History and Teachings of Buddhism

Buddhist Scriptures Guided Lecture Notes History and Teachings of Buddhism Who founded Buddhism? And when did he live? What does the title “Buddha” mean? What did the Buddha do after he achieved enlightenment? How and where did Buddhism spread outside of India? What are some key Buddhist concepts? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Scriptures of Buddhism What is the Pali canon? And when was it canonized? What texts does it include? What are the Sanskrit sutras? What is the Chinese canon? And when was it canonized? What texts does it include? What is the Tibetan Canon? And when was it canonized? What texts does it include? Life Stories of the Buddha What was the first Life Story of the Buddha? Who wrote it and when was it written? What are the key parts of the story of the Buddha and his journey to enlightenment? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The Dhammapada What are contained in the Dhammapada? What does “dhamma” mean? What does “pada” mean? The Heart Sutra Why are we studying the Heart Sutra if it is not recognized as a teaching of the Buddha? What is “Sunyata?” What is the No-Self Doctrine? How does “sunyata” apply to all phenomena in the world? What is “non-duality” and how does it apply to Buddhism? The Lotus Sutra What is a Mahayana Sutra? What is the Parable of the Burning House? And what does it teach about Buddhism? What does the “Tathagata” want for all of us? The Tibetan Book of the Dead How did the Tibetan Book of the Dead come to be translated into English and published in the West? What is the difference between how it is viewed in the West and in Tibet? What is the “Bardo Thodol?”