Viewing Guide for PBS The Buddha to send PDF

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Summary of 3 hours long movie on Buddha's life....

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Viewing Guide for PBS’ “The Buddha” For Buddhism Lesson 2

0 to 6:30: Beginnings Recount at least three of the facts or stories associated with Siddhartha Gautama’s birth. Can you catch the date and place he was born?      

Story of elephant giving lotus and then entering womb. Assumption of being great king ruler or the enlightened. Emerged from the side. Mom died after 7 days of his birth. Southern part of Nepal, at foot of himilyas Bhudda was born. Its place of pilgrimage now for Bhuddists.

Also see if you can catch one or two early statements here about what the Buddha’s life would be about.

6:30 – 12:45: His first 29 years Describe Siddhartha’s first 29 years – where did he live, what did he do, and why. If you had to use one word to characterize Siddhartha’s first 29 years what would it be?      

Me=teaching Born 500 ago the birth of Jesus. For his first 3 decades, he saw nearly nothing beyond is destroyed town. As a son of king he was brought up with every luxury of life. Red, white, and blue lotus palm are gifted to him by father, who wanted him to be the ruler. At 16, he was tied with his cousin by his father and they fell in love long ago.

12:45 – 19:10: The 29th year What are the Four Sights he sees in his 29th year, and what is their significance?    

1-He saw a frail old man while visiting his kingdom for the 1st time, he asked his attendant about this who answered he is old, no body stays young ever and that’s change. 2- He saw a sick man while visiting his kingdom for the 1st time, he asked his attendant about this who answered he is sick, as like everybody other, everyone will get sick including you and your father. Its Universal. 3-He saw a corpse and recognized the world of suffering he was protected from so far, he realized that’s of him as well. 4-He saw a spiritual seeker who decided to lead a life completely different from him trying to stay away from worldly sufferings. 1

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That was all made him decide to leave luxuries and give up comforts to lead a life away from sufferings, life of a spiritual seeker. He leaves home without meeting his newly born son, wife or father, got on horse and climbed the wall. (in order to gain anything, one have to loss everything.) Lara (the lord of burning desired): go back, you are destined to rule. Sidharta:NO.

He ends up leaving home in response to the sights. Why? (16:00 – 19:10) 19:10 – 27:15: Backstory What is happening with Hinduism at the time Siddhartha Gautama is born? A thought question: What does that mean about how Buddhism relates to Hinduism? (19:10 to roughly 25:00) 

Rites became more important than God itself, Spirituality was left vaccum.

A Buddhist scripture called the Jataka Tales tell stories the Buddha’s past lives before the one he led as Siddhartha Gautama. Describe one or more of them. (25 to 27:15). 27:25 – 37:45: Six Hard Years: Ages 29-35 What was Siddhartha’s first move in his effort to find out how to end suffering? (27:25 to 32:43) 

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Roaming and coming to sanctuary of a celebrated guru, holy men who taught true knowledge, through yoga & meditation, that could never come from ritual practices alone that requires you to look within. He was an excellent student, yet didn’t acquire that peace. It was temporary escape from troubles of life but permanent and the one he was looking for. He then moved to another popular guru but the aftermaths were the same. He then alone kept looking for the answers of his questions like why do human beings suffer, is there any escape?

What did he try next, in what is called his “ascetic” period? (Remember an “ascetic” is someone who beats back the body to grow the soul). Describe some of the specific things he did during this time. (32:43 to 37:45)  

Gives himself hard times, punished himself for 6 years. 1 rice grain a day, drinking his own urain, standing on nails. He was on the verge of death but still unanswered and unawakening

37:08 – 45:03: The End of his Ascetic Path What childhood moment did Siddhartha remember after 6 years of searching and asceticism that started to change his course of action? What did he then realize (near 44:13)? And what did he do in response?  

His visit with his father to a festival, observing worms and feeling sad for them. Everything in nature is connected, he then took posture and started meditation underneath the shadow of a tree, which stood stayed regardless of the movement of sunlight. He then started feeling real joy.

45:03 – 56:45: Enlightenment, Awakening This part of the film opens with gorgeous footage of Bodh Gaya, the place where Siddhartha Gautama is thought to have sat under the Bodhi tree and gained enlightenment. As the story picks up and Siddhartha, now fed and restored, 2

resolves to gain enlightenment under the tree, the demon Mara besets Siddhartha with temptations. What does Mara represent, and what were the temptations? 

The lord of desires and greed, luxuries.

The temptations are really the first in a three-part sequence of mental happenings on Siddhartha’s road to enlightenment under the tree. What are the other two?

At what time of day did Siddhartha become enlightened, and become truly the Buddha? 

morning

At 54:30, the expert interviewees describe Siddhartha’s awakening. What are at least two things they said about it? 

Nirvana,

56:45 – 1:02:30: Après-Enlightenment For a while (up to a couple weeks according to this film) the Buddha hung out by the Bodhi tree. Why, and what made him finally leave? What happened when he did leave? Who did he meet and how was he received? 

His 5 old mates.

1:02:30 – 1:08:05: What the Buddha Learned under the Tree, a.k.a. The Core Dharma or Teachings of Buddhism (CENTRAL BELIEFS IN BUDDHISM – LISTEN CAREFULLY!) What is the Middle Way? 

Setting in motion The wheel of dharma: his experiences, balanced life, Coexistence.

State the Four Noble Truths. Work hard to get the 3rd one right.    

There’s suffering(unsatisfactory) in this life The suffering has a cause. Cause is our own mind. Astonishing claim that you can’t get over suffering just by understanding the cause of sufferings. Problem=desire, be smart with desire. The noble eatful path, the cultivation of moral discipline, mindfulness and wisdom.

t heFourNobl eTr ut hs-t hebasi ct eachi ngsofBuddhi sm. 1.Ther ei ssuffer i ng( or" unsat i sf act or i ness" )i nl i f e. 2.Suffer i nghasacause( at t achment ,desi r e,gr aspi ng,t hi r st ) 3.Fr eedom f r om suffer i ngi spossi bl ebyext i ngui shi ngt hecauseofsuffer i ng 4.TheEi ght f ol dPat hi st hewayt of r eedom f r om suffer i ng Wewi l lt al kaboutt heseal otmor ei ncl ass,andi nf ut ur eonl i nel essons.

1:08: 05 – 1:16:00: The First Sangha, which means the First Buddhist Community (GROWTH) Describe how the Buddha’s teachings gained followers during his lifetime.  What is the point of the sangha/the Buddhist community (listen at roughly 1:12:00 to 1:13:00). 

vibrant and ascetic community 3

At 1:13:00 the followers are reciting what is called The Triple Gem, an important practice in Buddhism. What are the 3 gems – the 3 things they take refuge in? 

the refuges of bhuda, bhirmha, and sangha.

Skip to 1:36:30 and then watch until 1:41:17 How did the Buddha die there at Kushinagar? What might his followers have learned from him even during the process of his death? 

80, I’m old and worn out, world is so sweet I understand my desire to live at least another century but I’m worn out, frail, and exhausted. He had an offered food that was actually spoiled.

What were some of his last words? Listen closely near 1:41 – what do Buddhists believe happened to Buddha after his death? In Hinduism, what would that state be called? Can you guess what it would be called in Buddhism?     

Change is in nature, use this energy use this time for awakening Look at the things the way they are It’s all right to be normal, ordinary, feel as it’s supposed to feel. LET THE DHARMA AND THE DISCIPLINE BE YOUR TEACHER. All individual things pass away, strive on untiredlessly. Be your own light. Share the enlightenment, let others to follow.

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