Section A Basics of Buddhism

Unit 2- Buddhist Teachings

A Presentation
by
Mahendra Ratna Shakya
April 2, 2018/ 19-12-2074
Unit 2. Buddhist Teachings
 2.1. Triratna (Triple Gems) : Meaning,
Concept, Purpose, and Importance.
 2.2. Tri-lakshan (Three Universal

Characteristics) lqnIf0f, 2.3. Cattari –

ariyasaccani ( Four Noble Truths)
 2.4. Paticca-samuppada (Law of Dependent

Origination) +kl6Rr;d'Tkfb
 2.5. Concept of Arhat and Nibbana
 2.6. Bodhisattva and Buddhahood in

Sravakayana >fjsofg
Meaning of Triratna

What is RATNA (Gem) ?

Ratna is the precious thing. Jewels or gems are precious in value,
expensive, dear, rare things.
therefore they are called Ratna (in Pāli ‘Ratana’ ).
‘Rattin janetiti ratanan’ /lt+ hg]tLlt /tg+ One which generate
pleasant or joy is called Ratna.
What is Triratna in Buddhism ?
Tri= Three, Ratna= Jewel, Precious things,
In Buddhism Triratna (Pāli Tiratana) means Buddha, Dhamma and
Sangha. It means the Buddha, his teachings and his followers.
Triratna (Triple Gems) lq/Tg
Meaning
Buddha= the awakened or enlightened one, Gautama and Other Buddhas
Dhamma (in Sanskrit Dharma)= the teachings of Buddha, Law of nature
Dhamma is threefold: the Dhamma that we study, we practice, and Realization.
Sangha= Community or assembly of monks(Bhikshus), nuns (Bhikshunis), and
disciples or followers
Concept and purpose
To take refuge on Triple gem is the first step, entrance or foundation in
Buddhism.
Jewel are the precious things in the world. Ratnasutta describes – whatever
jewels found in this world and heaven are not precious than Buddha, Dhamma
and Sangha. Thus one should take refuse on Triple gems for liberation. One
should trust upon Buddha and his teachings. No one can follow Buddha and
his teaching without faith. Sangha preserved the Dhamma otherwise it will lost
in course of history. Therefore one should follow the Sangha. Monks should
respect the Sangha. Triple gem is the base of Buddhism.
 Triratna in Mahayana,Vajrayana- Buddhas of past present future Dharma= Prajnaparmita , Sangha=Lokeswor, other Bodhisattvas

 Importance of Triratna
 Triratna is the central point in Buddhism. Without Buddha no Dhamma and Sangha will exist. If
Buddha do not teach Dhamma no one can learn it. Dhamma will be disappeared without followers or
Sangha. Sangha preserved the teachings of Buddha. Therefore three jewels are very important.

1.2. Trilakșaņa -lqnIf0f_

Lakșaņa= qualities or marks.
A phrase yathā-bhūta-jñāna-darśana oyfe"t 1fgbz{g is frequently used in Buddhist
literature. It means ‘knowing or seeing the things as they really are’. Buddha’s insight
knowledge was such that he saw the universe and the human situation as it really is. He
saw the world and everything in it are characterized by three lakșaņas. They are anicca,
dukkha and anatta clgRr b'Sv cgQ (in Sanskrit anitya, dukkha, and anātmā clgTo
b'Mv cgfTdf_
Anitya= impermanent or transitory. All the conditional things and beings are arising and passing
away. Nothing remains unchanged. Changing nature ljkl/0ffd wd{
Duḥkha= suffering or unsatisfactory. Things you like are impermanent. Impermanent
is not pleasant or enjoyable, it is sorrow. It is noble truth.
Anātmā= no self. Impermanent and sorrowful things are not self or lacking selfhood
because physical and mental world are continually changing. There is no everlasting
soul or essence.
1.3. Cattāri-ariyasaccāni (Four Noble Truths)
 In the first discourse or the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma Buddha teaches Four Noble
Truths to pancavaggiya monks.
 Cattāri- ariyasaccāni rQfl/ cl/o ;Rrflg (catuaryastya rt'–cfo{;To in Sanskrit) Cattāri =Four;

Ariya =Noble; Saccāni= Truths

 The Four Noble Truths are:

 1.Dukkha ariyasacca b'Mv;To (Noble Truth of Suffering),

 2.Dukkha Samudaya ariyasacca b'Mv;d'bocfo{;To (Noble Truth of the origin of Suffering

or the cause of Suffering),
 3.Dukkha Nirodha ariyasacca b'Mvlg/f]wcfo{;To (Noble Truth of cessation or end of
Suffering) and
 4.Dukkha Nirodhagāminipatipada ariyasacca or Margasacca b'Mvlg/f]wufldl0fk|ltkbfcfo{;To

(Noble Truth of the Path leading to cessation of Suffering)

