Buddhism-Practices Flashcards
What is a temple?
It is a place where Buddhists come together to practise, study and meditate together. It is often the heart of a Buddhist community
What is a shrine?
It is an area with a statue or image of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. It provides a focal point for mediation and devotion
Offerings can be made to act as reminders of Buddha’s teachings
What is a monastery?
It is where Buddhist monks and nuns live a simple, disciplined life of study, meditation, devotion and companionship
A stupa is often an important part of a monastery
Why might worship help Buddhists?
- Express their gratitude towards the Buddha and acceptance of his teachings
- Deepen their understanding of the Buddha’s teachings
- Move closer to the Buddha and what he symbolises
What are different types of Buddhist worship?
- Rituals and ceremonies carried out in groups
- Meditation
- Making offerings
- Chanting sacred texts
- Reciting mantras
- Bowing
- Private worship in the home
What does an offering of light mean?
Light-Symbolises the Buddha, wisdom and enlightenment-which drive away the darkness or ignorance
What does an offering of flowers mean?
Flowers-As flowers wilt and decay, they remind Buddhists that all things are impermanent
What does an offering of incense mean?
Incense-Symbolises purity, reminding Buddhists of the importance of practising pure thoughts, speech and behaviour
What are some of the buildings of areas you could find in a Buddhist temple?
Main hall
Meditation room
Study hall
Shrine
Stupa
What is a main hall?
It is where Buddhists practise together
This usually contains a statue of the Buddha (a Buddha rupa)
Mahayana temples may also include statues of Bodhisattvas
What is a meditation hall?
It is a quiet space where Buddhists can meditate
What is a study hall?
It is used for meetings and lectures
What is a stupa?
A stupa or pagoda is a tiered tower or mound-like structure that sometimes contains the remains of relics of an important Buddhist
‘The best way for Buddhists to worship is in a monastery’
FOR
A monastery is designed for the purpose of worship
Monks and nuns live simple lives which makes it easier to focus on worship
It is easier to worship with others in a monastery that it is at home
‘The best way for Buddhists to worship is in a monastery’
AGAINST
Buddhists can worship just as well in a temple or in their homes
Many Buddhist homes have shrines where Buddhists can express devotion
What are some types of Buddhist worship?
Rituals and ceremonies carries out in groups
Meditation
Making offerings
Chanting sacred texts
Reciting mantras
Bowing
Private worship in the home
How does worship help Buddhists?
It helps express their gratitude towards the Buddha and acceptance of his teachings
Deepen their understanding of the Buddha’s teachings
Move closer to the Buddha and what he symbolises
What is chanting and what is its purpose
Chanting is a devotional practice that is thought to increase receptivity towards the Buddha and his teachings
It also helps to calm and focus the mind to increases concentration
What are some examples of things that Buddhists might chant?
The three refuges
The five moral precepts
The Bodhisattva vows
What is Samatha meditation?
Samatha mediation is a type of meditation that involves calming the mind and developing deeper concentration.
It is important in Theravada Buddhism and preparation for vipassana meditation
What is the purpose of samatha medidtation?
Focusing on a single object helps to create a calm and tranquil mind
It also helps to develop concentration and focus
It acts as preparation for vipassana meditation
Samatha meditation can help Buddhists to feel happier and more alive
What are kasinas?
Instead of focusing on their breathing, a meditator could focus on other objects called kasinas
There are ten kasinas in total. They include elements such as earth, water and fire, and colours such as blue
Explain two ways in which Buddhists practise Samatha mediation
Mindfulness of breathing uses the breath to develop calm
Kasina meditation uses objects to focus to develop concentration
‘Meditation is the most important Buddhist practice’
FOR
Meditation is the most important Buddhist practice because it is how Buddhists gain insight into the true nature of reality and this leads to enlightenment
Through contemplating how everything is characterised by the three marks of existence, Buddhists can let go of attachment and reach nibbana
‘Meditation is the most important Buddhist practice’
AGAINST
The practice of ethics is also very important for reaching enlightenment, as it is also part of the Eightfold Path and six perfection
Through practising ethics, Buddhists transform their minds and learn to become kinder and more compassionate people.
This is particularly important for Mahayana Buddhists who want to become enlightened
Explain mindfulness of breathing and what its aims are
The breath is used as a focus for attention
The aim is to become aware of the details of breathing and all the tiny movements it creates in the body
When their focus is wavering, they simple bring their attention back to their breath
They slowly become more able to concentrate and focus on their breath
This leads them to feel more present and aware
What is vipassana meditation?
Vipassana meditation is often called ‘insight meditation’, as the aim is to penetrate and gain insight into the true nature of reality
This usually consists of reflecting on the three marks of existence`
What is a similarity between Vipassana meditation and Samatha meditation?
Both use the same technique of mindfulness: concentrating and focusing on specific things in a calm and detached manner
How is vipassana meditation and samatha meditation different in terms of their aim of focusing on the object?
The aim for samatha meditation is to develop concentration and calm however in vipassana meditation, the aim is to understand the object’s true nature and how it is characterised by the three marks of existence
How is vipassana meditation and samatha meditation different in terms of what they focus on?
In Samatha meditation, the meditator focuses on one neutral and simple object or process like for example a blue triangle or a candle flame
In vipassana meditation, the meditator may change their focus between a range of different objects, emotions or experiences
Explain ‘Zazen’
Zazen means ‘seated meditation’ and it is practised in Zen Buddhism, which originated in Japan
It leads to a deeper understanding of the nature of existence
It generally begins with sitting, relaxing and a period of mindfulness of breathing
The meditator then sits with awareness of the present moment
Thoughts and experience come and go, and the meditator returns again and again to the present moment
What is walking meditation?
Meditation is often practised sitting on the floor in a cross-legged posture
But it is also possible to meditate while walking, as part of samatha or vipassana meditation
This consists of walking slowly and combining the movement of the feet with the in and out of the breath
Two meditation practices are mindfulness of breathing and walking meditation.
Explain how these practices could be used as part of vipassana meditation
During mindfulness of breathing the meditator could focus on the impermanence of their breath, as impermanence is one of the three marks of existence
Walking meditation could be used to focus on the ever-changing sensations and movements that come from walking, in order to see that nothing has a fixed, unchanging nature (anatta)
‘The aim of meditation is to reach enlightenment’
FOR
Vipassana meditation helps Buddhists to develop and insight into the nature of reality in order to achieve enlightenment
Deity visualisation also has the aim of reaching enlightenment for vipassana meditation by absorbing the qualities of a Buddha or Bodhisattva
‘The aim of meditation is to reach enlightenment’
AGAINST
The aim of Samatha meditation is to develop calm and concentration
Loving-kindness meditation is concerned with developing the quality of metta
Meditation may also have a devotional purpose
What is visualisation?
The meditator visualised an object in their mind
The object functions as a focus of concentration and the meditator will try to hold a detailed picture of the object in their mind for as long as possible
The object may also connect with spiritual qualities