Buddhism: Religious beliefs, values and teachings Flashcards
Name the key event’s in the Buddha’s life
- conception/birth
- princely life
- the four sights
- life as an ascetic
- enlightenment
- founding of the sangha
Describe the Buddha’s conception/birth and princely life
conception/birth: queen Maya dreamt he would be holy or king. Earth trembled at birth, lotus flowers emerged with 1st steps, saying “this is the last birth”, “i alone am the world honoured one”
princely life: wealthy , married , had a son Rahula ‘ the one that fetters’. He never encountered suffering and never left the palace - sheltered life.
Describe the Four sights and his life as an ascetic
- old man , sick man , dead man and holy man ( ascetic)
- leaves his wife and son as Rahula was stopping him from solving the problem of suffering ( due to attachment)
- ascetic life : learnt meditation and yoga (accessed jhanas, stage of meditation) - practised mortification
Describe his enlightenment and the founding of the Sangha.
- meditated under a bodhi tree where mara tries to tempt him away from the path but fails.
- allowed an understanding of previous lives and a way to end suffering.
- discovered the dhamma
Sangha: - -initially taught the 5 ascetics
- teaches Buddhism to many + Buddhism grows
-formulates the 4 noble truths and the eightfold path
Analyse the significance of the Buddha’s conception/birth
significant:
- the hagiographical elements of his birth sets him out as different / adds weight/ , allowing Buddhists to trust the Buddha’s example and teachings as a key religious figure
- biographical aspects also used to root it in history start of a real religion rather than mythology.
not significant:
- so hagiographical, yet buddha is not meant to be revered as a highly God/figure. ( his qualities may be too exaggerated)
- elements of his birth have been ‘improved’ after Buddhist traders returned from middle east with stories of birth of Jesus
- aspects of the birth story tracks back to Hindu scriptures and the birth of Indra
Analyse the significance of the Buddha’s princely life
- allowed him to experience an extreme position - leading to the middle way - which acts as a foundation for Buddhist practice in the Sangha.
- having never experienced suffering , it it much more profound when he does , with a desire to act.
not significant: - it is not relevant to modern Buddhists today as luxury is not experienced by a majority of people.
- accentuated later experiences rather than directly informed key teachings
- hagiographical - impossible to not have experienced suffering at all.
Analyse the significance of the four sights to Buddhists today
sign:
- turning point in buddha’s life +his search for enlightenment
- they symbolize the awakening of Siddhartha Gautama to the fundamental truths of existence - of impermanence and suffering ( trigger to enlightenment)
- ascetic : sight of the ascetic monk inspired Siddhartha to pursue a path of renunciation and spiritual practice.
- P. HARVEY- “his renunciation of family life stands as a symbolic precedent for the monastic life of Buddhist monks and nuns” - link to Theravada
insignificant:
-D. Side- ‘It is unlikely that the Buddha actually witnessed the Four Signs in this literal way, and hard to believe that he would have been as naïve as the story portrays him’. - may be symbolic rather than literal ( i.e his sheltering from suffering may be symbolic of human’s inability to truly recognise the suffering in this world’
Analyse the significance of the Buddha’s life as an ascetic
significant:
- led to the discovery of the Middle way
- his renunciation of worldly pleasures demonstrated the importance of detachment and the transient nature of worldly existence ( anicca)
- (renouncing family)- also lays foundation for monastic lifestyle
- engaged in austere practices such as fasting, self-mortification, and meditation, in search of enlightenment
CA: While it contributed to his personal development and eventual enlightenment, the specific practices of asceticism are not central to the fundamental doctrines of Buddhism. ( not relevant to Buddhists today) and are specific to the cultural and historical context)
insignificant:
- eventually rejected the ascetic life
-self mortification meant he had many years of recovery before he was able to properly pursue enlightenment again)
Analyse the significance of the Buddha’s enlightenment
significant:
- The discovers the dhamma (the ultimate truth of reality) CA: the dhamma has always existed and would have eventually been discovered.
R: According to the principle of paticca-samupadda , the discovery and realization of the Dhamma are contingent upon specific causes and conditions, thus it cannot be assumed that someone else would inevitably discover the Dhamma.
- first account of someone reaching enlightenment.
