Introduction ----Historical Overview

Nichiren Buddhism

Historical Buddha
Buddha = Shakyamuni = Gautama Buddha = Siddharta Lived from ~ 560 to ~ 480 BCE "Shakyamuni" means "sage of the Shakyas," Shakya being the name of the tribe or clan to which his family belonged. Family name was Gautama (Best Cow), first name Siddhartha (Goal Achieved). Son of King Shuddhodana. Renounced secular life at age nineteen (twenty-nine) and attained enlightenment at thirty (thirty-five). In the fifty years (forty-five) from the time of his awakening until he died (at the age of eighty), Shakyamuni continued to travel through much of India to disseminate his teachings.

 Tripitaka - Three Baskets

The Buddhist canonical texts are:
1. Sutra Pitaka - the Buddha's doctrinal teachings, 2. Vinaya Pitaka - rules of monastic discipline 3. Abhidharma Pitaka - commentaries on the sutras and vinaya

20 different versions of the Tripitaka were made

Buddhist Councils
The First Council to compile Shakyamuni's teachings
In the 480 BCE, the year of Shakyamuni death Cave of the Seven Leaves near Rajagriha Ananda recited the sutras and Upali recited the vinaya.

The Second Council to settle interpretations of the teachings

In the 390 BCE, in Vaishali

The Third Buddhist council to purify the Buddhist movement

In the 250 BCE, at Asokarama in Patiliputta Under the patronage of Emperor Asoka The pali canon (Tripitaka) was drafted.

18 Buddhist schools were active in India and Nepal at the end of the II century BCE.

The Tripitaka Koreana

The Tripitaka Koreana
thirty scribes completed the work in 1251 81,258 woodblocks weighs 280 ton 30 years to read

The woodblocks
cut in wintertime to prevent warping soaked in sea water for three years to remove every trace of resin boiled in salt water to prevent insect infestations and mould.

In 2000 finally digitalized

after nine years of work involved one hundred experts cost of 8 million dollars

Work is underway to transfer the characters onto copper plates

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The Tripitaka Koreana Storage

Built in 1398 at Haeinsa temple The largest wooden storage complex in the world Design true wonder
Each wall has an upper and lower windows different in size Naturally good ventilation

Mud walls and floor maintain temperature Several layers of charcoal, salt and limestone beneath the floors which maintain humidity level Attempt to transfer the woodblocks to a modern cement storehouse in the 1960s failed. Wood started to rot. Many things are not fully understood.
Mysteriously, insects and animals do not approach the complex. Since the founding of Haeinsa temple, there have been seven fires. The Tripitaka Koreana and the storage buildings have never been burned or damaged.

UNESCO World Heritage (http://whc.unesco.org/)

Kumarajiva (344 - 413)

Kumarajiva
translated 98 sutras and essays from Sanskrit to Chinese 52 are available today

The best translations of the sutras in classic Chinese

Excellent linguistic skills Very good understanding of the concepts

Dependent Origination, Non-self and Non-Substantiality

Any phenomenon exists only because of the existence of other phenomena (Dependent Origination) in a complex web of cause and effect covering past, present and future. Because all things are thus conditioned and transient (NonSubstantiality), they have no real independent identity (NonSelf) and the perception of a constant self is an illusion. ----------- You could not step twice into the same river; for other waters are ever flowing on to you.
Heraclitus, Greek philosopher (540 BC - 480 BC), On the Universe

No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man!

The Four Noble Truths

1. There is suffering (birth, aging, death, separation) 2. There is the origin of suffering, which is attachment to desire 3. There is the cessation of suffering 4. There is the way out of suffering - The Noble Eightfold Path:
right views (understanding) right thinking (aspiration) right speech right action right way of life right endeavour (effort) right mindfulness right meditation (concentration).

Theravada School
Theravada = Teaching of the Elders School formed in India approx. one hundred years after Shakyamuni's death Conservative, emphasizing strict adherence to the established precepts and a literal interpretation of doctrine as stated in the Pali Tripitaka. Introduced to Sri Lanka, where it developed and spread to other parts of South and Southeast Asia.

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Theravada Believer
Aims at personal awakening. Applies a strict control on himself cancelling the influence of desires as a source of sufferings. Desires will disappear temporarily with the death and definitively with the conclusion of the cycle of reborn and reaching the nirvana Only Shakyamuni could aspire to the status of Buddhahood. Only monks can reach the status of arhat (one worthy of respect) and the nirvana.
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Mahayana School
Mahayana = The Great Vehicle Around the end of the first century BCE a new Buddhist movement arose. Its adherents called it Mahayana, indicating a teaching that can serve as a vehicle to carry a great number of people to a level of enlightenment equal to that of the Buddha. The new ideas where written in Sanskrit in contrast with the pali used in the Tripitaka of the Theravada tradition. Mahayana school emphasizes altruistic practice (called the bodhisattva practice) as a means to attain enlightenment for oneself and help others attain it as well. Mahayana school excludes monks, pratyekabuddha, women and evil people from attaining enlightenment.
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Mahayana Schools
Before II century - Madhyamika period
Madhyamika (Nagarjuna teachings on Wisdom Sutra) Flower Garland Pure Land of Amida Buddha Zen (Vimalakirti sutra)

Betwenn II and IV century - Vijnanavada period

Yogochara (Asaga and Vasunbandhu own teachings) Ten-ti (Ten-ti teachings on Nirvana sutra) Zen (Lankavatara sutra)

From IV century - Mahavairochana period (exoteric)

Pure Word (Mahavairochana and Diamond Crown sutras) based on mantra, muda and mandala

From XIII century - Nichiren Daishonin (1222 - 1282)

Teachings based on Lotus sutra
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Shakyamunis Last teachings and Words

Last 8 years of Shakyamunis teachings - Lotus Sutra
All human beings have a potential for the enlightenment Sufferings come from the delusion about life, which is eternal

. he calmly lay down and spoke his last words. "You must not think that your teacher's words are not here any more, or that you are left without a teacher. The teachings and precepts I have expounded to you shall be your teacher." His final words: "Decay is inherent in all composite things. Work out your salvation with diligence."

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Historical Overview - End

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