In India, Buddhism flourished until about 500 AD. Then it gradually fell into decay, was absorbed by Hinduism and by the 11th century. almost completely disappeared. By that time, Buddhism had managed to spread and gain influence in other countries of Central and East Asia, where it remains viable to this day. Buddhism today exists in two main forms. Hinayana is widespread in Sri Lanka and in the countries of Southeast Asia - in Myanmar (formerly Burma), Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Mahayana is predominant in China, including Tibet, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia. A significant number of Buddhists live in the Himalayan kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan, as well as in Sikkim in northern India. Far fewer Buddhists (less than 1%) live in India itself, Pakistan, the Philippines and Indonesia. Outside of Asia, several thousand Buddhists live in the United States (600,000), South America (160,000), and Europe (20,000). The data on the total number of Buddhists in the world (from 200 million to 500 million) differ depending on the methodology and criteria for counting. In many countries, Buddhism has mixed with elements of other Eastern religions such as Shinto or Taoism.
GAUTAM BUDDHA (6-5 centuries BC) Life of Buddha. The founder of Buddhism is Buddha ("The Enlightened One"). At birth, Buddha received the name Siddhartha, and the name of his clan or family - Gautama. The biography of Siddhartha Gautama is known only in the presentation of his followers. These traditional accounts, initially transmitted orally, were not written down until several centuries after his death. The most famous legends about the life of Buddha are included in the collection Jataka, compiled around the 2nd century. BC. in the Pali language (one of the most ancient Middle Indian languages).Siddhartha was born in Kapilavastu, in the southern part of what is now Nepal, around the 6th century. BC. His father Shuddhodhana, the head of the noble Shakya clan, belonged to the warrior caste. According to legend, at the birth of a child, his parents were predicted that he would become either a great Ruler or Teacher of the Universe. The father, who firmly decided that the son should be his heir, took all measures to ensure that the son did not see any signs or sufferings of the world. As a result, Siddhartha spent his youthful years in luxury, as befits a wealthy young man. He married Yashodhara's cousin, conquering her in a competition of agility and strength (svayamvara), in which he put all other participants to shame. A contemplative man, he soon grew tired of the idle life and turned to religion. At the age of 29, despite the efforts of his father, he still saw four signs that were to determine his fate. For the first time in his life, he saw old age (a decrepit old man), then illness (a man worn out by illness), death (a dead body) and true serenity (a wandering mendicant monk). In reality, the people Siddhartha saw were gods who assumed this form in order to help Siddhartha become a Buddha. Siddhartha was at first very saddened, but soon realized that the first three signs indicated the constant presence of suffering in the world. Suffering seemed to him all the more terrible because, according to the beliefs of that time, a person after death was doomed to all new birth. Therefore, there was no end to suffering, it was eternal. In the fourth sign, in the serene inner joy of a mendicant monk, Siddhartha saw his future destiny.
Even the happy news of the birth of his son did not make him happy, and one night he left the palace and rode away on his faithful horse Kanthaka. Siddhartha took off his expensive clothes, changed into a monastic dress, and soon settled as a hermit in the forest. Then he joined the five ascetics in the hope that mortification of the flesh would lead him to enlightenment and peace. After six years of the strictest austerity, never reaching his goal, Siddhartha parted with the ascetics and began to lead a more moderate lifestyle.
One day Siddhartha Gautama, now thirty-five years old, sat down under a large bo tree (a kind of fig) near the town of Gaia in eastern India and made a vow that he would not budge until he solved the riddle of suffering. For forty-nine days he sat under a tree. Friendly gods and spirits fled from him when the tempter Mara, the Buddhist devil, approached. Day after day, Siddhartha resisted various temptations. Mara summoned his demons and unleashed a tornado, flood and earthquake on the meditating Gautama. He told his daughters - Desire, Pleasure and Passion - to seduce Gautama with erotic dances. When Mara demanded that Siddhartha present evidence of his kindness and mercy, Gautama touched the ground with his hand, and the earth said, "I am his witness."
In the end, Mara and his demons fled, and on the morning of the 49th day, Siddhartha Gautama learned the truth, solved the riddle of suffering and understood what a person must do to overcome it. Fully enlightened, he has reached the ultimate detachment from the world (nirvana), which means the end of suffering.
He spent another 49 days in meditation under a tree, and then went to Deer Park near Benares, where he found five ascetics with whom he lived in the forest. It was to them that Buddha read his first sermon. Soon the Buddha acquired many followers, the most beloved of whom was his cousin Ananda, and organized a community (sangha), in fact, a monastic order (bhikkhus - "beggars"). The Buddha instructed the dedicated followers in liberation from suffering and the attainment of nirvana, and the laity in the moral way of life. Buddha traveled a lot, on a short time returned home to convert his own family and courtiers. Over time, they began to call him Bhagavan ("Lord"), Tathagatha ("So came" or "So gone") and Shakyamuni ("Sage from the Sakya clan").
There is a legend that Devadatta, a cousin of the Buddha, planning to kill the Buddha out of jealousy, released a mad elephant onto the path along which he had to pass. Buddha meekly stopped the elephant, which fell to his knees in front of him. At the age of 80, Buddha did not give up pork, which was treated to him by the layman Chanda the blacksmith, and soon died.
Teachings. Pre-Buddhist teachings. The era in which Buddha lived was a time of great religious fermentation. By the 6th century. BC. the polytheistic veneration of the deified forces of nature, inherited from the era of the Aryan conquest of India (1500–800 BC), took shape in the rituals of sacrifice performed by the brahmana priests. The cult was based on two collections of sacred literature compiled by the priests: Veda, collections of ancient hymns, chants and liturgical texts, and Brahmanas, collections of instructions for the performance of rituals. Later, belief in reincarnation, samsara and karma was added to the ideas contained in the hymns and interpretations.Among the followers of the Vedic religion were the brahmana priests, who believed that since the gods and all other beings are manifestations of the one supreme reality (Brahman), then only union with this reality can bring liberation. Their reflections are reflected in the later Vedic literature ( Upanishads, 7-6 centuries. BC). Other teachers, rejecting the authority of the Vedas, suggested other ways and methods. Some (ajivakas and Jains) emphasized austerity and mortification of the flesh, others insisted on the adoption of a special doctrine, the adherence to which was to ensure spiritual liberation.
Teaching of Buddha, characterized by depth and high morality, it was a protest against Vedic formalism. Rejecting the authority of both the Vedas and the brahmana priesthood, the Buddha proclaimed a new path of liberation. Its essence is outlined in his sermon Turning the Wheel of Doctrine ( Dhammachakkhappavattana). This is the "middle path" between the extremes of ascetic asceticism (which seemed to him senseless) and the gratification of sensual desires (equally useless). Essentially, this path is to understand the “four noble truths” and live according to them.I ... The noble truth about suffering. Suffering is inherent in life itself, it consists in birth, old age, illness and death, in union with the unpleasant, in separation from the pleasant; in failure to achieve the desired, in short, in everything that is associated with existence.... The noble truth about the cause of suffering. The cause of suffering is longing desire, which leads to a new birth and is accompanied by joy and delight, exultation from the pleasures sought here and there. It is the thirst for lust, the thirst for existence and non-existence.III ... The noble truth about the end of suffering. The cessation of suffering is the cessation of desires through the rejection of them, the gradual release from their power.IV ... The noble truth about the path leading to the end of suffering. The path to the end of suffering is the eightfold path of rightness, namely the right view, the right thought, the right speech, the right action, the right way of life, the right efforts, the right mindset, the right concentration. Progress on this path leads to the disappearance of desires and liberation from suffering.The Buddha's teaching differs from the Vedic tradition, which relies on the rituals of sacrifices to the gods of nature. Here, the fulcrum is no longer dependence on the actions of the priests, but inner liberation through the correct way of thinking, correct behavior and spiritual discipline. The Buddha's teaching is also opposed to the brahmanism of the Upanishads. The authors of the Upanishads, seers, renounced the belief in material sacrifice. Nevertheless, they retained the idea of \u200b\u200b"I" (Atman) as an unchanging, eternal essence. They saw the path to liberation from the power of ignorance and rebirth in the merging of all finite “I” in the universal “I” (Atman, which is Brahman). Gautama, on the other hand, was deeply concerned with the practical problem of human liberation through moral and spiritual cleansing and opposed the idea of \u200b\u200bthe unchanging essence of "I". In this sense, he proclaimed "Not-I" (An-Atman). What is commonly called "I" is a collection of constantly changing physical and mental components. Everything is in progress, and therefore, is able to improve itself through the right thoughts and the right actions. Every action has consequences. Recognizing this "law of karma", the changeable "I" can, making the right effort, to get away from the impulses to bad actions and from retribution for other actions in the form of suffering and a continuous cycle of birth and death. For a follower who has achieved perfection (arahata), the result of his passions will be nirvana, a state of serene insight, dispassion and wisdom, deliverance from further births and the sorrow of existence.
