.
3. Right Speech (Samyak-vac): It inspires one to
speak truth primarily, and to speak gentle
and soothing words for the benefit and
wellbeing of others. It also promulgates one
to avoid falsehood, slander, harsh words and
gossip.

4. Right Conduct (Samyak-karma): The Buddha

intends by right conduct the practice of non-
violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non-
stealing (asteya), non-sexual misconduct, etc.
5. Right Livelihood (Samyag ajiva): It consists of the
avoidance of a luxurious life and the acceptance of
occupations which do not involve cruelty and injury to
other living beings. The Buddha exhorts to avoid
occupations like sale of alcohol, making and selling
weapons, profession of the soldier, butcher, fisherman,
etc.

6. Right Effort (Samyak vyayama): It includes the effort

to avoid the rise of evil and false ideas in the mind, the
effort to overcome evil and evil tendencies, the effort
to acquire positive values like attention, energy,
tranquility, equanimity, and concentration, and the
effort to maintain the right conditions for a
meritorious life.
7. Right Awareness (Samyak Smrti ): It represents the
awareness of the body (breathing positions, movements,
impurities of the body, etc.), awareness of sensations
(attentive to the feelings of oneself and of the other),
awareness of thought and the awareness of the internal
functions of the mind.

8. Right Concentration (Samyak Samadhi): The practice of one

pointed contemplation leads the seeker to go beyond all
sensations of pain and pleasure, and finally to full
enlightenment. It happens in four levels. In the first level,
through intense meditation the seeker concentrates the mind
on truth and thereby enjoys great bliss. In the second level
the seeker enters into supreme internal peace and tranquility.
In the third level, the seeker becomes detached even from the
inner bliss and tranquility. In the fourth level, the seeker is
liberated even from this sensation of bliss and tranquility.
• PRAJNA- 1 & 2
• SILA (CORRECT & MORAL WAY OF LIVING) - 3,
4, & 5
• SAMADHI (MEDITATION & CONTEMPLATION)-
6, 7 & 8
 DOCTRINE OF DEPENDENT ORIGINATION
• RELATED TO SECOND NOBLE TRUTH-
SUFFERING HAS A CAUSE- EVERYTHING HAS A
CAUSE
• BHAVACHAKRA- CYCLE OF EXISTENCE- 12
CAUSES AND 12 EFFECTS
• WORKS AUTOMATICALLY – NO CONCIOUS
GUIDE
• BASIS OF- DOCTRINE OF KARMA,
MOMENTARINESS & NON-SOUL
• THIS THEORY TAKES THE MIDDLE PATH
BETWEEN- PRINCIPLE OF ETERNITY AND
PRINCIPLE OF ANNIHILATION
• THINGS ARE NOT ETERNAL BUT NEITHER ARE
THEY COMPLETELY ANNIHILATED.
 12 LINKS
1. Ignorance (Avidya): Ignorance is caused by desire. It is
the substratum of action and the basis of ego
(jivahood). Ignorance causes the individual to think of
himself as separate from the entire world. This leads to
attachment to life and thus to suffering.

