The Pali Canon and The Theravada Buddhism - 1086 Words

The Pali Canon is a collection of texts central to the teachings of Theravada Buddhism. The Pali Canon addresses the rules of conduct and regulations within the monastic order of Buddhism, the discourses spoken by the Buddha and his disciples, and scholastic interpretation of the teachings of the Buddha (Fronsdal 2005). We will first focus on the discourses spoken by the Buddha to further our understanding of the Buddhist religion. [Buddha:] â€Å"What do you think monks: Is form permanent or impermanent?† â€Å"Impermanent sir.† â€Å"And is the impermanent suffering or happiness?† â€Å"Suffering sir.† â€Å"And with respect to what is impermanent, suffering, naturally unstable, is it proper to perceive it in this way: â€Å"This is mine; I am this; this†¦show more content†¦The Zen sect of Buddhism is prominent in Japan and can be seen as a convergence of Taoism and Buddhism. Its main influence is said to be found in the Buddhas flower s ermon, where instead of speaking, he held up a golden lotus flower. This sermon is key to understanding Zen Buddhism because its followers use koans to reach clear minds and insight. The Zen Buddhists try to clear their minds of concepts much like the lotus flower cleans itself of dirt. Koans can be described as questions that have no clear answer, and cause the mind to be agitated to a point where one abandons logic. This will eventually lead the mind to let go of its concepts so that one can experience the world with a clarity. Vajrayana is a sect of Buddhism that is primarily found in Tibet and is known for its use of tantras. The Vajrayanas believe that the use of sounds, sights, and movement can help empower an individual during meditation, and believe that pleasures can be sought after you have a pure mind. They use mantras to during meditation and try to envision deities in order to enhance their spiritual power (Smith 1994). Overall, we find that the Vajrayana and Zen Buddh ists are mystical sects, and concentrate on experiences rather than scriptures to reach enlightenment. Modern Convergence of Belief The Buddha preached that change was inevitable and that everything is impermanent. This idea is relevant whenShow MoreRelatedThe Impact Of Theravada Buddhism On Myanmar1288 Words   |  6 PagesTheravada Buddhism is one of two major sects of Buddhism and is practiced primarily in Southeast Asia. Its practice began in Sri Lanka and spread to Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, and has influence in the West today. In the eleventh century C.E., King Anawratha established The Myanmas kingdom, it was at this time that he converted to Theravada Buddhism, despite a large Tantric Buddhist population in the kingdom. From then on, Myanmar has been known as a Theravada Buddhist country. 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