I would like some info on the comparisons between the different belief systems in Buddhism.

Kathryn

Does anyone have easy to read comparisons of the different belief systems and practices of Buddhism? I am running across a lot of other Buddhists in groups that don't believe the same things as others in the group. I get very confused by the bickering!

Dakini

Have you done a Google search? There's a chart that maps out the different beliefs in each major school.

Jeffrey

If you're up for a hour talk this guy discusses the ranges of buddhism at a point in the talk. I think its a great talk and great for a newcomer.

Kathryn

thank you

Dakini

for a very brief overview see: http://www.gkindia.com/worldreligions/themajorsects.htm

Kathryn

too brief. I'm looking for comparisons in the PRACTICE...Thank you though

Kathryn

OH! I have the Dharma Punx book :)Love it!

Floating_Abu

Hi @Kathyrn

Actually at essence all Buddhist teachings teach the same. But when people are still fixated on the level of form and touch, then you can get the disagreements. My encouragement to you - if you are interested in the principles of Buddhism: peace, well-being and compassion/harmony - is to find a group and just practice. Stay away from the controversies and multiple topics of debate, they are just distractions to the True path of Practice. And practice is where the true gems of Dharma lay.

Best wishes,
Abu

Dakini

The fundamental principles are all the same, but there are some variations in practice. Zen emphasizes insight via meditation. Tibetan Buddhism emphasizes ritual and empowerments, and teachings. It also offers a "quick path" to enlightenment in the current lifetime. Ch'an, from what I've heard from practitioners, provides a lot of guidance by teachers, a lot of feedback not only about meditation, but about using the teachings to become a better person, putting the teachings into practice. I don't know about Theravada.

Jeffrey

Tibetan buddhism teaches that there are three ways to practice: hearing teachings, contemplation, and meditation. Tantra is the quick path, but Tibetan buddhism also includes a slow path called lam rim. In Tibetan buddism there is no path to liberation other than insight. The short path involves direct pointing out instructions from a teacher. Via our karma we attract a teacher appropriate to our level of practice. Karma is not 'brownie points' in this case. Rather it is forging connections to the triple gem which prepare you and connect you with a teacher, sorta networking. Some students are interested in rituals and cosmology etc. For them they energize their practice, but it is not required and actually those things don't bring liberation, insight does. Formless practice is this moment, opening to it and the samadhi that brings.

Dakini

Great! Does anyone want to give a similar synopsis of Zen practice? And Ch'an, and Theravada?

Bekenze

Taiyaki would be good for Zen synopsis. I have read some of his writings here. Very Zen influenced, it seems.
-

I think the Theravada is kind of like the Orthodox church - adhering to the old ways of Buddhism. They only revere the original Buddha and his teachings in the Pali Canon. That much I'm pretty sure of.

taiyaki

Buddhism's root is in the four noble truths, attainment of nirvana, 3 jewels, and other stuff. Basically Buddhism has the same underlying theory, just different methods or means to arrive at such theory.

The theory points to freedom. Such freedom can be approached in a variety of different ways, but it all comes down to suffering and the cessation of suffering. So all authentic Buddhist school's will accept and revere the original teachings of the Buddha.

To understand Zen one should study and look at the ten ox herding pictures. This gives a complete map of what Zen has to offer. Now even in the Zen schools there are different emphasis based on the student/teacher/school interaction.

From my practice I've learned that all teachers, methods, and techniques bring us back to this immediate experience. Everything is pointing back to this. What is this? The function of the six senses. All experiences arise and fall. It is to rest and open up to the experiential truths. All methods are just watering the ground so that there is more immediate experience of what is. These methods are koan work, just sitting, mantra work, prostrations, walking meditation, etc.

So in Zen there is both the sudden realization and the gradual cultivation. Some may cultivate for many years and then have their sudden awakening and vice versa. So there is the sudden awakening to non dual consciousness and the gradual cultivation of clear seeing/action in every level of our being. Also the interaction with the world brings about an infinite room for growth.

