Buddhism Flashcards
King Asoka Context: Before kalinga and kalinga war.
CRUEL, VIOLENT AND POWERFUL.
- Aimed to expand his kingdom by violence.
- Non-Buddhist leader. Some historians allude that stories may be exaggerated to provide anyone can convert.
Reign: 265-238BCE
Battle of Kalinga was 8th year of reign. 100,000 people dead and 150,000 captured. After he felt remorse.
From this point he lived by non-violence (Ahisma).
He heard monk saying “I take refuge in the Buddha and asked for instruction)
Announced non-violence rule in regard to Ahimsa.
Moved by bloody conquest to live out peaceful life.
King Asoka Context: Before kalinga and kalinga war. (Quotes)
’ feels remorse’
‘feels profound sorrow and regret’
(Asoka’s 13th edict.)
Heard monk say “I take refuge in the Buddha”
Must use this word AHIMSA, (non-violence)
Contributions definition
Hisorical approach, updated or reformed the religion.
Contribution: Constructed Buddhist Infrastructure
Contrsuted Public servies, e.g Viharas, stupas. INfrastructure allowed Buddhism to become a state religion. Thus, social cohesion. He turned an individual religion into communical.
Ethical teachings: Provided place of community which gave adherents ability to take refuge in the dharma (Three jewels) “I Take refuge in the Dharma, Sangha and Buddha
Contribution: Buddhist infrastructure: Quotes/examples.
Great Stupa at Sanchi: Built by emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century. Believed to house the Buddha’s ashes. Established missionary place where people can can go to connect to historical aspects of Buddhism. Still brings people together in modern context- pilgrimage.
“I have also ordered the digging of wells and rest homes” Edict 2
Contribution: Sangha
Development: Purification of the Sangha. Called for 3rd council.
Expression: Preserve tripitakas by compiling Sangha.
Context: Corrupt men expelled as the members were driven by greed and not bt the Jewels.
3rd council: Cleansed Sangha, ensured dedication. Run by Elder monk Muggaliputta-Tisa. Questioned 60,000 people. Bigginning of missionary work.
Ethics: Corrupt people frustrated real monks bringing them further away from enlightenment. Reinforced the middle way.
Contribution: Sangha,quotes and examples
“Not even a rain of gold would satisfy craving. The wise understand that sensual pleasures are of little sweetness and bring suffering”
Dhammapada verse 186.
“After the Third council, Buddhims was spread to many countries” Edict 8
“But men have various desires”
Edict 12
“Live in peace and purify their minds”
Edict 12
Contribution: Compassion
Developement: Compassion as ideal, sponsored sangha with food and medicine. Asked Monks to spread the Dharma.
Expression: Spread and maintenance of the Dharma. Brought the Dharma to life via words and actions.
Told followers to extend compassion to all. “State” and “private” morality (Spiritualty inclined)
Actions: Est. institutions, laws against vedic animal sacrificing. Instituted harmony and negotiation as form of government.
Ethics: Compassion to all sentient beings-Right action. Karuma, 5 percepts,
Contribution: Compassion examples and quotes
“May it endure low and may my descendants conform to it”
“Wishes that all sects may dwell in all places for all seek self-control and purity of mind” 7th Major rock edit.
“Here no living beings deserve to be slaughtered or offered in sacrifice” Edict 1
Summary of contributions
Establishment of Buddhist infrastructure: stupas, temples, 7 viharas, to strengthen the visibility of Buddhism across the Indian subcontinent.
Purification of the Sangha: Purified the Sangha through the third buddhist council, where corrupt members were expelled.
Furthering compassion as a Buddhist ideal: Through his words and actions.
Impact defintion
How has the lives if adherents changed. Needs contemporary examples and issues,
Impact: Popularisation through missionaries
Ashoka’s role in the growth and spread of Buddhism:
Fought alongside hinduism and jainism, spread through Asia through merchant communities.As Ashoka saw it as his duty to spread the Dharma after he renounced war in his 17th year he sent missionaries to 9 different countries. He made Buddhists respect other belief systems.
Ashoka even sent son and daughter overseas
Ethics: Ashoka spread the Dharma one of the three jewels. And he encourgae his empire to take reuge in them by creating missionaries.
