Buddhism Beliefs Year 10 Mock Flashcards
Why did the Buddha give up his life of luxury?
Because he saw the Four Sights
What are the Four Sights?
- An old man
- A sick man
- A dead man
- A holy man
Name another reason Siddhartha gave up his life of luxury?
- He realised he wouldn’t find the answer to the problem of suffering
- He was being prepared to be a king - he wanted to seek religious life
- He fulfilled the prophecy of Asita
- He would not have been able to show his compassion for humankind by staying in the palace
- He was discontented
In what type of Buddhism is it the spiritual goal to become a Bodhisattva?
Mahayana Buddhism
How do Bodhisattva’s influence Buddhists?
- Buddhists will want to be compassionate in order to help other beings with their problems.
- Bodhisattva’s combine being compassionate with wisdom so Buddhists want to do this too
Give some other examples of how Bodhisattvas influence Buddhists?
- Buddhists want to follow the six paramitas
What are the six paramitas?
- Generosity
- Morality
- Tolerance / Patience
- Energy
- Meditation / Wisdom
What is the Bodhisattva vow?
‘However innumerable sentient beings are, I vow to save them’
Buddhists will also want to (…)?
‘Go forth for the welfare of the many’
What do Buddhists use to help them visualise Buddha / Bodhisattva?
Patterns or paintings
What do images of Bodhisattvas function as?
Reminders of their spiritual qualities BUT some Buddhists see the images as actually possessing the spirit
Bodhisattvas can be male or female what does this encourage?
The Buddhists belief in the equality of all
What type of Buddha do Pure Land Buddhists believe in?
Amitabha Buddha
Where do Pure Land Buddhists hope to be reborn?
The paradise where Amitabha lives
What is the name of the Pure Land Buddhist heaven?
Sukhavati
What do Pure Land Buddhists have to do to be reborn into Sukhavati?
Simply call on the name of Amitabha
Why did Amitabha create this paradise?
Out of compassion and love for all beings
Who do Pure Land Buddhists believe they will be taught by is they are born into Sukhavati?
They will be taught by Amitabha himself
Being taught by Amitabha means they have a higher chance of?
Attaining Buddhahood (being a Buddha)
Chanting Amitabha’s name…
(Leila’s saying)
‘Namo Amida Butso’
What is there none of in Pure Land?
Suffering / problems to stop people achieving enlightenment
What did the Buddha Amitabha say to Bodhisattvas from the Pure Land Sutras?
‘you must always call me to mind again and again’
In Theravada Buddhism what are the difficulties of attaining enlightenment?
- You have to be a monk
- monastic communities are expected to lead a life studying Buddhist doctrine
- discipline is difficult
- Some traditions only males can gain enlightenment
Why might attaining enlightenment be difficult?
It is a real experience that takes time, dedication and effort to experience it
Discussing the difficulties of attaining enlightenment.
What can no one fully overcome?
Suffering - cannot extinguish greed, hatred and delusion which is what enlightenment is about.
Arguing that enlightenment is difficult to attain.
What are some arguments in support?
- too abstract to understand
- unrealistic to think the goal of a religion can be achieved in thus present life
- suffering is a fact of life
- people will always experience hurt and pain
What does the Tibetan Wheel teach?
That suffering is constant so how can enlightenment be the goal?
What is a major problem in the western world?
Temptation is apart of human nature
Arguments against that ‘Enlightenment is difficult to attain’?
- The Buddha did it so others can too
- The Buddha would not have identified a path to enlightenment if he didn’t think people could reach it
What is believed in Zen Buddhism?
All can achieve enlightenment as they already have Buddha nature in them
What is taught in Pure Land Buddhism regarding chanting?
Chanting might suggest that enlightenment is easy to attain
What does a Bodhisattva help?
People achieve enlightenment in Mahayana Buddhism
What sets up the Four Noble Truths as a profound teaching?
It establishes the Buddha as a physician for all the ills of the world as he identifies the problem and gives a diagnosis in the first two Noble Truths
How can anyone experience selflessness?
By a certain change in outlook. The experience involves intensive meditation.
It follows the study of the Four Basic Truths of Buddhism so enlightenment is possible for all it is up to their commitment to the goal of Buddha
