buddhism - good conduct (8 fold path) Flashcards
basis of buddhist ethics
- ‘cease to do evil, learn to do good, purify the mind, this is the teaching of all the buddhas’ Dhammapada
- right thought/understanding = right action
- skilled mind, kusala, skillful actions
- the middle way: materialistic
dharma
- universal law that governs the physical and moral orders
- not under the control of a supreme being
- buddha did not create the dharma but understood it
- natural order + ethics –> religious teachings
- like natural moral law, understanding the natural order
3 refuges in buddhism
- buddha
- dharma
- sangha
8 fold path and sila
way of wisdom
- right view
- right intention
way of morality
- right of speech
- right action
- right livelihood
- ‘do not do any evil cultivate good, purify your mind’ –> acting with metta and karma at the core, helps community (loving kindness and compassion)
way of mediation
- right effort
- right mindfulness
- right concentration
5 precepts, M/T, and exceptions
- no fixed absolutes
- monastic and lay buddhist should cultivate good conduct
- if broken should examine how breach occured and should correct
- M, bodhisattva: strictly veg, first precepts
- follow 5 P like the law but can interpret as theory and guidline
- Theravada: on holy days
- no food at inappropriate times
- no dancing, singing, music, entertainment
- no luxurious beds
- arms rand: lay people give food to monasteries and cannot accept it even if it has meat
T and who can become enlightened
- cannot become enlightened if not a monk/nun
- bhikkhu = monk and bhikkhuni = bun
- less karma to nuns than monks, more rules (311/227), vinaya pataka
- different moral conduct for lay people and monastic community
virtues in buddhism
- not just following precepts and rules
- correct habits and natural spontaneous responses
cardinal virtues in buddhism vs the roots of evil
- araga: non attatchment, no selfish desire
- adosa: benevolence, good will for all
- amoha: understanding, human knowledge and human good/ 4 noble truths
- virtues counteract the negative
- early community no rules: change with enlightenment
roots of evil,3 fires
- raga, greed
- dosa, hatred
- moha, delusion
kusala/akusala
- kusala: skillful/good actions
- lead to a higher state, ordinary man to perfect human being
- morally healthy mind informed by wisdom
what is hiri, metta and karuna
- hiri: guilt leading to self responsibility –> clouds judgement, cannot move on in the future
- metta: loving kindness
- karuna: compassion
why is moral conduct important in buddhism
karma and meditation
- good karma: rebirth and enlightenment in a better life with karmic merit
- meditation: guilt and remorse impacts it, cannot have a clear mind, clear conscience and process emotions needed
emperor ashoka
- remorse for suffering as a conqueror
- banned animal killing and told subjects to lead a kind/tolerant life
- recommended that all religions desist from self praise and condemning others
belief about the longevity
- human life preserved by dignity and freedom
- even if buddhism dies out, peoples love and kindness will cause it to be reborn
free will
- libertarianism: still dictates by N laws
- soft determinism, middle way
- hard determinism, no freedom, scientific (genetic), fatalism
- freedom is to make choices not decided by outside forces
- determining factors and varieties of opinion
BA Wallace –> Buddhism and free will
- rejected indeterministic views and deterministic views of the day
- rejects determinism as it supports inaction as life is not due to pure chance
- proposed to devote yourself to freedom from suffering without knowing whether you can exercise freedom