Karma and rebirth cycle mean that once they plant the seeds it can continue.
Impact: Popularisation through missionaries: Lasting impact
Lasting Impact: “Our prime impact is to help others and if you can’t help them at least don’t hurt them”
2022 Dalai Lama
500 Million people practise Buddhism
Buddhism became a missionary religion such as 1977 Thai monks went to England which had a lasting impact an articles wrote about said “They didn’t post any announcements”
Quotes for Impact: Popularisation of missionaries
“everywhere in my domain the sangha shall go on inspection tours every five years for the purpose of the Dharma instruction” Edict 3
“Consistently listen to and remember” Edict 3
“Show and not tell”
“This proclamation has been made both in my domain and neighbouring lands” Edict 8
Impact: Reforming the code of ethics
Reformation is contained within the edicts. Ashoka is ab example of a successful conversion.
Ashoka used Dharma to guide social and ethical principle. Edicts is a notation of ethics and ashokas accomplishment.
Ashoka made the dharma a practical application rather than theory.
Lasting impacts of edicts apply today.
Edicts were created by Ashoka so many could understood. A result of kicking bad people out of Sangha.
Impact: Reforming the code of ethic. Immediate and lasting impact.
Immediate: First written evidence of Buddhism
Lasting: Start of Buddhist compassion as set out guidelines for an ethical life. e.g respecting all religion.
Impact: Reforming the code of ethics. Ethics
Connected the Dharma to Buddhists own lives- middle way. Dharma guided him to escape Samsara. Present tripitaka.
Impact: Reforming the code of ethics. Quotes/ examples
“Thus the glory of the Dharma will increase throughout the world, and it will be endorsed in the format of mercy, charity ad truthfulness. Edict 7
“They practise of the Dharma consists of little evil” Edict 2.
“Kingdom should know victory lies in them and not in the conquest”
“One should not honour only one religion and condemn the religion of others”
Samara
Samsara: The cycle of birth of birth, death and rebirth.
Karma: Actions in life determine the future–> Including the nature of each rebirth.
Humans realise that all sentient beings are equally caught up in cycle. It is Necessary for Buddhist to respect other lifes as it could well be a close relative.
Goal of Buddhism
Escape the cycle of samsara and reach nirvana. Everybody has the potential to be enlightened. keep turning ‘the wheel of doctrine’
Sila
ethics
Aim of environmental ethics
Balance and harmony as a social cohesion community. “But rather a concern for balance and harmony” sydney uni
“Should a person do good, let him do it again and again.
Karuna
Compassion: Exmaple Quang Minn Buddhist temple which fed international student sin 2020 during covid.
Metta
Loving kindness. Universal love for all living things. Buddhist council chaplins prisons in 2021.
Pancha Suta
Only speaking the truth–> Five percepts.
Aim of Buddhist Environmental Ethics
Central Paradigm: Good Karma provides good consequences; evil actions consequences. Good Karma allows them to break out of samsara and reach nirvana.
Ahimsa: Explain
Do not harm or kill the sentient; this can apply to both non-sentient beings.
Contributes to the path to the enlightenment first percepts.
Causes people gravitate towards vegetarianism and away from animal cruelty for the benefit of humans. E.g Nontoxic cleaning products, free range eggs
Ahimsa ethical issues
Killing of animals for food which is eroding land.
Animal experimentation and exploitation is a violation of Ahimsa.
Monks need to exercise compassion for plants.
Ahimsa scripture
“He rather thinks of his own welfare, of that of others, of that of both, and of the welfare of the whole world.”
“One should not kill or cause another to kill”
Ahimsa Modern Issues
‘Tree bank’ Hisponiala. Agroforestry in Dominican republic founded in 2006 between Sangha and Local community. “Chris bright” Sangha President aims to hold together habitats and to not harm sentient beings.
Tree of compassion based in sydney which provides specific wildlife training so buddhist adherents can actively shelter native australian animals.
Asteya: Explain
Second precept: Not taking what is not freely given. Do not misuse resources or deprive future generation by overusing resources.
Adovates for a simple, gentle, non-aggressive attitude towards nature.
Living in harmony: Links to consumerism.
Asteya Explain
Second precept: Not taking what is given freely.