2. Predisposition (Samskara): Samskara is caused by

ignorance. Predisposition means a disposition preceding
to or preparing to certain activity. Also, it can be
understood as the attitude and aptitude of the past
Karma. Samskara is also known as fabrication. There are
three types of fabrications namely bodily fabrications,
verbal fabrications, and mental fabrications.
3. Consciousness (Vijnana): Consciousness is
caused by predispositions. There are six types of
consciousness, namely, eye-consciousness, ear-
consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue
consciousness, body-consciousness, and intellect-
consciousness.
4. Name and Form (Namarupa): It is the psycho-
physical body in the womb of the mother caused
by consciousness.
5. Sense Organs (Sadayatana): The sense organs
are caused by name and form. There are six
sense organs such as the eyes, the ears, the nose,
the tongue, the skin, and the mind.
6. Contact (Sparsa): Contact with the object of
enjoyment is caused by sense organs.
Sometimes it is said that the eye is due to
seeing and not that seeing is due to the eye,
and similarly in the case of every organ.
7. Feeling or Sensation (Vedana): Feeling or
sensation is caused by contact with the
objects of enjoyment. Feeling or sensation is
of six forms, such as, vision, hearing,
olfactory (sensation), gustatory sensation,
tactile sensation, and intellectual sensation
(thought).
8. Craving (Trsna): The craving or thirst for
enjoyment is caused by the actual experience
or sensation of enjoyment. It is due to
craving that a person blindly longs for worldly
attachments. There are six forms of cravings,
such as, cravings with respect to forms,
sounds, smells, tastes, touch, and ideas.
9. Attachment or Clinging (Upadana): The
clinging to sensory enjoyment is caused by
the craving for such enjoyment. There are
four types of clinging- sensual, view, practice
& self.
10. Becoming (Bhava): It is the will to be born caused by
clinging or attachment. It includes thoughts and actions
which are responsible for rebirth. There are three kinds
of becoming, such as sensual becoming, form
becoming, and formless becoming.
11. Birth (Jati): Birth (also rebirth) is caused by becoming
(bhava). The jiva is caught up in the wheel of the world
and remains in it till it attains nirvana. It refers not just
to birth at the beginning of a lifetime, but to birth as a
new person, which is the acquisition of a new status or
position.
12. Old Age and Death (Jaramarana): Old age and death
are caused by birth. Rebirth causes the whole chain of
the worldly sufferings. After a man is caught in the
wheel of the world, diseases, old age, suffering, death,
• PAST- Ignorance and predisposition

• PRESENT-Consciousness, name and form,

sense organs, contact, feeling, craving, and
clinging

• FUTURE- Becoming, birth, and old age and

death
 DOCTRINE OF MOMENTORINESS
• Everything is momentary, conditional, relative
and dependent.
• Universe is constantly changing
• Existence is contingent on something existing
prior to it and thus existing for a brief period
by giving birth to new life.
• A flame is continuity of successive flames,
exists only for a moment, but it gives rise to
the next flame.
• Dissuade people to not trust this world but
seek Nirvana- middle path- where the world is
neither a being nor a non being
• That which can generate effect has existence
and vice versa. As long as a thing can generate
effect can exist and vice versa. One thing can
produce only one effect
 DOCTRINE OF KARMA
• Every event produces its effects, which in turn
become causes for other effects, generating the
karmic chain
• The present existence of a man is dependent
upon his past existence - the effect of his
thoughts, words, and actions in the past life.
• Similarly the future existence is dependent on the
present existence.
• According to the law of karma, our present and
future are neither capricious nor unconditional,
but are conditioned by our past and present.
 DOCTRINE OF NON-SOUL
• Lord Budha believes in the Soul- Self as
experienced by a person and not something
that is permanent and unchanging.
• Humans are of five categories:
1. Form- matter
2. Feeling- pleasant, unpleasant, neutral
3. Perception- sight, smell
4. Impulses- hate, greed
5. Consciousness
CHANGING SELF BUT NO UNCHANGING
SUBSTANTIAL SELF
 MEANING OF EDUCATION
• Buddhism believes in both worldly as well as
godly truths —
• Hence education is a process which makes
human compatible with both worldly as well
as godly life. With godly life it refers to
nirvana.
• In its view actual education is that which
helps human in achieving nirvana
 EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
AIM OF EDUCATION
1. Physical development—Lord Buddha has emphasized
on keeping the body healthy. In his view by keeping
body healthy, human becomes free from the pain of
degrading human body. And also in the absence of
healthy body nothing is possible, no religion and no
work.
2. End to ignorance and gain of knowledge—According
to Buddhism the reason behind all the sufferings of a
man is ignorance. According to Buddhists to believe
this world to be happy and materialistic enjoyment
and thirst for it, is ignorance. According to them,
knowledge of four aryas is the true knowledge.
3. Education of social conduct—Buddhism is on the side of
betterment of all the organisms, this is the reason why
mercy and compassion have been emphasized the most in
it. Without the feeling of compassion one human cannot
understand the sufferings of another and without being
merciful one human cannot eliminate others sufferings.
Buddhism supports such type of social development.