THE SPREAD OF BUDDHISM IN INDIA From Gautama to Ashoka. According to legend, immediately after the death of Gautama, about 500 of his followers gathered in Rajagriha to present the teaching in the form in which they remembered it. The doctrine and rules of conduct were formed, which guided the monastic community (sangha). Subsequently, this direction received the name Theravada ("school of elders"). At the "second council" in Vaishali, community leaders declared unlawful indulgences in ten rules practiced by local monks. This was the first split. Vaishali monks (according to Mahavamsa, or Great Chronicle of Ceylon, there were 10 thousand of them) left the old order and established their own sect, calling themselves Mahasanghikas (members of the Great Order). As the number of Buddhists grew and Buddhism spread, new schisms arose. By the time of Ashoka (3rd century BC), there were already 18 different "schools of teachers". Most important were the original orthodox Theravada; sarvastivada, which at first only slightly diverged from Theravada in doctrinal terms; mahasanghika. In the end, a territorial division occurred between them, so to speak. The Theravada School moved to South India and Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Sarvastivada first gained popularity in Mathura in northern India, but then spread to the northwest as far as Gandhara. The Mahasanghikas were at first active in Magadha, and later settled in the south of India, retaining only some influence in the north.The most important difference of the sarvastivada school is the doctrine of the simultaneous existence of the past, present and future. This also explains its name: sarvam-asti - "everything is there." All three aforementioned schools remain orthodox in nature, but the Sarvastivadins and Mahasanghikas, who used Sanskrit rather than Pali, tended to interpret the meaning of the Buddha's sayings more freely. As for the Theravadins, they strove to keep the ancient dogmas intact.
Ashoka (3rd century BC). The spread of Buddhism received a strong new impetus when the third king from the ancient Indian Mauryan dynasty (4th – 2nd centuries BC) became a secular follower of this religion. In one of his rock edicts (XIII), Ashoka told about repentance for the bloodshed and suffering that he inflicted on people in the war of conquest in Kalinga, and about his decision to follow the path of moral conquest (dharma). This meant that he intended to rule according to the principle of righteousness, instilling this righteousness both in his own kingdom and in other countries.Ashoka honored ascetics, respecting their preaching of non-violence and humane ethical principles, and demanded that his officials support the noble deeds associated with compassion, generosity, truthfulness, purity, meekness and kindness. He himself strove to be an example, caring for the welfare and happiness of his subjects, be they Hindus, Ajiviks, Jains or Buddhists. Edicts, which he ordered to be carved on rocks or stone pillars in different parts of the country, perpetuated the principles of his government.
Great Chronicle of Ceylon credits Ashoka with the honor of convening a "third council" in Pataliputra, where, in addition to clarifying the "true teaching," measures were taken to send Buddhist missionaries out of the kingdom.
From Ashoka to Kanishka. After Ashoka, the Maurya dynasty quickly faded away. By the beginning of 2 BC. it was succeeded by the Shung dynasty, more disposed towards brahmanas than to Buddhists. The emergence of Bactrian Greeks, Scythians and Parthians in northwestern India posed a new challenge to Buddhist teachers. This situation is reflected in a dialogue written in Pali between the Greco-Bactrian king Menander (Milinda) and the Buddhist sage Nagasena ( Milinda's Questions , Milindapanha, 2 BC). Later, in 1 AD, the entire region from Afghanistan to Punjab came under the rule of the Central Asian Kushan tribe. According to the Sarvastivadin tradition, during the reign of King Kanishka (78–101 AD), another “council” was held in Jalandar. The work of the Buddhist scholars who hosted his work resulted in extensive commentaries in Sanskrit.Mahayana and Hinayana. Meanwhile, the formation of two interpretations of Buddhism took place. Some of the sarvastivadins adhered to the orthodox tradition of "elders" (Skt. "Sthaviravada"). There were also liberals who resembled the Mahasanghiks. Over time, the two groups entered into open disagreements. The liberals considered the teachings of the sthaviravadins to be primitive and incomplete. They considered the traditional way of seeking nirvana less successful, calling it the "small vehicle" of salvation (Hinayana), while their own teaching was called the "great vehicle" (Mahayana), carrying the adept into wider and deeper dimensions of truth.In an effort to strengthen and make their position invulnerable, the Hinayanists of the Sarvastivadins assembled a corpus of treatises ( Abhidharma, OK. 350 - 100 BC), based on early texts (sutras) and monastic regulations (vinaya). For their part, the Mahayanists prepared treatises (1-3 AD) outlining new interpretations of the doctrine, opposing the Hinayana as, from their point of view, a primitive interpretation. Despite the controversy, all monks observed the same rules of discipline, and often Hinayanists and Mahayanists lived in the same or adjacent monasteries.
It should be noted that the terms "Hinayana" and "Mahayana" arose from the polemical statements of the Mahayans, who sought to separate their new interpretations from the old ones retained by the conservative sarvastivadins. Both groups belonged to northern Buddhists who used Sanskrit. The Theravadins, who used the Pali and went to the south of India and to Sri Lanka (Ceylon), did not take part in this dispute. Treasured by their texts, they saw themselves as the keepers of the truth transmitted to them through the "elders" (Pali - "thera") from the Buddha himself.
The decline of Buddhism in India. As a separate religion, attracting new followers, consolidating its influence and creating new literature, Buddhism flourished in India until about 500 AD. He was supported by the rulers, magnificent temples and monasteries were erected in the country, the great Mahayana teachers appeared: Ashvaghosha, Nagarjuna, Asanga and Vasubandhu. Then there was a recession, which lasted for several centuries, and after the 12th century, when power passed to the Muslims in India, Buddhism in this country practically disappeared. Various factors contributed to the decline of Buddhism. In some regions, a turbulent political situation has developed, in others Buddhism has lost the patronage of the authorities, and in some places it has encountered opposition from hostile rulers. Internal factors were more important than external factors. After the formation of the Mahayana, the creative impulse of Buddhism weakened. Buddhist communities have always lived in the neighborhood with other religious cults and practices of religious life - Vedic ritualism, Brahmanism, Jain asceticism and worship of various Hindu gods. Having never shown intolerance towards other religions, Buddhism could not resist their influence. Already Chinese pilgrims visiting India in 7 AD noted signs of decay. Starting from the 11th century. both Hinduism and Buddhism began to experience the influence of Tantrism, the name of which comes from the sacred books of tantras (manuals). Tantrism is a system of beliefs and rituals that uses magic spells, mystical syllables, diagrams and symbolic gestures to achieve a sense of mystical unity with reality. In tantric rituals, the image of God in intercourse with his wife was an expression of the realization of this religious ideal. In Hinduism, partners (shakti) were considered the spouses of the gods, in late Mahayanism - the spouses of Buddhas and boddhisattvas.The sublime elements of Buddhist philosophy fell into the hands of former Hindu opponents, Buddha himself came to be considered the incarnation (avatar) of Vishnu, one of the Hindu gods.
THERAVADA BUDDHISM Basic doctrines, religious practice, sacred texts. The early Buddhist teachings are best preserved in Pali texts. The texts form a complete canon and give the most complete understanding of the Theravada doctrine. Pali is related to Sanskrit, and a number of Pali and Sanskrit terms are very similar. For example, “dhamma” in Pali is the same as “dharma” in Sanskrit, “kamma” in Pali is the same as “karma” in Sanskrit, “nibbana” is the Sanskrit “nirvana”. The Theravadins believe that the teaching codified in this corpus points to the truth or law (dhamma) of the Universe itself, and the adept must live by this law in order to achieve the highest freedom and peace. In general terms, the Theravada belief system is as follows.The universe as we know it is in constant flux. Being, including the life of the individual, is impermanent (anicca). Everything arises and disappears. Contrary to popular belief, there is no permanent, unchanging "I" (Atta) in a person, reborn, passing from one incarnation to another. In fact, a person is a conditional unity of five groups of changeable physical and mental components: body, sensations, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness, behind which there is no immutable and constant essence. Everything is transient and impermanent, is in tense restlessness (dukkha, "suffering") and has no substance (anatta). In this stream of psychophysical events, everything happens in accordance with universal causality (kamma). Any event is a consequence of a cause or a set of causes, and then becomes the cause of its own consequences. Thus, each person reaps what he sowed. However, the most important thing is the recognition of the existence of a moral principle, according to which good deeds lead to good results, and bad deeds lead to bad results. Moving along the path of righteousness ("the eightfold path") to the highest liberation in nibbana (nirvana) can lead to deliverance from suffering.
