Unit 2, Lecture 4: The Eightfold Path and Theravada Buddhism

The Eightfold Path: 8 wheel of dharma (not sequence, 8 aspects) - Right insight, intention/thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, mediation - Divides 8 into 3 big categories: Wisdom (2), Ethics (3), Concentration (3) - Wisdom is both and end of path ----------Mediation: hundreds of diff types, NOT empty mind Giving object of concentration rather than blank mind (ex. Breath, object, argument like chariot to find conclusion) Been training mind in wrong way, can’t concentrate and little control to own mind -> mediation to train and control mind o Ex. Chasing elephant as it’s being pulled away from uncontrollable monkey until we tame elephant for it to follow us to enlightenment Shamitha Practices: tranquility, peace, calm-abiding (Hindu & others has this too) Become good at object of concentration without distractions -> mind becomes peaceful and blissful to obtain One-Pointedness of Mind - Gives higher rebirth Vipashyana (Upasana): insight/wisdom into Dharma, no self (ONLY Buddhist) - Need this for enlightenment - Some say reach high Shaitha first, or balance of both, or only Vipashyana Bodhisattvas: can achieve Nirvana but stayed back to help others achieve Nirvana Modern Mindfulness - Secular practice, on health, peace Hindu Dharma: duty, righteousness Buddhist Dharma: teachings of the buddha Irreducible parts: atom of time, moment, awareness View of the Buddha Theravada: “The Doctrine of the Elders” - Sees themselves as faithful inheritors of the Buddha’s original teachings - South and SE Asia (Sri Lanka, Burma/Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia) - Pali Sutras (early teachings of the Buddha) - Based on the Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path, No-Self, ipermanence - Nirvana = ineffable state beyond samsara Goal: Nirvana (can get byself, but not enough to acquire wisdom and virtue to save all beings) - Only monks are said to able to reach full enlightenment - Siddhartha Gautama Buddha is eternal/central - Buddha as teacher, exemplar from the past - “Historical Buddha”