[Part 3]- Buddhism: Beliefs and teachings 🪷

Question 1

What is the story of historical Buddha’s death ?

Answer 1

• after 45 years of travelling and teaching others his dhamma, Siddhartha Gautama attained parinirvana.
• He died at the age of 80, as a result of severe digestive issues [supposedly because of food poisoning]

Question 2

What does parinirvana mean ?

Answer 2

• parinirvana, means ultimate nibbana after death. [its a form of nibbana, that happens after someone has died]
• This is because, it’s thought to be the complete extinction of: the five aggregates, kamma and finally escaping the cycle of samsara, in which a being will no longer be reborn

Question 3

What does nibbana mean ?

Answer 3

• nibbana, means extinction; this can only happen whilst still alive.
• if a being gains nibbana, they are liberated from the cycle of samsara [the cycle of death, life and rebirth]

Question 4

What does nibbana 🆚 parinirvana mean?

Answer 4

• nibbana, means extinction; this can only happen whilst still alive.
• if a being gains nibbana, they are liberated from the cycle of samsara [the cycle of death, life and rebirth]
• parinirvana, means ultimate nibbana after death. [its a form of nibbana, that happens after someone has died]
• This is because, you achieve nibbana while you are alive, and then when you die it becomes parinibbana.

Question 5

Why is Buddha’s death important to Buddhists today ?

Answer 5

• the Buddha’s death important to Buddhists today because:
• at death, it was thought that he reinforced his teaching of annica, and told his Buddhist followers to aim for their own liberation.
• This is because, his final teaching and words were ’Everything is subject to change’ [as recorded in the Mahaparinibanna sutta]- since he experienced: old age, sickness and then finally death. [he is proof of the four sights]

Question 6

Why is the Buddha’s life significant to Thervada Buddhists ?

Answer 6

• although Theravada Buddhism would argue, he is dead and no longer remains active in this world, historical Buddha is still an exemplar for Buddhists today.
• This is because, he teaches the path, to attain enlightenment since he himself attained enlightenment, [after the three watches and] by refusing to ‘give up the seat of meditation’ until he would attain enlightenment.
• Buddha means ‘the enlightened one’ and because he’s enlightened, Theravada Buddhists can therefore accept that his teachings are of consideration and understanding

Question 7

Why may some Buddhists, see the Buddha’s birth stories as not relevant ?

Answer 7

• they’re unrealistic and set up an unrealistic standard for Buddhists today
• .How can Buddhist aspire to be like Siddhartha, if stories of his birth make him appear more than a mortal being and a human ?
• this makes him appear like a God; Buddhism doesn’t have a God and Buddha is not meant to be worshipped, but instead honoured for finding the path of enlightenment.

Question 8

What’s another reason, why some Buddhists, may not see the Buddha’s birth stories as relevant ?

Answer 8

• the Buddha’s birth stories aren’t relevant because, it’s not his life stories that are revelant, it’s his teachings that are- which are dhamma.
• For example, Paul Williams [an ex-Buddhist scholar] argued that Siddhartha’s life is only one way that dhamma [the truth about the nature of existence] can be expressed and communicated.

Question 9

What’s another reason, why some Buddhists, may not see the Buddha’s birth stories as relevant ?

Answer 9

• Moreover, there has been previous other Buddhists that have come before him, and teach the same dhamma.
• This is because, Buddhism teaches that a string [series] of Buddha’s will come and they will teach the same dhamma, therefore why is Gautama Buddha more relevant than previous Buddha’s [such as Kassapa Buddha] ?
• Although he showed Buddhists the path to enlightenment and eventually attainted it, why should his teachings be considered higher than, and of more revelance than other Buddha’s or Buddhist scholars ?

Question 10

Why might some people see stories of Buddha’s life, as not relevant today ?

Answer 10

• Some Mahayana Buddhists may argue that stories of Buddha’s life aren’t relevant today because, he can still be encountered through visions, dreams and meditation.
• therefore, it could be argued there’s no relevance to stories of his life, since his teachings can simply be discovered through encountering historical Buddha [in dreams, meditation and visions]

Question 11

What does dhamma mean ?

