buddhism : beliefs and teachings Flashcards
when he was born, siddhartha… (3 things)
could immediately walk and talk, walked 7 steps and lotus flowers appeared under his feet, declared that he would not be reborn.
the buddhas mother
mother and father were king and queen, queen maya dreamed a white elephant came down from heaven and told her she would give birth to a holy child. queen maya died 7 days after siddhartha’s birth
siddhartha’s life of luxury
His father wanted to protect him from hardship, he grew up in a palace surrounded by luxury and his father prepared him to become a king.
The four sights
old age, illness, death, a holy man
importance of the holy man
Siddhartha wanted answers to the problems of old age, illness and death. the holy man inspired Siddhartha to believe that a spiritual answer to suffering was possible
why did siddhartha leave the palace and his newborn son and wife?
Siddhartha realised he wouldn’t find the answers to the problem of suffering by living his life of luxury. the four sights resulted in his renunciation (letting go)
what are ascetics?
They live a simple and strict life with few pleasures or possessions and believe extreme self discipline and self denial can lead to spiritual wisdom
What did siddhartha practice as an ascetic? (3)
living in dangerous forests that were too hot in the day and too cold at night
sleeping on a bed of thorns
eating so little that he looked like a skeleton
“it was to him like a time of intertwining the sky with knots”
why did siddhartha turn away from asceticism?
- he was too thin and weak to meditate effectively
- he learnt discipline and willpower but did not find the answer to suffering
- he accepted rice and milk from a cowgirl and restored his health and strength
spiritual understanding
Siddhartha had previously realised a life of luxury was not the answer to suffering, and that asceticism was not the answer either. this inspired him to follow a middle way between the two extremes.
siddhartha’s meditation
“not until i attain the supreme Enlightenment will i give up this seat of meditation” he was determined to meditate until he found enlightenment
what did Mara do to try and distract siddhartha from meditation?
Mara is a demon.
- he sent his daughters to seduce him
- he sent his armies to throw weapons as him
- he offered him control of his kingdom
- he questioned his right to sit at the seat of enlightenment
how did siddhartha ignore Mara?
- he was not swayed my maras daughters
- the arrows turned to lotus flowers before hitting him
- he called on the earth to witness his right to sit at the seat of enlightenment, it shook in response
enlightenment - first watch
Siddhartha gained the knowledge of all his previous lives
enlightenment - second watch
he understood the cycle of samsara (birth, death and rebirth)
he understood how beings are reborn according to their kamma
he understood nothing has an unchanging essence (annatta)
enlightenment - third watch
he understood beings suffer due to attatchment and desire
he understood that suffering can be overcome through the path to enlightenment
after he became enlightened…
- became known as the buddha
- taught his spiritual wisdom the the 5 ascetics who became his first disciples
- asked his followers to choose a middle way between luxury and asceticism
the dhamma - meanings (3)
- the truth about the nature of existence
- the path of training the buddha recommended for anyone wanting to get closer to enlightenment
- a universal law that governs how reality works
the three refuges (jewels)
there are 3 refuges in Buddhism - the dhamma, the buddha, the sangha (community).
these are the central values in their life. “to the buddha for refuge i go
to the dhamma for refuge i go
to the sangha for refuge i go”
the importance of the dhamma (6)
one of the 3 refuges
reduces suffering
gives meaning to life
creates happiness
improves relationship with others and the world
become more aware, wiser and kinder
dependent arising
everything depends on supporting conditions, nothing is independent
everything is in a constant process of change
“all events and incidents in life are so intimately linked with the fate of others” - the dalai lama
“every wave is related to every other wave” - buddhist monk
tibetan wheel of life
an image illustrating dependent arising as applied to samsara
outer wheel shows 12 nidanas
when the cycle is broken this allows the possibility of nibbana (liberation, complete enlightenment happiness and peace)
three marks of existence - dukkha
suffering, an inevitable part of life
there are 7 states some physical and some mental 4 are: birth old age contact with something disliked not being able to achieve your desires
“i teach suffering and the cessation of suffering” - the buddha
three marks of existence - anicca
anicca means impermanence, everything constantly changes. it affecting living and non living things and peoples minds. an example of suffering because of anicca is kisa gotami who eventually realised that death is inescapable with the help of the buddha
three marks of existence - anatta
people do not have a fixed self or soul.
illustrated in the story of Nagasena and the chariot
the five aggregates
form - our bodies
sensation - our feelings
perception - our way of understanding
mental formations - our thoughts
consciousness - our general awareness
what are the 4 noble truths?
the four truths the buddha taught about suffering
they are sometimes explained using illness as an example.
“the truth of suffering is like a disease, the truth of the origin is like the cause of the disease, the truth of cessation is like the cure of the disease, and the truth of the path is like the medicine” the visuddhimagga
the first noble truth
Dukkha
the existence of suffering
it is universal and the buddha teaches that accepting that it is a part of life is the first step to overcoming it.
“the insight is simply … that there is suffering without making it personal
the second noble truth
samudaya
the causes of suffering
this is tanha (craving)
“it is this craving which leads to renewed existence”
tahna - craving
sensory craving - e.g. craving foods
craving for being - e.g. wanting to be someone you are not
craving for non-being - e.g. not wanting to feel pain or embarrassment
suffering and the three poisons
greed/desire (a cockerel)
hatred/anger (a snake)
ignorance (a pig)
the third noble truth
nirodha
the end of suffering
suffering can be ended by overcoming craving and ignorance.
“fading away and cessation of that same craving”
the fourth noble truth
magga
a series of practices buddhists can follow to overcome suffering
the middle way
the path consists of the eightfold path
the eightfold path
Ethics (sila):
right speech
right action
right livelihood
Meditation (samhadi):
right effort
right mindfulness
right concentration
Wisdom (panna):
right understanding
right intention
theravada buddhism
the buddha is a focus of worship and a guide but is not a god
good fortune may be passed on to others, this is emphasised when someone has died
emphasizes five aggregates
mahayana buddhism
emphasizes sunyata (emptiness) - nothing has a seperate independent self or soul
buddha nature is important, everyone has the esscence of a buddha inside of them
arhat
a perfected person
no longer reborn when they die
bodhisattva
after they achieve enlightenment they choose to stay in the cycle of samsara to help others achieve enlightenment
“i vow to save them” - a bodhisattva vow
become a bodhisattva by following the six perfections
six perfections
generosity
morality
patience
energy
meditation
wisdom
pure land buddhism
within mahayana buddhism
faith is amitabha buddha and his paradise, sukhavati, which offers the perfect conditions to obtain enlightenment
