Ancient temp Flashcards
<p>Buddhism: Buddha: family?</p>
<ol>
<li>son of Suddhodhana and Mahamaya. Suddhodhana was the elected chief of the Sakya clan (Kapilavastu). Due to this, Buddha was also known as ‘Sakyamuni’. Mahamaya was a princess of Kosalan dynasty</li>
<li>His mother died either giving birth to him or after seven days. Siddhartha was brought up by his maternal aunt, Prajapati Gautami. This gave him the name ‘Gautama’.</li>
<li>Alara Kama his teacher of meditation; charioteer named Channa; Horse's name Kanthaks; when left his home, he also sought teachings ofUdraka Ramaputra who taught him meditative absorption leading to "the state of neither perception nor non-perception"</li>
<li>He was married to Yashodhara and had a son, Rahula.</li>
</ol>
<p>Buddhism: Buddha: lifehistory?</p>
<ol>
<li>born as Prince Siddhartha at <strong>Lumbini near Kapilavastu (in present Nepal)</strong> in <strong>563BC</strong></li>
<li>left his home at the <strong>age of 29</strong> to become an ascetic. This event is called <strong>Mahabhishkramana</strong></li>
<li>idea of renunciation occurred to the Buddha after he saw four different states of man – sick man, old man, corpse and ascetic</li>
<li>wandered for seven years and at the age of 35 attained enlightenment at Uruvela while meditating under a banyan tree on the banks of the river Niranjana. This tree came to be known as ‘Bodhi tree’ and the place became Bodh Gaya (in Bihar).</li>
<li>gave his first sermon at Sarnath near Varanasi. This event is called Dharmachakra Pravartana/ Dhammachakkappavattana meaning‘Turning of the Wheel of Law’.</li>
<li>died in 483 BC under a Sal tree in Kushinagar (in UP). This event is called the Mahaparinirvana.</li>
</ol>
<p>contemporaries of buddha?</p>
<p>Mahavira Jaina, Kings Prasenjit, Bimbisara and Ajatasatru.</p>
<p>teachings of Buddha?</p>
<ul>
<li>four noble truths (Arya Satya) in Buddhism</li>
<li>Ashtangirka Marga</li>
<li>tri Ratnas</li>
<li>also laid down a code of conduct fr his followers</li>
<li>avoid excessof luxury as well as hardship; prescribed the middle path</li>
<li>doesn't recognize God or soul</li>
<li>Stressed on karma and ahimsa</li>
<li>against the varna system -> gained popularity among lower castes
<ul>
<li>hwevr supported the social order based on classes i.e nt based on birth bt on action</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>believed in law of Karma</li>
</ul>
<p>Four noble truths of Buddhism?</p>
<ol>
<li>The world is full of sorrow.</li>
<li>Desire is the root cause of all sorrow.</li>
<li>Sorrow can be conquered by conquering desire.</li>
<li>Desire can be conquered by following the eight-fold paths (Ashtangirka Marga).</li>
</ol>
<p>Ashtangika Marg?</p>
<ol>
<li>Right understanding</li>
<li>Right resolve</li>
<li>Right speech</li>
<li>Right action</li>
<li>Right living</li>
<li>Right efforts</li>
<li>Right thought</li>
<li>Right self-concentration.</li>
</ol>
<p>tri Ratnas of Buddhism?</p>
<ol>
<li>Buddha: the highest spiritual potential in everyone.</li>
<li>Dhamma: the teachings of Buddha (Pali for Sanskrit Dharma or righteousness)</li>
<li>Sangha: order of monks who follow Buddhism.</li>
</ol>
<p>Buddha also laid down a code of conduct fr his followers, elaborate.</p>
<ol>
<li>do not covet property of others</li>
<li>donot commit violence</li>
<li>do not use intoxicants</li>
<li>do not tell a lie</li>
<li>do not indulge in corrupt practices</li>
</ol>
<p>Bodhisattva?</p>
<ol>
<li>literally, one who essence is enlightenment</li>
<li>term refers to gautam Buddha, before his enlightenment; also refers to other individuals destined to become Buddha</li>
<li>Theoretically, anyone can become bodhisattva</li>
<li>Bodhisattvas delay their own nirvana to help others</li>
<li>MUST be a male</li>
<li>may live life of a HHer and need nt be a monk</li>
<li>sub-category of celestial Bodhisattvas</li>
</ol>
<p>celestial Bodhisattvas?</p>
<ol>
<li>manifestation of eternal buddhas</li>
<li>Foremost among them are Avalokitesvara</li>
<li>In Tibet, Avalokitesvara, Manjusri and Vajrapani frm popular trinity of worshipped bodhisattvas</li>
<li>In china,
<ol>
<li>Manjusri: represents Wisdom</li>
<li>Ksitigarbh: saviour of dead</li>
<li>Samantabhadra: happiness</li>
<li>Kuan-yin: Chinese name frAvalokitesvara</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Schism in Buddhism?</p>
<ol>
<li>Hinayana</li>
<li>mahayana</li>
<li>Vajrayana</li>
</ol>
<p>Hinayana Buddhism?</p>
<ol>
<li>believed in original teachings of Buddha</li>
<li>sought individual salvation thru self-meditation and discipline</li>
<li>didn't believe in idol worship</li>
<li>a 'religion without God'; Karma is the God here</li>
<li>Nirvana is regarded as extinction of all</li>
<li>oldest schoolof Hinayan: Sthavirvada (Theravada in Pali) or 'Doctrine of elders'</li>
<li>pali, language of masses used (as did Buddha)</li>
