Buddhism Flashcards
What was Buddha’s farther prophesied? And what did he do as a result of this?
He was told his son would be a great leader/ spiritual leader so locked his away in a garden full of extreme luxury
What did Buddha experience when he went outside?
The 4 sights
What are their 4 sights?
Dead man, Holy man, Sick man, Old man
Define asceticism?
To give up all luxuries
Why did Buddha give up his ascetic lifestyle?
He was too weak to meditate
What is a middle way?
A middle way between extreme luxury and extreme suffering.
Who was Mara
The evil one who offered temptation to Buddha
Define the 3 watches of the night
1) knowledge of previous lives
2) kamma
3) suffering exists and we can overcome it with the four noble truths
What do Buddhists strive to have the knowledge of?
The true nature of reality
Why are the story’s of buddhas live not help people today?
We live in a different society and people may have never experienced extreme luxury
Why are the 4 sights relevant today?
Because we still have to experience old age, sickness, death
What does buddha luxurious lifestyle demonstrate?
If you have everything you want it won’t necessarily make you happy
Why do stories of buddhas journey help those who find it hard to meditate?
Because Buddha himself found it hard (he was tempted by Mara)
What are the 3 poisons?
Greed, ignorance, hate
What are the 4 noble truths?
1) everyone suffers
2) suffering is caused by desire
3) detach from desires
4) follow the eighth fold path
What is the 3 fold way
The eighth fold path is decided into 3 sections
1) ethics
2) meditation
3) wisdom
What does the eighth fold path consist of?
Right-speech, action, livelihood
Right- effort, concentration, mindfulness
Right- intention, understanding
Define Dhamma
The truth about the universe
What is a refuge?
Something you can turn to when you are finding things hard and to escape suffering
What are the there’s refuges?
Buddha, Dhamma, Sanga
What is dependant arising?
Inter-relatedness
Nothing exists on its own
What does the cycle of samsara consist of?
Life, death, re-birth
Nibbna
Extinguishing the ‘self’
Three marks of existence
Dukka, Anicca, Anatta
Dukka
Suffering
Anicca
Impermanence of everything around us
Anatta
We ourselves are constantly changing. There is no such thing as our ‘self’
Jataka Tales
Stories of buddha’s life
Dhammapada
Buddha’s teachings (in verse)
Tipaka
Buddha’s teaching
What does it mean to be a Theravada Buddhist?
It’s oldest form of Buddhism, they’re obtained to a monastic community, they devote they’re whole life to achieving enlightenment, they follow the eighth fold path to become an Arhat
What is an Arhat?
A perfected person who has overcome suffering by defeating the 3 poisons. When they die they escape the cycle of samsara and are enlightened.
What are the two parts of Mahayana Buddhism?
Zen and Tibetan
What does it mean to be a Mahayana Buddhist?
They believe Buddha is watching over them and they all have a seed of Buddha within them. Enlightenment is hidden and they have to meditate in order to find it.
What is a Bodhisattva?
When you die your soul transfers to another form or you become a spiritual being and people pray to you for help
What does it mean to be a pure land Buddhist?
They’re part of the Mahayana tradition in japan. It is based of Amitabha and they chant in order for him to take them to sukhavati after they die
Why do Theravada Buddhists not agree with pure land Buddhism?
It’s too easy
Who is Amitabha?
A transcendent Bodhisattva who achieved enlightenment and nibbana and created a spiritual land for the after life (sukhavati)
Main hall
Here Buddhists make offering to Buddha and express gratitude.
Gompa
Meditation room
Pagoda or stupa
Contain holy relics
Monastery’s
Where monks live (place to sleep, eat)
Puja
Buddhist worship
Symbolic offerings
Candle(wisdom), incense (purity), flowers(impermanence)
Why is chanting and effective form of worship?
It’s educational and calms the mind.
What is a mantra
A set of syllables which represent a quality of Buddha
Samatha meditation
Focus on mindfulness of the body and breath. The organisation of thoughts and ability to focus on one single thing
Vipassana meditation
Gaining a true sense of the nature of reality. When the mind is totally focused of the present
Visualisation meditation
Focusing of something that is in front of you and imagining it (usually a painting, pattern or statue)
Wesak
Buddha was said to achieve enlightenment on a full moon so this is when Buddhists celebrate. They cover their homes with lights to symbolise wisdom and hope. In Singapore birds are released into the sky to symbolise liberation.
Parinivana day
. A Mahayana Buddhist festival
A time to reflect on their future death and loved ones who have died. They spend the day reading scriptures and some go on retreats. Some visit Kushinagar, India where Buddha died.
Theravada funerals
Little money is spent. A shrine is set up with photos of the deceased and buddha. They remind themselves of Anicca
Mahayana Buddhist funerals
Sky berries because of mountainous geography. Or a stupa is built to hold their remains.
Kamma
Law of consequences
Skilful actions
Rooted in the generosity, compassion and understanding
Unskillful
Routed in the 3 poisons (greed ignorance hate)
Why is kamma important
Because Buddhists can change their future livelihoods in their present actions
Karuna
Compassion
An example of compassion
Buddha passing on his teachings because he didn’t want to see people being unhappy
Metta
Loving kindness
Five moral precepts
Abstain from taking lives, taking what is not freely given, misuse of the senses, misuse of speech, taking intoxicants
Six perfections
Generosity, morality, patience, energy, meditation, wisdom
