Unit 3: Buddhist Philosophy

Schools of Buddhism

After the Buddha's passing, different interpretations of his teachings led to the formation of various schools.

Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble Truths are the foundation of all Buddhist thought, delivered by the Buddha in his first sermon. They are a diagnosis of the human condition and a prescription for its cure.

1. Duḥkha (There is Suffering): Life, as it is commonly lived, is filled with suffering, dissatisfaction, and stress. This includes birth, old age, sickness, death, and not getting what one wants.
2. Samudāya (The Cause of Suffering): The cause of suffering is Tṛṣṇā ("craving" or "thirst"). This includes craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence.
3. Nirodha (The Cessation of Suffering): Suffering can cease. This state of cessation is Nirvāṇa (to "extinguish" the fires of craving).
4. Mārga (The Path to Cessation): The path to Nirvāṇa is the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path

• Wisdom (Prajñā): 1. Right View, 2. Right Intention
• Ethical Conduct (Śīla): 3. Right Speech, 4. Right Action, 5. Right Livelihood
• Mental Discipline (Samādhi): 6. Right Effort, 7. Right Mindfulness, 8. Right Concentration

Pratītyasamutpāda (Doctrine of Dependent Origination)

Core Tenet: "This being, that arises; this ceasing, that ceases."

This is the central metaphysical doctrine of Buddhism. It explains *how* suffering arises and *how* it can be ended. It is the "Middle Path" (Madhyamā Pratipad) between two extremes:

• Eternalism (Śāśvatavāda): The belief in a permanent, eternal soul (like the Ātman).
• Nihilism (Ucchedavāda): The belief in annihilation at death (like Cārvāka).

Pratītyasamutpāda states that nothing exists independently or eternally. Everything in the universe is radically interconnected and arises *in dependence upon* other causes and conditions. The most famous example is the **12-linked chain (Bhavachakra)** that explains the cycle of rebirth and suffering, starting with Ignorance (Avidyā).

Nairātmavāda (Doctrine of No-Soul / Anattā)

This is a direct consequence of Pratītyasamutpāda and a core doctrine that separates Buddhism from all other Indian philosophies.

Nairātmavāda: The "Doctrine of No-Self" or "No-Soul" (Anattā).

• Buddhism denies the existence of a permanent, unchanging, eternal self (Ātman).
• The "self" or "person" is not a static *entity*, but a dynamic *process*.
• What we call the "self" is just a conventional name for a "bundle" of five ever-changing aggregates (The Five Skandhas):
  1. Rūpa (Form / Matter)
  2. Vedanā (Feelings / Sensations)
  3. Saṃjñā (Perception / Recognition)
  4. Saṃskāra (Mental Formations / Impulses)
  5. Vijñāna (Consciousness)

Kṣanikavāda (Doctrine of Momentariness)

This doctrine is also known as Anicca (Impermanence) and is fundamental to Buddhist thought.

Kṣanikavāda: The "Doctrine of Momentariness."

• Core Idea: Everything is in a constant state of flux. All compounded things are impermanent.
• Nothing is static; everything is a process. A "thing" is actually a series of events.
• Analogy: The "flame of a lamp" or a "river." A river appears to be a single, constant thing, but the water is completely new from one moment to the next. The "self" is the same—a continuous stream of consciousness and bodily states, with no underlying "thing" that stays the same.