CHIN 50 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Avatamsaka Sutra, Buddhism In Central Asia, Northern Wei
Document Summary
Prince in northern india around 5th century bce from warrior caste background (ruling class) Eventually achieves enlightenment under a bodhi tree. Devised middle way- neither extreme indulgence or restriction is correct. Saw a corpse, old person, diseased person, and a wanderer. King ashoka- king in india, made buddhism his religion and spread it all over. Sorrow can only be stopped by the stopping of craving. Which can be done through disciplined conduct, culminating in the life of concentration and meditation led by the buddhist monk (eightfold path)- right view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort,mindfulness, and wisdom. Nirvana is the transcendent state where you are no longer stuck in cycle of life and death. Early buddhism or theravada (southeast asia), later called hinayana or lesser vehicle. Mahayana ( greater vehicle ) offers salvation for all, emphasis on bodhisattvas (figures who delay entry into nirvana until all beings released from suffering) Vajrayana (tantric): took root in tibet, esoteric buddhism.