The Buddha spoke of reality as it is and this was the truth he presented. Thus truth isn't an experience, though it can be at first, but truth is how things always are. Thus you can look at Buddhism as a whole as trying to deeply accept deeply on all levels the various truths presented. With such experiential knowledge, we gain peace and composure amongst heaven/hell. So there isn't anything to gain, but rather when we just see what's really here then we just see whats really here. In such naked honesty, we realize the peace and truth always was so and only clinging/wrong views prevent the correct seeing.

I've been recently digging the teachings of Dzogchen. Their emphasis is on direct realization of ones true nature. It is a bit different from Zen in that a Guru is needed to directly give transmission of what Rigpa is.

Anyways the differences we see are only various teaching methods to get to the same conclusion. We may not see this because we may be attached to a certain raft (teaching) as the end all, be all of teachings. The goal is nirvana for both the Arhat and Bodhisattva. Because there are different dispositions there are various teachings/teachers/schools.

Hope this is helpful.

Kathryn

Thanks so much! Floating Abu..."Stay away from the controversies and multiple topics of debate, they are just distractions to the True path of Practice. And practice is where the true gems of Dharma lay. " You are so right about this and thank you for the reminder

Spaceless

Anyways the differences we see are only various teaching methods to get to the same conclusion. We may not see this because we may be attached to a certain raft (teaching) as the end all, be all of teachings. The goal is nirvana for both the Arhat and Bodhisattva. Because there are different dispositions there are various teachings/teachers/schools.

Hope this is helpful.

:thumbsup:
basically two categories 性宗（法性宗），相宗（法相宗） ie. i. true nature of formless; ii. true nature of form.
according to Flower Adornment Sutra provided in the link - these two states are further broadened into 10 elements. from chapter 79 of Flower Adornment Sutra ( 華嚴經隨疏演義鈔卷七十九（大三六‧六一九上）：「通會二宗，即真之有，是法相宗；即有之真，是法性宗。兩不相離，方成無礙真佛心。」) formless equal forms (即真之有，是法相宗);forms are equal formless, these two are non separative true nature.

http://glossary.buddhistdoor.com/en/word/55646/性相二宗

Spaceless

there are also these buddha remembrance practice that subsume under the principle to achieve the above two main categories:

For one gate of Buddha remembrance or 'Nien-fo' [����], there are four types:

Buddha Recitation
Contemplation of the Buddha's image
Contemplation of the forms in the Sukhavati - There are sixteen ways in contemplating (to arrive supremeness bliss)
Buddha remembrance by Real Mark (reality-aspect) http://www.buddhistdoor.com/oldweb/bdoor/archive/nutshell/teach91.htm

91.1 Types of Buddha Remembrance
91.1.1 Buddha Recitation
91.1.2 Contemplation of the Buddha's Image
91.1.3 Contemplation of the forms in Sukhavati
91.1.4 Buddha Remembrance by Real Mark
91.2 More Ways of Buddha Recitation
91.2.1 Breath-by-breath Recitation
91.2.2 Intuitive Recitation or Enlightened and Illuminating Recitation
91.2.3 Non-intermittent Recitation
91.2.4 Bowing Recitation
91.2.5 Ten-times-a-round Recitation
91.2.6 Ten-breath Recitation
91.2.7 Recitation on Regular Practice

Victorious

I am a Theravad a practitioner and according to my teachers there are 3 kind of enlightend beings no matter what sect.

The first and most known are the Samyaksambuddha. These Buddhas has reached enlightenment by discovering the path on their own. They have te capacity to teach the path to others.

The second are Pratyekabuddha that reach Buddhahood on their own but can not teach it to others.

The Third are Śrāvakabuddha that reach enlightenment following the teachin of another (Samyaksam) buddha.

As I understand it Theravada tradition aspires to reach the last type of enlightenment while Mahayana tradition aspires on the first type of buddhahood.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahood#Samyaksambuddha

My teachers and once when I heard the HHDL in Sweden all recommend looking at the similarities of buddhism between sects instead of bickering.

