Buddhism

✓ Buddha: who knows the truth of life

He was the king of small kingdom with Himalaya mountains
He left his father and go to Himalaya mountains with some Monks and
do same spiritual activities.
He thinks about How human being overcome this suffering. After 6
year of practising, he found the answer
✓ The answer is that the man has some desires and want to possess
everything – and the reality is that everything will disappear
someday. We should try to free ourselves of such kind of desires.
We should believe that everything starts to go to the end
immediately after its very beginning.
Buddha had some many followers, they asked him how they can do
that
✓ His Answer was: If we think that we has ego (‫ ( الذات‬- This is mine –
we will be mistaken because things will change – and ego depends
on other things, not lasting forever. Like Plants, they depend on
sun, water etc. So, Ego is the same, it depends on other things.
“If we can break free from these wishes, we will not be sad if we
lose these things”. Buddhism is a call to asceticism and the disposal
of material things
8 ways to do that as well as the 5 rules of buddha: (look at my
notebook)
✓ General people should respect buddha and Buddha’s Monks.
Buddha lived 80 years. After 100 year his followers tried to explain
buddhas rules.

©Zeyad Tolba
✓ Shojo:
Found in Thailand and where they completely respect buddha’s
Monks
✓ Daijo:
Buddha says, “if people desire to change my words, they can do that.”
Daijo edited buddha words and think in different way. They spread
rituals among people. They practise daily life with general people.
Buddha’s Monks share the day work with citizens and reduce from
their suffering. They try to help people to overcome the daily problem
and raise the spiritual awareness.
✓ Buddhism in Japan
In the beginning of the 7th century. When there was a struggle on
positions. Shoutoku saw that Buddhism may be a solution for this
struggle. He built temples for Buddhism and Statues for buddha.
Japan don’t like to adapt. They believe that they should change things
to suit them. Therefore, they apply that to Buddhism. They send
people to study Buddhism in china and come back to make “Japanese
Buddhist doctrines”. They use Shintoism expressions to explain
Buddhism for Japanese people. They build temples on the Japanese
way.
The best way for human do overcome his desires is Fasting – fasting
for food, laying, bad things. Monks of buddha is usually fasting –
Usually 1000 days – 3 years – every year take 3 months for example.
Every 24 hour eats only one meal includes rice and tea. Then, a the
morning the run around the temple. After that, they enter the temple
and write the holy book using Quill then praying and doing yoga. The
one who finish these 1000 days will have higher position between the
other monks. Women may work as Monks as well.

©Zeyad Tolba
✓ Juzu: Buddhist rosary ‫سبحة‬
108 beads
- They believe that peoples desires are 108 – by everyone you try to
overcome one from your desires.
- 30 December at 12AM before the beginning of the year, Temples
bells rings 108 ring to remind humans by overcoming their desires.

✓ Zen: founded in China and then transferred to Japan

One from the most popular doctrine in buddha worldwide
It depends on yoga mostly to clear our minds and sense that we are
connected to the sky. They build gardens, one type is stones gardens
(sort of asceticism) to see the world without colours.
They believe that we are guests in this world, so if you are a guest don’t
take anything, don’t damage anything, - after life we will go to
paradise with buddha - if we could succeed in overcome our desires.
But the one is so-so (someway between) it may be suffering a little
then enters paradise. However, if he was worse, he will go to hell or
varies types of suffering. They believe that when human die and go to
another world, he will be questioned then go to paradise or hell
‫عل الطريقة البوذية‬
‫مراسم الدفن والجنازة ي‬
‫اللت ال ر‬
‫تحتق فيأخذوها يف برطمنات جزء منها يف المعبد‬ ‫ر‬
‫ولكن يوجد بعد عظام الجسد ي‬
‫واالخر يف البيت‬
✓ Buddhism in Japanese homes
- “Butsu Dan” ‫دوالب بودا‬
‫ر‬
‫الموت يحتفظو بيه‬ ‫دوال بيتحط فيه برطمنات عظام‬
‫ي‬
‫يعتقدو انا الميت لم يرحل وروحه تجلس معهم يف البيت‬
‫وهنا فيه وفاق بي معتقدات الشنتو ومعتقادات البوذية مثل ارواح االجداد‬

©Zeyad Tolba
 ‫‪They believe that grandfathers spirits come to earth to Rest‬‬
‫‪assured grandchildren. At the middle of august14 , Japan has a‬‬
‫المقابر ‪festival called OBON. They visit cemeteries‬‬

