Noble truths (6-7) - Lecture notes 6-7 PDF

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Dr. Lopez - Intro to Buddhism (religion 230, PHIL 230, Asian 230)...

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The Noble Truths, Part I (suffering + origin) TERMS/PEOPLE - The Middle Way - There is a middle path between two extremes - Middle way between self-indulgence (in palace) and self-mortification (starving, etc) - Karma - Sanskrit word that means action - Bad deeds = sufferings in future - No accidents = everything is a result of our past deeds - Ignorance - Active misconception of nature of reality - Belief we have eternal self and soul - Root cause of all suffering - No-self - Nothing physical inside of us (nothing inside of us to protect/soothe) - No self = no reason to do bad actions LISTS - The Four Noble Truths - Suffering, origin, cessation, and path - Eight Sufferings of Humans - Birth, aging, sickness, death, losing friends, making enemies, getting what you want, getting what you don’t want - Three Types of Suffering - Pain → physical/mental pain (body/soul/mind)(remain pain unless we do something) - Change → feelings of pleasure (pleasure always turns into pain) - Conditioning → most subtle/horrifying // conditioned to undergo pain (wise = in eye)(ignorant in hand) - Ten Non-Virtuous Deeds - Killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, decisive speech (malicious gossip), harsh speech (abusive), senseless speech, covetousness (want things that belong to other), harmful intent, wrong view (not believing in law of karma) - Do, say, and think - Ten Virtuous Deeds - Sustaining life, giving, sexually ethical, speaking truth, bring people together, speak kindly, speak sensibly, don’t covet other goods, wishing others well, right view

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The Three Poisons - Desire, hatred, ignorance

Notes - Strong emphasis on causation - Ignorance is root → branches The Noble Truths, Part II TERMS/PEOPLE - Nirvana - Goal of Buddhist practices - Cessation / extinction (flame ceases - just stops) - Suffering and rebirth → flame goes out and ceases to exist - Finally being able to die - No form of coscounou sses and physical form exist (blissful) - Arhat - Buddha achieved this in one night - Sanskrit means worthy one - Worthy of offering because the person achieved the highest state - Aryasatya - Commonly translated into Noble Truths - Aryan - Sanskrit word means noble and superior (buddha came from this ethnic group) - Spiritual - 4 persons/4 levels of path → on path to Nirvana LISTS - The Four Noble Truths - Suffering, origin, cessation, and path - Effect, cause, effect, cause - Four Levels of the Path/Four Noble Persons & How fast they get to Nirvana - Stream-eterner - Person who has initial vision of nirvana (get rid of karmic seeds that would reborn them)(seven or less - Once-returner - Never-returner - ahart - The Eight-fold Path - Right view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration

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The Three Training - Ethics, concentration wisdom - Ethics → Restraint of body and speech (via vows)(not enough to achieve nirvana) - Ethics alone is not sufficient to bring one to nirvana because virtuous actions only cause good karma - Concentration → normal mind is overwhelmed by distractions / bring mind under control (through meditation → focus on a topic/object) - Concentration without wisdom only strengthens the mind and doesn't destroy any seeds of rebirth - Wisdom → understanding that there is no self (nothing lasts longer than an instant)(sit down on meditation cushion and look for no-self)(strong arm and ax to cut down tree of suffering) The Medical Model/Analogy of the Four Noble Truths - Buddha is doctor → adapting teachings to that of his audience - Suffering is a symptom (doctor identifies) - Nirvana - Symptom, diagnose, prognosis, cure (suffering, origin, cessation, path)...