Trang chủ

Thông tin tra cứu

Basic Tenets of Buddhism

Aids to study and teaching of the Dhamma

C. NYÀNASATTA THERA

Publish by

Anada Semage, Rajagiriya, Ceylon

FOREWORD

The carbon copy and the first set of the printed sheets of The Basic Tenets Of Buddhism have been in the past years read by several guest and resident student of the Verdant Hermitage and have served as the first introduction to new students and as a Refresh course to advanced students of the Dhamma. Thought most of them did not want to read more than a chapter or two, none could lay the whole manuscript aside but read attentively the whole book from beginning to end and it was to them a real Refresher  course in the Dhamma or a good first introduction to a systematic study of Buddhism.

As expressed by most readers, while reading The Basic Tenets of Buddhism, from the first line up to the last page, the reader feels that here a teacher has applied his knowledge of the principles of education, the methods of teaching, psychology of learning and teaching, briefly pedagogy, that is to say, the science and art of teaching, to the exposition of the Dhamma for the adult students of Buddhism.

Acquisition, fixation and application, correct presentation, judicious distribution of the material, using both induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis, starting with the known and the simple, and leading the reader by an easy and graduated course into the realm of the yet unknown or little known and the more complex, forestalling all criticism by answering all possible objections and questions arising out of the exposition, frequent review and restatement of earlier points taught in previous chapters, outlines at the beginning and summaries at the end, brevity and simplicity of expression: all this has been appreciated and praised as the work of an expert in teaching.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

PREFACE

            PART I – THE ESSENTIALS OF BUDDHISM

                        CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION: Buddhism in its Relation to other Indian and Western Systems of Thought

Buddhism

The Buddhist

The Buddha

The Dhamma, or the Teaching

The Theravada

The Mahàyàna

The Sangha

The Essence of the Teaching

Spiritual Development

Realization

                        CHAPTER II

GLIMPSES OF THE HISTORY OF BUDDHISM – The Six Councils

                                    (Sangàyanà)

First council of Ràjagaha

Council of Vesãti

Council of Pãtaliputta

Great council of Lankã, at Aluvihãra in Ceylon

Council of Mandalay in Burma

The Sixth Great council of Burma

Bibliography

                        CHAPTER III

MENTAL PILGRIMAGE TO THE PLACES “WHERE THE BUDDHA TROD”