The Eightfold Path consists in following the following principles. (1) The correct view is the understanding of the "four noble truths", i.e. suffering, its causes, its cessation and the path leading to the cessation of suffering. (2) Right thought is deliverance from lust, evil will, cruelty, and unrighteousness. (3) Correct speech - avoiding lying, spreading gossip, rudeness and idle talk. (4) The right action is to abstain from murder, theft and sexual immorality. (5) The correct way of life is the choice of those activities that do not harm anything living. (6) Right diligence - avoiding and overcoming bad tendencies, nurturing and strengthening good and healthy tendencies. (7) Right attention - observing the state of the body, sensations, mind and objects on which the mind focuses in order to understand and control them. (8) Right Concentration - Concentration of the mind in meditation to induce known ecstatic states of consciousness that lead to insights.
Observations of how life passes through the circle of repeated births led to the development of a formula of causality, the "law of dependence of causes" (Pali, "patichchasamuppada"; Skt. "Pratyasamutpada"). This is a chain of 12 causal factors that are supposedly at work in every person, with each of the factors being associated with the next factor. The factors are listed in the following order: "ignorance", "voluntary actions", "consciousness", "mind and body", "feelings", "impressions", "sensations", "desires", "attachment", "becoming", " rebirth ”,“ old age and death ”. The action of these factors creates suffering. The cessation of suffering depends in the same order on the cessation of the action of these factors.
The ultimate goal is the disappearance of all desires and self-serving aspirations in Nibbana. The Pali word “nibbana” (Skt. “Nirvana”) literally means “fading out” of affects (by analogy with the fading out of a fire after burning out the fuel). This does not mean "nothing" or "annihilation"; rather, it is a transcendental state of freedom beyond "birth and death", not conveyed in terms of existence or non-existence in their usual sense.
According to the Theravada teachings, a person is responsible for his own salvation and is not dependent in this on the will of higher powers (gods). The gods are not directly denied existence, but it is believed that they are subject to the constant process of rebirth according to the law of karma, just like people. The help of the gods is not necessary to advance on the path to Nibbana, so theology in Theravada was not developed. The main objects of worship are called the “three refuges,” and every faithful follower of the Path places his hopes in them: (1) Buddha - not as a god, but as a teacher and example; (2) dhamma - the truth taught by Buddha; (3) sangha - a fellowship of followers established by the Buddha.
Literature on the Theravada doctrine consists primarily of the Pali Canon texts, which are grouped into three collections called Three baskets
( Tripitaka): (1) Discipline basket ( Vinaya Pitaka) contains the statutes and rules of conduct for monks and nuns, narratives about the life and teachings of Buddha, the history of the monastic order; (2) Basket of instructions ( Sutta Pitaka) contains a summary of the sermons of the Buddha. They also tell about the circumstances under which he delivered his sermons, sometimes setting out his own experience of seeking and gaining enlightenment, always taking into account the capabilities of the audience. This collection of texts is of particular importance for the study of early doctrine; (3) The basket of the highest doctrine ( Abhidhamma Pitaka) is a systematic classification of terms and ideas from the first two collections. Treatises, compiled much later than the statutes and sutras, are devoted to the problems of psychology and logic. In general, the canon represents the tradition in its development over several centuries. SPREAD OF THERAVADA BUDDHISM The "School of Elders" flourished in those areas where Buddha preached the teachings, on the territory of the ancient states of Koshal and Magadha (modern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar). Subsequently, she gradually yielded her position to the sarvastivadins, whose influence grew.However, by that time, missionaries successfully preached the Theravada teachings in Sri Lanka (Ceylon), where they first heard about it from the son of Ashoka, Prince Mahinda (246 BC). In Sri Lanka, the tradition was scrupulously guarded and passed on with minor modifications. At the beginning of the 1st century. BC. oral traditions were recorded in Pali. The Pali texts, divided into three named collections, have become an orthodox canon, revered ever since in Sri Lanka and throughout Southeast Asia. In the south of Myanmar (Burma), Theravada may have become known as early as the 1st century AD. The doctrine did not spread throughout Myanmar until the 11th century, when the rulers, together with the missionary monks, spread it in the north and throughout the country. In Thailand, the first Thai rulers (starting from the 13th century), worshiping the Buddhist culture of Myanmar, sent for teachers to Sri Lanka in order to transfer it to their country. Cambodia, in turn, came under the influence of Theravada from Thailand, and later was directly associated with Buddhist centers in Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Laos, under the influence of Cambodia, turned into a predominantly Theravada country in the 14th and 15th centuries. Indonesia, associated with India, Hinduism and Buddhism since ancient times - with both Theravada and Mahayana - was introduced by Indian colonists and merchants. However, starting from the 15th century. Muslim merchants gradually began to penetrate these colonies, and Islam prevailed in Malaya, Sumatra, Java and Borneo. Only on the island of Bali has a religion survived, which is a form of Buddhism with elements of Hinduism.
Theravada in the 20th century Buddhism in Southeast Asia retains the forms in which it once existed in India. Monks in yellow robes are people who have retired from the world and dedicated themselves to the spiritual path. In monasteries, the charter is observed to this day Discipline baskets... Lay people respect monasticism, turn to monks for instructions, and make offerings in the form of alms.The life of a monk. A person who enters the order must undergo a public ceremony, the main part of which is the oath of allegiance to the “three refuges”: “I seek refuge in the Buddha,” “I seek refuge in the dhamma,” “I seek refuge in the sangha.” Each vow is repeated three times. In the rite of initiation, he leaves the world and becomes a novice in a monastery. After completing a period of novice, he takes ordination as a monk (bhikkhus). After 10 years, the monk becomes an elder (thera), and after 20 years - a great elder (mahathera). In Sri Lanka, an ordained monk must spend his entire life in the sangha. In other Theravada countries, one can spend several months or years in the order and then return to worldly life. In Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia, monastic life for weeks or months is part of the religious upbringing of every Buddhist youth.A monk should refrain from alcohol and tobacco, refrain from eating from noon until the next morning, and observe purity in thoughts and deeds. The day begins with the monks going out to beg for alms (to provide the laity with the opportunity to show the virtue of generosity and raise funds for themselves). Once every two weeks, patimokkha (227 rules of discipline) is recited, after which the monks must confess their sins and receive a term of penance. For major sins (violation of chastity, theft, murder, deception in spiritual matters), a monk is punished by expulsion from the order. Important matters include studying and reciting sacred texts; meditation is considered essential to control, purify and elevate the mind.
