Buddhism Beliefs: Key Terms

Question 1

Ascetic

Answer 1

A life free from worldly pleasures, and involves giving up of material possessions. This form of life often has the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals.

Question 2

Buddha

Answer 2

Historically the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama)
An awakened or enlightened person

Question 3

Dukkha

Answer 3

Suffering. Belief that all life includes suffering and unsatisfactoriness; one of the Three Marks of Existence.

Question 4

Enlightenment

Answer 4

A state of wisdom that enables total clarity and understanding of the truths of existence; achieving this, also known as Buddhahood, allows a being to be freed from the cycle of rebirth.

Question 5

The Four Sights

Answer 5

Teaching from the Jataka Tales about Siddhartha Gautama’s experience of illness, old age, death and a holy man. They led him to give up his life of luxury, to follow an ascetic lifestyle, in search of the truth about suffering.

Question 6

Greed

Answer 6

One of the Three Poisons; the attachment to material things, and the ongoing selfish desire for more.

Question 7

Hate

Answer 7

One of the Three Poisons; a feeling of intense dislike, anger, wishing others harm.

Question 8

Ignorance

Answer 8

One of the Three Poisons; the inability to see things as they really are. It is like a veil that prevents us seeing/understanding the truth of dukkha, anicca and anatta.

Question 9

Nibbana/Nirvana

Answer 9

Literally ‘blowing’ out. The belief that individuals can achieve a state of perfect peace where they experience liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Question 10

The Three Poisons

Answer 10

Causes of dukkha that affect all beings: represented by a snake, a pig and a cockerel.

Question 11

Craving (tahna)

Answer 11

The ongoing state of desire which causes suffering; grasping at things we enjoy/want.

Question 12

Dhamma (Dharma)

Answer 12

The teachings of the Buddha; these are the ultimate truth. Can also refer to following the Buddhist path.

Question 13

The Four Noble Truths

Answer 13

An important part of the Buddha’s teachings found in the Pali Canon, explaining the truth about existence. These include: suffering, the cause of suffering, the end of suffering, the path to the end of suffering.

Question 14

14. The Eightfold Path (magga)

Answer 14

The fourth Noble Truth. Known as ‘The Middle Way,’ it includes the way to wisdom; mental training and the way of morality. Eight stages to be practised simultaneously.

Question 15

The Threefold Way

Answer 15

The three divisions of the Eightfold Path: ethics, meditation and wisdom.

Question 16

Dhammapada

Answer 16

A source of wisdom and authority; part of the Pali Canon that includes some of the most famous teachings of the Buddha, including the Eightfold Path.

Question 17

Anatta

Answer 17

Belief that there is no fixed self/no soul; one of the Three Marks of Existence.

Question 18

Anicca

Answer 18

Impermanence. Belief that nothing is permanent; one of the Three Marks of Existence.

Question 19

Arhat

Answer 19

A perfected person. In Theravada Buddhism this is a term for a person who has become enlightened

Question 20

Bodhisattva

Answer 20

In Mahayana Buddhism this is a being destined for enlightenment, who postpones their final escape from samsara in order to help living beings.

Question 21

Buddhahood

Answer 21

Reaching enlightenment.

Question 22

Buddha-nature

Answer 22

In Mahayana Buddhism this refers to the fundamental nature of all beings, which means that all beings can become enlightened/reach Buddhahood.

Question 23

Consciousness

Answer 23

The fifth of the Five Aggregates; the state of being aware of something/your surroundings before or without perception.

Question 24

Dependent arising (Paticcasamupada)

Answer 24

The belief that everything exists because other things do; everything is interconnected and everyone affects everyone else.

Question 25

The Five Aggregates (skandhas)

Answer 25

The belief that human beings are composed of five factors - form, sensation, perception, mental formation, consciousness.

Question 26

Form

Answer 26

The first of the Five Aggregates; matter, physical experiences through the sense organs.

Question 27

Rebirth

Answer 27

This refers to the belief that when a being dies they are reborn. This process depends on kamma, and will continue until liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth is attained.

Question 28

Kamma (Karma)

Answer 28

Literally ‘action.’ The belief in cause and effect, intentions and actions will affect the future.

Question 29

Mahayana

Answer 29

Literally “Greater Vehicle”; this school of Buddhism focuses on achieving enlightenment for the sake of all beings (Bodhisattva). It is the main school of Buddhism in China, Tibet and Japan.

Question 30

Mental formations

Answer 30

The fourth of the Five Aggregates; mental activities which lead a person to actions and produce kamma (karma).

Question 31

Perception

Answer 31

The third of the Five Aggregates. The ability to distinguish between different objects that we experience through our senses; it also enables memory.

Question 32

Pure Land

Answer 32

This is the dominant form of Buddhism in Japan and focuses on chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha.

Question 33

Sensation

Answer 33

The second of the Five Aggregates; the feelings that arise from our sense organs making contact with objects.

Question 34

Sunyata

Answer 34

The second of the Five Aggregates; the feelings that arise from our sense organs making contact with objects.

Question 35

Theravada

Answer 35

The school of Buddhism mainly found in Sri Lanka and Thailand; it is an older tradition than Mahayana.

Question 36

The Three Marks of Existence

Answer 36

The belief that all life involves/is marked by these three features; sometimes known as the Three Universal Truths. The three are: dukkha, anicca, anatta.