BUDDHISM - BELIEFS AND TEACHINGS Flashcards
What is The Dhamma?
Teaching of the Buddha.
What are the three marks of existence?
Also know as the three universal truths.
Anicca - everything is impermanent.
Anatta - no permanent self or soul.
Dukkha - everything is changing which leads to suffering.
What is dependant arising?
“If this exists, that comes to exist”.
Usually described as the twelve links:
Links 1-2 relates to last experience and what makes the present.
Links 3-10 relates to existence and shaping the future.
Links 11-12 relate to the further based on links 1 to 10.
What are the skandhas?
A person is made up of five elements (aggregates), known as skandhas. All skandhas are impermanent.
They are:
Rupa - physical form made up of the elements.
Vedana - sensations/feelings caused by what we see, hear, touch etc. Eg we taste something (feeling) and decide if we like it (sensation).
Samjna - perception of sense
Samskara - mental formation the decision making but of our brain
Vijnana - awareness/consciousness.
What is sunyata?
It means emptiness. To realise sunyata is to cease attachment and craving. It leads to enlightenment.
What are the two schools of Buddhism?
Theravada
Mahayana
Talk about the ‘perfected being’ in Theravada Buddhism.
They are known as Arhats. They have gained insight into the true nature of existence and reached nibannna. Being an Arhat is the goal of Theravada Buddhism.
Most monks follow sila (10 precepts) and develop prajna (wisdom).
It is unlikely to become an arhat unless a monk at a monastery. This means that women cannot become an Arhat.
Talk about the ‘one whose essence in bodhi (enlightenmnent)’, in Mahayana Buddhism.
Mahayanas believe the BODHISATTVA has made a vow to postpone their full enlightenment in order to help beings. The stages of becoming a Bodhisattva are:
- declaring the intention to put off Buddha-hood to help others
- taking vows to show determination
- living as a Bodhisattva, so working hard to develop and perfect the SIX PERFECTIONS (charity, morality, patience, energy, meditation and wisdom).
- becoming enlightened and attaining Buddhahood.
What is Pure Land Buddhism?
Emphasise faith in Amitaba. This is the Buddha of infinite light who resides in the Pure Land heaven (Sukhavati). He said that anyone who calls his name, male or female, coukd live in his heaven until they reached enlightenment for themselves.
What was special about Siddhartha’s birth?
Queen Maya, his mother, dreamt that an elephant with six tusks and a head coloured like rubies came down from Heaven. The King sought advice about thus dream from Brahmin priests about this dream. It meant Maya would have a holy child who would achieve perfect wisdom. he was born in the garden of LUMBINI. Immediately, he walked seven paces and from each footstep grew a lotus flower. Soon after his birth a holy man names Asista told the King that Siddhartha would become a great king or a holy man. The King wanted him to rule so shaped his life experiences around this aim. He was kept ignorant of death, illness and other suffering.
What are the four sights?
Illness
Old age
Death
Holy Man
Siddhartha grew curious about life outside the palace. At the age of 29 he went out on four visits and encountered four different sights. These sights troubled and saddened him. He had no solution until he saw the holy man. This man had renounced the material life and seemed happy. It inspired Siddhartha to try himself, vowing to find a solution to suffering.
Talk about Siddhartha’s ascetic life.
Siddhartha left the palace and his luxurious life after he saw the four sights. He spent a few years learning meditation from different Hindu masters. He wanted to gain insight into the problem of suffering. He also lived an austere life, denying himself of the things he craved, especially food. This period of his life lasted six years. He realised this life was not working. His life of luxury had not worked, neither did the extreme austerity. He had experienced both extremes. THEREFORE BUDDHISM IS THE MIDDLE WAY.
Talk about when Siddhartha became enlightened.
Siddhartha became enlightened under the Bodhi Tree. He sat there and vowed to meditate without stopping until he achieved enlightenment. The demon, Mara, tried to stop him. He tried to frighten him with armies and the. Sent his daughters to tempt Siddhartha and distract him from his purpose. Then, Mara challenged his very right to achieve enlightenment. Siddhartha called on the earth goddess Vasundhara to act as a witness that he was fit to reach enlightenment. Mara left. Four periods were marked out in the actual enlightenment.
What were the four marked out periods in Siddhartha’s enlightenment?
He recalled his past lives, thus being able to see that he was ready to become enlightened.
He understood how all living things came to exist - paticca samuppada. He understood that everything is impermanent.
He realised that suffering comes from desire and craving. Overcoming these cravings is vital.
With these realisations, he attained nibanna. THE THREE POSIONS (greed, hatred and ignorance) stopped within him, no longer controlling him, and he was left with a sense of calm and happiness.
Talk about Siddhartha’s life after enlightenment.
The Buddha sought out the ascetics who had left him as failure. He taught them first and then anyone who came to listen. This shows that Buddhism is for anyone, which reflects the Buddha’s compassion and concern for all.
What is the first noble truth?
Dukkha
Since all existence is impermanent, all existence must involve suffering.
