Buddhism Practices

Question 1

What does puja mean

Answer 1

worship

Question 2

What are three different places of Buddhist worship

Answer 2

-temples

-shrines

-monasteries

Question 3

What are features of a temple

Answer 3

-may be one building of several

-at the heart of the sangha

-where buddhists meet to worship

-vary slightly between country and group

Question 4

What is a gompa (found in temple)

Answer 4

meditation hall in Tibetan Buddhism

Question 5

What is a bot (found in temple)

Answer 5

ordination hall in thai buddhism

Question 6

What is a stupa or pagoda (found in temple)

Answer 6

small building that may hold holy relics
-tiered towers which has relics of Buddhists

-built to symbolise the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and wisdom

Question 7

What else do you find in temple

Answer 7

-study hall or lecture theatre

-library

-shrines

-statues of the buddha, or bodhisattvas a buddha rupa

Question 8

What practices happen in a temple

Answer 8

-study

-meditation

-puja (worship)

-offerings are taken to the monastic sangha (therevada’s aren’t supposed to ask for stuff and mahayana’s are doing a good act of giving)

Question 9

Vihara

Answer 9

-buddhist monks and nuns live in a vihara

-in countries where buddhism is not the primary religion, often the vihara and the temple are combined

Question 10

shrines

Answer 10

-buddhists worship and meditate at shrines

-shrines can be in temples, viharas, and homes
-shrines also have scriptures, pictures of Buddhist teachers and rupas (statues of the Buddha)

Question 11

What do items at a shrine symbolise

Answer 11

-candle: enlightenment

   -flowers or fruit: impermanace 

   -incense: purity 

   -water: source of life

Question 12

Thangka

Answer 12

picture of the Buddha or a Boddhisatva

Question 13

What are some methods of worship

Answer 13

-meditation

  -chanting

  -reciting mantras

  -bowing 

  -making offerings

Question 14

What are the features of chanting

Answer 14

-chanting is used by Buddhists to learn and memorise key beliefs:

  -the 3 refuges 

  -the moral 5 precepts

  -Bodhisattvas vows

-it can be used to calm the mind

Question 15

What are some features of a mantra

Answer 15

-they don’t need to include specific teachings or words

-but may include syllables that symbolise something

-don’t have to be spoken out loud and can just be recited in the mind

-helps Buddhists focus on something such as compassion (Karuna)

Mantra for compassion:

-’Oh mani padme hum’

-represents the sound of compassion

-they might use mala beads and move a bead each time they recite the mantra

-there are 108 beads

Question 16

What are two main aims of meditation

Answer 16

-To develop a still, calm and focused mind

-to develop greater awareness and understanding of the Buddha’s teachings in order to gain a deeper understanding into the nature of reality.

Question 17

What are some types of meditation

Answer 17

-samatha

-Vipassana

-Walking meditation

-Loving-kindness meditation

-Zazen

-Visualisation

Question 18

features of samatha meditation

Answer 18

-designed to calm your breathing to allow your mind to be more receptive for new ideas

-focuses on breathing and ‘kasinas’

-often used to focus mind before starting Vipassana meditation

Question 19

a quote for samatha meditation

Answer 19

-’Breath is the bridge which connects life to conciseness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again’ -Thich Nhat Hahh a vietnasmese monk

Question 20

what is a retreat

Answer 20

-a period of time spent away from everyday life in order to focus on meditation practice

Question 21

Wesak

Answer 21

-a Theravadan festival that celebrates the Buddhas birth, enlightenment and passing away.

-celebrated on the full moon during the month of Vesak (usually May)

-celebrated at this time because the buddhas birth death and passing into Parinivana all occured on a full moon

-to celebrate Buddhists may light candles, lamps, paper laterns or put up decorations

Question 22

Parinirvana day

Answer 22

-A mahayanan festival that commemorates the Buddhas passing away

-celebrated in February

-used as a chance to reflect on their future death and to remeber their friends or relatives who recently died

-it’s a reminder of anicca and anatta

Question 23

5 moral precepts

Answer 23

-refraining from killing any living beings

-refraining from taking what the owner does not give

-refraining from committing sexual misconduct

-refrain from telling lies (+gossip)

-refrain from taking intoxicants or drugs

-leads to positive kamma
-connects to the dharma

Question 24

quote for 5 moral precepts

Answer 24

‘He who destroys life, tells lies, takes what is not given to him, commits adultry and takes intoxicating drinks, digs up his own roots in this very life’

Question 25

one of the sublime states Compassion (Karuna)

Answer 25

-compassion, feeling concerned for te suffering of other people and wanting to relive their suffering

Question 26

one of the sublime states Loving kindness (Metta)

Answer 26

-developed through having a positive outlook on life and being aware and having sympathy for other people’s suffering

-they can consciously work on this attitude through ‘loving kindness meditation’