Initiation Rights of Buddhism
The Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, founded Buddhism in Northern India. He was born circa 563 in Lumbini, which is in modern-day Nepal. At the age of 29, he left his wife, children and political involvements in order to seek truth; this was an accepted practice at the time for some men to leave their family and lead the life of an ascetic. He studied Brahmanism, but ultimately rejected it. In 535 BCE, he reached enlightenment and assumed the title Buddha (one who has awakened). He is also referred to as the Sakyamuni, (sage of the Sakya clan). He promoted The Middle Way, rejecting both extremes of the mortification of the flesh and of hedonism as paths toward the state of Nirvana. He had many disciples and accumulated a large public following by the time of his death in his early 80's in 483 BCE. Two and a half centuries later, a council of Buddhist monks collected his teachings and the oral traditions of the faith into written form, called the Tripitaka. This included a very large collection of commentaries and traditions; most are called Sutras (discourses). (1) Buddhism, like most of the great religions of the world, is divided into a number of different traditions. We will deal in this essay with Theravada Buddhism. (2)
"To take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and to see with real understanding the Four Noble Truths, ~ Suffering, the Cause of Suffering, the Transcending of Suffering and the Noble Eightfold Path that leads to the transcending of suffering, This indeed is a safe refuge, it is the refuge supreme. It is the refuge whereby one is freed from all suffering."(6) 2. The cause of dukkha is craving. The natural human tendency is to blame our difficulties on things outside ourselves. However, the Buddha says that their actual root is to be found in the mind itself. In particular, our tendency to grasp at things (or alternatively to push them away) places us fundamentally at odds with the way life really is. 1. Steve Hagen, Buddhism Plain and Simple, Broadway Books, December 1998 To take refuge, it is best done with the guidance of a monk. However, if such a person is not available, one may take refuge before an image of the Buddha. Place this image, which may be a statue, a picture or even a computer graphic such that when you kneel before it, it is at the level of your head or higher. Kneel before the image and put your palms together at your chest. Compose yourself, calm your mind and bow three times to the image such that your palms and forehead touches the floor. Then recite the following formula in Pali, which is the ancient language of the scriptural texts. Homage to Him, the Exalted One, the Worthy One, The Supremely Enlightened One 3.For the third time, I go to the Buddha as my refuge. For the third time, I go to the Dhamma as my refuge. For the third time, I go to the Sangha as my refuge. 4. There is a path that leads from dukkha. Although the Buddha throws responsibility back on to the individual he also
Some common words found in the essay are:
Eightfold Path, Northern India, Noble Truths, Books December, Supremely Enlightened, God Gods, Theravada Buddhism, december 1998, 1998 page, books december, Teachings Sangha, december 1998 page, books december 1998, proper investigation, Steve Hagen, Dhamma Sangha, plain simple broadway, broadway books, plain simple, buddhism plain, hagen buddhism, simple broadway, simple broadway books, steve hagen, buddhism plain simple,
Approximate Word count = 1174
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
