Buddhism Flashcards
anatman
(“No-soul”) The doctrine that
the human person is impermanent, a
changing combination of components
Arhat
A worthy one or saint, someone
who has realized the ideal of spiritual
perfection
bhikshu, bhikshuni
An ordained Buddhist monk and nun, respectively
bodhisattva
In Theravada, a being
who is on the way to enlightenment or
buddhahood but has not yet achieved
it; in Mahayana, a celestial being who
forgoes nirvana in order to save others
Chan/Zen
A tradition centered on the
practice of meditation and the teaching
that ultimate reality is not expressible
in words or logic but must be grasped
through direct intuition; see also koan
and zazen.
dana
A “giving” ritual, in which Theravada families present gifts of food, at
their homes or a temple, to bhikshus
who conduct rituals including chanting and merit transfer
dharma
In Buddhist usage, teaching or truth concerning the ultimate
nature of things.
dukkha
The suffering, psychological
as well as physical, that characterizes
human life.
Hinayana
(“Lesser Vehicle”) The pejorative name given by the Mahayana
(“Greater Vehicle”) school to earlier
Indian Buddhist sects, of which Theravada became the most important.
karma
The energy of the individual’s
past thoughts and actions, good or
bad; karma determines rebirth within
the “wheel” of samsara, or cycle of
rebirth that ends only when parinirvana is achieved. Good karma is also
called “merit.”
koan/gongan
A paradoxical thought
exercise used in the Chan–Zen tradition to provoke a breakthrough in understanding by forcing students past
the limitations of verbal formulations
and logic.
lama
(“Wise teacher”) A title given to
advanced teachers as well as the heads
of various Tibetan ordination lineages.
Mahayana
(“Greater Vehicle”) The
form of Buddhism that emerged
around the first century in India and
spread first to China and then to Korea
and Japan.
mandala
A chart-like representation
of cosmic Buddha figures that often
serves as a focus of meditation and devotion in the Mahayana and Vajrayana
traditions.
mudra
A pose or gesture in artistic
representations of Buddha figures; by
convention, each mudra has a specific
symbolic meaning.
nirvana
The state of bliss associated
with final enlightenment; nirvana “with
remainder” is the highest level possible
in this life, and nirvana “without remainder” is the ultimate state.
pagoda
A multi-story tower, characteristic of Southeast and East Asian
Buddhism, that developed out of the
South Asian mound or stupa.
parinirvana
The ultimate perfection
of bliss, achievable only on departing
this life, as distinct from the nirvana
with the “remainder” achievable while
one is still in the present existence
prajna
The spiritual wisdom or insight necessary for enlightenment
Pure Land
The comfortable realm
in the western region of the heavens
reserved for those who trust in the
merit and grace of its lord, the celestial
buddha Amitabha (Amida).
rinpoche
A title of respect for Tibetan
teachers or leading monks.
samadhi
A higher state of consciousness, achieved through meditation
sangha
The “congregation” or community of Buddhist monks and nuns. Some
forms of Buddhism also refer to the congregation of lay persons as a sangha.
Shakyamuni
(“Sage of the Shakya
clan”) A title used to refer to the historical figure of Siddhartha Gautama, the
Buddha.
shunyata
The emptiness that is held
to be ultimately characteristic of all
things, stressed especially by Madhyamaka doctrine
stupa
Originally a hemispherical
mound built to contain cremation ashes
or a sacred relic; in East Asia the stupa
developed into the tower-like pagoda
sutra
A discourse attributed either to
Shakyamuni himself or to an important disciple.
Theravada
(“Teaching of the Elders”)
The dominant form of Buddhism in Sri
Lanka and Southeast Asia.
Vaishakha
A Theravada festival held
at the full moon around early May,
marking Shakyamuni’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana.
Tripitaka
(“Three baskets”) The collection of early sacred writings consisting of discourses attributed to the
Buddha, rules of monastic discipline,
and treatises on doctrine.
Vajrayana
The tantric branch of
Buddhism that became established in
Tibet and the Himalayan region and
later spread to Mongolia and eventually back to India
vinaya
The rules of practice and conduct for monks; a section of the Pali
canon.
vipassana
(“Insight” or “mindfulness”) Meditation practiced by Theravada Buddhists
zazen
Sitting meditation in the Chan–
Zen tradition
