Day 1: Foundations and the Buddha's Journey
PHIL 210: World Religions
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The Buddha's awakening (bodhi) means seeing reality clearly
The Buddha's "awakening" (bodhi)—sometimes translated as "enlightenment"—means seeing reality clearly, like waking from a dream. It refers to direct insight into the nature of suffering and its cessation, not mystical superpowers.
All conditioned things share three characteristics:
Impermanence
Everything changes; nothing lasts forever
Suffering
Life contains inevitable dissatisfaction
No-Self
No permanent, unchanging soul or essence
These three insights form the foundation of all Buddhist teaching across every tradition. Understanding impermanence, suffering, and no-self is essential to the Buddhist path.
Community of Buddhist Practitioners
The bhikkhuni (nuns') full ordination lineage died out in Theravada countries centuries ago and has been controversially revived in recent decades. Women's full ordination remains a contested issue in some Buddhist traditions today.
Sangha becomes powerful landholding institution
Monasteries function as:
Buddhist monasteries, like Christian ones in medieval Europe, accumulated wealth, owned land, educated elites, preserved manuscripts, and sometimes wielded political influence alongside spiritual authority.
State and private patronage created extraordinary sacred sites
*Originally Hindu temple (12th c.), converted to Buddhist use later—illustrates religious fluidity in Southeast Asia
Discussion Questions:
Take 3 minutes to discuss with a neighbor, then we'll share insights.
International Sangha
Buddhism's reach extends far beyond Asia
Beginning with Theravada Buddhism
The Tradition of the Elders
"Teaching of the Elders." Theravada claims to preserve early Buddhist teachings, though all extant texts post-date the Buddha by centuries. The claim is about textual lineage and interpretive approach rather than word-for-word preservation.
3rd Century BCE
Ashoka promoted "dhamma" (ethical governance) through rock edicts throughout his empire. His dhamma emphasized moral conduct, religious tolerance, and social welfare—broader than strictly Buddhist dharma (teaching).
Think-Pair-Share:
Think (1 min): How does Buddhism's spread through trade and political patronage compare to Christianity or Islam?
Pair (2 min): Discuss similarities and differences with a partner
Share (3 min): Each pair shares one key insight
Preserving the Buddhist Canon
Result: The Tipitaka ("Three Baskets") via oral tradition
Monastic rules
Buddha's discourses
Philosophical analysis
Buddhist texts were preserved through oral recitation by specialist monks for centuries before being written down. Different recensions exist in Pali, Chinese, and Tibetan. Modern scholars debate how much variation existed in oral transmission before texts were standardized in writing.
Recent scholarship highlights sophisticated lay Buddhist practice and questions the strict monk/lay hierarchy. Merit-making represents complex soteriology, not just "spiritual consumerism." Lay practitioners can achieve advanced understanding.
Essential Wisdom Text
"All things are preceded by the mind, led by the mind, created by the mind."
— Dhammapada, Verse 1
Key themes:
Next Class Preview:
Mahayana Buddhism's innovations, Zen and Vajrayana traditions, the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path