‫الل نزلت تتطمن‬ ‫ر‬

‫اللت فيها يودعون فيها ارواح االجداد ي‬
‫ويقومو ببعض الطقوس ي‬
‫عليهم ‪.‬‬
‫حت االجداد ال‬‫ر‬
‫عل الجبال ي‬ ‫عل شكل حروف يابانيه ويحطوها ي‬ ‫‪ -‬بيولعو يف حطب ي‬
‫يضلون الطريق‪.‬‬
‫‪ -‬بيلعبو بالعاب نارية عشان ينورو السما‪.‬‬
‫‪ -‬يف بعض القري يوجد ساحات معينة لالحتفال بهذه االرواح يف الذهاب واالياب‪.‬‬
‫‪ -‬يوضعو فوانيس فيها شمعة يف مراكب صغتة وتجري المراكب يف النهر الن النهر‪.‬‬
‫الل بتهتدي بيها هذه االرواح عند العودة‪.‬‬
‫احد المعالم الطبيعة ي‬
‫زمت‬
‫اليابات نهاية الحرب العالمية التانية وهذا ترابط ي‬
‫ي‬ ‫‪ -‬يوم ‪ 15‬اغسطس اعلن االمتاطور‬
‫بي عيدهم‪.‬‬
‫الديت لالمتاطور‬
‫ي‬ ‫‪ 22‬اكتوبر هو تنصيب المسؤوول‬

‫)‪✓ Tea Ceremony (Sa-Do‬‬

‫‪A pic of Japanese tea house – practising this ritual gives us type‬‬
‫الذهت ‪of clearness of mind‬‬
‫ي‬ ‫صفاء‬

‫‪✓ Architecture:‬‬
‫‪bridges between temples and cities to be easy to reach by‬‬
‫‪people.‬‬

‫‪✓ Arts‬‬
‫‪Lotus flower is the holy buddhas flower – they believe that‬‬
‫‪buddha always sits besides Lotus flower and the river.‬‬

‫‪©Zeyad Tolba‬‬
 Japanese culture diversity

✓ When people migrate from China and all-around Asia, they came from their
culture and transfer it to Japan.
Dainuchi (the great sun) Nyorai: the Buddhist philosophy
At left he tries to make this image through the Japanese ancient image of death
– includes the sun (slide 52)
Dainuchi Nyorai: The image of the very kind statue – he shows many different
emotions to human beings. He is very peaceful.
Bosatsu kanon: the left image he bears his child (slide 54)
Purification (Shinto): they made that to protect the place and people from any
evil. If you feel that you are guilty you can practise purification.
✓ One way of purification is to wash your hand, mouth, and face before going
to pure yourself. People who want to clear their mind they can sit under
waterfall and wear white cloths and let the waterfall on them.

War Lords and western culture:

✓ The Arabs in Spain in the past wanted to go to India but not through the
Islamic route (Egypt way and the Mediterranean Sea). However, they go
through Oman then India.
✓ In the 16th century, Japan had very hard time because of civil wars.
Portuguese thought that they can conquer Japan.
Oda Nobunaga (in Drama): Japanese warrior and government official who
ended a long period of feudal wars by unifying half of the provinces in Japan
under his rule. (Resource: Wikipedia)
They wear western clothes. They accept new cultures and new civilizations. They
import Pistols. They didn’t refuse new things. They want to try new things. They
allowed Christianity to come to japan at that time.
Amakusa Shiro: is a very young man (17 years old).
A small place in south Japan had doors which are closed to prevent people from
invading Japan. Japanese try to prevent Christianity to spread in Japan. They

©Zeyad Tolba
make Japan isolated. They were afraid that japan will be occupied by Spanish,
so they try to return people to Buddhism again.
Some parts of Asia became Portuguese and Spanish colonies. At that time, the
Japanese government protect japan from any outer colonies. People try to fight
against government for that issue to protect their own beliefs. Now even after
that time the government succeeded to enforce people to return. However,
some still practise Christianity in secret. (Nagasaki city has many symbols of
Christianity till now). As we said before, no one will ask you what your religion
is in Japan. Everyone believes are their own (issue) and relation between his god.
When Japan start to come in touch with Islam in the 19th Century, they use the
methodology of Shintoism to explain Islam to Japanese people. When they try
explaining Christianity, they do the same; they used the Buddhist terminology
and words to explain it. We usually use what others already know to explain new
things. The translation of the Quran to Japanese language, there are some words
that came from the bible (the same exact words). It is not the same feeling of
meaning of the Arabic word. But it’s a must for Japanese to understand it.
Japanese try to accept new things in their way to understand. Japan loves to
make modifications like manufacturing cars. Japan don’t invent cars but modify
on some models.

