Early Buddhism - Lecture 1
This is my personal note on lecture by Emeritus Professor Karunadasa on Fundamental Doctrine of Early Buddhism. Early Buddhism is Module I of the Diploma Cour in Buddhist Studies conducted at the Buddhist Library by the Graduate School of Buddhist Studies (Singapore). For other lesson updates plea go to: /lee_mengkai/
女生英文网名A review of socio-cultural and religio-philosophical background against which Buddhism
aro in order to understand Buddhist doctrines from a broad historical perspective. Early Buddhism
The term Buddhism refers to the teachings of the historical Buddha as well as to their subquent interpretations among the various schools of Buddhist Thought.
There are two major traditions of Buddhist Thought :
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1) Hinayana – originally 18 such schools, now left with only the Theravada school.
2) Mahayana–2 major schools : 1) Madhyamika 2) Yogācāra.
卡特里娜飓风Currently there are three majors ct of Buddhism :
1) Theravada– found in S.E.A. like Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.
2) Mahayana– found in East Asia like China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. 3)
3) Vajrayana– found in Tibet, Himalaya regions and Mongolia.
Early Buddhism means the original teachings of the Buddha and before the emergence of Buddhist schools. It refers to the teachings found in the Dhamma. The main source of the Dhamma is found in texts prerved by the Theravada tradition kept in the Pali Tipitaka (three baskets).
This is divided into three parts :
1) Vinaya Pitaka
2) Sutta Pitaka
3) Abhidhamma Pitaka.
The Vinaya Pitaka is monastic rules for the Sangha. The Abhidhamma is said by modern scholars to be of later origin after the emergence of the Buddhist schools and after the split within the fraternity o
英文歌曲排行f the monks. Hence Abhidhamma belongs to the Buddhist Thought rather than the direct words of the historical Buddha. However Abhidhamma is a commentary and an elaboration of the Dhamma in a more abstract and technical way. The Sutta Pitaka is therefore literally the earliest basis for reference to the teachings of early Buddhism. Hence the study of Early Buddhism is actually a study of the Sutta Pitaka as they are discours by the historical Buddha. The suttas are divided among five nikayas (collections):
i knew you were trouble mvo Digha Nikaya -- the "long collection"
o Majjhima Nikaya -- the "middle-length collection"
o Samyutta Nikaya -- the "grouped collection"
o Anguttara Nikaya -- the "further-factored collection"
o Khuddaka Nikaya -- the "collection of little texts":
The first four nikayas are translated into Chine and is called āgama.
Historical Background before Early Buddhism
Many stages in the development of Indian philosophical thought before the ri of early Buddhism. There are :
istanbul1) Polytheism– earliest stage. Believe in many gods, which are natural phenomena that cannot
be explained or understood by people of that time. A process of deification takes place
whenever any natural occurrences that cannot be explained. This gradually give ri to the next stage.
2) Henotheism– belief in many gods but for a particular time and for a particular purpo only in
one god. Eventually this give ri to the next stage.
3) Monotheism– belief in one creator god. Eventually this also gives ri to the next stage.
4) Monism– no dualism, mind-matter is one. Only one individual soul and one cosmic soul. As
explained in the Upanisads, which has 13 documents but are confine only to a few people. It is
a cret document not accessible to all but only to the Brahma. Examine what is real within us,
怎么察言观色from mind, body, faculties and so on, eventually to the idea of ātman. Ātman is said to be the true-lf trapped within us. This is the internal reality, also known as the microcosmic while the external reality is the cosmic soul or macrocosmic. In the final analysis, the ātman (individual soul) return to the cosmic soul to become one. The cosmic soul is eternal reality, no beginning and no end, it is absolute and transcend time and space.
Hence the Upanisads and Buddhism are known as wisdom religion becau we must have insight and wisdom to e the real realities within us and outside of us. Hence no one can help us except ourlves, no devotion, no worship can help except with our own effort.
This backdrop gives ri to two movements :
1) Brahmanism– teachings from a sacred text called Vedic, compris the Rigveda (Wisdom of
the Versus), Samaveda (Wisdom of the Chants), Yajurveda (Wisdom of the Sacrificial formulas), Atharvaveda (Wisdom of the Arthavan Priests), Aranyakas (Books studied in the forest) and Upanisads (Secret teachings concerning the cosmos).
2) Samana (sramana)–aro as a reaction and rejection of Brahmanism. More radical and
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logical in approach to challenge the status of the Brahma. The main organized schools of samanas in the time of the Buddha were, besides the Buddhists, the Ājīvaka, Lokāyata, Jaina and the Agnostic (Ajñāna). There are many other independent samana teachers called Paribbājakas (or parivrājakas). Buddha belongs to the samana movement and he was called Samana Gotamo.
