14: Buddhism - Non-Western Theories Flashcards
the Buddha’s monastic community, which was originally composed only of men but grew to accept anyone regardless of gender, background, wealth, nationality - a community which lives in harmony and awareness
Sangha
“the way” preached by Buddha
Dharma
the monastic code of Buddhism
Vinaya
the lessons of Buddha
Sutras
offshoot of Buddhism in northern Asia that developed from a more liberal group of Buddhists who split from traditionalists - emphasized goals of liberation from suffering and compassion (“the great sangha”)
Mahayana
term for Buddhist traditionalists following the split of the Mahayana - would become tradition of Sri Lanka and most of southeast Asia (“way of the elders”)
Theravada
sense of acceptance within Buddhist philosophy regardless of one’s belief in an afterlife - if you have a hate-free, malice-free, undefiled, and purified mind, you will be alright before and after death
four solaces
the five “aggregates” that Buddhists describe a person as being composed of - rupa, vedana, samjña, samskara, and vijñana
skandhas
skandha that represents the body, including the sense organs
rupa
skandha that represents sensations and feelings, arising from contact between sense organs and objects
vedana
skandha that represents perceptions and ideas, manifested in our ability to recognize things and ideas
samjña
skandha that represents mental acts, especially willpower and attention
samskara
skandha that represents basic consciousness
vijñana
term for the four skandhas besides the rupa (body) - they represent the psyche
naman
means “name-form” - Buddhist term for the person, mentally and physically, which is nevertheless anatman (lacking soul)
namarupa
term for the six “fields” for the five skandhas - sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind
ayatana
additional skandha in Mahayana Buddhism, representing the “storehouse consciousness” (similar to collective unconscious) - where bijas (inborn tendencies) combine with manas (ego) to form illusion of existence
alaya-vijñana
“seeds” contained in alaya-vijñana which are inborn tendencies to perceive the world in a certain way - result from our karmic history
bijas
parts of alaya-vijñana that represent the ego and combines with bijas to form illusion of existence - by quieting them, you realize “sunyata” (emptiness of all things)
manas
Buddhist term for recognizing the “emptiness of all things” by quieting the ego and becoming less self-centered - allows you to achieve peace
sunyata
set of principles that lies at the core of Buddhist teachings - life is suffering, suffering is due to attachment, suffering can be extinguished, and there is a way to extinguish suffering
Four Noble Truths
1st Noble Truth - pain, distress, and grief are inevitable aspects of life
life is suffering
Sanskrit word for suffering (stress, anguish, imperfection), which is a foundation for improvement
duhkha
Buddhist term which means that all things (including us) are impermanent
anitya
Buddhist concept that all things (including us) have no “soul” or eternal substance, which leads us to crave solidity - no one has a separate existence, we are all interconnected with the universe
anatman
2nd Noble Truth - much of our suffering is derived from attempting to make pleasure, happiness and love last forever while making pain, distress, and grief disappear
suffering is due to attachment
Buddhist term which translates to “attachment”, “thirst”, “desire”, “lust”, “craving” or “clinging”
trishna
Buddhist term for an aspect of attachment which translates to “avoidance” or “hatred” - only by giving things which cause us pain substance do we give them the power to hurt us
dvesha
Buddhist term for an aspect of attachment which translates to “ignorance” - not understanding one’s imperfection, not directly “seeing” or experiencing reality
avidya
3rd Noble Truth - pain can be diminished, the suffering we willfully add to our lives can be removed
suffering can be extinguished
state of being (or non-being) in which all suffering has been eliminated - translates to “blowing out”
nirvana
4th Noble Truth - the Eightfold Path is key to eliminating suffering
there is a way to extinguish suffering
Buddhist therapeutic approach with 8 segments
the Eightfold Path
name for the first two segments of the Eightfold Path (right view, right aspiration) - means “wisdom”
prajña
1st segment of Eightfold Path - understanding the Four Noble Truths and the reality that all things are imperfect, impermanent, and insubstantial / self-inflicted suffering is founded in clinging, hate, and ignorance
right view
2nd segment of Eightfold Path - having the desire and dedication to free oneself from attachment, hatefulness, and ignorance; resisting desire, anger, and aggression
right intention
name for the next three segments of the Eightfold Path following prajña (right speech, right action, right livelihood) - contain more detailed guidance in form of moral precepts
sila
3rd segment of Eightfold Path - abstaining from lying, gossiping, deceit, pointless speech and hurtful/malicious speech
right speech
4th segment of Eightfold Path - abstaining from harming living beings (murder and suicide), taking what is not given (robbery), and irresponsible sex / sexual misconduct
right action
traditionally, 5 keys to moral code of Buddhism (avoid harming others, taking what is not yours, harmful speech, irresponsible sex, and drugs/alcohol) - for some Buddhists, an additional 5 (one simple meal a day before noon, avoid frivolous entertainment, avoid self-adornment, use a simple bed/seat, and avoid use of money)
moral precepts
5th segment of Eightfold Path - earning one’s wealth in a harmless, righteous way without deception
right livelihood
Buddhist term that refers to our volitional activities and intentions, be they good or bad, which reflect on our integrity and happiness
karma
Buddhist term for the repercussions of karma - not necessarily about reincarnation (virtue is its own reward, vice is its own hell)
vipaka
name for the last three segments of the Eightfold Path, which concern meditation (right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration) - segments Buddhism is most famous for
samadhi
6th segment of Eightfold Path - taking control of your mind, deliberately abandoning bad thoughts/impulses and nurturing good ones
right effort
7th segment of Eightfold Path - accepting one’s thoughts and perceptions without attachment, developing fuller/richer awareness of life
right mindfulness
8th segment of Eightfold Path - meditating so as to empty ourselves of attachment, avoidance, and ignorance; accepting the imperfection, impermanence, and insubstantiality of life; focusing on wholesome thoughts and actions
right concentration
Buddhist term for a version of concentration meaning “calm abiding” which is essential for developing mindfulness - practices like counting breaths, chanting mantras, etc.
shamatha
Buddhist term for enlightened beings who have chosen not to abandon the traditional cycle of birth/death/rebirth, but to remain in samsara until they can bring all of life into nirvana with them - have achieved sunyata
bodhisattvas
Buddhist term for our current existence (after birth and before death, rebirth) - a wheel of suffering that prevents us from reaching enlightenment
samsara
four outstanding qualities of individuals who are bodhisattvas: loving kindness to all creatures, compassion for all who suffer, sympathetic joy for all who are happy, and equanimity (a pervading calm)
Brahma Vihara
unusual questions asked to young monks and nuns in Zen Buddhism to stimulate breakthroughs into nondualistic ways of thinking, understanding of emptiness - designed to frustrate our usual way of thinking
koans
Buddhist saying which means that the perfected life is within this life, not an afterlife
nirvana is samsara
branch of Buddhism that emphasizes the guru (teacher) and enlightenment - the branch to which the Dalai Lama adheres
Vajrayana Buddhism
Japanese version of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes meditation and overcoming the limitations of thought
Zen Buddhism
term for comparing one culture from within the view of another - bias leads to a lack of understanding, assumptions must be given up
Etic approach
term for attempting to understand a culture from its own cultural perspective, as opposed to the Etic approach
Emic approach
Buddhist term for the one true reality
atman
Buddhist term for the experience of connecting with the atman
awakening
the ability to control one’s own dreams
lucid dreaming
higher state of consciousness that follows awakening, where we give up the illusion of life and reduce suffering
enlightenment
the idea that all unenlightened living causes waves in the atman
dependent origination
Buddhist term for a state of happiness, peace from within
sukha
