Buddhism as Taught by the Buddha

I would like to defend Sam Harris' statement that "the Buddhist tradition, taken as a whole, represents the richest source of contemplative wisdom that any civilization has produced." (http://www.shambhalasun.com...) I will start off by simply explaining the Buddhist philosophy and then my opponent can offer refutations and following suit, I will respond to her contentions. :::The Core of Buddhist Teachings::: The source of Buddhist teachings are found in the Tipitaka (Pali Canon) and the Mahayana Sutras and the purpose of Buddhist practice is to attain Enlightenment. The following are the core Buddhist philosophical doctrines taught by Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, the Enlightened one. ====> T H E - T H R E E - M A R K S - O F - E X I S T E N C E<==== - Impermanence: All forms are in a constant state of flux; arising and decaying. Nothing lasts forever, but nothing ceases to exist. The appearance of a thing ceases, but ultimately it merely changes from one form to another. Buddhism teaches the Middle Way, avoiding the extremes of eternalism and nihilism. - Dissatisfaction/Suffering: Life is suffering. There is happiness in life, but all good things eventually come to an end. You may be healthy, but will meet sickness; your loved ones will eventually die; etc. Nothing can bring lasting deep satisfaction. - Non-Self: Sentient beings, have no self, no ego, and no eternal transmigrating soul. This comes from the precept of interconnectedness (or dependent co-arising). There is no separate isolated entity or individual because everything is interconnected. Any notions or perceptions as an ego-self are simply delusional. ====> T H E - F O U R - N O B L E - T R U T H S <==== The Four Noble Truths were constructed, almost in a syllogistic manner, to prescribe the cure for suffering. 1. Life is suffering and dissatisfactory. 2. The cause of suffering is desire, attachment, and delusional ignorance. 3. The cessation of suffering is attainable. 4. The way to cease suffering is the Eightfold Path. ====> T H E - E I G H T F O L D - P A T H <==== Discernment 1. Right View - Seeing reality as it is, not what you wish it to be. 2. Right Intention - Free from ill-will. Ethics 3. Right Speech - Speak truthfully, honestly. Say what needs to be said. 4. Right Action - Acting in a non-harmful way. 5. Right Livelihood - Non-harmful livelihood. Work without hurting or exploiting others. Concentration 6. Right Effort - Making an effort to improve. 7. Right Mindfulness - Mindful of the present moment. Clarity. Awareness to see things for what they are. 8. Right Concentration - Correct concentration and meditation. Non-absentmindedness. ====> D E P E N D E N T - C O - A R I S I N G <==== The interdependent nature of all conditioned phenomena. Everything is interconnected. "Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else." - the Buddha "When this is, that is. From the arising of this comes the arising of that. When this isn't, that isn't. From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that." - the Buddha ====> L A W - O F - C A U S A L I T Y ( K A R M A ) <==== Events are not predetermined, nor are they random. Notions of direct causation are rejected. Buddhisms form of causation posits the arising of events under certain conditions which are inextricable. This is also where the notion of karma comes from. Buddha described it as such: "The kind of seed sown will produce that kind of fruit. Those who do good will reap good results. Those who do evil will reap evil results. If you carefully plant a good seed, You will joyfully gather good fruit." - the Buddha ====> T H E - F I V E - A G G R E G A T E S <==== 1. Form - Matter. 2. Sensation - Sensing an object. 3. Perception - Registers whether an object is recognized or not. 4. Volition - Mental habits, thoughts, ideas, opinions, prejudices, and compulsions. 5. Consciousness - Cognizance; that which discerns. The Six Senses that make up an entity and allows entities to experience reality (the forms): Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind comprehend visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, and mental objects. ====> E M P T I N E S S <==== "All phenomena of existence are marked by emptiness; they neither arise nore perish; they are neither defiled nor pure, neither deficient nor complete." (Heart Sutra) Emptiness includes the negation of the five aggregates, the six senses, and six sense objects. Ultimately, form (physical matter) is energy, its appearance is an illusion of the perceiver. The self and all phenomena are without independent existence or inherent, fixed characteristics. (Chung Tai Chan Monastery, Heart Sutra annotations) ====> P H I L O S O P H Y <==== ::: Empiricism::: Buddhism is a very empirical philosophy. Its epistemological basis is experiential as opposed to speculative. "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." - the Buddha :::Atheism::: Buddhism is also an Atheistic philosophy. "In Buddhist literature, the belief in a creator God (issara-nimmana-vada) is frequently mentioned and rejected [by Buddha], along with other causes wrongly adduced to explain the origin of the world." (Nyanaponika Thera) Stephen Batchelor, author of "Confession of a Buddhist Atheist" (which was praised by Christopher Hitchens) described Buddha as an "ironic Atheist" who, when the question of God was brought to him, found it amusing, he then dealt with it, and moved on because such a question was irrelevant to attaining "supreme wisdom." He also rejected the notion of a Savior. "No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." - Buddha :::Nondualism::: Buddhism teaches non-dualism or dialectical monism. The doctrine that everything appears to be dualistic, but is ultimately one. In the words of Buddha: "In seeing, there is just seeing. No seer and nothing seen. In hearing, there is just hearing. No hearer and nothing heard." We constantly perceive and experience reality dualistically, but the ultimate reality is one, or rather, nondual. :::Rebirth::: The concept of rebirth is the Middle Way that avoids the extremes of the eternalism of a transmigrating soul and complete annihilationism. "There is rebirth of character, but no transmigration of a self. Thy thought-forms reappear, but there is no ego-entity transferred. The stanza uttered by a teacher is reborn in the scholar who repeats the words." - Buddha ====> N I R V A N A <==== The ultimate goal in Buddhism. The extinguishing of all suffering; liberation; the unconditioned; releasing of awareness; "Consciousness without feature, without end, luminous all around." (Tipitaka) This is the essence of the Buddhist teachings. I will now let my opponent proceed. Sources: http://www.buddhanet.net... http://www.accesstoinsight.org... http://en.wikipedia.org... http://en.wikipedia.org... http://online.sfsu.edu... http://en.wikipedia.org...