This period was characterized by perfect harmony among various religious groups, no percution from any authority in worship, no violent but only debate among the various philosophies. All the were written in the Brahmajala Sutta, the first discour found in Digha Nikaya. This supreme text describes the prevalent views held by Brahmins and samanas then. They contain 62 views, 18 views of the past and 44 views of the future. Buddha rejected all the 62 as wrong views conditioned by repeated contact through the 6 n bas. The Samaññaphala Sutta contains a summary of the teachings of rival philosophical teachers of the time. There were 6 prominent samana teachers before Buddha. They are Purānā kāsyapa, Makkhali Ghosāla, Ajita Kasakambala, Pakudha Kacchāyana, Sanjaya Belatthiputta, Nigantha Nāta putta.
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Although there are large number of views and teachings, there are also views that reject religion like materialism. Materialism rejects religion on ground that soul and body is one and upon the dissolution of the body the soul is annihilated as well. So they emphasize on nsual indulgence. Th
e philosophical ideology at that time can be broadly divided into 2 main categories :
1) Religion – which is spiritual, divine and mystical
2) Materialism – scientific, rationalistic, imperialistic and verifiable.
scott barnesThe two polarizations in ideology give ri to another two distinct views, namely skepticism and Buddhism
1) Skepticism –postpone judgment due to lack of knowledge and understanding about any
matters. Argument and debates only lead to bad tempers and loss of peace of mind. Famous teacher under this group is Sānjaya Bellatthiputta, former teacher of Sāriputa and Moggallāna.
2) Buddhism –Buddha coined 2 words to describe the religion and materialism. Sassatavada
and Ucchedavada. Sassatavada refers to all religio n that believe in soul/lf/ego/ātman. The religions believe that the soul is within us and that it is distinct from the physical body.
“ Aññaṃjivam aññaṃsarīnaṃ” means the soul is one thing and the body is another. The soul is etern
al and divine, distinct from the physical body. The true lf in us is the soul. In order to liberate the lf/soul from the bondage of the body, one must restraint or punishes the body. This is the principle behind ascetic practices during the time of the Buddha. In fact Buddha himlf has practi it for 6 years. This is called lf-mortification or attakilamathānuyoga. Mortify the body to liberate the soul. So when you believe that the soul is different from the body, aññaṃ jivam aññaṃsarīnaṃ, then you will strive for this practice of attakilamathānuyoga. Since the ātman is not verifiable, it is describe as som ething metaphysical. Therefore we called it “The Theory of Metaphysical Self”. The next word Buddha ud to describe materialism is Ucchedavada refers materialism, where the body and the soul is one. Materialist rejected religion, heaven, hell and life after death. Whatever the 5 ns cannot obrve they are not real. Taṃ jivaṃ taṃsarīnaṃ means body and lf is the same.
Since the body and lf are one then upon the death of the body so is the soul. Therefore this view can be called “The Theory of the Physical Self”. True esnce of life is not something elusive, then the ultimate goal of life is the enjoy it to the fullest. This give ri to nsual indulgence or Kāmasukhallikānuyoga. Buddha rejected the two views, sassatavada and ucchedavada. Strictly speaking Buddhism is not a religion becau all religion believe in soul/lf or ātman. Hence Buddhism is not a spiritual movement as the mind is not so spiritual and the body is not so solid.
How did we know that Buddha knew and rejected both practices o f attakilamathānuyoga and kāmasukhallikānuyoga. On what basis of evidence should one relied on to prove Buddha’s acquaintance with the two extremes. It is found in his First rmon after enlightenment, the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta–t the motion of the wheel of the Dhamma. Instead of first explaining the re-discovered path to enlightenment, the Noble Eightfold path, he began his rmon by asking the first five disciples to reject the two extremes. The extremes of lf-mortification and nsual indulgence.
Why he called it middle path? The Noble Eightfold Path is called Majjhimā Pātipadā or middle path to liberation, promotes sight (cakkhu) and knowledge (ñāṇa), and which tends to peace (vupasamāya), higher wisdom (abhiññāya), enlightenment (sambodhāya), and ŋibbāna. This is of historical significant as this is something new, not taught by any teachers before. Middle path does not mean a compromi between the two extremes. Ubho ante anupagamma, that is without entering into either extreme, a path that transcends both extreme paths. If we accept this Noble Eightfold path, we acknowledge Buddhism. Hence it can say that Buddhism aro as a critical respon to the two extremes.
