Tahrir Square, Cairo -- National Geographic

Tahrir Square, Cairo -- National Geographic

Reflection

I did not know much about the different sects of Buddhism.  I knew more about zen buddhism because I have read a couple books on it before.  It was really interesting to learn about the different schools and their different positions on various topics within the religion.  I also did not know much about Buddhist traditions and practices apart from meditation.  It was really fascinating to learn about the mandalas, and the symbolism behind them.  I do not have a religion, however many of the tenets of Buddhism ring true to what I believe and many do not.  I do not believe anyone should live their life dispassionately, however I understand how this unattachment may lead to a life with less suffering.  I believe that many of the beliefs about compassion, and treating others and yourself well are valid and are a good thing to follow to improve your life, and the life of others.  Many things in Buddhism make sense for me, but many do not.  I do not personally believe in any supernatural beings, which neither does Buddhism, however some schools believe that buddhas and bodhisattvas are in a place beyond this world.  I find meditation most interesting I think.  I hope to try it some time, and experience the mental clarity which it allegedly gives you.  I think it is a really cool concept, however I think I would fall asleep too easily.  Buddhism is a fascinating religion, and I hope to learn more about it in the future. 

Bibliography

Dalai Lama:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/people/dalailama_1.shtml
http://people.howstuffworks.com/dalai-lama1.htm

Sangha Day:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/holydays/sangha.shtml

Denominations:
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Theravada_vs_Zen
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bullitt/theravada.html\
http://buddhism.about.com/od/chanandzenbuddhism/a/zen101.htm
Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner

Buddhist Practices:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/customs/mandala.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/customs/meditation_1.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/customs/worship_1.shtml
http://www.buddhanet.net/mandalas.htm
http://www.learnmeditationskills.com/reflective-meditation.html
http://www.patheos.com/Library/Buddhism/Ritual-Worship-Devotion-Symbolism/Worship-and-Devotion-in-Daily-Life.html
http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/index.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/story/bl015.html

Main Beliefs:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/fournobletruths_1.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/beliefs/karma.shtml
http://www.londonbuddhistvihara.org/qa/qa_practices.htm
http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/eightfoldpath.html
http://www.thebigview.com/buddhism/karma.html

Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama is the head monk of Tibetan Buddhism, and until the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, he also governed Tibet.  The Dalai Lama leads the Gelug-pa or Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhists.  This group restored discipline to monastic life and promoted academic excellence in the late 14th century.  Relative to Buddhism, Dalai Lamas are a recent development.  There have been a total of 14 lamas to date, and the first two were given the title after their death.  The Dalai Lama is said to the reincarnation of the past lama, who came back to continue his work as a spiritual and political leader.  The name Dalai Lama means Ocean of Wisdom, the current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso.  The first Dalai Lama, Gedun Drupa, was born 1391.  He founded the Tashi Lhunpo monastery.  After a Dalai Lama dies, the High Lamas begin the search for a new Lama.  There are a few ways they search for the new leader: 

Dream: if one of the High Lamas dreams of a place in which he might be found, or any other distinguishing characteristic

Smoke:  The High Lamas cremate the previous Dalai Lama and follow the smoke

Oracle Lake:  The High Lamas visit a holy lake in central Tibet and wait for a sign

The High Lamas will then present children along their path with birthdays near to the death of the previous Dalai Lama with artifacts, and if the child chooses that of the previous Dalai Lama, it is an indication he is the reincarnation.

Tenzin Gyatso

Tenzin Gyatso is the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.  There were many significant signs which seemed to guide the High Lamas to Tenzin Gyatso.  He and Tibet have struggled greatly with the violent occupation of the China People’s Republic.  He is the first Dalai Lama to travel west, and did so with the intent to raise awareness and suppor for Buddhisma and resistence in Tibet.  In 1989 Gyatso received the Nobel Peace Prize for maintaining peace with the Chinese government, despite the knowledge that many Tibetans would gladly go to war to restore him as their leader. 

Dalai Lamas:  

• The First Dalai Lama, Gedun Drupa: 1391-1474
• Second, Gedun Gyatso: 1475-1542
• Third, Sonam Gyatso: 1543-1588
• Fourth, Yonten Gyatso: 1589-1617
• Fifth, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, "The Great Fifth": 1617-1682
• Sixth, Tsangyang Gyatso: 1682-1706
• Seventh, Kelsang Gyatso: 1708-1757
• Eighth, Jamphel Gyatso: 1758-1804
• Ninth, Lungtok Gyatso: 1805-1815
• Tenth, Tsultrim Gyatso: 1816-1837
• 11th, Khedrup Gyatso: 1838-1856
• 12th, Trinley Gyatso: 1856-1875
• 13th, Thupten Gyatso: 1876-1933

Sangha Day

Sangha day, also Fourfold Assembly or Magha Puja Day, is the second most important Buddhist Festival.  It celebrates the Sangha or the Buddhist followers and community.  Sangha day is a commemoration of the spontaneous enlightenment of 1,300 monks at Buddhas Veluvana Vihara.  It was here the Buddha gave his first sermon, the rules of monastic order.  On Sangha Day people may exchange gifts, and celebrate the community they have created.  Generally, the buddhists gathered will chant, meditate and show their everlasting commitment to Buddhism.  

