III. World religions. Buddhism

1.Outline of the lecture

1Buddha and his teaching

The term “ Buddhism” refers to a diverse array of beliefs and practices and is used in the West, the Buddhists use the term Dharma (Pali, Dhamma)- “ the norm which is true” or Sasana -“ system”.

Buddhism is

-a religion,

- a series of practices

- and a way of life based on the teaching of Buddha who after achieving enlightenment, taught that the nature of the world is constant change.

Who is Buddha? Born near Nepal in 623 B.C. Buddha was first named Prince Siddhartha Gautama. Three great omens сhanged his views about existence.(disease, old age, death).At 29, he left the royal court to wander the country as a monk searching for a way to end suffering.

At 35, he achieved the state of Enlightenment also known as Buddhahood and Nirvana. He managed to answer the question how to stop suffering – to refuse from desire. Buddha taught that everything in the world is impermanent and it is impossible to understand the true nature of life on Earth that leads to our unhappiness and suffering. Buddhism is a way to correct our view, conduct and expectation of life.

Rejection of religious devotion. Buddhism has no creator God who exits apart from this or any other universe. Buddhism rejects religious devotion as a way of salvation, it believes that the universe abounded (изобилует)in gods, goddesses, demons and other non-human powers, but all are finite, subject to death and rebirth.

2. Principles of Buddhism

The answer to the fundamental ethical problem: In what way to live?- Buddha compressed into the

Four Noble Truths:

· Dukkha

· Samudaya

· Nirodha

· Marga- There is a path that leads out of suffering known as Noble Eightfold Path (“ the path that leads to no- desire )

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3. Key ideas of Buddhism

· The Spirit of Free Inquiry – The Buddha encouraged people to investigate the truth of his teachings for themselves before accepting his ideas. He never expected people to practice His Teaching out of “ blind faith” and superstition, but instead encouraged a free spirit of questions. People should accept and practice Teachings and lifestyles they find to be physically and mentally beneficial.

· Self-reliance and individual effort. There are two main ways that Buddha focus on self-reliance. 1) each person must work out for themselves the way to end their sufferings and attain happiness;

2) it is up to each person to realize that it is their own actions that determine their future. In Buddhist thinking each individual’s destiny is not determined by an outside power but the way we live our own lives.

· Tolerance

· Loving-kindness and compassion

· Buddhism and science- there is no any conflict. Buddhism agrees that many things Buddha taught 2500 years ago have been proven by science(power of mind, divisibility of atom, the relativity of matter and energy, structure of the universe were taught by Buddha even before science)

2. Question for test

1. What is Buddhism?

2.Influence of Buddha’s life on his teaching

3. Explain “ 4 Noble Truths”

4. Key ideas of Buddhism

3. Glossary

Enlightenment- ағарту   Omen Devotion	просветление, просвещение-   знак, предзнаменование- - набожность	Ағарту   белгісі
Self-reliance-уверенность в своих силах Practice salvation	уверенность в своих силах   обряд спасение

4.Tasks for IWS: Religions in India

5.Tasks for office hours: Origins of Buddhism

6.Reference

Музафарова Н.И. История религий, 2004, стр. 111-147

Религии мира, М., 1996, стр. 5-24

World Religions (KAU library), Charter” Buddhism”

http;//www. nationmaster.com./encyclopedia/Buddhism

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