<li>patronised by asoka</li>
</ol>
<p>Mahayana BUddhism?</p>
<ol>
<li>often Asang is attributed as founder of Mahayana school</li>
<li>believed in divinity of Buddha</li>
<li>sought salvation thru grace and help of Buddha and Bodhisattvas</li>
<li>believed in idol worship</li>
<li>Nirvana isn't a negative cessation of misery bt a =ve state of bliss</li>
<li>used Sanskrit, language of scholars</li>
<li>patronised by Kanishka and later by Harsha</li>
</ol>
<p>Vajrayana Buddhism?</p>
<ol>
<li>salvation cud be attained thru magical power, which they called vajra</li>
<li>chief divinities: taras</li>
<li>becam epopular in eastern india in 8th cent AD, particularly bengal and Bihar</li>
<li>mission sent by great Vajrayana monastery of Vikramshila to Tibet led to its popularity in Tibet in 11th cent AD</li>
<li>influenced by many tantric sects</li>
<li>during waning of Buddhism frm India, large no of Vajrayan Buddhism followers amalgamated into Hinduism, giving a tantric undercurrent to Hinduism, in eastren India particularly.</li>
</ol>
<p>Buddhist scriptures?</p>
<ol>
<li>Tripittakas aka canonical texts (Canonical texts are those that are linked to Gautama Buddha in one way or another)
<ol>
<li>Vinaya Pitaka</li>
<li>Sutta Pitaka</li>
<li>Abhidhamma Pitaka</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>Khandakhas</li>
<li>among non-canonical literature, Milindapanho, Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa; latter two great chronicles of Ceylon</li>
</ol>
<p>Vinaya Pittaka?</p>
<ol>
<li>deals with rules and regulations prescribed by Buddha</li>
<li>describes in detail, evolution of Sangha</li>
<li>acct of life and teaching ofBuddha</li>
<li>acct of monastic codes and conducts</li>
</ol>
<p>Sutta Pittaka?</p>
<ol>
<li>consists cheifly of discourses delivered by Buddha himself on different occasions</li>
<li>few discourses delivered by Sariputta, Ananda, Moggalana and others also incl</li>
</ol>
<p>Abhidhamma Pitaka?</p>
<ol>
<li>contains philosophy of Buddha's teachings</li>
<li>investigates mind and matter</li>
<li>contains religious discussions and debates Buddha had with his followers</li>
</ol>
<p>Khandhakas?</p>
<ol>
<li>contain regulations on life in monastic order</li>
<li>two sections
<ol>
<li>mahavagga</li>
<li>cullavagga</li>
<li>third part also, Parivara, bt nt so significant</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Buddhist Council: hw many?</p>
<p>4</p>
<p>1stBuddhist Council?</p>
<ol>
<li>at Satparni caves, Rajgriha</li>
<li>483 BC,just after Buddha’s demise</li>
<li>presided by MahaKassapa</li>
<li>patron: king ajatshatruof Haryanka dynasty</li>
<li>Main objective was to preserve the Buddha’s teachings</li>
<li>At this council, Ananda composed the Suttapitaka (Buddha’s Teachings)</li>
<li>Mahakassapa composed and Upali recitedthe Vinaypitaka (monastic code)</li>
</ol>
<p>Second Buddhist council?</p>
<ol>
<li>held at Vaishali.</li>
<li>held in 383 BC, i.e., hundred years after the Buddha’s death</li>
<li>Sabakami presided over</li>
<li>patronage of King Kalasoka of Sisunaga dynasty.</li>
<li>Main objective was to discuss ten disputed points under the Vinaypitaka.</li>
<li>first major split happened here – two groups that would later evolve into Theravada and Mahayana. The first group was called <strong>Theravadins orSthaviravadins</strong>(meaning Elder in Pali). They wanted to preserve the teachings of Buddha in the original spirit. The other group called <strong>Mahasanghika </strong>(Great Community) interpreted the Buddha’s teachings more liberally.</li>
</ol>
<p>3rdBuddhist council?</p>
<ol>
<li>at Pataliputra</li>
<li>held in 250 BC</li>
<li>presided over by Mogaliputta Tissa</li>
<li>patronage of Emperor Ashoka of Maurya dynasty;Buddhism preached by Emperor Ashoka was Hinayana</li>
<li>Main objective was to purify Buddhism from opportunistic factions and corruption in the Sangha</li>
<li>Abhidhamma Pitaka was codified here making the almost completion of the modern Pali Tipitaka.</li>
<li>estab of Sthavirvada school as an orthodox school</li>
<li>
<p>Buddhist missionaries were sent to other countries.</p>
<p></p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>4thBuddhist council?</p>
<ol>
<li>at Kundalvana in Kashmir.</li>
<li>1st century AD</li>
<li>Vasumitra and Ashvaghosha presided over this council</li>
<li>under the patronage of King Kanishka of Kushan dynasty</li>
<li>All deliberations were conducted in Sanskrit.</li>
<li>Here, Abhidhamma texts were translated from Prakrit to Sanskrit.</li>
<li>This council resulted in the division of Buddhism into two sects namely, Mahayana (the Greater Vehicle) and Hinayana (the Lesser Vehicle).</li>
</ol>
<p>Dhammapada?</p>
<p>a part of the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka. It contains a collection of the sayings of the Buddha in verse form.</p>