Buddhism

Question 1

Siddhartha Gautama

Answer 1

-Raised in luxury, isolated, unhappy and unfulfilled
-Sees “Four Sights” during his first time leaving the house
-Renounces luxury at age 29
-Becomes religious mendicant

Question 2

Four Sights

Answer 2

1. An elderly person - aging
2. A sick person - illness
3. A dead person - death
4. A religious mendicant - pursuit of happiness

Question 3

The Enlightenment

Answer 3

-Siddhartha was sitting in meditation under a tree when he had a sudden awakening
-Taught Sangha
-those who heard him speak experienced enlightenment, gave up material lives, became monks and nuns
-Teaching = Dharma
- No gods worshipped
End goal is Nirvana - liberation from samsara

Question 4

Four Noble Truths

Answer 4

1. Life involved suffering (dukkha)
2. Suffering is caused by craving
3. Suffering ends when craving ends
4. End suffering through Noble Eightfold Path

Question 5

Life involves suffering

Answer 5

-illness, injury, death
-stop holding onto happiness or you will suffer more
-impossible to hold onto happiness forever

Question 6

Suffering is caused by craving

Answer 6

• Life is composed of constant and woven together experiences that give the illusion of an “I”
  -Once this illusion is realized, we can let go of attachments
  -Anitya - everything is impermanent
  -We are nothing but karma

Question 7

Suffering ends when craving ends

Answer 7

-Nirvana - ultimate liberation, escaping samsara, still alive
-Free of attachment and craving. Break free of “self”
-Parinirvana - karma runs out, you “dissolve”

Question 8

Noble Eightfold Path

Answer 8

1. Right Understanding - comprehend reality through four noble truths
2. Right thought - clear mind, no selfish desires
3. Right speech - no lying, gossiping, harsh speaking
4. Right action - avoid destroying life, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication
5. Right livelihood - live by 5 precepts (number 4)
6. Right effort - eliminate impurities of the mind
7. Right mindfulness - the cultivation of awareness
8. Right Meditation - mental discipline, control mind restless nature

Question 9

Theravada Buddhism

Answer 9

-“The way of the elders”
-View body as disgusting
-Minority of Buddhist
-Rejects the Lotus Sutra
-Samatha Meditation - calm-abiding
-Vipassana Meditation - Insight

Question 10

Pali Cannon

Answer 10

-Theravada Buddhism
-The Tipitaka (“three baskets”)
- Sutra-pitaka, vinaya-pitaka, and abhidharma-pitaka

Question 11

Triple Gems

Answer 11

-Theravada Buddhism
-Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
-Look to buddha and honor him
-Refuge in dharma

Question 12

The Arhant

Answer 12

-Theravada Buddhism
A monk or nun
-Only ones who know how to get to Nirvana

Question 13

Mahayana Buddhism

Answer 13

-“great vehicle”
-Goal: remain engaged in society and still live a life of enlightenment

Question 14

The Lotus Sutra

Answer 14

-Mahayana Buddhism
-“Skillful means” - communication that’s helpful/relevant to you
-Bodhisattva
-Buddha-Nature

Question 15

Bodhisattva

Answer 15

-reaches Nirvana, rejects it, comes back to help the rest of us out of samsara

Question 16

Buddha-Nature

Answer 16

-everyone can become a buddha, and no one is lost

Question 17

The Trikaya Doctrine

Answer 17

-Mahayana Buddhism
-3 bodies of Buddhism
-Dharma-kaya: eternal wisdom
-Nirmana-kaya: manifestation
-Sambogha-kaya” enjoyment

Question 18

Zen

Answer 18

-Mahayana Buddhism
-Meditation
-Sunyata meditation
-Koan Meditation
-Zazen Meditation
-Mind-to-Mind Transition

Question 19

Sunyata Meditation

Answer 19

emptiness, voidness, strip away karma

Question 20

Koan Meditation

Answer 20

-“Public case”
-Exhaust the mind through riddles

Question 21

Zazen Meditation

Answer 21

-Seated meditation
-focus on emptiness
-Keisaku - “warning stick”, focus on sting of slit to help you focus

Question 22

Mind-to-Mind transition

Answer 22

-Student smiles at zen maser who shares the dharma kai
-no communication
-endpoint of zen

Question 23

Kensho

Answer 23

momentary glimpse of reality

Question 24

Satori

Answer 24

full enlightenment in zen

Question 25

Pure land

Answer 25

-grounded in Amitabha Buddha - someone who reaches nirvana but rejects it -say his name = guaranteed to live in pure world (in samsara)

Question 26

Nichiren

Answer 26

-Chanting name of lotus sutra "glory to the dharma of the lotus sutra"

Question 27

Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism

Answer 27

-"Diamond vehicle" -Bodily oriented -Simplistic in teaching Taught by Lamas - lineage of teachers, wisdom teacher

Question 28

Dalai Lama

Answer 28

-Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism -return to share enlightenment with others -Manifestation of bodhisava

Question 29

Bardo

Answer 29

-Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism -49 day period between death and rebirth -Want a lucid death so you have the opportunity for enlightenment and you can control where and if you return

Question 30

Tibetan Book of the Dead

Answer 30

- What you will experience as you die -Can't perceive forms --> can't hear --> can't smell --> can't taste/breath --> no consciousness -White light --> red light --> black light --> natural light of sky at dawn

Question 31

Deity Yoga

Answer 31

-Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism -the 3 M's: 1. Mantras - sacred chants 2. Mudra's - hand signals and gestures 3. Mandalas - sacred diagrams

Question 32

Ideas of Life and Death

Answer 32

-NIRVANA - liberation from samsara, life free of attachment - Impermanent - ANITYA --> no "self", "i", or "ego" - PARINIRVANA -

Question 33

Ideas of Life and Death

Answer 33

-NIRVANA - liberation from samsara, life free of attachment - Impermanent - ANITYA --> no "self", "i", or "ego" - PARINIRVANA - karma has run out, you "dissolve" -SAMSARA- cycle of reincarnation * Buddhism doesn't believe in a permanent soul, only karma is reborn

Question 34

Legend of Ashoka

Answer 34

-beautiful eyes, dad's first wife wrote a letter in his name for people to take out his eyes. His eyes were removed, wife and dad fainted at the sight of him. Bad karma because he was a hunter in a past life and blinded hundreds of gazelles. He gained the eyes of wisdom