Answer 11

• dhamma, means the universal law; ultimate truth; the teachings of the Buddha

Question 12

What are the interpretations of dhamma, in Buddhism ?

Answer 12

• dhamma typically means Buddha’s teachings
• ; it also can mean ultimate truth- the ultimate truth, about the nature of existence [that is learnt when enlightenment is attained]
• and dhamma, can also mean a universal law- dhamma governs how our reality works

Question 13

What are the three jewels [refuges] ?

Answer 13

• also known as the three refuges, the three jewels are: dhamma, Buddha and Sangha [the Buddhist community]

Question 14

How can the concept of dhamma, relate to dukkha ?

Answer 14

• dhamma is: the universal law; ultimate truth; the teachings of the Buddha.
• the concept of dhamma can relate to dukkha because, by knowing the ultimate truth about the nature of existence, it can limit and reduce a person’s dukkha [suffering].

Question 15

How does knowing the truth about the nature of existence, lead to overcoming dukkha ?

Hint: what are Theravada Buddhism’s teachings about enlightenment ?

Answer 15

• This is because, if dhamma teaches Buddhists the ultimate truth it can lead to: accept that dukkha [suffering] exists, and then working to overcome it

[by Theravada Buddhists understanding the four noble truths such as suffering exists and it has a cause, which will then lead to enlightenment]

Question 16

How can following the eightfold, help to end a Theravada Buddhists’ suffering ?

Answer 16

• Theravada Buddhism teaches the eightfold path should be followed, to blow out and extinguish the three poisons.
• because, this means they can become an Arhat [a perfected person] who has blown out the three poisons- ultimately ending [and overcoming] their suffering, as they will not be reborn into the cycle of samsara.

Question 17

Why might Buddhists argue that dhamma is the most important, of the three jewels ? 💎

Answer 17

• dhamma, is the most important of the three jewels. This is because, dhamma is the ultimate truth about the nature of existence- and by discovering this truth, it can limit how much a person experiences dukkha [suffering].
• since if dhamma is the ultimate truth, it can enable Buddhists to end their own suffering, as they know the cause for it. [and why it exists]

Question 18

Why might Buddha be seen, as the most important of the three jewels ? 💎

Answer 18

• This is because, without Buddha, there is no dhamma- as Buddha is the one who teaches dhamma.
• furthermore, Buddhism claims that multiple Buddha’s will teach the same dhamma, so how can dhamma be the most important [of the three jewels] if the Buddhas are the ones who teaches it?

Question 19

Why else might Buddhists argue that Buddha isn’t the most important, of the three jewels ? 💎

Answer 19

• For example, Thich Nhat Hanh [a Buddhist monk] likens Buddha’s teachings to a raft that Buddhists can use, to attain enlightenment but shouldn’t be held onto as ’only a fool would carry the raft around after he had already reached the other shore of liberation’
• unlike Buddha and his teachings, dhamma is an ultimate truth that can be held onto, as it allows Buddhists to develop their own karuna [compassion.]

Question 20

Why else might dhamma, be seen as the most important of the three jewels ? 💎

Answer 20

• this is reinforced by Dhammapda, v.276 which teaches Buddhists that ’The Buddhas are only teachers’ as it is people who make the effort to: attain enlightenment, gain nibanna and ultimately escape the cycle of samsara [in the six realms].
• therefore dhamma is the most important of the three jewels because, it provides people with an ultimate truth that existed before Buddha and discovered it

Question 21

How can Pure Land Buddhism, argue that Buddha is the most important, of the three jewels ? 💎

Answer 21

• This is because in pure land Buddhism, Ambitabha Buddha is not seen as a teacher, but a parent [father] who opens the door of enlightenment to you, if you recite and chant his name.
• Therefore Buddha is the most important of the three jewels, since although dhamma can help people to eventually attain enlightenment, Ambitabha Buddha [and pure land Buddhism] provide an easier way for people to attain enlightenment without any dukkha [suffering] existing, in the pure land.