Buddhism Flashcards
What are the years of the Buddha?
563-480 B.C.
What was Buddha’s early life?
life of Buddha mixed with legend and symbolism (hard to tell what is fact and legend)
Buddha was born far north (in lumbini)
Was a Kshatriyas (son of prince)
Buddha’s birth
Buddha’s mothers name was maya (illusion)
Mother had a dream that she is visited by a spirit that plants an elephant in her womb (sacred visitation), Maya dies after birth
raised by dad and aunt
dad was told that son is going to be “extreme” (either wealthy, poor, famous, humble)
lives in wealth and luxury growing up, very spoiled, he was very empty even though he had it all
What is Buddha’s name?
Siddharta Gautama
first: “him who is most likely to achieve”
second: name of a famous teacher in his family
Buddha chose second name
Buddha’s marriage and parenthood
joined kingdom through marriage
had a son –> Rahula (“chain”, “fetter”) - testamony of Buddhas life
Buddha started sneaking out of the palace with servant
Buddha’s Journeys
- Old man - Buddha has a moment that he is going to become like him one day
- Sick man - Buddha understands human frailty and that it could happen to him
- Dead man - sees funeral. This is the lot of all humanity. What is the purpose of wealth
- Holy man - sees hundi man. this is the only man that was content. Buddha decided this was what he needed.
How does the Hindu man impact Buddha?
Buddha decides to become a sannyasin
- starts doing meditation, yoga, become austere, fasting
- fame found him even though he didn’t want it (because he was devoted) - 5 disciples
- goes on like this for 6 years
- on 35th birthday - comes from wandering and sits under fig tree “I am not going to wander anymore, I am just going to sit here”
- after45 days of sitting, he achieves enlightenment
What are the three nights of enlightenment?
Buddha dreams/sees
1. previous lives
2. reincarnation insights
3. sees 4 noble truths
Buddha’s enlightenment
disciples name him buddha = “one who has been awoken”
Buddha’s preaching and teaching
begins to teach because people were curious
foes to family and asks for forgiveness (not to live but to reconcile)
son becomes disciple
where there were too many people following him (17+), Buddha sent them to beg (for food to feed the people) and volunteer to help needy
if i do this for you with no payment, then you will give me something in return
taught for 40-45 years and traveled
Buddha died at 80 by poisonous mushroom
body was cremated
What happened to Buddha’s bones?
ashes and bones divided and sent to different places in india and they are now places of pilgrimage
What was Buddha’s goal?
trying to reform Hinduism, not create a different religion, even though he did
He was disillusioned, unhappy hindu
What did buddha reform in his era?
Rejection and acceptance of hinduism and things that were unique
What did Buddha reject in Hinduism?
no to scriptures (not divine)
no to caste system (had followers of all 3 top castes)
no priests (laity - volunteers), do not need professionals
no personal gods
nunaries
What did Buddha accept in Hinduism?
reincarnation
Karma
initially accepted secondary place of women - decided women were not spiritual (exclusion of women = women could not be followers), then his aunt changed his mind and he opened nunaries
Mendicant movement (beg for what you eat and serve) - wandering/begging is holy