Two types of meditation are recognized: one leads to serenity (samatha), the other to insight (vipassana). For pedagogical purposes, they are divided into 40 exercises for developing serenity and 3 exercises for developing insight. A classic work on meditation techniques - The path of purification
( Visuddhi Magga) - was written by Buddhaghosha (5th century).Although monks are instructed to maintain a strict lifestyle in monasteries, they are not isolated from contact with lay people. As a rule, each village has at least one monastery, which should have a spiritual influence on the inhabitants. Monks provide general religious education, perform rituals and ceremonies, prepare young men entering the sangha for religious education in a monastery, perform rituals for the dead, read at funerals Three jewels
( Triratna) and Five Vows ( Panchasila), sing hymns about the transience of everything that is made up of parts, console relatives.The life of the laity. Theravada laymen practice only the ethical part of the path of discipline. Where appropriate, they also read Three jewels and respect Five Vows: a ban on the killing of a living, on theft, on illegal sex, on lying, on the use of alcohol and drugs. On special occasions, lay people refrain from eating in the afternoon, do not listen to music, do not use flower garlands and perfumes, or too soft seats and beds. From the canon book Sigolavada Sutta they receive instruction on good relations between parents and children, students and teachers, husband and wife, friends and acquaintances, servants and masters, laymen and members of the sangha. Especially zealous laymen set up small altars in their homes. Everyone visits temples in order to honor Buddha, they are going to listen to the sermons of learned monks about the intricacies of the doctrine and, if possible, make pilgrimages to sacred places for Buddhists. The most famous among them are Buddhagaya in India, where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment; Temple of the Tooth in Kandy (Sri Lanka), Shwe Dagon Pagoda in Rangoon (modern Yangon, Myanmar) and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok (Thailand).Theravada temples Throughout Southeast Asia, there are statues in temples and shrines depicting the historical Buddha - standing, seated, or reclining. The most common images of Buddha are either sitting in a meditation posture or with raised arms in a teaching posture. The reclining posture symbolizes his transition to nibbana. Buddha images are not worshiped as idols - they are honored as reminders of the life and virtues of a great teacher. What is believed to be the remains of his body is also revered. According to legend, after being burned, they were distributed to several groups of believers. It is believed that they are imperishable, and now they are preserved in sanctuaries - stupas, dagobas or pagodas in the countries of the Theravada distribution. Perhaps most notable is the “sacred tooth” in the Kandy temple, where services are performed daily.Theravada activities in the 20th century Theravada Buddhists intensified their activities after the Second World War. Associations for the study of doctrine are being created for the laity, and public lectures by monks are organized. International conferences of Buddhists are held; in Myanmar, where the tradition of calling cathedrals for reading and clarification is preserved Tripitaki In Pali, the 6th Great Buddhist Council was convened and held in Rangoon from May 1954 to May 1956 to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of the Buddha's birth. Training and meditation centers have been established in Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. BUDDHISM MAHAYANA Main features . The changed concept of the ideal Buddhist. If the Theravadin strives to become an arhat ("perfect"), ready for nirvana, then the Mahayanist elevates the path of a bodhisattva, that is, someone who, like Gautama before enlightenment, promises to prepare for enlightenment in order to serve and save other suffering mortals. The Bodhisattva, driven by great compassion, strives to achieve perfection in the necessary virtues (paramita). There are six such virtues: generosity, morality, patience, courage, focus, and wisdom. Even a bodhisattva who is worthy to enter nirvana refuses the final step and of his own free will remains in the turbulent world of regenerating existence for the salvation of others. The Mahayanists considered their ideal to be more social and worthy than the ideal of an arhat, which seemed to them selfish and narrow.Development of the interpretation of the Buddha. Mahayanists know and honor the traditional biography of Gautama Buddha. However, from their point of view, he is a manifestation of a certain primordial being - an eternal, cosmic Buddha who appears in different worlds in order to proclaim the truth (dharma). This is explained by the "teaching of the three bodies (trikaya) of the Buddha." The highest truth and reality in themselves is his dharma-body (dharma-kaya). His appearance as a Buddha to the delight of all the universes is his pleasure body (sambhoga-kaya). Embodied on earth in a specific person (in Gautam Buddha) is his transformation body (nirmana-kaya). All these bodies belong to the one highest Buddha who is manifested through them.Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. There are countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Innumerable manifestations in the heavenly and earthly kingdoms have given rise to a whole pantheon of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in popular religion. In fact, they act as gods and helpers who can be addressed through offerings and prayers. Among them is Shakyamuni: it is believed that he was preceded by more ancient earthly Buddhas, and other future Buddhas should follow him. Heavenly Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are innumerable, just like the universes in which they operate. In this host of Buddhas, the most revered in East Asia: are the heavenly Buddhas - Amitabha, the Lord of the western paradise; Bhaisajyaguru, Teacher of Healing; Vairochana, the original eternal Buddha; Locana, the eternal Buddha as omnipresent; bodhisattvas - Avalokiteshvara, the deity of compassion; Mahasthama Prapta, "One who has attained great power"; Manjushri, the bodhisattva of meditation and wisdom; Ksitigarbha, rescuing suffering spirits from hell; Samantabhadra, representing the mercy of the Buddha; earthly Buddhas - Gautama Buddha; Dipankara, twenty-fourth before him, and Maitreya, who will appear after him.Theology. In the 10th century. an attempt was made to present the entire pantheon of later Buddhism in the form of a kind of theological scheme. The universe and all spiritual beings were seen as emanating from an original, self-existent being called Adi-Buddha. Through the power of thought (dhyana), he created five dhyani buddhas, including Vairochana and Amitabha, and five dhyani bodhisattvas, including Samantabhadra and Avalokiteshvara. They correspond to five human buddhas, or manushya-buddhas, including Gautama, the three earthly buddhas that preceded him, and the coming Buddha Maitreya. This scheme, which appears in Tantric literature, is widely known in Tibet and Nepal, but is clearly less popular in other countries. In China and Japan, the "doctrine of the three bodies of Buddha" was enough to harmonize the pantheon.Philosophy. The Mahayanist approach led to more abstract ideas about the ultimate reality attained by the Buddha's insight. Two schools of thought were formed. The school founded by Nagarjuna (2nd century AD) was called the "middle path system". Another, founded by the brothers Asanga and Vasubandhu (4th century AD), was called "the school of only consciousness." Nagarjuna argued that the ultimate reality is not expressible in any terms of finite existence. It can be described exclusively negatively as empty (shunya) or emptiness (shunyata). Asanga and Vasubandhu argued that it can also be defined positively - through the term "consciousness". In their opinion, everything that exists is only ideas, mental images, events in the all-embracing universal Consciousness. In a mere mortal, the consciousness is clouded with illusions and resembles a dusty mirror. But the Buddha's consciousness is revealed in complete purity, free from clouding. Sometimes the highest reality is called “Likeness” or “Truly that” (tatha ta), meaning “what is, as it is”: this is another way of pointing to it, avoiding clarification in terms of finite experience.Both schools distinguish between absolute and relative truth. The absolute truth is related to nirvana and is comprehensible only through the intuition of the Buddha. Relative truth is within the transient experience of unenlightened beings.
The fate of the unenlightened. With the exception of the buddhas, who are not subject to death, everything that exists is subject to the law of alternating deaths and rebirths. Beings are constantly moving up or down through five (or six) possibilities of incarnation, called gati (paths). Depending on his deeds (karma), a person is born again among people, gods, ghosts (preta), the inhabitants of hell, or (according to some texts) among demons (asuras). In art, these "paths" are depicted as a wheel with five and six spokes, the intervals between which are different possibilities of mortal existence. Spread of Mahayana Buddhism India. From the very beginning, Mahayana ideas spread throughout the areas where sarvastivada was active. Initially, the school appeared in Magadha, but the most suitable place for it was the north-west of India, where contact with other cultures stimulated thought and helped to formulate Buddhist teachings in a new way. Ultimately, the Mahayana doctrine received a rational basis in the writings of such outstanding thinkers as Nagarjuna, Asanga and Vasubandhu, and the logicians Dignaga (5th century) and Dharmakirti (7th century). Their interpretations spread among intellectuals and became the subject of debate in two of the most important centers of Buddhist scholarship: at Taxila in Gandhara in the west of the country and Nalanda in Magadha in the east. The movement of thought also captured the small states north of India. Merchants, missionaries, travelers spread the Mahayana teachings along the Central Asian trade routes up to China, from where it penetrated into Korea and Japan. By the 8th century. Mahayana, with an admixture of Tantrism, penetrated directly from India into Tibet.Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Although Theravada was the dominant form of Buddhism in Southeast Asia, it cannot be said that Mahayana was completely absent from this region. In Sri Lanka, it existed in the form of "heresy" already in the 3rd century, while in the 12th century. it was not supplanted by Theravada. Mahayana was popular in the north of Myanmar, in Pagan until the reign of King Anavrata (11th century). Anavrata's successors supported Theravada, and under strong pressure from the Theravada leaders, the Mahayana, deprived of royal patronage, fell into decay. The Mahayana came to Thailand from Sumatra around the middle of the 8th century. and flourished for some time in the south of the country. However, after the Theravada was consolidated in Myanmar and its penetration into Thailand in the 11th century. the Mahayana gave way to a new, stronger influence. In Laos and Cambodia, the Mahayana coexisted with Hinduism during the Angkorian period (9-15 centuries). During the reign of the last of the great temple builders, Jayavarman VII (1162–1201), the Mahayana was apparently proclaimed the official religion - with the veneration of merciful bodhisattvas and the establishment of hospitals in their honor. By the beginning of the 14th century. the Thai invasion led to a strong growth in the influence of Theravada, which over time began to play a leading role in this country, while the Mahayana practically disappeared. In Java and in the Malay Archipelago, both Mahayana and Theravada spread along with other Indian influences. Although both forms of Buddhism were sometimes persecuted by Hindu rulers, they continued to exist until Islam began to supplant them (from the 15th century). In Vietnam in the 6-14 centuries. there were Zen schools.China. Buddhism began to spread in China in the 1st century. AD and collided there with local belief systems, primarily Confucianism and Taoism. Confucianism prioritized moral, social and political principles, linking them with relations in the family, community, and state. Taoism is more connected with interest in the cosmic, metaphysical, mystical and was an expression of the human striving for harmony with the highest nature or the Path (Tao) of the universe, outside the vanity of earthly life.In polemics with Confucianism, Buddhists emphasized the moral aspects of their doctrine, and when they criticized the celibacy of monks and detachment from worldly affairs, they answered that there is nothing wrong in this if it is done for the sake of the highest goal, and it (according to the Mahayana) includes the salvation of all family members along with "all living things." Buddhists pointed out that monks show respect for worldly power by invoking a blessing on the monarch when performing rituals. Nevertheless, throughout Chinese history, Confucians have been wary of Buddhism as a foreign and questionable religion.ó the Buddhists found the greatest support among the Taoists. During periods of political chaos and turmoil, many were attracted taoist practice self-absorption and silence of Buddhist monasteries. In addition, the Taoists used concepts that helped them understand the philosophical ideas of Buddhists. For example, the Mahayanist concept of the highest reality as the Emptiness was more easily perceived in conjunction with the Taoist idea of \u200b\u200bthe Unnameable, "what lies beyond the forms and features." Indeed, the first translators constantly used Taoist vocabulary to convey Sanskrit Buddhist terminology. This was their method (co and) of interpretation through analogy. As a result, Buddhism was originally understood in China through the so-called. "Dark knowledge" - the metaphysics of Taoism.By the 4th century, attempts were made to more accurately translate Sanskrit texts. Prominent Chinese monks and Indian clerics collaborated under the auspices of the emperor. The largest of these was Kumarajiva (344-413), the translator of the great Mahayana sacred texts such as Lotus sutra, and an interpreter of the philosophy of Nagarjuna. In the centuries that followed, learned Chinese monks risked their lives by traveling by sea, crossing deserts and mountain ranges to reach India, studying at centers of Buddhist science, and bringing manuscripts to China for translation. The greatest of these was Xuan Jian (596–664), who spent nearly 16 years traveling and studying. His highly accurate translations include 75 works, including the main texts on the philosophy of Asanga and Vasubandhu.
