buddhism : beliefs and teachings

Question 1

when he was born, siddhartha… (3 things)

Answer 1

could immediately walk and talk, walked 7 steps and lotus flowers appeared under his feet, declared that he would not be reborn.

Question 2

the buddhas mother

Answer 2

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

Question 3

siddhartha’s life of luxury

Answer 3

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.

Question 4

The four sights

Answer 4

old age, illness, death, a holy man

Question 5

importance of the holy man

Answer 5

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

Question 6

why did siddhartha leave the palace and his newborn son and wife?

Answer 6

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)

Question 7

what are ascetics?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

What did siddhartha practice as an ascetic? (3)

Answer 8

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”

Question 9

why did siddhartha turn away from asceticism?

Answer 9

• 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

Question 10

spiritual understanding

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

siddhartha’s meditation

Answer 11

“not until i attain the supreme Enlightenment will i give up this seat of meditation” he was determined to meditate until he found enlightenment

Question 12

what did Mara do to try and distract siddhartha from meditation?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

how did siddhartha ignore Mara?

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

enlightenment - first watch

Answer 14

Siddhartha gained the knowledge of all his previous lives

Question 15

enlightenment - second watch

Answer 15

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)

Question 16

enlightenment - third watch

Answer 16

he understood beings suffer due to attatchment and desire
he understood that suffering can be overcome through the path to enlightenment

Question 17

after he became enlightened…

Answer 17

• 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

Question 18

the dhamma - meanings (3)

Answer 18

• 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

Question 19

the three refuges (jewels)

Answer 19

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”

Question 20

the importance of the dhamma (6)

Answer 20

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

Question 21

dependent arising

Answer 21

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

Question 22

tibetan wheel of life

Answer 22

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)

Question 23

three marks of existence - dukkha

Answer 23

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

Question 24

three marks of existence - anicca

Answer 24

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

Question 25

three marks of existence - anatta

Answer 25

people do not have a fixed self or soul.
illustrated in the story of Nagasena and the chariot

Question 26

the five aggregates

Answer 26

form - our bodies
sensation - our feelings
perception - our way of understanding
mental formations - our thoughts
consciousness - our general awareness

Question 27

what are the 4 noble truths?

Answer 27

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

Question 28

the first noble truth

Answer 28

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

Question 29

the second noble truth

Answer 29

samudaya
the causes of suffering
this is tanha (craving)
“it is this craving which leads to renewed existence”

Question 30

tahna - craving

Answer 30

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

Question 31

suffering and the three poisons

Answer 31

greed/desire (a cockerel)
hatred/anger (a snake)
ignorance (a pig)

Question 32

the third noble truth

Answer 32

nirodha
the end of suffering
suffering can be ended by overcoming craving and ignorance.
“fading away and cessation of that same craving”

Question 33

the fourth noble truth

Answer 33

magga
a series of practices buddhists can follow to overcome suffering
the middle way
the path consists of the eightfold path

Question 34

the eightfold path

Answer 34

Ethics (sila):
right speech
right action
right livelihood
Meditation (samhadi):
right effort
right mindfulness
right concentration
Wisdom (panna):
right understanding
right intention

Question 35

theravada buddhism

Answer 35

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

Question 36

mahayana buddhism

Answer 36

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

Question 37

arhat

Answer 37

a perfected person
no longer reborn when they die

Question 38

bodhisattva

Answer 38

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

Question 39

six perfections

Answer 39

generosity
morality
patience
energy
meditation
wisdom

Question 40

pure land buddhism

Answer 40

within mahayana buddhism
faith is amitabha buddha and his paradise, sukhavati, which offers the perfect conditions to obtain enlightenment