Buddhism Flashcards
Guatama
Founder of Buddha
Teachers the discoveries made by him
- Humans are prone to suffering and need treatment
Buddha
Guatama and all others who have by their own insight attained perfect enlightenment
Guatama’s Early life
- Born 563BC, was given the name Siddhartha; family name was guatma
- FAmily was Kshatriya (warrior) class
- father ruled a small region of india
- A tradtional belief stated that he was destined to become either universal king or a buddha
- Came out of his mothers side and strode seven paces declaring that he would gain enlightenment
- ## married the finest maiden and had 2 sons
4 passing sights
At first gautama was shielded from the harsh realities from his father.
While travelling he encountered
1. Decrepit Old Man (such a fate was in-store for everyone)
2. Diseased man (How could ppl enjoy life when disease threatened them all)
3. Corpse (Ppl living oblivious to death)
The first 3 made him realize suffering. he could not feel safe and find comfort in his luxaires
4. An ascetic man (search of salvation through living a solitude and self denial)
The 4th one filled Guatama with hope; he thought he could overcome his despair by living a mendicant life (begg for stuff)
Middle Life
- Left his family at the age 29. leaving his roles; left to put an end to old age and death
- Great going forth; Triumph of the spiritual over material
- Soon he would meet 5 other mendicants who taught him their ways.
- He basically fasted for a long time, believing that reduction of food = increase of spiritual power
- He left and founded the Middle way
Middle Way
A basic Buddhist teaching that rejects both the pleasures of sensual indulgence and the self-denial of asceticism, focusing instead on a practical approach to spiritual attainment
- Holds a healthy spiritual life depends on a healthy physical life.
- Embraces that contentment is a good thing; body mind and spirit;
Later life
After middle way, Gautama sat in the lotus position under the fig tree, pledging to leave once he found complete and perfect fulfillment
Mara- death and her daughters tried to scare gautama away but he did not budge
After defeating them he entered a deep trans meditation. ascended through lvs of deepening awareness until he found the true nature of the human condition
(Night traditions)
Night Traditions
First Watch (evening): perceived his own previous life. saw his death and reincarnation go over and over and his suffering
Second Watch (Middle of the Night): Gained the divine eye ability. Ability to perceive death and rebirths of all living beings
Third Night (Late Night): Discovered the 4 noble truths, the perfect summation of the human condition and the means for transcending it.
By discovering the 4 noble truths he attained enlightenment and became a Buddha
Post Buddha
He remained under the fig tree in a perfect tranquility and infinite wisdom.
His depth of compassion held him from going into nirvana.
He stayed to pass on his discoveries to others. if one person could just understand his effort will be well spent
Eventually his first would be the 5 mendicants they would gain the middle way and the 4 noble truths and become arhats “worthy ones”. The religion was born
Arhat
Worthy ones who obtained the path to nirvana. However not by themselves.
Bodhi
Fig tree or wisdom tree
Sangha
The Buddhist Community of monks and nuns and one of the three jewels of Buddhism
- First Buddhist monastic community
Three Jewels/three focal elements
THe Buddha the Dharma (Buddha teaching) and the sangha (the Buddhists monastic community)
Samsara
Dharma
The teachings of the Buddha, and one of the three Jewels of Buddhism
- often understanding these teachings also require insight from meditation
Karma
Same meaning as Hinduism
Pali
An ancient language of India, similar to Sanskrit but more commonly understood and used in the writing of the earliest Buddhist texts; more important for Theravada buddhsim
Buddha Paradox
As you continue to discover your inner self you’ll realize that the inner self does not exists
Three Marks of existence
characteristics that summarize the changing nature of reality.
Annata: (No self): No ultimate self, there is no essence
Annica: (Impermanence): Everything changes, nothing is permanent
Dukka: (suffering): The natural result of annicia and annata, one of the 4 noble truths
Five Precepts
The basic moral requirements that are binding for all Buddhists
1. Do not take life
2. Do not take what is given
3. do not engage in sensuous misconduct
4. do not use false speech
5. do not drink intoxications
Nuns and monks
6. do not eat after noon
7. do not watch dancing or shows
8. do not use perfumes or ornaments
9. do not use a high for soft bed
10. do not accept gold or silver.
The 4 noble truths
The central teachings of Buddhism, to live is to experience suffering, suffering is caused by desire, the cessation of suffering can be achieved; solution is the noble eightfold path
1. To live is to experience suffering (dukka)
2. Suffering is caused by desire (Tanha)
3. suffering can be brought to cessation (nirodha)
4. The solution is the noble eightfold path magga
Dukka
The first noble truths, the basic Buddhist insight that suffering is part of the human condition.
Birth: Suffering bc another round of samsara
Old Age:
Disease
Death
attachment
our attachment sets us up for suffering
denounces attachment
Tanha
The second noble truths; selfish desire which causes dukka
- we cannot not be selfish, we wish to fulfill spiritual enlightenment stuff like that
Noble EIghtfold Path
The fourth noble truth; defines the basic practices of Buddhism that lead to nirvana
Wisdom
1. Right views. learn the 4 truths
2. right intentions. abandon evil attitudes and nurture the good
Morality
3. right speech. avoid vocal wrong deeds
4. right conduct. live morally by obeying the 5 precepts or 10
5. right livelihood. abstain from occupations that harm living beings
Concentration
6. right effort. differentiate between wise and unwise mental activity
7. Right mindfulness. develop mental focus for meditation
8. right meditation. ascent through 4 levels of trance, reaching the state of nirvana
Buddhism Zen
Meditation and the heightened state of awareness it nurtures.
Three vehicles Yanas
Hinayana
Mahayana
Vajrayana
Hinayana Theravada
Known as the lesser vehicle
- focuses on teachings; cultivating wisdom through knowing the 4 noble truths and practicing the 8fold path; meditation
- emphasis on monastic life
Mayahayna
The greater vehicle
- Largets division of buddhism
- Buddhism for the masses
- focuses on the Buddha himself
- devotion and prayer
- bodhisattva; dwell in Buddha heaven
divine assistance
- boddhisattava is the ideal type over arhat
Bodhisattva
Buddha’s in the making that dedicate their time to help others achieve nirvana
Vajrayana
Vajira: A diamond spear
- sensual energies to attain nirvana
- fire with fire
- harnesses energy to turn it against itself while others shutting off the energy
- by harnessing, it propels individuals forward
- Mandala: Pattern icons that visually excite used to enhance meditation
- Mudras: Choreographed hand movements
- Mantras: Phrases used to evoke a deity
- regard sex as a potent energy
Dalai Lama
The spiritual leader of Vajrayana buddhism believed to be an incarnation of the bodhisattava avalok
institution of Lama; hierarchy of clergy
line is determined through rebirth
