Buddhist Beliefs Flashcards
When was siddartha born
About 2500 years ago
Why did siddartha lead a life of luxury
He was prophesied by a holy man that he will either be king or a holy man if he witnessed suffering. Therefore his father protected him from disappointment and suffering to ensure he took over the thrown.
What were the 4 sights
Old man, sick man, dead man, holy man.
Where did siddartha turn to after his life of luxury
Asceticism - giving up all luxuries
What is Mara
The demon of temptation
What did Mara try to do as siddartha was trying to reach enlightenment
Tempt and distract him with fear, lust and offering him control of his kingdom
What happened when Mara told the Buddha that no one would believe him
Siddartha touched the earth, calling on it to bear witness, and it shook
What were the three watches of the night
Knowledge of his previous lives, things were reborn depending on their karma, he understood the causes of suffering and how to overcome it
How might the Buddhas life influence Buddhists today negatively
Some may argue that the Buddha lived in a very different time and his life experiences have no equivalency to todays society
How might the Buddhas life influence Buddhists today positively (3)
1: we still experience the 4 sights in modern day society
2: Buddha himself not find it easy and this comforts Buddhists that even he struggled
3: he managed to find the middle way with no guidance. Analogy of the lute; loose string, tight string, perfect string makes a pure note
What are the 4 noble truths ( one of the three watches of the night)
1: everybody suffers
2: there is a cause to suffering
3: there is an end to suffering
4: there is a way to overcome suffering (eightfold path)
Explain the first noble truth
The existence of suffering is to accept that it is unavoidable. There are 4 types of physical suffering (Dukkha): birth, old age, sickness, death.
Explain the second noble truth
The cause of suffering is craving (Tanha). We must accept that temporary pleasures cannot make us happy forever but they can make us greedy, hatful and ignorant. We must avoid these 3 poisons.
Explain the third noble truth
There is an end to suffering. This teaches we shouldn’t have to avoid cravings, but we should be able to accept that we cannot always have these desires and we should enjoy them while they last.
Explain the forth noble truth
The cure to suffering. This teaches that if you follow the eightfold path, you detach yourself from desires and therefore suffering becomes bearable/not there.
The eightfold path is split into three sections (threefold way). What are these sections
Ethics
Meditation
Wisdom
What are the parts of ethics (eightfold path)
Right speech, right action, right livelihood.
What are the parts of meditation (eightfold path)
Right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration
What are the parts of wisdom (eightfold path)
Right understanding, right intention.
What is the dhamma
‘Truth’, dhamma solves the problem of suffering. It includes the 4 noble truths and the three marks of existence, Also a refuge.
What are the three marks of existence
Dukkha, Anicca and Anatta
What are the three refuges
Buddha, dhamma, sangha.
Explain the three refuges.
People take comfort in following ‘BUDDHAS’ example. ‘SANGHA’ is the whole Buddhist community and those also seeking enlightenment. The ‘DHAMMA’ teaches that all other kinds of refuge simply must mask the pain (impermanent) opposed to completely solving suffering through the eightfold path.
What is dependent arising (paticcasamupada)
The concept that nothing exists/ happens on its own - it is dependent on a whole network of other things. Karma is an example of dependent arising that out actions create the conditions for happiness and suffering later in our lives.
What is samsara
Birth, life, death, rebirth. It is the ultimate aim to break free from samsara and it happens once we break the habit and detach ourselves from craving. Then we will no longer to be reborn and we will reach Nibbana.
What are the two different ways of Nibbana
Extinguish the ‘self’ by practicing meditation and the eightfold path and we can achieve this in earthly life.
Extinguishing self by no longer requiring reincarnation into another physical body after death.
What are the three marks of existence
Dukkha (suffering), Anicca (impermanence) and Anatta (no fixed self)
What is Anicca
The idea that everything is constantly changing. We suffer (Dukkha) due to wanting things to remain the same and hold onto good times. By accepting change, we can suffer less.
What is Anatta, five aggregates and an analogy to help this concept
Means that our self is not fixed/ permanent due to change. Buddha taught that people are made of 5 aggregates: form (body), sensation (feelings, eg happy), perception (our views), mental formation (thoughts) and consciousness ( awareness of the world). These all constantly change: Nagasenas analogy of the chariot.
What is Theravada Buddhism
‘The school of elders’ - oldest and most traditional form of Buddhism
Explain Theravada Buddhism
For them the Buddha is one of the three refuges and is a guide for us to follow as he was only a human being also. They devote their whole lives to enlightenment and focus highly on meditation and the eightfold path. They must achieve Nibbana on earthly life to become an arhat and escape samsara. They often become monks
What is Mahayana Buddhism
The belief that the Buddha is still watching over us. It’s a mixture of Mahayana, zen and Tibetan Buddhists
Explain Mahayana Buddhism
They believe that everybody has the Buddha nature and us enlightened however it his hidden. Once we truly understand Buddhas teachings we experience this nature. Their aim is to not escape samsara but to become a bodhisatva to help others. Your soul will either return to earth to help those on earth OR you become a spiritual being between earth and nibanna (transcendent)
What is pure land Buddhism
Based on the faith in Amithaba who renounced his thrown to become a monk and created a pure land (sukhavati) once he became enlightened for all beings.
Explain the pure land
Here there is no suffering and no problems that prevent people from enlightenment. They will be taught by amitabha himself so it will be easier. You reach the pure land by meditating on amitabha, worshipping and chanting his name. Therevada Buddhists believe this is too easy and means that anyone can become enlightened and go to the pure land.