 Buddha states that

-It is through not understanding, not realizing four things, that I as well as you had to
wander so long through this round of rebirths.
-As long as the absolute true knowledge about these Four Noble Truths was not quite clear
in me I have not declared that I had attained Unsurpassed Enlightenment.
-ofjlsj~r d] leDvj] Od];' rt";' cl/o;Rr]; Pj+ ltkl/j§+ åfb;fsf/+ oyfe"t+ `f0fb:;g+
g ;'lj;'4+ cxf]l; . g]j tfjfx+ leSvj] ;b]js] nf]s] ;df/s] ;a|Dxs] ;:;d0fa|fDxl0fof
khfo ;b]jdg':;fo cg'Q/+ ;Ddf;Daf]lw+ cle;Da'4f] lt kRr~`fl; ._
What is Dukkhasacca ?
 Birth is suffering; old age is suffering; sickness is suffering; death is
suffering; contact with unpleasant things is suffering; separation from
pleasant things is suffering; and not getting what one wishes is also
suffering, in short, the five groups of existence ( pancaskandha
k~r:sGw) is suffering i, e, form, feeling, perception, formation and
consciousness -¿k, j]bgf, ;+1f, ;+:sf/, lj1fg_
What is Samudayasacca ?
Craving -t[i0ff, kfln t0xf_ is the cause of suffering. Craving leads to
rebirth, combined with pleasures and lust, finding pleasure here and
there. They are -
1.Kāma taņhā (sfdt[i0ff) sensual craving
2.Bhava taņhā (ejt[i0ff) craving for existence in higher worlds
3.Vibhava taņhā (ljejt[i0ff) craving for annihilation pR5]b ljej or non-
existence.
What is Nirodhasacca lg/f]w;Rr, the extinction of suffering?
Extinction of craving, eradication of craving
detachment from craving is nirodha, mukti, nirvana.
What is Maggasacca dUu;Rr -dfu{;To_, the path leading to cessation of
suffering?
They are Noble Eightfold Path cl/of] c¶lËsf] dUuf] -cfo{ci6flËsdfu{_
Noble Eightfold Path
 ;Ddflbl§, ;Ddf;ÍKkf], ;Ddfjfrf, ;DdfsdGtf], ;DdfcfhLjf], ;Ddfjfofdf],
;Ddf;lt, ;Ddf;dflw
 Right Understanding- understanding the four noble truths and

understanding wholesome and unwholesome karma actions

-sDd;stf ;Ddflbl§_ etc.
 Right Thought- 1. thought free from lust -g]SvDd ;+sKk_ 2. thought

free from ill-will -cJofkfb ;+sKk_ 3. thought free from cruelty –

cljlx+;f ;+sKk_
 Right Speech- abstaining from 1. lying or false speeking -d';fjfb lj/lt_

2. malicious talk or backbiting -;Dkmknfkjfrf lj/lt_ 3. harsh language –

lk;'gjfrf lj/lt_ 4. vain talk or nonsensical, meaningless talk -km?;jfrf
lj/lt_
 Right Action- abstain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct

 Right Livelihood- avoiding deceit, fraud, bribe and five trades- arms,

living beings, flesh, intoxicating drinks, poison

 Right Effort- effort to avoid and overcome evil actions, effort to

develop and maintain good actions

 Right Mindfulness is concerned with vipassana meditation

 Right Concentration is concerned with samatha meditation

Paticcasamuppāda (Law of Dependent Origination)

 Paticcasamuppāda kl6Rr;d'Kkfb
 in Sanskrit Pratityasamutpāda k|tLTo;d'Tkfb paticca =causes (hetu
samuha); samuppāda=Origin with
Dharmas origin with causes. Dharma means all the phenomena 36gf
of the world mental and physical. Anything can’t origin independently.
Things are originated dependently with cause and condition.
Bodhisattva’s quest or search for
Why people are suffering ? Why birth, decay, death and rebirth occurs ?
Then he realized that old aged and death are caused by birth. If there is
no rebirth there is no decay and death.
Why someone takes rebirth ?
Then he came to know that rebirth is depended on ‘the process of
becoming (bhava)’. Bhava here means good and bad actions karma.
Why Bhava arises?
Bhava comes from Upādāna (clinging)

 Upadana arises from tnhā or trisnā (craving)

 In this way bodhisattva find out the law of dependent origination, They are
 cljHhf kRrof ;ª\vf/f On ignoranace depend the karma-formation

 ;◊f/ kRrof lj~`f0f+ On karma-formation depends consciousness.

 lj~`f0f +kRrof gfd?k+ On consciousness depends- mental & physical existence

 Gffd?k kRrof ;nfotg On the mental & physical existence depend the Six Sense-organs.

 ;nfotg kRrof km:;f] On the Six Sense-organs depends Sensorial Impression.

 km:; kRrof j]bgf On Sensorial Impression depends feeling.

 J]fbgf kRrof t0xf On feeling depends craving

 Tf0xf kRrof pkfbfg On craving depends clinging

 pkfbfg kRrof ej On clinging depends Process of becoming

 Efj kRrof hflt On Process of becoming depends rebirth

 Hfflt kRrof h/fd/0f+ On rebirth depends Decay & death

 ;f]s -Zff]s_, kl/b]j, b'Sv, bf]dg:; -bf}d{g:o_, pkfof; -lg/fzf_ ;DejlGt sorrow,

lamentation, pain, grief, despair appears.