The above distinction of Buddhahood often shed some light on many of the controversies in buddhism. Often diffrent sects try for diffrent types of enlightenment. Their percieved differences stem from this goaldifference and most often the bickering is about trying to compare apples to oranges. IMO.

/Victor

Jeffrey

Victor, the mahayana buddhist discovers the path with the help of other awakened beings. Ego doesn't cut its own throat. You can do it though for the inspiration of the awakened beings; they give you strength. But such practitioners can become full buddhas and manifest all of the buddha qualities. The buddhas are all inseparable but distinct.

Victorious

Jeffrey I am not contending that. The Theravada tradition is only little concearned with Bodhisattvahood. As I recall becomming a sammasambuddha requires the concent of a previous Buddha. Also there is some unclarity to what a Buddha of type 1 and 2 can do.

Actually the Theravadatradition preferrs to call the last type of buddhas particularly for arahants to separate them from Buddhas.

That is all I know. Would you say that the Mahayana tradition is also aspiring for Sravakabuddhahood? Or is that kind of distinction not made there at all?

/Victor

Jeffrey

Ah, I was just sharing and conversing, no point of contention

Victor I think in mahayana a buddha is a buddha, though you could say that buddha shakyamuni turned the wheel of dharma in this world. Though it is said that all the buddhas of the three times are inseparable. An example of another buddha is Padmasambava. Milarepa also became a buddha according to tradition. Probably some others. One of the ways of practicing is to read about the lives of bodhisattvas and buddhas as inspiration.

I know many study the pali canon in the mahayana (or at least their own descendants of the Pali Canon - parallel stories), and I am not sure what they make of that distinction in types of buddhas to answer your question. So I am not sure.

Fortunately in this day and age there is a photobucket section for padmasambhava hehe,,it is said that looking at his face can remove obstacles.

Floating_Abu

Thanks so much! Floating Abu..."Stay away from the controversies and multiple topics of debate, they are just distractions to the True path of Practice. And practice is where the true gems of Dharma lay. " You are so right about this and thank you for the reminder

You are very welcome, @Kathryn.

Namaste.

Floating_Abu

The fundamental principles are all the same, but there are some variations in practice.

Yes, perhaps choose what you feel comfortable within enough as an overall context/system, then dive.

Best wishes,
Abu-bu

craigpoff

So many "schools" and I, personally, would like to learn a bit more about "Pure Land" and would appreciate learning more. However, consider "Christianity". Under its umbrella one would find Eastern Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics and Southern Baptists and Pentacosts----VASTLY different modes of practice under "one roof". Buddhism is the same. Buddhism's strength is that, as it spreads to new lands, it adapts itself to the local customs, but does not shed its core truth (or should I say its four NOBLE truths).

I need to learn more, also, about our various "schools" but only as a further step towards enlightment and not to validate that any one may be "more correct" than the other.

My first post! But hopefully not my last. I have learned much here already.

daeyeth

@craigpoff - great first post straight to the point

craigpoff

I do attend Dharma teachings but must travel a long way for them (nothing locally), so this group has to be my Sangra!

Kathryn

Thanks so much for your input! I love both Thich Nhat Hahn's teachings and Pema Chodron as well just trying to figure out what all is out there and how it all relates to each other.

Kathryn

Craig, there are a lot of Dharma teachings online. I can give you some websites

Kathryn

I have finally decided to just study the way the Sangha I've chosen to be a part of does and not worry about what the differences are. What a relief to make the decision and quit researching and comparing! I will follow the teachings of Thich Nhat Hahn and make a commitment to this Sangha. I hope to take the precepts formally soon, but am in no huge rush. I feel as if I already have in my heart.

Tosh

Hi Kathryn, I was looking for a talk given by Ajahn Brahm on this subject, and he says (I think) that different sects just place the emphasis on different areas of Buddhism; Zen on mindfulness and Tibetan on compassion (for example), but all Buddhist practise manifests in the same way; mindfulness, meditation, and compassion.

My own teacher says that all the different Buddhist sects hold the Four Seals; that's what makes them Buddhist.

http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1814