Buddhism Flashcards
Key phrases
Nibbana
The end of suffering, craving and desire. Having left the wheel of life (Samsara) and achieved enlightenment. The end of dissatisfaction at life.
Dhamma
The written record of the Buddha’s teaching and how to achieve enlightenment, he did not write them down so they have been done after his death.
The nature of existence (3 points)
- ANICCA - impermanence, nothing lasts.
- ANATTA - ‘no self’, you are constantly changing: form, sensations, perception eg, will all change throughout life.
- DUKKAH - suffering, an unsatisfactoriness at life: mainly caused by people’s want for things, craving (3 poisons).
The 4 sights and Buddah’s enlightenment
Age, sickness, death and a holiness
The Buddha sat under a tree, meditating and not moving until he had reached enlightenment.
4 Noble truths
- DUKKAH - suffering is life
- TANHA - attachment and craving is the origin of suffering (3 poisons)
- MAGGA - the cessation of suffering through the eightfold path
- NIRVANA - the cessation of suffering is attainable
The 3 poisons
Greed (pig), ignorance (pig), and hatred (snake).
They fuel the cycle of Samsara and cause unskillful actions leading to bad Kamma and bad rebirth.
The eightfold path (3 paths)
Made up of 3 sections (wisdom, morality, and meditation) which lead to enlightenmnet if all are followed correctly. Links with the Dhamma, his teachings.
Wisdom - seeing things as they really are.
Morality - developed through ‘right speech’, ‘right action’ and ‘right livelihood’, and seeing how they are all connected.
Meditation - essential for training the mind in order to reach Nibbana.
Samsara
The cycle of life, death and rebirth, fuelled by the 3 poisons. Actions of the present life determines the sate of the next (links to Kamma). The only way to leave it is to achieve enlightenment.
The 3 jewels (the 3 refuges)
The three jewels help Buddhists to make sense of life.
1. THE BUDDAH - the doctor (yellow). The founder, he is a guide and inspiration.
- THE DHAMMA - the medicine (blue). The teachings of the Buddha, we must accept the teachings and use them in practice.
- THE SANGHA - the community (red). Consisting of the ordained (monks and nuns) and the Lay people (ordinary Buddhists).
Five main precepts (I undertake to abstain…)
These are followed by all Buddhists in order to gain positive Kamma. Part of the ‘right action’ step of the eightfold path.
- Taking a life
- Taking what is not freely given
- The misuse of senses
- Wrong speech
- Taking drugs and alcohol which cloud the mind
Therevada (Arhat, monks and nuns)
Follow the teachings of the Buddah very closely.
Believe the best way to reach Nibbana is to become a monk.
Takes lifetimes to achieve.
Can be seen as too individualistic.
Links with the Sangha (community) and the three jewels.
Bodhisattva (Mahayana, Lay Buddhists).
Bodhi = enlightened, Sattva = being.
They use other teachings to understand the teachings of the Buddah.
They take a vow to help them on their path, done as an act of compassion for the sake of others.
Links with the Sangha (community).
Kamma
Suffering caused by our actions.
Links heavily to the wheel of Samsara and moral section of the eightfold path.
Skilful and unskilful actions
Skilful actions come from love and generosity, developed by following the eightfold path and 5 precepts.
Unskilful actions come from the 3 poisons (greed, ignorance or hatred) and fuel the Samsaric cycle.
Meditation
The best way to develop a state of mind that allows you to see how things really are. It is a key part in the path to enlightenment as it clears and focuses the mind. Helps to get rid of thoughts that are fuelled by the 3 poisons.