Do not misuse resources or deprive future generations by overusing resources.
Advocated for a simple, gentle, non-aggressive attitude towards nature.
Living in harmony: Links to consumerism.
Asteya Ethical issues
Refers to the degradation of the environment through taking resources, logging, deforestation.
Overfishing, hunting and deforestation.
Do not take away habitats of other sentient beings.
interdependence and balance
To take life which is not yours breeches Buddhist percepts. Balance and Harmony
Asteya: Scripture
“We must re-establish harmony and equilibrium”
Dhammapada verse 129
“As the bee derives honey from the flower without harming its colour or fragrance, so should the wise interact with their surroundings” Dhammapada verse 49.
“To abstain from taking what is not given”
Asteya: Modern example
“Interfaith power and light” annual week of spiritually informed earth practise in “faith climate action week”. connection between faith, food and climate, faiths call to respond with practical solutions. Focusing on soil health and the social and racial injustice in food systems.
“Chalapathar shayagaon village Sangha adopted forest to protect Bhudolia creeper”
Eightfold path explain
Avoid extremes
Guidance by the Dharma, means truth and path to truth
Learn from nature
How to walk middle way: Right livelihood e.g choose employment carefully.
Sila (Ethical guidelines), restrain immoral actions.
Samadhi–> Practise.
Eightfold path Scripture
“A Generous heart, kind speech and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.
Eigthfold path modern examples
Thai Nhat: “The earth is us, you touch the nature of the being.
Karma royal Bali: National water day.
UN Buddhist Environment degradation declaration.
Wesak Summary
(Buddha’s Purinima)
Most significant day of the year.
Main Idea: Based on Peace, gratitude, Impermanence.
Date and timing: Varies every year, based on the lunar calender, typically celebrated on the full moon month of may.
Difference in variation:
Theravada: Celebrate the birth, enlightenment and Buddha’s death.
Mahayana and Vajrayana: Celebrate just the enlightenment.
personal journey of the adherent
Wesak Main beliefs: Three Jewels:
Buddha- focus of the festival, offerings given as a sign of respect to the Buddharupa. Dharma- wesak emphasises reflection on the Dharma, recited in the temples- guides you to escaping samsara. sangha: Respect for offerings via vegetarian foods. Chance for Lay Buddhist to learn from Sangha. Lay Buddhists listen to sermon delivered by sangha.
Wesak ethics: Ahisma
Compassionate treatment of animals, extended indiscriminately to all living beings
e.g Dai Mai Kair donates 8000$ to retirement village in singapore
Wesak ethics: Enlightenment
Celebration of enlightenment. Theravada and Mahayana have differences
Refocus and big celebration (No body is beyond redemption). Shwon in Buddhist flag, Offering candles to the Buddharupa.
Wesak Practice: Offering gifts
Sacred text “All offered with faith is more esteemed than much given without faith”
Link to principle beliefs:
“I take refuge in the Buddha, Sangha, Dharma”
Indivudal example
“Candle lighting ceremony at Phoue Hue temple run by NSw Buddhist association.
Wesak: Meditation and chanting
“Not until i attain the supreme enlightenment will i give up this seat of meditation”
“Right mindfulness and right concentration”
“Aloka Buddhist centre for guided meditation”
Wesak: Distributing food and charity
“If they knew the result of giving and sharing they would not eat without having given”
“With a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings”
““Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased by non-hatred”
Buddhist sangha in Johor, offer adherents to give blood. 2025 May 12th.
Impact to community
Active and visible participation:
Social cohesion
Article states “In Kuala Lumpur as many as 25000 devotees and visitors gathered at the Maha Vihara Buddhist temple.”
Validating the Sangha
Sri Lanka and Thailand lay Buddhists wake up early to offer alms giving such as foods
Strengthening community bonds:
Time for buddhists to help end suffering for all
“Da Ma Cai volunteers have paid a visit to a senior centre” Gave 8000$
Wesak for individuals
Show appreciation and respect for the Buddha:
Phuoc Hue temple candle lighting ceremony.
Away from poisons
Good Karmic merit:
“Aloka buddhist meditation centre”
Working towards Buddhahood:
Dharma talks, metta centre, bankstown.