As the Mahayana spread in China, various schools of thought and spiritual practice arose. At one time there were up to 10 of them, but then some merged and 4 major sects (tszong) remained. The Ch'an sect (Zen in Japan) assigned the main role to meditation. The Vinaya sect paid particular attention to the monastic rule. The Tien Tai sect advocated the unification of all Buddhist doctrines and methods of their practice. The "Pure Land" sect preached the worship of Buddha Amitabha, who saves all believers in his Paradise, in the Pure Land. No less popular was the cult of the Goddess of Mercy, Kuan-yin (the Chinese form of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara), which is considered the embodiment of maternal love and feminine charm. In Japan, the goddess is known as Kwannon.
There have also been periods in the long history of Buddhism in China when Buddhism was persecuted at the instigation of Taoist or Confucian rivals in the imperial court. Nevertheless, his influence continued to grow. Neo-Confucianism during the Sun dynasty (960–1279) absorbed some aspects of Buddhism. As for Taoism, from the 5th century. he borrowed ideas, deities and cults from Buddhism, even a corpus of sacred Taoist texts appeared on the model of the Chinese Tripitaki... The Mahayana has had a strong and lasting influence on the art, architecture, philosophy and folklore of China.
Japan. Buddhism penetrated Japan at the end of the 6th century, when the country was tormented by civil strife. At first, Buddhism encountered resistance, as a foreign faith, capable of incurring the wrath of local gods - deified forces of nature on the natives, but in the end it was supported by Emperor Emey, who ascended the throne in 585. The local religion in those days was called Shinto (path of the gods), unlike budsido (the path of the Buddha). These two "paths" were no longer considered incompatible. Under Empress Shuiko (592–628), Prince Regent Shotoku adopted Buddhism, which he saw as an effective tool for raising the cultural level of the people. In 592 he ordered to honor the "three treasures" (Buddha, dharma, sangha) by imperial decree. Shotoku supported the study of the sacred texts of Buddhism, built temples, promoted the spread of Buddhist forms in art, iconography and architecture. Buddhist monks from China and Korea were invited to Japan as teachers.Over time, the most capable monks in Japan were sent to China. During the period when the country's capital was in Nara (710–783), Japan became acquainted with the doctrines of six schools of Buddhism, which were officially recognized by the 9th century. Through them, Japan came to know the philosophical teachings of Nagarjuna, Asanga and Vasubandhu; with the doctrines of the Kegon school (Avamsaka, or Wreath), which affirms the final enlightenment of all beings in the universe, as well as the precise rules of initiation and other rituals.
During the Heian period, the imperial capital was in Kyoto. Two more sects, Tendai and Shingon, were formed here. The Tendai sect (Tiantai Zong in Chinese) was founded by Sayte after studying at a mountain monastery in China. Tendai claims that Lotus sutra
( Saddharmapundarika sutra) contains the highest doctrine of all Buddhism, its Mahayanist concept of the eternity of Buddha. The Shingon (True Word) sect was founded by Kobo Daishi (774-835). In essence, the sect is a mystical, esoteric form of Buddhism, its teaching is that the Buddha is, as it were, hidden in all living beings. This can be realized with the help of special rituals - pronouncing mystical syllables, ritual plexus of fingers, magic spells, yogic concentration, manipulation of sacred vessels. This creates a sense of the spiritual presence of Vairochana, and the adept attains union with the Buddha.During the Kamakura era (1145-1333), the country was ruled by warriors, there were many wars, the country was mired in ignorance and corruption. Simpler religious forms were required that could help in an atmosphere of spiritual turmoil. During this time, four new sects arose.
The Sect of the Pure Land, founded by Honen (1133-1212), argued that support should be sought in the heavenly Buddha Amida (ie, Amitabha). The Sin sect, founded by Honen's disciple Sinran (1173-1262), emphasized the need to seek support in the same Buddha, but "by faith alone." Both sects taught about salvation in the Pure Land, or in the paradise of Amida, but the Shinran sect called itself the "True Pure Land", for for its members the condition of salvation was only faith. In Japan today, more than half of the Buddhists belong to the Pure Land sects. Zen (Chinese Ch'an) became another form of simplified religion. This sect was formed around 1200. Its name, derived from the Sanskrit dhyana, means meditation. Members of the sect practice the discipline to cultivate Buddha-nature in themselves - they meditate until a sudden illumination of truth (satori) occurs. Self-control seemed to be a very attractive occupation for the warriors of the Kamakura period, who chose for themselves the rinzai version, the most severe in Zen Buddhism, where training is carried out using stunning paradoxes (koans), the meaning of which is to free the inner vision from the habit of relying on ordinary logic. Another form of Zen Buddhism, Soto Zen, spread to wider circles of the population.
Her followers were of little interest in the koans, they sought to realize the spirit of enlightenment (or attain Buddha nature) through meditation and correct behavior in all situations of life. The nichiren sect is named after its founder Nichiren (1222-1282), who was convinced that the whole truth of Buddhism is contained in Lotus Sutra and that all the troubles of Japan of his time,including the threat of a Mongol invasion, are due to the falling away of Buddhist teachers from the true faith.Lamaism - one of the forms of Buddhism common in the Tibetan region of China,in Mongolia and a number of Himalayan principalities.Tibet became acquainted with Buddhism, with its later Indian version, in which tantric ideas and rituals were mixed with the weakened traditions of Hinayana and Mahayana, in the 8th century.and incorporated elements of the local Tibetan religion Bon. Bon was a form of shamanism, the worship of the spirits of nature, in which human and animal sacrifices, magical rites, conspiracies, exorcism and witchcraft were allowed. The first Buddhist monks from India and China gradually supplanted the old beliefs, until the appearance in 747 of the tantrist Padmasambhi, who proclaimed a celibate "magical" form of Buddhism that eventually assimilated the Bon. The result is a system of beliefs and rituals known as Lamaism, whose clergy are named after lamas. Its reform was initiated by Atisha, a teacher who arrived from India in 1042 and preached a more spiritual doctrine, arguing that religious life should develop in three stages: through Hinayana, or moral practice; by Mahayana or philosophical comprehension; by tantrayana, or mystical union through tantra rituals. According to the theory, it was possible to proceed to the third stage only after mastering the first two. Atisha's "reforms" continued tibetan monk Tsonghava (1358-1419), who founded the Geluk-pa (virtuous path) sect. Tsonghava demanded that the monks observe the vow of celibacy and taught a higher understanding of tantric symbolism. After 1587, the Supreme Lama of this school began to be called the Dalai Lama (Dalai - "ocean breadth"). The sect's influence grew. In 1641, the Dalai Lama received all the fullness of both secular and spiritual power in Tibet. The Dalai Lamas were considered incarnations of Chen-re-chi, the Bodhisattva of Great Mercy (Avalokiteshvara), the patron saint of Tibet. Another name for the Geluk-pa sect is more popular - the yellow-hats, in contrast to the more ancient Kagyu-pa sect - the red-hats. Since the time of Atisha, the worship of the goddess of mercy Tara, the Savior, has become widespread. The scriptures of Tibetan Buddhism are very extensive and have played a large role in spreading the teachings. The sacred texts serve as the basis for the training of monks in monasteries and for the instruction of the laity. The greatest reverence is surrounded by the canonical texts, which are divided into two main groups. Kajur contains the teachings of the Buddha in full translation from the Sanskrit original (104 or 108 volumes), and The Four Great Tantras . Tanjur consists of commentaries on the aforementioned texts by Indian and Tibetan scholars (225 volumes).Mahayana in the 20th century The associations of lay Buddhists that have emerged in recent years have expressed a desire to link the Mahayana teachings with modern life. Zen sects teach lay people the methods of meditation as a way to maintain inner balance in the chaos of city life. In the sects of the Pure Land, the emphasis is on the virtues of the compassionate person: generosity, courtesy, benevolence, honesty, cooperation and service. It is recognized that the Mahayana ideal of saving the living from suffering may well serve as an incentive for the establishment of hospitals, orphanages and schools. In Japan, especially after World War II, Buddhist monks are actively involved in social and humanitarian activities. In the PRC, the Mahayana continues to exist, despite the fact that the income of the monasteries has been greatly reduced. At sacred sites, the government allows traditional religious services to be held. Buddhist buildings of historical or cultural value have been rebuilt or restored. In 1953, with the permission of the government, a Buddhist Association was established in Beijing. Its goal was defined as maintaining friendly relations with Buddhists of neighboring countries, she organized the exchange of delegations with Buddhists from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Japan, India and Nepal. The Buddhist Buddhist Art Association supports the study and preservation of Buddhist cultural monuments. In Taiwan and Hong Kong, as well as in overseas Chinese communities — for example, in Singapore and the Philippines — Mahayanists have lay associations that organize popular lectures and distribute religious literature. In terms of academic research, Mahayana is studied most actively and in many ways in Japan. Ever since Masaharu Anesaki founded the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Tokyo (1905), Buddhism has become increasingly interested in various universities throughout the country. In collaboration with Western scholars, especially after 1949, Japanese scholars are conducting research on a vast corpus of Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist texts. In Tibet, which for 300 years was a Lamaist theocratic state, isolation from modern world did not contribute to the emergence of new forms of this religion.And Nicholas Roerich in the evening section told beautifully. The very first comment on the post suggested: it is important to continue the topic! Elena salenta recalled the innermost part of the life of a Buddhist - the Hymns dedicated to Tara as an expression of Power (shakti) and Tara as the greatest and embodied Individuality - a female Arhat.