Lambini

Kapilavatthu

Rãjagaha and Buddha-Gayã

Benares– Bãrãnasi and Sãrnãth

Sãvatthi

Vesãli, Pãyã and Kusinãrã

Dharmasoka – The King Beloved of the Gods

Megasthenes at Pãtaliputta

King Milinda – Menandros or Menander

Return from Pilgrimage

Bibliography

                        CHAPTER IV

THE LIFE OF THE BUDDHA

The Life Story of Prince Siddhartha Gotama

The Youth of the Prince

The Quest of the Deathless

The Enlightenment

The First Weeks after Enlightenment

The Buddha as Teacher of the Law of Liberation

The Last Days of the Buddha

Bibliography

                        CHAPTER V

THE FIRST DISCOURSE OF THE BUDDHA

The Five groups of Existence – The Five Khandhã

The Discourse on the setting in Motion of the Wheel of the Law

Dhammacakkappavattana-sutta

Bibliography

                        CHAPTER VI

THE SECOND DISCOURSE OF THE BUDDHA

Attã and Anattãor the Self and Not-Self

Anattã-lakkhana-sutta – The Discourse on Not-self

Bibliography

                        CHAPTER VII

DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

Introduction: the Pratical Aspect of the Dhamma

Sacca-vibhanga-sutta, Analysis of the Four Noble Truths

Bibliography

                        CHAPTER VIII

RIGHT UNDERTANDING

Introduction

Origination of Suffering

Cessation of Suffering

 The Discourse on right Undertanding – Sammãditthi-sutta

Bibliography

                        CHAPTER IX

RIGHT MINDFULNESS

Foundation of Mindfulness

The Foundation of Mindfulness

The Contemplation of the Body

The Contemplation of Feeling

The Contemplation of Mind

The Contemplation of Mental Phenomena as Mental Objects

Bibliography

            PART II – PRACTICAL BUDDHISM

                        CHAPTER X

BUDDHISM – IN SELF-EDUCATION AND PRACTICE

Buddhism as a guiding Practical Philosophy

Buddhism is more than the Dhamma-books

Buddhism Education

Oral Ceremonial Examinations

Subconscious Assimilation by Following Living Examples

The Power of Example

Using Stories in Teaching the Dhamma

The Right Type of Stories

A Practical Demonstration of the Principles Involved

The Trained Buddhist

Moral responsibility

Absence of training

Making ever fresh efforts

Purity of Mind

King Pacetana and his Wheelwright

Gavesi – the seeker

                        CHAPTER XI

APPLIED BUDDHISM

Buddhism is tolerant

Our duties

The Realism and Optimism of Buddhism

Sources of all Apparent Paradoxes in Buddhism

The Aspiration of a True Buddhist

Sources of criticism

Practice of Pristine Buddhism as guiding Philosophy and Personal

Religion

Work and social service

Recreation and relaxation

Practice of Pristine Buddhist Meditation

                        CHAPTET XII

THE BUDDHIST VIEW OF LIFE AND ITS PRACTICAL APPLICATION

The Parable of the Four Serpents

The Parable of the Log of Wood

                        CHAPTER XIII

THE BUDDHIST WAY OF LIFE

The Causes of Dissatisfaction

The Remedy

Resentment and Worry as Sources of Dissatisfaction

Satisfaction of Our Wants

Selflessness

Self-expression

Charity

Transition of Civilization

The Buddhist way of Life as Preparation for the Higher Life in the Dhamma

                        CHAPTER XIV

NEW METHODS OF TEACHING BUDDHISM IN SCHOOLS

Rapid Refresher Courses in Buddhism for Teachers

The Efficient Teacher of Dhamma

Incentives to Study and Practice

The Language to be used in Teaching the Dhamma

Festive Oral Examinations

New Text-book for Schools and Sunday Schools

Outlines suggested for the Dhamma Text-books for Schools and Sunday Schools

Standard I_VIII or J.S.C

Standard IX or G.C.E, Ordinary Level, Standard X or G.C.E, Advanced Level-Intermediate Buddhism and Buddhism for Teachers of the Dhamma

Concluding remarks

Bibliography

                        CHAPTER XV

THE SPREAD OF BUDDHISM AND BUDDHISM STUDIES IN THE WEST

The Expansion of Buddhism in the East and the West

The Reasons for the successful and Rapid Propagation of Buddhism in the West

Western students of Buddhism in the East

Buddhism Monasteries in the West

Bibliography

            PART III – THE HEART OF BUDDHISM

                        CHAPTER XVI

THE PROBLEMS OF BUDDHISM

                        CHAPTER XVII

WHAT BUDDHISM MEANS TO MANKIND

THE SCIENCE AND ART OF BUDDHISM

                        CHAPTER XVIII

BUDDHISM THOUGHTS ON KARMA AND REBIRTH

                        CHAPTER XIX

BUDDHISM THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

The value of Good-will and Loving-Kindness - Mettã

Compassion – Karunà

Sympathetic Joy – Muditã

Equanimity – Upekkhã

Reflection on Impermanence – Anicca

Contemplation of Suffering – Dukkha

Contemplation of Not-self –Anattã

                        CHAPTER XX

DISCOURSES OF THE BUDDHA

The Exposition of the Discourse on Loving-Kindness or Karaniya Mettã –sutta

The Four Supermundane Paths and Fruitions (Lokuttara-magga-phalã) and the Four Noble Individuals (Ariya-puggalã)

The Exposition of the Discourse on Blessings (Mahãmangala-Sutta)

Exposition of the Vyagghapajja-sutta on Accomplishments

                        CHAPTER XXI

THE HEART OF BUDDHISM

What is religion

The Life of the Buddha

The Records of the Buddhist Scripture

The Advantage to a systematic study of Buddhism

Buddha – Dhamma – Sangha: Buddhism, the Buddha, the Dhamma and Sangha

The Buddhist and the Essence of Buddhism

Applied Buddhism, the Five Precepts and How and why to observe them

Addendum: the A.B.C of Buddhist Ceremonial for Daily Recital

                        CHAPTER XXII

THE BUDDHIT MEDITATION ON BUDDHA – DHAMMA-SANGHA

Recollection of the Enlightened One

Recollection of the Dhamma

Recollection of the Sangha

Pli Text of Recollections

                        CHAPTER XXIII

The Buddhist Meditation on Loving-Kindness – Mettã-Bhãvanã

                        CHAPTER XXIV

Mindfulness of Breathing

            Glossary

            Index

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Trang kế
 Trang cuối