4. Conservation of human culture—Buddhists believe

religion to be a part of culture. According to them only by
conserving culture can religion be conserved, but from
culture they refer to the cultures of complete human race.
Through their knowledge only can human find actual
knowledge and can follow actual religion.
5. Moral and character development—In
Buddhism self-control, compassion and
mercy have been emphasized the most. In
the view of Buddhists, through education all
these qualities should be developed in a
human. This is what the believe to be
character. For the development of these
qualities they emphasize on following strict
rules.
6. Professional development—Buddhism doesn’t order
human to become indifferent from the world, it wants to
free humans from the sufferings of the world. Then to
prevent the sorrow from hunger, sorrow of scarcity of
clothes, sorrow of absence of shelter, etc. he should excel
in some professional work (art, business, industries). But
they are against the idea of gathering wealth rather than
satisfying basic needs. With such a view, the man and the
society will definitely be more sorrowful.

7. Attainment of nirvana—Buddhists believe the last objective

of human life is to be free from the worldly sorrows. This is
what they call nirvana. For acquiring nirvana, Buddhists
preach humans to follow the knowledge of four aryas and
arya ashtang path and also ‘triratn’. Mahayani also believe
other than this devotion is also important.
 CURRICULUM
• Primary: 3 Rs, elementary grammar and basic
principles of Buddhism
• Higher: religion, philosophy, nature study, law,
medicine, astrology, medicine, tantrik
philosophy, logic, sanskrit, pali, prakrit,
• Tripitaka- considered to be a record of the
words of the Buddha.
• Pali was the medium of instruction
• Vocational education- art and craft
 METHOD OF TEACHING
1. Repetition technique—there is a natural way
of learning repetition technique. Budhist
monks (teachers) in order to teach the
students words of a language and numbers of
maths, used to write each alphabet and
numeral on the word while pronouncing it,
students used to repeat it and pronounce the
alphabet and numeral while writing them.
Buddhists used to practice the same technique
for imparting character and discipline
knowledge.
2. Performance and practice technique—This is
the upper level of repetition technique. In
this technique the teacher used to perform
the procedure on his own, students used to
understand while watching him, after that
they used to repeat it and perform it freely
and then with practice they used to excel in
that particular procedure. Buddhists monks
used to use this technique in various arts and
practical topics.
3. Explanation technique—This technique is a
better form of the present day explanation
techniques. Buddhist teachers other than
specifying the facts, related to the topic, by
speaking, they also used to give examples to
clear them. This in other words it is known as
description by words. Also they used to solve
the problems of their students, answer their
questions and until the fact gets clear to
them, they did not move further.
4. Lecture technique—The lecture technique
developed by the Buddhist monks was
different from the present day lecture
techniques, it was like today's guest lecture
technique but somewhat better. Buddhists
used to invite officials who have excelled on
specific topics, to give lectures to the
students, after the lecture their used to be a
question and answer round and topics
related to that lecture were discussed.
5. Debate and reasoning technique—Buddhists
monks developed the technique of debate and
reasoning to teach argumentative topics. The
students who used to take part in this, would
present their views on the topic, present a
reason in its support. 8 type of proofs were
presented (sidhant, hetu, examples,
samdharmy, vedharmye, pratyaksh, anuman
and aagam). It is clear that it is different from
the present day debates.
6. Forum—This technique is also different from
present day forums. In this only those
students were present who used to research
on a specific topic and teachers who used to
teach those specific topics. Everyone used to
present their views with reasons and thus in
the end a right solution used to be found out.
7. Conferences technique—Buddhists monks
sometimes used to organize conferences for
upper knowledge. In these conferences
people who have researched on that specific
topic were invited. These invitees used to
present a lecture at these conferences.
Students of upper knowledge used to be
present in this conference and presented
their doubts. The invitees used to solve their
doubts and this is how the students used to
gain knowledge specific to that topic.
8. Self-study technique— This technique was first
developed by the Buddhists monks only. At that
time, the art of writing has been developed. The first
thing Buddhists monks did was that they translated
all the important religious works into pali language,