✓ Japanese in their daily life, on 31 December night, they go to shine and before
that midnight they can hear the builds of temples rings 108 times to make
yourself pure and cleaned from your desires. Each ring you can be free and
pure from one of your desires. So, you start the new year without any desires.

©Zeyad Tolba
 “Do” The rouTe

They write with a brush like the old Arabic writings. (Do = Michi)
means the route. (slide 62)
Judo: the flexible (Ju) route (do) - A martial sport.
Karate: A martial art that depends on how to fight without a weapon.
Route (do) means ethics and the way which organize the way we fight.
“Ke = Le” means house or the family
They have a very strong tradition which is if you want to be an expert
in any field you should start from scratch and take a lot of time
practising in the field to reach a higher position. Even the stand-up
comedian industry, the Art, they should belong to an expert.
The traditional Japanese theatre art also a good example of this
tradition.
----------------------------
There are schools of “Ka do” (coordination of flowers)
In the left photo: there is only one flower to recognise its beautifulness.
(Slide 63)
In the right photo: they put the flower between other flowers which
planted in different seasons, winter, summer, etc. (slide 63)
In the left photo: This room includes a unique mat called “Tatani). They
work on it when practising the art of flower coordination. Also, there
is a ladder which used to reach a small place for guests to rest. This
place includes a painting. (slide 64)
This is for housewives who want to learn the art of flowers
coordination. (slide 65)
In the left photo: Also, the old people, who practise Ka do, get
certificates to reach the position of the teacher to teach the art of flowers

©Zeyad Tolba
coordination for others. They should take the teaching license. (Slide
66)
In the right photo: This girl wears “komono”, a special clothing. Each
komono represents one season from the 4 seasons in the year.
Moreover, there is a formal komono for formal occasions. (slide 66)
The left photo: One type of Flowers coordination includes 3 main
stems. They represent the sky, human, and the earth. (Slide 67)
The right photo: they use stems of the tree instead of flowers. (Slide
67)
------------------------------------------
One way is to take the nature as it is, includes stones for instance. (Slide
69)
SADO: Means the art of making tea: the red flowers in autumn. (Slide
70)
There are special rooms for making tea called (Cha-Sjitsu)
When you set inside the room to drink your tea you will see all the
nature outside from windows to give you the idea that you are too small
compared to the universe. (Slide 72)
There are several types of sweet which are served with the tea to be
sweety Called (omishi or manjo). Each sweet represents a flower of one
season: winter for example. (Slide 75)
Sen-no Rikyu: Do not memorize his name – Not an exam question!
He has many followers:
Ura Sen Ke: One doctrine of Serving the tea.
Omote Sen ke: Another doctrine of Serving the tea.
The Art of making tea has schools. These schools wrote a lot of books
to teach students how to make the tea in their doctrine. ( Slide 80)
------------------------------

©Zeyad Tolba
Bushi (Samurai) do (route): the samurai route of ethics and traits like
Love, magnanimity and nobility.
Samurai: they, at the first beginning, are soldiers to defend the Japanese
temples.
Samurai word changed to be Bushi
They have special clothes and a special haircut.
O Shiro:
Kugi gawa yasu :
Okada:
Seppuku: Is a way of Suicide by cutting the abdomen so that the person
can feel guilty and cleanse himself. This is the way of the nobles.
Mishima Yukio: writer who write amazing stories which converted to
movies. However, He suicided.
‫أسس جماعة اسمها جماعة الدرع من الشباب اللي عندو استعداد للقتال امام االمريكان‬
‫ اقتحم الجيش الياباني واعتقل القائد الكبير ثم اتصدم بعد عدم وقوف‬.. ‫ليخرجوهم من اليابان‬
.‫ وساعده اثنين من زمالئه في هذا‬.‫الشعب معه فانتحر علي طريقة قطع البطن هذه‬
Nitobe Inazo writes the book (Bushido ) the soul of japan. He explains
what the pillars of the ethics and traits of Japanese people depend on,
on which religion or basics.

©Zeyad Tolba