Denominations of Buddhism

Zen Buddhism 

Zen buddhism is a very "hands on" school of buddhism in that there is virtually no worship, no symbolic rituals, just pure unadulterated mental clarity.  Zen buddhism focuses around the Buddhist idea that all things are temporary and we must always be in the present.  Zen Buddhism also claims to be neither philosophy nor religion, but rather the act of just understanding what truly is in the world.  Zen is to simply be alive, zen is meditation. Zen buddhism does not put a lot of importance in following any practice but meditation, however does go by the eightfold path and the four noble truths  

Theravada Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism is mainly found in Southern Asia, in countries like Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.  The name means "the teaching of the elders" in Sanskrit.  This school of Buddhism claims that it is the closest to the teachings of the original Buddha, and that it is the purest form of Buddhism.  

Theravada Buddhism, , does not worship nor recognize any supernatural entities.  Siddartha Gautama became the Buddha, the Awakened One, and since his death the only contact with him is through his teachings.  Theravadists believe that the path to enlightenment is a very personal journey, without the help of any sort of deity or supernatural being.   

Theravada Buddhism is a school which is said to be one of the two main type of schools, Mahayana and Theravada.  

Theravada Buddhists believe in the eightfold path, the four noble truths, and something known as the 10 hindrances.  The 10 hindrances are known as follows:

1. The belief in a permanent personality, ego
2. Doubt, extreme skepticism
3. Attachment to rites, rituals, and ceremonies
4. Attachment to sense desires
5. Ill-will, anger
6. Craving for existence in the Form world (heavenly realms)
7. Craving for existence in the Formless world (heavenly realms)
8. Conceit
9. Restlessness
10. Ignorance  

Both Theravada and Zen do not define the existence or nature of any Supreme Being or Creator.  Zen Buddhists as well as Theravada Buddhists regularly visit temple to meditate, the only difference being that  Theravada Buddhists leave donations for the monks/nuns and zen Buddhists leave a donation for the monks/nuns as well as the Buddha.  The two schools both practice the religious law of dharma, and their place of worship is typically a Temple or Pagoda.  Both are Dharmic religions which allow to follow more than one religion.  Zen Buddhists and Theravada Buddhists may practice any day.  The essential belief that suffering is the origin of desire is a similar tenet .  

 The largest and perhaps most substantial difference between the two lies on their stance on the Buddha.  Theravada Buddhists believe that Siddartha Gautama was the Buddha, the Enlightened one, and not he is gone forever leaving only his teachings behind.  This is how the Buddha explained it in the pali canon, enlightenment is wholly the effort of the student.  In Zen Buddhism, they follow Gautama Buddha and believe that he exists in a spiritual form and can answer prayers and help people.  Buddha can help the student find enlightenment, but this path is still mostly the effort of the student.  Theravada Buddhism is based solely in the language pali, whereas Zen is based in pali, sanskrit, as well as chinese.  Theravada relies solely on the most ancient texts which are the direct word of Buddha whereas there are many Mahayana texts accumulated after the death of Buddha, and commentaries by Zen teachers.  Some schools use the ancient text as well but do not recognize its authority over Mahayana.  Holy days for the Theravadists are Wasak, Buddha’s Birthday and the Theavadan New Year, wherease the Zen Holy days include Wesak, Sangha Day, Chinese New Year, and Bodhi day.  Theravada originates from northern India/Nepal however Zen Buddhism originated in China.  The most valuable attribute in Theravada is the practice of detachment, however in Zen it is the practice of compassion.

The schools of Theravada and Zen seem to be more different than similar in many aspects of the religion, however both maintain basic Buddhist ideals.    

Buddhist Worship

Buddhists can worship in a group setting, at a temple, at home, or not at all.  In the home, Buddhists will often have a room set aside for worship.  The room would have a statue of Buddha, a candle, and an incense burner.  Buddhist temples may be in any shape or style.  The most well known temples are the pagodas of China and Japan, however not all temples are similar in style.  Another type of Buddhist temple is a stone enclosure around some relic or text of Buddhist teachings.  Five different elements are symbolized in Buddhist temples: fire, air, earth (symbolized by the square base), water, and wisdom (symbolized by the pinnacle at the top).  All Buddhist temples have an image, statue, or representation of some kind, of the Buddha.  

There are many different ways to worship in Buddhism due to the many schools and denominations of Buddhism.  In the Mahayana tradition, buddhists may worship Buddha and the Bodhisattvas.

A mantra is a phrase, words, or prayer that is repeated many times, which has a spiritual effect on a person.  One of the most well known mantras is simply Om.  Om appears at the beginning of another famous mantra, om mani padme hum.  The phrase very roughly translates to "Behold! The jewel in the lotus!", although this translation does not accurately capture the deep spiritual meaning this phrase holds for Buddhists.  Throughout Buddhism there are many different ways that one can worship.  Each person's worship is a very personal experience which they view with great levity.  Worship is a large part of the Buddhist lifestyle.