1.2 Three Marks & Five Khandas - concepts Flashcards
The three marks of existence
anicca - impermanence
anatta - no permanent self or soul
dukkha - suffering
nature of the three marks of existence
characteristics of all HUMAN life that are always present
purpose of understand the three marks of existence
remove attachment to existence by removing delusions, the misunderstanding that existence is permanent, is pleasant, and has something to do with the self
the Buddha’s Deer Park Sermon
birth is suffering, ageing is suffering … association with what is loathed is suffering, dissociation from the loved is suffering … the categories affected by clinging are suffering
the idea of anicca and its relationship with dukkha
idea that everything is dependent on causes and conditions, therefore everything changes -
causes dukkha as we become attached to things we expect to remain unchanged, and then struggle to accept when they do change
the only permanent rest from change
nibbana
The Ship of Theseus
a ship preserved by the Athenians by taking away the old planks as they decayed and replacing them with new planks. If it is fully replaced in this way, is it still the same ship? At what point does it stop being the same ship?
anicca represented at Buddhist shrines
flowers in three stages: bud, open flower, dying flower
sankhara-dukkha
dissatisfaction with life rather than a distinct problem; sense that life is meaningless; frustration at limits of being human; existential suffering and angst
dukkha-dukka
suffering we see around us all the time - things that are directly painful - physical pain, death, watching others suffer
viparinmana-dukkha
mental suffering from pleasant situations due to inability to accept change and impermanence
theistic criticism of Buddhist doctrine of impermanence
God or other spiritual things such as the soul are permanent
materialistic criticism of Buddhist doctrine of impermanence:
point of life is to struggle against changing material things rather than accept it. too much acceptance of death is passive or morbid
the Buddha: what are humans
the coming together of the kandhas, all of which are changing
anatta
just as things are impermanent, so is the self. denial of a fixed, permanent, unchanging self
origination of anatta
based on rejection of the Hindu belief humans have an atman which is permanent and unchanged which moves between lives, but is affected by the karma - the Buddha said this belief does not make logical sense
materialist
person who supports theory that nothing exists except matter and its movement and modifications
monist
person who supports theory that denies the existence of a distinction or duality in a particular sphere eg between matter and mind or between god and the world
why you cannot be enlightened without accepting anatta
belief in a separate self means you seek your own good rather than that of others and remain ignorant of the true nature of existence
relationship discovered by the Buddha during period of asceticism
our physical, mental, spiritual aspects all affect one another
Buddhist definition of ‘self’
simply a label to describe the current state of our psychophysical unity
the order of the 5 khandas
rupa (form) —> vedana (feeling) —> sanna (perception) —> sankhara (mental formulations) —> vinnana (consciousness)
rupa
the first khanda - our physical frame as composed of solidity, fluidity, heat, and motion
vedana
the second khanda sensations / feeling, as picked up through eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind
sanna
the third khanda -perceptions - picking up and recognising sensations
sankhara
the fourth khanda - mental phenomena - thoughts / mental activity such as moods, ideas, etc formed in response to perceptions
vinnana
fifth khanda - consciousness, the accumulative element which collects mental formations and is influenced or created by them
Nagasena and the chariot
analogy used to explain anatta. the wheels, axels, and all other parts of a chariot are not the chariot. ‘chariot’ is a designation for something conceptual - a combination of different parts and functions
‘avidya’ as defined in the Dhammacakka Sutta
ignorance, disillusioned understanding of the world and happiness
what dukkha stems from
shunyata
emptiness of independent existence
why Mahayana followers claim there is no suffering
suffering only exists as a product of ignorance to the way things are - it is not a quality of life that exists on its own, but a false idea we create
Hindu view of ‘atman’
permanent, unchanged, pure soul within us that is independent of the body but affected by the karma & moves from life to life
punabhava
renewed becoming / rebirth
kusala
wholesome actions with positive karmic outcome
akusala
unwholesome actions with negative karmic outcome
does the consciousness remain the same between rebirths?
no - the consciousness in the new person is neither identical nor entirely different from that in the deceased. the two form a causal continuum
how ‘death’ is interpreted
the dissolution of the five khandas
what is rebirth conditioned by
the nuanced karmas and habits of previous lives (although some believe the consciousness moves from life to life)
the buddha: forgetfulness vs awareness quote
the way of forgetfulness is the way of death. and the way of wisdom and awareness is the path to the deathless
Hindu idea of kamma
kamma is actions AND their results - all actions you are involved in, even indirectly, and their results, produce good or bad kamma which influences the rest of this life and the next
Buddhist view of kamma (in relation to Hindu)
kamma only refers to VOLITIONAL ACTIONS not all actions
roots of akusala
greed
hatred
delusion
roots of kusala
generosity (dana)
loving kindness (metta)
wisdom (panna)
kamma vipaka or kamma phala
the ripening of karmic fruit (the results of karmic actions)
plant metaphor to explain kamma and kamma vipaka
kamma is the seed we plant based on the nature of the intention, kamma vipaka is like the fruit grown from the seed - the nature of the fruit is conditioned by the seed and conditions nurtured in
