Buddhism Flashcards
“no-self”: One of the Three Marks of Existence; doctrine denying a permanent self
annatta
“impermanence”: One of the Three Marks of Existence; doctrine that all existent things change constantly
anicca
One who has become enlightened; the ideal type for Theravada Buddhism
arhat
Future Buddhas. The ideal types for Mahayana Buddhists, beings who have experienced enlightenment but, motivated by compassion, stop short of entering nirvana to help others achieve it.
bodhisattvas
Siddhartha Gautama and all others who have, by their own insight, attained perfect enlightenment.
Buddha
Spiritual leader of Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism, believed to be an incarnation of the bodhisatta Avalokiteshvara
Dalai Lama
The teachings of the Buddha, one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism
Dharma
The first of the Four Noble Truths, the basic Buddhist insight that suffering is part of the human condition.
dukkha
The basic moral requirements that are binding for all Buddhists
Five Precepts
The central teachings of Buddhism: to live is to suffer; suffering is caused by selfish desire; the cessation of suffering can be achieved; the solution is the Noble Eight-fold Path
Four Noble Truths
The moral law of cause and effect of actions; determines the nature of one’s rebirth
karma
The largest of Buddhism’s three divisions, prevalent in China, Japan, and Korea; variety of forms, including devotion and prayer to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Mahayana
Patterned icons that visually excite; used in Vajrayana Buddhism to enhance meditation
mandalas
Phrases or syllables chanted to evoke a deity or to enhance meditation; used in Hinduism and Buddhism, especially in Vajrayana
mantras
A basic Buddhist teaching that rejects both the pleasures of sensual indulgence and the self-denial of asceticism, focusing instead on a practical approach to spiritual attainment
Middle Way
Choreographed hand movements used in the rituals of Vajrayana Buddhism
mudras
The ultimate goal of Buddhists, the extinction of desire and any sense of individual selfhood, resulting in liberation from samsara and its limiting conditions
nirvana
The fourth of the Four Noble Truths; defines the basic practices of Buddhism that lead to nirvana
Noble Eightfold Path
An ancient language of India, similar to Sanskrit, but more commonly understood; used in the writings of the earliest Buddhist texts; most important for Theravada Buddhism
Pali
The wheel of rebirth or reincarnation; the this-worldly realm in which rebirth occurs
samsara
The Buddhist community of monks and nuns; one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism
Sangha
The second of the Four Noble Truths, selfish desire, which causes dukkha
tanha
Prevalent form of Buddhism in Cambodia, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Sri Lanka, and Thailand; focuses on the earliest texts and emphasizes monastic lifestyle
Theravada
Characteristics that summarize the changing nature of reality: anatta (no-self), anicca (impermanence), and dukkha (suffering)
Three Marks of Existence
Named for the vajra, the Buddha’s diamond scepter; prevalent form of Buddhism in Tibet; emphasizes the harnessing of sensual energies to attain nirvana
Vajrayana
