O budismo como prática educacional transformadora

Abstract

This thesis deals with the pedagogical aspects of Buddhism, i.e., transmission and acquisition of its teachings. Buddhism is generally explained in terms of the Buddhist comprehension of reality, through some of its ideas and concepts, in an effort of bringing it closer to the occidental mentality. Hence, an observation about the processes of transmission (and acquisition) of the Buddhist teaching is a clarifying mean, and one of the most able ones, to understand a conception of a transformation of an existential experience seen through practice of the Buddhist teaching. Because this is what Buddhism deals with and what is herein represented: the reach of a new existential condition, of a new way of considering the perceptions and experiences of the world, substituting the ones traditionally accepted as natural. As an educational act, Buddhism exemplifies one comprehension of education as an effort in itself, one s own transmutation that results in restructuring of all the possible fields of experience. This way, and following Buddha s example, the parameters of transmission of the attitude as well as practice of the real masters onto their students are still nowadays an example of where the human concepts about existence and their realization can get. Due to the intuitive character of the teachings as well as the practice, observing their pedagogy is one of the best means of understanding the extension of its teachings based on yoga. At the same time, such consideration makes us plunge in an investigation of ourselves, of our parameters, of limitations that we have currently assumed in our time. As a consequence of its observation, this is one of the marks that can mean something for our time.