secondly they created a number of handwritten
copies of these scriptures and third work they did
was that in order to preserve them they built
libraries. This is how they created enough material
for forming the basis of self-study. At that time
students of higher level used to study their topic
specific books at these libraries, tried to understand
the topic material and after studying they used to
get solution to their doubts from their teachers.
9. Voyage—Buddhist teachers used this
technique basically to educate the monks.
The monks who undertook monk education
were given chances to go on a voyage, and
through this they got to see the practical
form of the world, chance to see the actual
form of the society and also they were
trained to promote religion.
 DISCIPLINE
• Both the student and the teachers have been given
tough ethical conditions and both of them have
been ordered to follow them strictly.
• For the teachers, have been instructed to follow
the knowledge of four aryas and arya ashtang path
and also triratan,
• For the general students there are set 10 rules
which are instructed to be followed and
• For the monks undergoing monk education, other
than these 10 general rules there are other 8 rules
which are instructed to be followed.
In Buddhism where the teachers have been instructed to keep
an eye on the behaviour of the students have also been
instructed to keep an eye on the behaviour of their teachers.
And with this, it has also been arranged that in case the
student disobeys the rules then the teacher can punish them
and if the teacher disobeys the rules, then the group can
punish the teacher. For this the first solution that is provided
is that all the teachers and students should gather at a place,
do self-analysis, accept one’s own faults, should feel guilty for
doing them and make a resolution to remove those faults. To
punish for doing a severe crime is the legislation of the
system, but in any case it has been avoided to give any
physical punishment and in case of extremely severe crime,
there is a provision to expel them from the educational
institute.
 TEACHER
• The four arya truths
• Follow the astanga path
• A monk for a minimum of 10 years
• Who had pure behaviour, sacred thoughts, humbleness
and mental capability.
• Buddhist teachers were divided into two categories—
one those which were highly learned, near whom the
monks would sit to gather knowledge and the other
who used to teach mannerism, learning from whom the
students used to get the best manners.
• At that time the teachers used to prompt the students
for their manners and the students used to do the same
for the teachers.
 STUDENT
• According to Buddhism, a students present is the outcome of
his doings in his previous life as well as his doings since his birth
till the present. And his future is dependent on his doings in his
past life as well as his doings since his birth till present including
his present doings that he will do. That is why every one has the
right to get education at the monasteries. But without the
permission of their parents, they were not given admission.
Other than this, those who were suffering from contagious
diseases, severe criminal, unsober, ill mannered, etc., were not
admitted. During the admission, the culture of purification was
there. In this the child had to get bald and retain purity and with
the pledge
(‘sharantryi’)—
Buddhm Sarnam Gachchhami
Dmmam Sarnam Gachchhami
Sangam Sarnam Gachchhami
Das Sikha Padani’. Each student had to follow them.
These ten orders were:
1. Not to do creature violence.
2. Not to take anyone's material.
3. Keep away from impure behaviour.
4. Not to speak untrue things.
5. Not to consume intoxicating elements.
6. Not to eat food at the wrong time.
7. Not to condemn anyone.
8. Keep away from singing and dancing.
9. Not to use fragrant and make up things.
10. Never to accept alms of silver-gold expensive
objects.
 INSTITUTION
• Maths and viharas
• The group used to undertake the expenditures
of the students and the teachers.
• Strict rules and regulations were maintained.
 PUBLIC EDUCATION
Buddhism did not discriminate amongst
humans on the basis of their birth and was in
the favour of an equal arrangement of initial
education for everyone. In this way it was in
the favour of public education. But they only
wanted to arrange higher education for the
brilliant and deserving students. According to
them the mode of teaching should be the
local language. Buddhists made Pali, language
of their era, to be the mode of education.
 FEMALE EDUCATION

Buddhist scholars did not even discriminate

amongst males and females, but they talked
about education to only the upper level
females.
 PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Buddhist scholars in order prevent the

worldly life from worldly sufferings, they
emphasized on professional education. The
monasteries and recreational places of that
time and even universities had the best
arrangements for professional education.