STORIES Buddhist have some sacred stories for example:
- Myths
- Legends
- Parables
Expressions of faith were shown in sacred stories are myths, legends and parables. The most popular parable in Buddhism is the Zen school. This is the one that Buddha once told to his followers "A man, travelling across a field, encounted a tiger. He fled, the tiger after him. Coming to a precipice, he caught hold of the root of a wild vine and swung himself down over the edge. The tiger sniffed at him from above. Trembling, the man looked down to where, far below, another tiger was waiting to eat him. Only the vine held him up. Two mice, one white and one black, little by little started to gnaw away at the vine. The man saw a luscious strawberry near him. grasping the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other. How sweet it tasted!."
Another story Zen story: "Kakua visted China and accepted the true Buddhist teaching. He did not travel while he was there. Meditating constantly, he lived in a remote part of a mountain. Whenever people found him and asked him to preach, he would say a few words and then move to another part of the mountain where he could be found less easily. When Kakua returned to Japan, the Japanese emperor heard about him, and asked him to preach Zen for his own edification and that of his subjects. Kakua stood before the emperor in silence. He then produced a flute from the folds of his robe, and below one short note. Bowing politely, he dissappeared."
These parables about Zen is intended to highlight the belief that enlightenment in Zen as a sudden insight into reality. Something that is simple as the taste of a strawberry or the note of a flute may be sufficient to bring about this insight.
RELIGIOUS RITUAL:
The the communtiy of the monks which is also called the Sangha is very immportant in Buddhism, the ritual of joining the Sangha is the most insignificant rite of passage. The oldest Buddhist ritual is ordination. Sangha doesn't have to stay as monks forever they can have a limited period of time. In Thailand, young men leave school from secondary than be a monk for only 3 months.
The ordination is pretty simple:
1. The candidate comes before the assembled monks and requests entry to Sangha from the president of the assembly
2. The Sangha will bring with him his robes and the alms bowl in which he will collect food offerings from the people and he is questioned to see that he has the right intention
3. The assembled monks will remain silent once they approve of his ordination
4. The candiadte states that he takes refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, Monks that he will abide by the rules that govern a monk's life.
Social Structures:
- Sacred Space
- Sacred Time
- Sacred Persons
- Sacred Texts
The Theravada teachings: (The four seal of the teachings)
1. All phenomena are impermanent
2. All phenomena are suffering
3. All phenomena are selfless
4. Nirvana alone is peace
Faith Expressions
STORIES
Buddhist have some sacred stories for example:
- Myths
- Legends
- Parables
Expressions of faith were shown in sacred stories are myths, legends and parables. The most popular parable in Buddhism is the Zen school. This is the one that Buddha once told to his followers "A man, travelling across a field, encounted a tiger. He fled, the tiger after him. Coming to a precipice, he caught hold of the root of a wild vine and swung himself down over the edge. The tiger sniffed at him from above. Trembling, the man looked down to where, far below, another tiger was waiting to eat him. Only the vine held him up. Two mice, one white and one black, little by little started to gnaw away at the vine. The man saw a luscious strawberry near him. grasping the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other. How sweet it tasted!."
Another story Zen story:
"Kakua visted China and accepted the true Buddhist teaching. He did not travel while he was there. Meditating constantly, he lived in a remote part of a mountain. Whenever people found him and asked him to preach, he would say a few words and then move to another part of the mountain where he could be found less easily. When Kakua returned to Japan, the Japanese emperor heard about him, and asked him to preach Zen for his own edification and that of his subjects. Kakua stood before the emperor in silence. He then produced a flute from the folds of his robe, and below one short note. Bowing politely, he dissappeared."
These parables about Zen is intended to highlight the belief that enlightenment in Zen as a sudden insight into reality. Something that is simple as the taste of a strawberry or the note of a flute may be sufficient to bring about this insight.
RELIGIOUS RITUAL:
The the communtiy of the monks which is also called the Sangha is very immportant in Buddhism, the ritual of joining the Sangha is the most insignificant rite of passage. The oldest Buddhist ritual is ordination. Sangha doesn't have to stay as monks forever they can have a limited period of time. In Thailand, young men leave school from secondary than be a monk for only 3 months.
The ordination is pretty simple:
1. The candidate comes before the assembled monks and requests entry to Sangha from the president of the assembly
2. The Sangha will bring with him his robes and the alms bowl in which he will collect food offerings from the people and he is questioned to see that he has the right intention
3. The assembled monks will remain silent once they approve of his ordination
4. The candiadte states that he takes refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, Monks that he will abide by the rules that govern a monk's life.
Social Structures:
- Sacred Space
- Sacred Time
- Sacred Persons
- Sacred Texts
The Theravada teachings: (The four seal of the teachings)
1. All phenomena are impermanent
2. All phenomena are suffering
3. All phenomena are selfless
4. Nirvana alone is peace