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Buddhism and Other Responses to Suffering

Buddhism and Other Responses to Suffering. A presentation by Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D. to the Buddhist Student Association Berea College March 17, 2003. SUFFERING: THE BEGINNING AND END OF BUDDHISM. When asked what he taught, the Buddha said: “I teach suffering and the end of suffering.”

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Buddhism and Other Responses to Suffering

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  1. Buddhism and Other Responsesto Suffering A presentation by Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D. to the Buddhist Student Association Berea College March 17, 2003

  2. SUFFERING: THE BEGINNING AND END OF BUDDHISM • When asked what he taught, the Buddha said: “I teach suffering and the end of suffering.” • When asked if he was divine or human, the Buddha said: “I am awake.” • When asked to summarize his teaching, the Buddha said: “To avoid evil; to do good; to cleanse one’s mind.”

  3. SHAKYAMUNI GAUTAMA SIDDARTHA (c. 550-450 BCE?) • Shakyamuni (Buddha: “awakened one”) inherited an ancient Indian worldview: • Cyclical existence of endless rebirth (samsara) • Conditioning of rebirth by moral results of one’s actions (karma) • Presumption of eternal self (atman) underlying transitory physical form

  4. SUFFERING AND SELFHOOD • The Buddha taught that: • Although samsara can be pleasant and karma profitable, ultimately there is no satisfaction in either • Samsara and karma ultimately are illusions produced by attachment to false views of self (atman) • The self is impermanent (anatman, “no-self”)

  5. UNDERSTANDING ANATMAN • The self is not a holistic, permanent entity • Instead, it is a composite entity, composed of five skandhas (“clusters”) or elements: • Physical body (outward, sensory form of self) • Emotions (raw responses to sensory data) • Ideas (processed responses to sensory data) • Biases (orientations produced by sensory data) • Consciousness (awareness of self and senses) • The self is interdependent & impermanent; no basis for ego • Realizing anatman = • Awakening to suffering • Compassion in suffering • Liberation from suffering

  6. Buddhists express their central insights into reality as the “Four Noble Truths”: Life is suffering Self-centered attachment is the root of suffering Suffering can be ended There is a path by which to end suffering Each “Noble Truth” represents an imperative to respond to reality as it truly is: Understand suffering Let go of its origins Realize its cessation (nirvana – “blowing out”) Cultivate the path toward its cessation BUDDHISM AS A RESPONSE TO SUFFERING

  7. WHAT ABOUT HINDUISM?

  8. Hindus accept the worldview of samsara (cycle of birth and death), karma (ethical conditioning of rebirth), and atman (permanent essence or self) critiqued by Buddhists For Hindus, there are many deities (polytheism), but ultimately only one absolute deity (monism) – Brahman, of which atman (and all) is a part A Hindu thus must: Understand that one is part of an eternal whole, life after life Let go of alienating selfishness that causes suffering and rebirth Realize one’s liberation from rebirth (moksha) Cultivate the path toward moksha through study (jñana), devotion (bhakti), and/or action (karma) HINDUISM AS A RESPONSE TO SUFFERING

  9. WHAT ABOUT CHRISTIANITY?

  10. Christians affirm a very different worldview: Life is linear and finite One omnipotent and loving God created all life, giving humans free will Human choices that prioritize self over God (sin) lead to alienation and suffering God’s selflessness (in Jesus) overcomes human selfishness (in sin) A Christian thus must: Understand that one is made by God to know and enjoy God forever Let go of selfishness that causes suffering & eternal separation from God Realize one’s salvation by God’s love in Jesus Cultivate the path to salvation by prayer, selfless love (agape), and thanksgiving CHRISTIANITY AS A RESPONSE TO SUFFERING

  11. WHAT ABOUT ISLAM?

  12. Muslims assert that: Life is linear and finite One omnipotent and loving God (Allah) created all life, gave humans free will and revealed himself in Qur’an Human refusal to submit to Allah leads to lawlessness and suffering Submission (Islam) is the proper response to Allah and offers redemption A Muslim thus must: Understand that one is powerless before Allah Let go of proud resistance to Allah by submitting Realize one’s dependence on Allah’s mercy & power Cultivate the path to submission through faith (shahada), prayer (shalat), charity (zakat), fasting (Ramadan), and pilgrimage (Hajj) ISLAM AS A RESPONSE TO SUFFERING

  13. Some responses are theistic (Christianity), while others are nontheistic (Buddhism) Some responses are dualistic (humanity/God, self/other), while others are nondualistic (atman/Brahman, interdependence of self/other) All responses profiled here call upon us to: Understand suffering Let go of its origins Realize its cessation Cultivate the path toward its cessation And all identify: A common curse (suffering) A common cause (selfishness) A common cure (selflessness) TYPES OF RESPONSES TO SUFFERING

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