Buddhists consider Tara a great intercessor in the face of the enemy and a deliverer from fear and suffering. Tara is the source of all Forces: for both the Buddhist and the Arhat.
Every day Buddhists recite the Tara Hymns. And some do not even say: devotion to Tara forever settles in their hearts, entering the area of \u200b\u200bsacred Silence, and she keeps those who are with Her, covering with her Shield-Cloak from any enemies, misfortunes and even earthly poisons.
In the Tibetan Buddhist canon, about 240 hymns have been preserved in total, and at least 40 of them are dedicated to Tara. One of such daily hymns of the Canon "Hymn to twenty-one Taras" I will bring to your attention in this post. It is believed that approximately the same number of Tar lives in the sacred country of Ergor. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less, but not much. And the total number of the Wise Ones living in Ergor is 77.
But first, let us pay attention to the Anthem of White Tara, recorded by the pure and quivering heart of an earthly woman. And let him, with his purity and tenderness, bring the world greetings from the Better world, which is led by the Woman's heart.
Original taken from salenta
in White Tara
I have a great collection, a little book called "Hymns to Tara".
It contains six of the most beautiful Hymns of the Tibetan Buddhist Canon. 
The collection was compiled by scholars and contains their rather detailed explanations related to both the texts of the sacred hymns and the peculiarities of translation.
The hymns are published in two languages \u200b\u200b- the original language and in Russian.
I like to read books on paper. Besides, it's also fair to the author of the book. So I bought the book. But for my reading room, I am.
Hymn to twenty-one Tara,
as well as an explanation of its benefits
I bow to the Venerable Saint Tara!
I bow to the lightning
To the heroine - Tara the quick,
In a lush lotus born
The face of the Lord's three worlds!
I bow to the face that contains
Hundreds of full autumn moons
Radiant, streaming light
Thousands of heavenly bodies!
I bow to Zlata, whose hands
The blue lotus adorns
The one whose spheres are generosity, zeal,
Work, peace, patience, dhyana!
I bow to the crown of the Tathagat,
Completely victorious
Honored Buddha by his sons,
What have you won perfection!
I bow to the spread
The sound of TUTTARAHUM is everywhere,
Seven worlds trampled foot,
All creatures capable of collecting!
I bow to the glorified hosts
Yakshas, \u200b\u200bghosts, gandharvas,
The one who was honored by the gods:
Shakra, Agni, Brahma, Vayu!
I bow to the broken sound
TRAT and PHAT someone else's spell,
In a bright sparkling flame,
Putting your right leg aside!
I bow to the terrible TOUR,
Striking Mary of warriors
The lotus-face is sternly frowning,
Plaguing all those who harm!
I bow to the folded fingers
In the mudra of the Three Treasures, heart
Decorating; into a wave of brilliance;
With a disk of all sides of the universe!
I bow to the flowing joy
From the crown - the rays of the garland,
Laughter, laughter TUTTARA
Peace and subdued Mara!
I bow down to collect capable
Guardians of all earthly people with retinue,
Shaking, harsh
With the sound of HUM crushing disaster!
I bow forever with rays
Amitabha shining,
The one whose curls are crowned
The crescent moon is radiant!
I bow to the one standing in the center
Waves of fire, like on the last day,
Extending his leg, giving
Joy, scattering the host of enemies!
I bow my beating palm
Trampling the ground
Gloomy, the sound of HUM crushing
Seven destinies in the nether world!
I bow to the good, calm,
Pure, the one whose edge is nirvana,
Great evil smiting,
Possessing OM and SVAHA!
I bow to the one who carries joy
Destroying the enemies of the body,
The one that shines with light
The HUM mantra is ten-syllable!
I bow from the HUM emerged,
TURE - the one whose feet are trampled,
Shaking all three worlds
Meru, Mandara and Vindhyu!
I bow to the moon that holds
Doe-tagged - shaped
Lakes; blasting poison
PHAT sound to double - TARA!
I bow to the honored gods,
Their king, the host of Kinnars,
Shine of joy-weapons
Driving nightmares, disputes!
I bow to the blessed one, in the eyes
Sun and moon that have absorbed
At once with a targeting sound
TUTTARA to double - HARA!
I bow to save the capable
By the action of the holy triad,
TOURE supreme, victorious
Spirits, vetal, yakshe hosts!
He who is the hymn of the heart mantra
With twenty one bows
Ascend, full of faith,
Wise, devoted to the Goddess,
At night or early in the morning
After reading it, it will become fearless,
All vices will calm down
The darkness of the evil worlds will be gone;
Seven tens of millions
Buddhas will be given him soon
Dedication - in that greatness
Having attained, he will become a Buddha.
The one who remembers the hymn will be saved
Even if he eats or drinks
He is vegetable, animal,
Mineral is the strongest;
Also will deliver all others
From the suffering that give birth
Demons, diseases, poisons.
Two, three, seven times
Reading the hymn, the one who dreams
Son or wealth, -
Everything you desire will find
Bypassing all obstacles!
All the buddhas and bodhisattvas recited the hymn [consisting] of twenty-one obeisances to the Bhagavati to the Holy Goddess Tara, contained in the Tantra instructing in all the rituals of Tara, is over.
From the book The essence of the science of Kabbalah. Volume 1 (continued) author Laitman Michael
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1
O world transcended, praise to Thee,
Skilled in the science of liberation.
You are the one who suffered for a long, long time out of compassion
For the good of the world of sentient beings.
2
You believed that there is no [independent] entity for that
Who has already got rid of the idea of \u200b\u200bgroups [dharmo-particles].
O Great Wise, You abide
In great sorrow for the welfare of beings.
3
O Clever One, You explained to the sages,
What are the groups [dharmo-particles] for You
Like an illusion, a mirage
The city of the Gandharvas, the dream.
4
The emergence of groups [dharmo particles] is due to the cause,
They are not there when she is not.
Isn't it clear in what sense
Are they like reflections in a mirror?
5
[The atoms of the great] elements are imperceptible to sight.
How can the visible be composed of them?
Saying the same about the [dharmo particles of the group] of the sensuous (rupa),
You have denied the perception and the sensual.
6
[Dharmo particles of the group] of sensory experience
Do not exist without what is felt
Therefore they have no independent self.
You have established that there is no self-existent in the object of experience.
7
If a meaningful representation and the object it designates
If they did not differ, then the word "fire" would burn the mouth.
If they are completely different, then cognition is impossible.
So said by You, the diviner of truth.
8
In terms of relative truth, you said
That the doer [deed] is as independent as his deed.
But you have established for certain
That everything is done in interdependence with each other,
9
That there is no creator and no one who eats the fruits of deed,
That virtue and unvirtue breed each other.
O Lord of speech, You have declared:
The interdependent has no birth.
10
What must be known does not exist until
Until it is cognized, but without it there is no consciousness.
Therefore, You said that there is no knowledge,
No object of knowledge in terms of self-existent
11
If the sign is different from the signified,
Then the signified could have been without a sign.
You have clearly stated that there is neither one nor the other,
If there is no difference between them.
12
Your eye of wisdom sees this world
Calm, rid of signs
And their meanings, free
From the need to pronounce words.
13
Being [of any thing] is not generated by any already existing,
Not yet existing, not existing and non-existent at the same time,
Not independently, not from the other, not from both [myself and the other].
How does it arise?