Concept of Arhat and Nirvāna lgjf{0f (Pāli Nibbāna) lgJjfg

 There are three types of Bodhi (Enlightenment)

 Srāvakabodhi, Pratekabodhi, & Samyakasambodhi
 >fjsaf]lw, k|To]saf]lw, ;Dos\;Daf]lw
One who achieved the
Srāvakabodhi, he is called Srāvaka Buddha. Usually known as -cx{t\_
Arhat.
 There are four stages for attaining Arhathood – 1.Srotāpanna 2.
Sakridāgāmi 3. Anāgāmi 4. Arhat >f]tfkGg, ;s[bfufdL, cgfufdL, cx{t\
 Arhat= reached the Final stage of Nirvāna, all the defilements are ceased.
 Nirvana is a state of liberation from suffering. When one become free
from all types of defilements Sn]z d}n then he gets liberation. He will not
take rebirth again. In Indian religions, nirvana is synonymous
with moksha and mukti
 Two types of Nirvāna are described ;pkflbz]if lgjf{0f, cg'kflbz]if lgjf{0f
Saupādisesa Nirvāna (nirvana with a remainder or physical body) &
Anupādeisesa Nirvāna (nirvana without remainder, or final nirvana)
Buddha attained saupadisesa nirvana at Bodhagaya under Bodhi-tree, but
he get anupasisesa nirvana at Kusinagar at the age of 80. When one attain
arthathood it is called saupadisesa nirvana, and his death is the
anupadisesa nirvana
 Bodhisattva and Buddhahood in Sravakayana
 A person who is "bound for enlightenment“ is called bodhisattva. 
 In Theravada Buddhism, the equivalent Pāli term  bodhisatta  is used in the Pāli Canon
to refer to Gautama Buddha in his previous lives and in his current life before
attaining Buddhahood.
 In theravada, for becoming a bodhisattava, one should fulfill eight requirements.
!= dg':;;Q+ -Human existence_— clegLxf/ ug]{ JolSt dflg; x'g'k5{ . He must
be a human
@= lnË;DklQ - attainment of the male sex _—k'?if g} x'g'kg]{5 :qLefjn]

x'‘b}g . He must be a man

#= x]t' -cause_—ToxL hGddf cx{Œj k|fKt ug]{ Ifdtf ePsf] x'g'k5{ . He must be
capable of attaining arhatship
$= ;Tyf/b:;g++ - seeing a teacher _— a'4nfO{ cfk\mg} cuf8L bz{g x'g'kb{5 .
He must get prediction from a living Buddha
 kAaHhf -sainthood_— a'4Œjsf] k|l0fwfg ug]{ JolSt k|j|lht x'g'k5{, . He must be
a saint not household

^= u'0f;DklQ - attainment of the special qualities _— k~rfle1f / ci6;dfklQ

Wofg nfe u/]sf] JolSt x'g'kg]{ . He must attain five types of miraculous knowledge and eight
types meditation

&= clwsf/f] -complete surrender to Buddha_— oxf“ clwsf/sf] cy{ kl/Tofu xf] .
a'4Œjsf] k|l0fwfg ug]{ JolStn] cfk\mgf] hLjg g} a'4sf] lglDt kl/Tofu ug{;Sg]
x'g'kb{5 .
 *= 5Gbtf -will power_— a'4 aGg] k|an O{R5fnfO{ 5Gb elgG5 . olt k|an ls
 Buddhahood
. In Buddhism, buddhahood (Sanskrit: buddhatva, Pali: buddhatta or
buddhabhāva) is the condition or rank of a Buddha "awakened one“. The Buddha
is a human being in theravada buddhism.
In Theravada Buddhism, Buddha refers to one who has become awakened
through their own efforts and insight, without a teacher to point out the dharma
(Sanskrit; Pali dhamma; "right way of living"). A samyaksambuddha teaches the
dharma to others after his awakening.
Nine qualities of Buddha.
1.Worthy one (c/x+) 2. the fully enlightened one (;Ddf;Da'4f])3. one fully
endowed with vision and conduct ( ljHhfr/0f;DkGg+) 4. one who has gone
rightly (;'utf]) 5. the knower of the worlds (nf]sljb') 6. the incomparable leader
of men to be tamed (cg'Q/f] k'l/;bDd;f/yL) 7. the teacher of gods and men (;Tyf
b]jdg':;fg+) 8. the enlightened (a'4f]]) 9. the blessed one (eujf)
One can attain Buddhahood after the completion of ten perfections in three fold
that is Dasapārami, Dasaupapārami, Dasaparamatthapārami.
The ten perfections are: 1) Danapārami- Perfection of Generosity, 2) Silapārami-
Perfection of Morality, 3) Nekkhammapārami- Perfection of renunciation, 4)
Pannapārami- Perfection of Wisdom, 5) Viriyapārami – Perfection of Energy or
Effort, 6) Khantipārami- Perfection of Patience, 6) Saccapārami- Perfection of
Truthfulness, 8) Adhitthanapāran- Perfection of Determination, 9) Mettāpārami-
Perfection of Loving kindness, 10) Upekkhāpārami- Perfection of Equanimity.