Buddhism Key Beliefs Flashcards
What are the 3 sacred jewels
Buddha
Dhamma
Sangha (path to enlightenment)
What is dhamma
Dhamma is the whole of the pali canon, containing the Tripitaka (three baskets) of
Vinyasa pitaka- the rules of discipline for the monastic sangha
Sutta pitaka- the teachings from the life of Buddha
AbhiDhamma pitaka- the later philosophical section
What is the paticca-samuppada
A law of causation and conditionality for Buddhists
Teaches everything is connected through a web of condition
Everything ends once that web ends
Existence is a process of change and conditionality, it extends from the physical world to the human mind
What are the three marks of existence
Anicca- the idea of impermanence (nothing being permanent)
Anatta- the not physical self
Dukkha- the concept of suffering
What is the story of nagasena and the chariot
It represents anatta and anicca
Nagasena asks what makes up the chariot (eg the wheels, axels, frame, a combination of the elements) the king answered no to all, so nagasena exclaimed ‘there is no chariot’
What are the five skandhas??
They are what constitute a person
- Form
- Feeling
- Perception
- Mental formations
- Consciousness
How do you purify the five skandhas
Through meditation and practicing virtues
You must understand these to understand the 4 noble truths
Name the 3 aspects of human life
Sunatta
Buddha-nature
Buddhahood
Describe sunyata
Translates to emptiness
Theravada Buddhism Use it to refer to the non self or the meditative state and experience of an individual
Mayahana budddhism refers to the idea everything is empty of intrinsic existence
Describe Buddhism-nature
Tathagatagharba
All sentient beings contain the ability to achieve enlightenment or the potential to become Buddha
Describe buddhahood
In Mahayana Buddhism it is the status of being a Buddha or ‘the awakened one’
What is an Arahant??
Someone who has achieved enlightenment (nirvana/nirbana) in Theravada Buddhism
What was the Buddhas first name??
Siddhartha guatama
Describe siddarthas early life
At the moment of his conception there was said to be great light and earthquakes
While his mother was pregnant with him, she had a vision where she was told by asita the sage he would become either a great king or great spiritual leader
At his birth, a white elephant entered her side and siddartha was birthed from her right side
Two jets of water, one hot, one cold were said to wash the baby, he stood and took a step in each direction of the compass
He was well mannered and smart
What were the four sights siddartha saw outside the palace
An old person
A sick person
A corpse
A monk.