14
It is not true that anything exists
And sojourn may disappear
As it is not true that nonexistent,
For example, the horns of a horse can find tranquility.
15
Disappearance (or non-being) is no different from being,
However, it cannot be thought of as indistinguishable.
If it were completely different [from what exists], then it would be eternal.
But if it were not different [from being], then it would not exist.
16
If there is one.
The disappearance of being is, of course, impossible,
If there is a multiplicity.
18
It is not true that the sprout is caused by
Dead or unbroken seed.
It was you who spoke that any origin
Akin to the emergence of an illusion.
19
Your perfect knowledge says
That this world is produced by the power of imagination
And he is essentially unreal,
It was not spawned and will not disappear.
20
What is eternal is not born again
And what is impermanent is not born again either.
By you - the best connoisseur of truth - it is said,
That birth is like a dream.
21
Philosophers agree that suffering is caused
Either by ourselves, or by others, or by both,
Or it appears for no reason. You proclaimed
That it is generated in the relationship [of causes and conditions].
22
Which is interdependent in origin,
That was considered by You as emptiness.
Your incomparable lion's roar says
That there is no independent entity.
23
The doctrine of immortality and emptiness
It is intended to eliminate all dogma [fiction].
But if someone seized on it as a dogma,
Then you foretold that death.
24
O Lord, You have explained that since all dharmo particles
They arise in interconnection, but by themselves they
Inactive, conditioned, empty and illusion-like
Insofar as they do not have an independent essence.
25
There is nothing that You would produce,
And there is nothing that You would destroy,
Whether at the beginning or at the end.
You are the Enlightened One for truly being.
26
If you do not practice the cultivation of meditation,
[Art] which is owned by noble men,
That pure consciousness is never here
Will not stop relying on signs.
27
You said there is no Liberation
If the state of uncloudedness has not been reached by signs.
In all its fullness by You
This is told in the Great Chariot.
28
How I acquired virtue
Exalting You is a storehouse of glory,
So may the whole world, glorifying You,
Will become free from the heavy shackles of signs.
This is how the "Hymn to the Buddha who surpassed the world" is composed.
Per. V.P. Androsov. See: Buddhist Classics of Ancient India, Word of the Buddha and Treatises of Nagarjuna. Translation from Pali, Sanskrit and Tibetan languages \u200b\u200bwith comments by V.P. Androsov. - Moscow: Open World, 2008.
In detail: Buddhist psalm 6 letters crossword puzzle - from all open sources and different parts of the world on the site site for our dear readers.
New article: Buddhist prayer 6 letters on the site saint-prayer.rf - in all the details and details from many sources that we managed to find.
Buddhist memorial and relic repository
Buddhist memorial building
The roofs of this building are rectangular, while the corners are bent upwards
Chinese-built temple
God-pleasing house from the Middle Kingdom
Dalai Lama's duty station
The place of communication between the Chinese and God
Prayer house of Buddhists
Multi-tiered Chinese temple
Temple for lamas (who are dalai)
Chinese sister muslim mosque
Buddhist temple, memorial and relic repository
Buddhist prayer 6 letters
Mantra - Buddhist Psalm
Parsing by letter:
- Mantra - Word on M
- 1st letter M
- 2nd letter AND
- 3rd letter H
- 4th letter T
- 5th letter R
- 6th letter AND
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Crosswords, scanwords are an affordable and effective way to train intelligence, increase the baggage of knowledge. Solving words, adding puzzles - developing logical and imaginative thinking, stimulating neural activity of the brain and, finally, with pleasure while away free time.
Buddhist prayer 6 letters
How to perceive the mantra
Some people draw parallels between mantras and witchcraft spells and conspiracies, in fact, although they have certain similarities, they are not the same. If we consider Buddhist definitions, then a mantra is a specific sound symbol that denotes an aspect of an enlightened mind and spiritual experience.
Any practitioner must necessarily remember that mantric sounds are not only something material and external, what the human ear hears is only part of the mantra, the main thing in it is the generated energy vibrations that lead to the desired effect. The power of sound can be measured, but the power and efficacy of prayer cannot be brought to a precise meaning.
The mantra of love and tenderness works in everyone.
Mantras are a certain way.
Pronouncing sacred words, a person passes their energy through his material and spiritual body, enters into resonance with this energy. That is why Buddhist mantras must be uttered by yourself, and not just listened to. The famous and revered Lama Govinda said that a mantra can give any person tremendous spiritual benefits, help in life, but only if a person can enter into resonance with the spoken words, and therefore it is not enough to write down and listen to the mantras, every word must be pronounced and feel.
The mantra can be called an internal sound and internal vibration of energy, even an internal feeling, therefore the physical sound of a prayer does not have an important meaning and is strong enough to somehow affect a living being.
At the same time, all of the above does not mean that mantras do not need to be read aloud, you just have to remember that pronouncing a harsh word is only a means for a simpler experience of its subtle, mental meaning.
Mantras in Buddhism
Working with mantras is one of the most important components of Buddhism and Tantra. There are many different mantras that can be classified into different categories, but each prayer has a number of basic universal attributes.
First of all, each mantra is a series of syllables that can form whole Sanskrit words, available for translation, but not translated. The words of the mantras are left and read only in the original language, because in order to achieve a positive result, a person does not have to understand the meaning of individual words, these meanings need to be felt.
It is also worth noting that the words of the prayers defy conceptual and logical analysis, for the most part, they are meaningless, and each person understands prayer in his own way.
As an example of non-translatable and meaningless mantras, we can consider this prayer, which almost entirely consists of sounds and syllables that make up the name of Tara, namely Tara.
Mantra text: Om Tare Tu Tare Ture Sokha.
Perhaps the most famous mantra in Buddhism is the prayer "Om Mani Padme Hum."
Mani and Padme are Sanskrit words that can be translated as "Jewel" and "Lotus" respectively, therefore this phrase means "Jewel in the lotus." The initial "Om" and the final "Hum" cannot be translated.
Many mantras can contain the full or partial name of the Buddha or Bodhisattva to whom they are dedicated.
Some researchers and practitioners say that Buddhist mantras are not just dedicated to Buddha or Bodhisattva, they are their sound equivalents, symbols, sound designations. Simply put, a mantra is an image, a manifestation of a deity, some even believe that this is his real name.
If you are familiar with European concepts of witchcraft and esotericism, then you know that European magicians from time immemorial believe that any entity, whoever it is, can be summoned, but this necessarily requires its name.
Comparing these views on invoking helper spirits and Buddhist mantras, one can also assume that the recitation of these prayers is an appeal, a summons to Buddhist deities, a direct request for help and protection.
Mantras for healing diseases
Om Bhaikandze Bhaikandze Maha Bhaikandze Ratna Samu Gate Svaha is a powerful prayer that allows you to mobilize all the strength and energy of the body. It boosts immunity and promotes a quick recovery from any disease. To strengthen this mantra, reading should be done after purification meditation.
Om Mani Padme Hum is a well-known prayer, which is usually associated with a feeling of compassion for all living things, it is dedicated to the compassionate Buddha. These words have a powerful energy that can help in all aspects of a person's life.
It is believed that if this mantra is chanted more than a million times, then a person receives a gift of clairvoyance, but this is a very long process, which may take more than a year to complete. To quickly feel the effect of this prayer, you need to sing it 108 times within the walls of your home.
Om Ah Hum So Ha is a cleansing mantra that can act almost instantly. It can be used to cleanse the energy of your physical and spiritual body, to cleanse the house and all the objects in it. The prayer must be chanted 108 times, in time with your own breath. These words are also used when making offerings to the Buddha at a home shrine or altar, and Buddhists also recite them before eating.
Jaya Jaya Sri Nrsimha is a conspiracy against fear, capable of giving a person peace and peace of mind.
Gayatri Mantra
Om, Tat savitur varenyam, Bhargo devasya dimahi, Dhyo yo nah prchodayaat. This is a sacred passage from the Rig Veda, to be precise - the tenth verse of the 62nd hymn, the third Mandala of the Rig Veda. In Indian tradition, this text is usually attributed to Vishwamitra - one of the seven oldest divine sages.
This is one of the few prayers that can be almost completely translated with meaning. In the classical translation into Russian, these words mean: We want to meet the desired, Shine of God Savitar, That should encourage our thoughts.
There are other translations of this prayer, the most detailed and complete of them says: “O our God! You give Life, You destroy sorrow and pain, You give happiness. You are our Creator, you are the Creator of all that exists, may we receive Your highest light, which destroys all sins, which disperses the darkness. Lead us, Creator, along the right path, along the righteous path. "
Mul Mantra
Eg On Kar Sat Nam Karta Purk Nirbho Nirver Akal Mure Ajuni Seibhong Gur Prasad Jap Ad Sach Jugad Sach Hebhi Sach Nanak Jose Bhi Sach is a powerful mantra that affects the entire human body, his physical body, spiritual and psychological state.
