Buddhism Flashcards
Where was Buddha born?
He was born in Upanishadic India
Who was Buddha born to?
He was born to King Shuddhodana and Queen Mayadevi
Describe the life story of the Buddha.
Prior to his birth, mother has a dream that a white elephant enters her right side. Seer told her that she would have a son that would become either a great leader or a great sage. It he stayed in the kingdom, he will be a leader. If he left, he would be a sage.
Buddha’s family name
Guatama
“He who has achieved his goal”
Sidhhartha
Buddha is born into what clan?
Shakya clan (Shakyamuni)- sage of the Shakyas
Another name for Buddha
Siddhartha- “He who has achieved his goal”
The Buddha leaves the palace four time and each time sees different things. What were they?
1) old man
2) illness
3) Death
4) Aesthetic (monk)
*The fourth time he leaves the palace, he realizes that maybe this could be me.
Who is the demon that tempted the Buddha?
Mara. He threw his three daughters and the Buddha.
Buddha gave his first sermon in Deer Park on
The Middle Way
What are the teachings of Buddha?
1) Impermanance. Things do not inherently exist
2) Emptiness.
3) Suffering- comes from ignorance of the true nature of the self
4) Attachment is a cause of suffering
5) Internal battleground
6) wisdom vs. ignorance
7) Anatman (doctrine of no-souls)
What is Anatman? What are the five aggregates?
Doctrine of no-souls. We consist of 5 aggregates, or skandhas.
1) physical body
2) feelings
3) understanding (perception)
4) will
5) consciousness
What is the middle way?
the middle between extremes of indulgence and denial. The middle of the extremes of existence and nonexistence.
What are the three poisons?
1) Ignorance- pig. Ignorance is the rout of all suffering.
2) Hatred- snake. Arises from ignorance.
3) Craving- rooster. Arises from ignorance.
What is the reason we continue in Samsara?
Ignorance
What are the four noble truths?
1) Suffering
2) Origins- Cause
3) Cessations- There is a cure!
4) Paths- Eightfold path- cure
What are the 8 parts of the Eightfold Path?
1) Right View
2) Right Intention
3) Right Speech
4) Right Action
5) Right Livelihood
6) Right Effort
7) Right Mindfulness
8) Right Concentration
- The first two are wisdom
- The next three are ethical conduct
- The last three are concentration, developing your spiritual life.
Round of rebirth
Samsara
virtuous actions have
Pleasant effects
Non-virtuous actions have
non-pleasant effects
Karma means
Action
In Buddhism, Karma is a lot more
Psychological. When you do the action, what are the psychological aspects. What were your intentions? Whether you think what you did was wrong.
virtuous, non-virtuous, and neutral actions of body, speech, and mind as well as the pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral effects which may arise from those actions.
Karma in Buddhism
What are the six migrations?
“Happy Migrations”
- Gods
- Demi-Gods
- Humans
“Sad Migrations”
- Animals
- Hungry Ghosts
- Hell Beings
What is it called if you are reborn as an inanimate object?
Trifling Hell
Nirvana means
Cessation
Freeing oneself of the cycle of birth or rebirth (in Buddhism)
Nirvana
The state of wisdom and understanding of emptiness that leads to Nirvana
Enlightenment
Someone who has reached Enlightenment
Arhat
*The first five followers of Buddha reached Arhat
What are the three jewels?
1) Buddha. Atainment. (The teacher)
2) Dharma (The teaching)
3) Sangha (The community). Monks and laypeople who are practitioners of Buddhism.
A ____ is someone who has taken refuge in the three jewels of the buddha, dharma, and sangha
Buddhist
What are the ten virtues?
1) avoid killing; protect life
2) avoid stealing; practice giving
3) avoid sexual misconduct; practice good ethics
4) avoid lying; speak the truth
5) avoid divisive talk; speak harmoniously
6) avoid harsh words; speak lovingly
7) avoid senseless speech; speak with meaning
8) avoid covetness; cultivate admiration and delight
9) avoid harmful intend; become helpful
10) avoid wrong views; cultivate correct ones
*In each of these things, there is not only a proclamation to avoid each thing, but a declaration to do the opposite.
What are the three baskets called?
Tripitaka
1) Vinaya Pitaka- monastic rules
2) Sutra Pitaka- discourses
3) Abhidhamma Pitaka- supplemental works
The tradition of the elders
Theraveda
*Also known as Hinayana, or “The lesser vehicle”
- Focuses on the life of Buddha as a monk
- A monk who attains supreme enlightenment as an Arhat
- Reaching Enlightenment is a personal journey
Theraveda
*Lesser Vehicle. First school of Buddhism, historical buddhism.
Historical Buddhism. The first school of Buddhism.
Theraveda
Stories of the previous lives of Buddha
Jatakas
*Used as teaching mechanisms
The greater vehicle
Mahayana
Who changed Buddhism around the 3rd century BCE
King Ashoka
Someone who can reach enlightenment, but instead they come back in the round of rebirth to help other people reach enlightenment.
Part of the Mahayana
*Seen as the vehicle that can get more people across
In Buddhism, seen as the vehicle that can get more people across
Mahayana
Meant to be a faster way to reach enlightenment . Practiced in Tibet. Utilized llamas (Gurus).
Vajrayana
The dali llama is the leader of the
Tibetan Gelupgna Buddhist School
The Diamond/Thunderbolt Vehicle
Vajrayana
Japanese school of Buddhism
Zen
School of Buddhism where meditation is the key to enlightenment. Contemplation and understanding is what is of value.
Zen
seated meditation
Zazen
problems used to reduce dependency on ordinary ways of thinking
Koans
Enlightenment experience in Zen Buddhism
Satori