- his experience with Mara leads to an understanding that suffering is driven by the 3 poisons (can learn to overcome, escape samsara, reach enlightenment)
-leads to the formation of the 4 noble truths and greater understanding about rebirth
insignificant:
- story of Mara is a dramatization. Hagiographical elements reduce our ability to relate to the Buddha.
CA: whether fiction or real , the morals and teachings remain the same. Desire exists in this world and one should refrain from engaging with it.
- Buddhism places a strong emphasis on direct personal experience as the basis for understanding and realization. While the Buddha’s enlightenment serves as an example, its significance lies in its ability to inspire practitioners to embark on their own journey of self-discovery and awakening. The Buddha himself encouraged his followers to test his teachings through their own experience and not to accept them blindly.
Analyse the significance of the founding of the Sangha
significant:
- preserves the Buddha’s teachings. Following the Buddha’s enlightenment, he initiated the Sangha by ordaining his first five disciples who played a crucial role in memorizing, and passing down the Buddha’s teachings orally.
CA: these teachings could have been adapted/ influenced over time by cultural contexts.
- The Sangha serves as a living embodiment of Buddhist principles and values. Members of the Sangha inspire lay practitioners and provide a tangible example of the path to liberation.
insignificant:
- Critiques of Institutional Buddhism: issues such as corruption, abuse of power, and sectarianism within monastic communities. Instances of misconduct among Buddhist clergy can lead to disillusionment and scepticism among some practitioners, potentially diminishing the perceived significance of the founding of the Sangha as a symbol of purity and spiritual integrity.
Scholar: Stephen Batchelor critiques the hierarchical structure and dogmatism in traditional Buddhism , advocating for a more flexible and humanistic interpretation of Buddhist principles.
Give scholar views on the Buddha’s birth/conception , princely life, four sights
David Drewes:
- the idea of the historical Buddha was a key claim of early Buddhologist but the evidence was never materialised. “ If we wish to present early Buddhism in a manner that accords with the standards of scientific , empirical inquires , it is necessary to acknowledge that the Buddha belongs to (a) group (of mythological personages”
Alexander Wynne:
- examined the wealth of evidence that the Buddha
- he argues that given the likelihood of the Buddha’s existence , Drewes needs to provide proof that he is merely a fantasy of the ‘orientalist imagination’.
- ‘ by adducing the relevant facts (…) we build up a general picture which proves that the Buddha did indeed exist.”
Sermon at Benares:
- “ A middle path , O bhikkhus avoiding the two extremes , has been discovered - a path which opens the eyes “
Give scholar views on the Buddha’s life as an ascetic , enlightenment and founding of the sangha
Thich Nhat Hanh
- “ my teaching is not a philosophy. It is the result of direct experience”
- reinstates the significance of the Buddha’s experiences and ultimately his enlightenment, for the dhamma.
Paul Harrison:
- “ I think it’s fair to say that Buddhism has more scripture that any other religion tradition”
“ Unfortunately we have no independent confirmation of his life. We only have the words of his followers to go on”
Bhikku u Thittia
enlightenment: “ as a man prince Gotama , by his own will and wisdom attained Buddhahood - highest possible state of perfection.
Ascetic life: “ realising the futility of self mortification , he finally decided to follow a different course.
Outline the religious context in India at the time of the Buddha
- 2500-1500 BCE- The Indus river valley civilisation developed and flourished. Evidence of early hindu practice. Religion was a private matter
- 1600-1400 BCE- The Aryan warrior culture conquers. Brings the sanskrit language, major influences on development of hinduism. Brought vedic culture. No central god but many gods related to natural forces. Sacrifice of animals
- 1500-1200 BCE- Vedic age in which Rig Veda is written
- 100-300 BCE- The Brahmanas and Vpanishads are written and added to the original vedas
- 600-500 BCE- Modern hinduism - the age of protest and buddhism and jainism break away from the main flow of hinduism. Jainism and buddhism begin as ascetic religions, growing out of disagreement with the hierarchy and caste structure associated with the vedic and hindu religions
- folk religions - around throughout entire timeline
Outline the belief of the Aryans ( 1600-1400 BCE)
- Aryans brought with them a hierarchical structure ( caste system) pur forward in the Rig Veda.
