Buddhist Case study Glossary Flashcards
What does Asceticism mean?
Refers to the practice of disciplining the body to achieve spiritual perfection
What does Bodhisattva mean?
Bodhisattva refers to a human who has promised to aid all sentient life in achieving Nirvana
What is the Buddha?
The Buddha is the Enlightened One who has realised the fundamental truth of reality
What is the Dharma?
Refers to the teachings of the Lord Buddha and the laws of the univrse
What is Enlightenment?
Enlightenment refers to a blessed state in which the individual transcends desire and suffering and attains Nirvana
What is karma?
Karma refers to the consequence of all acts that are done willingly
What is Mahayna?
Mahayana is the School of the Great Wheel in Buddhism which is found in Northern countries of Asia
WHat are mantras?
Spiritual sounds or chants
What is meditation?
A mental concentration which allows the person to reach a deeper mental state of relaxation or awareness
What is the Middle Way/Path
At some point Buddha came to a conclusion that the right path of extremism and non-extremism was somewhere in the middle and he called it the ‘middle path’
What are mudras?
Mudras refer to different body postures
What is Nirvana?
a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth.
What is Samsara?
The cycle of rebirths?
What is a Sangha?
A sangha is the community of Buddhist believers, and more specifically, Buddhist monks and nuns
What are lay people?
Lay people refer to ordinary citizens who believe in Buddhist values. Generally refers to adherents who AREN’T monks or nuns
What is the Tripitaka?
The Tripitaka refers to the Buddhist sacred texts (The ‘three baskets’) and is made up of:
Sutta Pitaka
Vinaya Pitaka
Abhidharma Pitaka
What is the Tripitaka?
The Tripitaka refers to the Buddhist sacred texts (The ‘three baskets’) and is made up of:
Sutta Pitaka
Vinaya Pitaka
Abhidharma Pitaka
What is Vajrayana?
Vajrayana is the school of Buddhism commonly found in Tibet and Nepal
What is the Vedas?
The Vedas is Hinduism’s most ancient sacred texts
What is the Vinaya?
The Vinaya is the first collection of the Tripitaka (sacred texts) in Buddhism indicating the laws for monks
What do beliefs mean?
A set of opinions or convictions; ideas we believ in as the truth. Beliefs can come from one’s own experience and reflection, or from what one is told by others
What do symbols mean?
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship.
Symbols have the ability to culturall unify a group of people through their reprentation and meaning. Symbols such as palces, actions, words, people and rituals are layered with meaning and valuable information for diff groups in society
What are customs?
Established ways of acting or cultural practices that are unique to groups in society. Customs have important links to the heritage, values and traditions of people
What are worldviews?
Worldviews are a particular philosophy of life or conception of the world that is characterised by an organised and accepted set of ideas that attempts to explain the social, cultural, physical and psychological world
What are rituals?
A series of actions or rites performed according to a prescribed order. Rituals range in significance. Some are sacred to institutions and others can be important to people for maintaining tradition and cultural heritage. Some rituals can be referred to as part of an established routine.
What are philosophies?
The underlying principle or set of ideas that contains a way of thinking and behaving that makes up a broad field of knowledge or doctrine of thought. This mixture of ideas, values and beliefs governs the system or ideology and helps us to make sense of our life and the world and beyond. The philosophy of the system is reflected in the unique rituals, stories, texts, symbols and customs of the group.
What is secularisation?
A process whereby religion loses its influence over the various spheres of social life. Secular society has emerged from the modernisation process whereby the rise of scientific knowledge and technological advancements have shaped ideas about spiritual thinking in society.
What is institutional power?
The power that exists in institutions and how it is used to control aspects of society. Institutions such as the family, school, law and government use inherent power to control, change and maintain continuity of interactions.
What is collective identity?
Collective identity is the shared sense of belonging to a group
