RELI 216 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Noble Eightfold Path, Radical Change, Western People
5 Apr 2018
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Document Summary
Began in india and grew out of buddhism. Tied to a founder -> sidhartha gotama -6th century bce. He is known as the buddha which means the enlightened one. Ideas of karma and samsara are the same. However, on the question of the ultimate reality , brahma, in hinduism there is a a radical change. Buddhism believes nirvana is the nal destination of humans -> attaining release from samsara the birth and rebirth. Can only lead to suffering- nothing permanent to hold on to. Need to detach oneself from all reality and strive towards nirvana. Means blown out or cool or extinguished or put out like a candle. The goal of buddhism - to extinguish desire. When desire is extinguished one is released from samsara. Nirvana is not an ontological change, it is not a heaven nor a psychological change. Buddha describes it as when there is nothing. Can be achieved by following the noble 8 fold path.
