Buddhism Beliefs and Teachings Flashcards
The Dhamma (Dharma)
The Dharma is the way the universe operates
It existed before the Buddha who put it into words and explained it for others
The Buddhas teachings include the Three Marks of Existence, Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path
Three root Poisons
Greed
Hatred
Ignorance
Three Marks of Existence
Anicca - Everything is impermanent - Everything is in constant flux (constantly changing)
Anatta - Since everything is in constant flux, there can be no permanent self or soul as the elements which make this are constantly changing
Dukkha - Everything is constantly changing which causes unhappiness and suffering
Paticcasamuppada (Dependent arising)
“If this exists, that comes to exist”
Buddhist believe everything is dependent on each other interdependent events cause other events
Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism
In Theravada Buddhism, enlightenment is a personal goal for monks who become arhats (perfected beings)
In Mahayana Buddhism, individuals can support each other to achieve enlightenment
The Skandhas
People are made of the 5 aggregates that are constantly changing
Physical form
Feeling
Perception
Mental Formations
Conciousness
Sunyata
Sunyata means emptiness
To realise sunyata is to end attachment and craving
Buddhahood
Buddhists believe that every person has the potential to become Buddha
Arhat
In Theravada Buddhism
Perfected Being
Can reach enlightenment while others suffer
Bodhisattva
Found in Mahayana Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama was a Bodhisattva in life prior to his enlightenment
Makes a vow to put off Buddhahood to help others
Pure Land Buddhism
The Amitabha Buddha was a monk who vowed that after he achieved his own enlightenment anyone who called his name could live in his heaven until they attained enlightenment for themselves
Siddhartha Gautama Birth
Prophecies were made for his birth
He would be a king
or a holy man
After being born he walked 7 steps where lotus flowers grew
He was given a life of luxury but ignorant from death
Enlightenment
Siddhartha sat beneath a bodhi tree and vowed to meditate without stopping until he achieved enlightenment
the demon Mara tried to stop him by sending fierce armies and his daughters to tempt him
Siddhartha recalled all his past lives
He understood how all living things come to exist
He realised that suffering comes from a craving
He attained nibbana
Four sights
Dead man
Sick man
Old man
Holy man
Showed Dukkha (suffering)
The only happy man was the Holy man
It inspired Siddhartha to try for himself
After Enlightenment
The Buddha returned to the ascetics who left him and taught them first and then anyone who came to listen
Noble Eightfold Path
Panna (Wisdom) - Right View, Right Intention
Sila (Ethics) - Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood
Samadhi (Meditation) - Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration
Ascetic Life
He denied himself of food for 6 years as it is what he craved most but did not end suffering
His life of luxury did not work and neither did the extreme austerity
He washed and ate proper food for the first time
his companions disserted him seeing him as a failure
4 Noble Truths
Dukkha - suffering
Tanha - Dukkha is caused by craving
Nirodha - suffering is ended by non attachment - stop wanting = stop suffering
Magga - suffering is ended by following the eightfold path