This prayer is a sound vibration aimed at freeing the mind of the individual from all negative and destructive programs. Many words included in this matra have a translation, but it makes no sense to make this translation, since such knowledge can only lead you astray.
The mantra works in three stages. First of all, prayer affects the physical body, every organ in the body, living cells, each of which has its own "soul." At the second stage, prayer affects the subtle plane - on the soul and consciousness of a person, it clears our minds of everything superfluous and unnecessary, brings peace of mind and pacifies all bad thoughts. At the third stage, a person is completely united with himself, the individual tries on all the troubles, forgets his own mistakes that did not allow him to develop, and takes the first step towards his truly bright future.
Related posts:
No mantras or prayers will help unless you nail a horseshoe and start plowing like a horse! For millionaires, millions do not fall from the sky.
Tatyana, no one here is talking about dumping money from heaven, mantras help to get things off the ground, and then, as you say “plow like horses,” in Russian, that is, work for your pleasure and get rich, while your rivals are behind.
Hamsters are such hamsters. "Millionaires, millions are falling out of the sky," "plow like a horse," co-co-co. And when they encounter a non-standard difficulty that their daily life will disturb, they immediately turn to both the gods and the Buddha. Vile, lying hypocrites.
i can't find a robot
Mantras need to be chanted with a certain knowledge of the intricacies of the process, and it is imperative to fast the longer the better, and even "plowing" is not necessary for this, there are combinations of mantras, when chanting everything that a person needs, happens as a matter of course.
House not for sale….
The conspiracy is read over a broom at three in the morning, and in the morning, as soon as the sky turns pink, they sweep the floor with a charmed broom. The ceremony is held for three days in a row. The conspiracy is as follows:
As I sweep the litter, I sweep it,
So I nail buyers to myself.
The first will come, the second will come
The third will buy, take it for himself. Amen.
Guys, everyone who can't find a job, who has something wrong in life, and you want to change it, watch the 2006 documentary "The Secret". Reading and chanting mantras is one of the tools to achieve your goals, mantras allow you to FOCUS on what you want. It is difficult to explain briefly, but Comrade Ramses is partly right. However, some people have a "problem" - they say, no matter how much we read, nothing helps. And the fact is that such people read the mantra "not there", ie their conscious says: “I want money,” and their soul and their unconscious strives for something else. Suppose, in fact, a person does not need money, because if you think about it, then money itself has no value. What you can buy for them is of value. And if a person wants new furniture, then let him think about it, and not about money, and even less about the fact that there is no money. In general, seriously, watch this movie and you will understand everything. And believe me, your life will definitely change for the better. Begin to be clearly aware of what you want, what your soul wants, your unconscious. All love and kindness.
Hello, Svetlana. I want to ask you when to listen to the Genesh mantra in the morning or in the evening? thanks.
Oh, at least when. A magical thing, by the way, I adore it and highly recommend it.
MANTRA is a Slavic science preserved by the Hindus
Svtlana, good evening! After the wax casts, the finances were just a disaster, this has never happened (although they never put protection). Can you tell me some kind of protection for money and luck?
Irina, it looks like we cleaned it up, in general, everything was completely demolished. In general, after the purges, such a hole itself is restored later, now something is to be read as if into the abyss, nothing will linger.
Answers to the crossword puzzle from AIF 38 2017
Answers to the crossword puzzle from AIF 38 2017 (09 20 2017)
1. Flying baby elephant. (5 letter word).
2. The fate of a Buddhist. (5 letter word).
4. Boundless ... (4 letter word).
5. Great ... Nuriev. (6 letter word).
6. Almond liquor. (8 letter word).
7. The most predatory roar in the savannah. (3 letter word).
8. Party of "conservative" Britons. (4 letter word).
9. ... middle management. (8 letter word).
10. Serene ... (3 letter word).
11. Forest place. (6 letter word).
12. Scottish beanie. (8 letter word).
13. What is hidden behind mourning. (6 letter word).
14. "Sparrows of Paris". (4 letter word).
15. City with a samovar museum. (4 letter word).
16. Which parliament is in Kiev. (4 letter word).
17. Ostrich with a harem. (5 letter word).
18. Center of intrigue drama Lock with Tom Hardy. (4 letter word).
19. School boss. (8 letter word).
20. Halo of the soul. (4 letter word).
22. Slow ... (4-letter word).
23. Braid with poppy seeds. (4 letter word).
1. Dumbo. 2. Karma. 3. Master. 4. The sea. 5. Rudolph. 6. Amaretto. 7. Roar. 8. Tory. 9. Manager. 10. Sleep. 11. The edge. 12. Balmoral. 13. Sorrow. 14. Piaf. 15. Tula. 16. I'm glad. 17. Nanda. 18. Childbirth. 19. Director. 20. Aura. 21. Okay. 22. Riding. 23. Hala.
Prayer for the six worlds
At the beginning of the New Year in Tibetan lunar calendar Thousands of Buddhists gather at Labrang Monastery. They pray for hours not for themselves and their loved ones, but for all living beings from the six worlds of samsara: gods, demigods, people, animals, hungry spirits and creatures of hell.
“I bow respectfully in body, speech and mind. I offer clouds of all gifts - both material and created by thought. I repent of all the unwholesome deeds that I have done since beginningless times. I rejoice at the virtue of saints and ordinary beings. O guru and buddha, please stay with us until samsara is empty and spin the wheel of Dharma for the benefit of sentient beings. I dedicate my merit and the one created by others to the great enlightenment ... "
The adherents of Tibetan Buddhism, moving along the pilgrimage path, make prostrations in praise of the Teachers
Mentally speaking the words of prayers, Tibetan Buddhists flock to the Labrang monastery. Hundreds of pilgrims walk three times along the bark, a three-kilometer path that encircles the monastery walls. They prostrate (prostrate themselves) to the glory of the Teachers of the past and present, twist huge, two-meter high, prayer drums - mani, installed along the perimeter of the monastery. There are more than a thousand drums. The rotation of mani is like a repetition of the sacred words "Om mani padme hum", the main Buddhist mantra of compassion for all living beings. Its six syllables correspond to the six worlds of samsara and symbolize the desire to free living beings from these worlds from a series of rebirths.
For the monk boys of Labrang, the journey of great prayer is just beginning
Despite the cold, monks of the Gelug tradition (which means "virtue") gather on the square of the monastery, sit motionless for hours on the cold ground and pray, offering hundreds of spiritual addresses to Buddha ...
Followers of the Gelug school are often called "yellow hats" because of the pointed yellow hats, known since the time of the founding fathers of the school.
Even while resting, the monks meditate
February - time Monlam, festival of the Great Prayer... It takes place within 15 days immediately after the Tibetan New Year according to the lunar calendar (in 2016 it falls on February 8) and is dedicated to the 15 great wonders of the Buddha.
According to the sutra on "Wisdom and Foolishness", Buddha Shakyamuni performed these miracles in 15 days. So he convinced everyone of the truth of his teaching - the Dharma, shaming the envious false teachers.
The masked Tsam dance symbolizes the taming of evil
Monlam, or Monlam Chenmo, i.e The Way of Great Prayer, was established in 1409 and has become the most important festival for Tibetan Buddhists. Until the middle of the 20th century, the main festivities were held in Lhasa, and on the last day of Monlam, the Dalai Lama personally conducted services in the temple.
Tibetan women also take part in rituals
In 1959, when the XIV Dalai Lama was forced to leave Tibet, the holiday ceased to be celebrated. During the "Cultural Revolution" in China, it was banned. In the late 1980s, the Lhasa festival was revived, but after a few years it was again banned. Now in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China, Monlam is not celebrated, but it was given a new life in Labrang - the largest monastery outside Lhasa, located in Eastern Tibet.
At the end of the Monlam festival, monks gather in the square for a special prayer. It lasts several hours, and all this time the monks are sitting on the ground, despite the frost, reaching 27 degrees.
Labrang, once wealthy and influential, also suffered at the hands of the Communists during the Cultural Revolution, but was returned to the Buddhists in 1980 and has now become a major religious educational center with six faculties and a huge library. Monlam blossomed with him.
Tibetan women pray at the temple entrance during Monlam
One of the brightest events of the festival is the opening ceremony of a giant thangka - a canvas depicting Buddha, which is laid out on a hill near the monastery by several dozen people. People from afar can admire the face of the Victorious and think about all living beings, wishing them well-being on the path to enlightenment, whoever they are - gods, animals, communists, creatures of hell, hungry ghosts or simply hungry, and well-fed. After all, a person who is well fed in this life can become hungry in the next if he does not follow the teachings of Buddha ...
A huge canvas depicting Buddha - thangka - is laid out on the hillside. Thangka size - 27 m high, 12 m wide
Only three to four dozen men can carry a huge thangka to the hill and spread it
Photo: Kevin Frayer / Getty Images (x10)
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