- believed their soical structure was a part of the order of the universe and not man-made due to the Veda recording universal and timeless truths ( this is why it is still present in Modern India)
- In the -Hymn of cosmic man (Purusha Sukta), the universe is said to have been made by a huge male figure, compared to a cosmic man.
Outline key concepts within Hinduism ( 600-500BCE)
identify those buddhist thought stole
- the goal is the union of the soul (atman) with the universal Brahman
- **methods to reach this union include meditiation , contemplation of nature, yoga and reflective reasoning
- reincarnation and kamma**
- belief in ahimsa
ideas buddhism stole from hinduism
Outline the key concepts within Jainism
identify those buddhist thought stole
- austere ascetism/ discipline - aim was to free soul from physical bonds ( buddhism rejectects these dualist ideas)
- everything has a jiva , which makes it unique
- **kamma **is based purely on actions not intentions.
- a religion which does not seek to convert
Assess the impact of other religions on Buddhism
for: ( impact)
- karma being itnention focused ( hinduism/jainism)
- escape suffering/cycle of samsara
- principle of ahimsa
- suffeering is caused by igorance
against: (impact)
-reject caste system
-reject animal sacrifices
-reject soul/eternal part
-natural forces
-authority of vedic scriptures
-extreme asceticism
-magic (devalued folk religions, not fully rejected)
-materialism
Give the 4 Noble Truths
1) dukkha- suffering exists
2) Samudaya- there is a cause of suffering
3) Nirodha- there is a cure to suffering
4) Magga- the path away from suffering
Buddhists use the analogy of the doctor who diagnose , find the cause an
Describe the First Noble Truth. Include quote
dukkha may be vieweed in 3 parts :
1. dukkha-dukkha - ordinary suffering
2. viparinama-dukkha- suffering caused by change
3. sankhara-dukkha- suffering as a result of being human and dissatisfied with life.
“i teach suffering , its origin , cessation and path. That’s all I teach” Buddha
Outline Walpola Rahula’s views on Buddhism.
“buddhism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic. If anything it is realistic, for it takes a realistic view of life and the world.”
“It tells you exactly and objectively what you are and what the world around you is, and shows you the way to perfect freedom, peace, tranquillity and happiness”
Briefly describe the story of Kisa Gotami and what it teaches.
The Story of Kisa Gotami
- She had lost her son and was overcome by grief; she visited the Buddha where he told her to find a mustard seed where no one had experienced suffering , she was not able to.
- This shows the universality of suffering and how we should strive to overcome it.
- It demonstrates that no one can be free from suffering as she could not find anyone who had not been touched by grief.
Describe the Second Noble Truth. Include quote.
- The Buddha taught that the root of all suffering is tanha (desire) , which is found in the three poisons.
- The three poisons refer to Greed and Desire ( rooster), Ignorance or delusion ( Pig), Hatred ( snake).
- ## ’ bhikkhus all is burning… burning with the fire of craving, the fire of hate , the fire of delusion’. This states that suffering comes from lust, hatred and delusion which is fuelling the ‘ fire’ of suffering. Therefore we should recognise our dependence on these emotions and strive to ‘ put out the fire’ by eliminating the three poisons.
Name the different types of tanha
- kama-tanha- craving for bodily and sense pleasures (synoptic link- stoics, pythagoreans, catholic monks and nuns)
- bhava tanha- craving to have or to be, e.g. endless wanting to have wealth or to be famous
- vibhava tanha- craving to not have or not be in pain, to avoid all difficulties or people we find troublesome
Describe the Cycle of Samsara
- Yama: the Monster of Impermanence. The beings he holds are trapped in eternal suffering by their ignorance of the nature of the universe.
- Realm of Gods: long and pleasure- filled loves unable to revognise sufffering.
- demi-Gods: marked by paranoia. Driven by a desire to beat their competition.
- The Hungry Ghosts: trapped by their over-attachment to the world; unfulfilled desires.
- Hell Realm: marked by anger , terror and claustrophobia. Hell beings are subject to pain and torment.
- Niddans: show the cyclical nature and the interconnectedness of life.
- animal realm: marked by ignorance and complacency.
- realm of humans: marked by questioning and curiosity. Dhamma is available, only realm where enlightenment can occur.
