Buddhism

Question 1

What year was Siddharta Guatama [Sakyamuni] born?

Answer 1

~480 BCE | ~5-6 century BCE

Question 2

Siddharta Guatama/Sakyamuni facts

Answer 2

• Dad powerful ruler of Hindu republic– received prophecy of son either becoming a powerful ruler or religious figure
• Dad hid suffering from SG– fires sick, ugly, and old servants
• Spent 6 yrs. learning yoga and meditation from masters; then joins extreme group of monks who intensely fast– starvation made him realize ‘middle way’
• Sits beneath bodhi tree and vows to stay til he finds answer– eventually gets enlightened due to realizing 4 noble truths

Question 3

What did Siddharta Guatama see at 29 years old during a spring retreat outside palace that made him have extisential crisis?

Answer 3

An old man, a sick man, and a corpse.

On another outside palace visit he saw a homeless monk that had given up his possessions and felt compelled to do same

Question 4

What is nirvana?

Answer 4

‘Enlightenment’; state of mind– an escape from cycle of samsara

Question 5

What are the Four Noble Truths?

Answer 5

1. Life is suffering

(Humans face disappointment n pain for a multitude of rzns)

2. Suffering is caused by desire

(Humans cling to possessions, people, power, life itself)

3. There is an end to suffering

(Can’t change what happens to us; can change responses)

4. Eightfold Path leads to end of suffering

[abbrev. LIVECAMS to rmmbr]

Question 6

Eightfold Path (aka. ‘Middle Way’)

Answer 6

Guide to ridding brain of desire/reaching nirvana–

1. Right view
   (accepting 4 noble truths)
2. Right thought
   (think ab positive things not negatives)
3. Right speech
   (avoid gossip n lyin n bein mean; be nice)
4. Right action
   (don’t be violent; conquer anger w love)
5. Right livelihood
   (don’t engage w jobs that involve death or any exploitation; be good person to all)
6. Right effort
   (meditation; putting effort into creating good thoughts n pushin out bad ones)
7. Right mindfulness
   (paying attention; remaining in present wo labelling experiences or getting distracted)
8. Right concentration
   (meditation; concentrating on a single thing when meditating; concentration allows insight to thoughts)

Question 7

What is Theravada Buddhism?

Answer 7

‘School of elders’; oldest branch of Buddhism– texts v. important to them

Question 8

What are sutras?

Answer 8

Oral teachings of Buddha written down (AKA Pali Canon) “thus have i heard”

Question 9

What is Mahayana Buddhism?

Answer 9

‘Great Vehicle’; younger branch, has loads more texts n teachings

• mostly found in East Asia

Question 10

Enlightened beings that stay in samsara to help non-enlightened beings achieve enlightenment;

ppl. pray to them similar to cath. saints

(more abt the long-term cycle of rebirth)

Answer 10

Bodhisattva (Mahayana)

Question 11

Basic Buddhist teachings

Answer 11

• 3 marks of conditional existence
• 4 noble truths
• 12 links of dependent origin
• eightfold path

Question 12

What is koan practice?

Answer 12

A meditation device that is stories of previous zen-masters’ riddles

• example: the ‘mu’ riddle and repition of the word that the nun has people do

Question 13

What is zen practice?

Answer 13

Mahayana Buddhism
- strong emphasis on meditation and ‘sudden enlightnment’

• strict and demanding [koans part of zen practice]

Question 14

Someone who achieves nirvana

Answer 14

Arhat

Question 15

Mahayana Buddhism notes

Answer 15

• Bodhisattvas *
• Celestial beings
• More community-based
• Far more emphasis on LONG rebirth cycle

Question 16

Dukkha

Answer 16

Suffering