Buddhist Practices Flashcards
What is a temple
-A place where buddhists come together to practise .
What does a temple consist of >
-A main hall or builidngs - where uddhiss practise togetehr .
-has statue of Buddha (Mahayana may have Bodhisatttva satue too ) .
-Meditaion hall - buddhits can meditate - this is known in ibetan Buhdhism as a GOMPA .
-A tudy hall or builidng for meetings and lectures .
-A shirine or number of shrines dedicated buddhia or mahayana tmeple then bodhisava .
-a PAGODA OR STUPA WHICH IS A SMALL BUIDLING IN A MONASTERY that sometimes contains hol relics .
The significance of a Pagodas and Stupas .
They are generally designed to symbolsie the five Buddhist elements of Earth , water , fire air wisdom .
-Base of builidngs ymbolises Earth , as hebuiings extends uwards , it represens more leemens .
Significance of a temple ?
-Temples re important as centers of religious life , where Buddhists can study meditate and practise togtheer .
-Buddhiss may liste to talks given by mebers , and lay people may take offerings like food to support em .
What is a shrine
An area with a staute of bUDDDHA OR bODHISATVA , which provides Buddhists witha focal point for meditaiton and deotion .
-he focus is ususally A BUDDHA RUPA - which is a saute of the Buddha often sitting cross-legged ina meditation pose ..
-MAHAYANA (may have a bodhisttva statue rather than Buddha in this cas ) .
-Can be found in tmeple or HOOME .
One offering given to the shrine and its significance ?
OFFERING OF LIGHT (aka like candle )
-Symbolises WISDOM , because he ligh of the candle drives away the darkness of ignorance .
ANOTHER offering given to the shrine and its significance ?
Offering of FLOWERS (which wilt and decay )
-Reminding Buddhiss all thinks are impermannet (anicc _
The final offering given to the shrine and its significance ?
Offering of INCENSE , symbolises purity , remidning Buddhiss of the improtance of practicising pure thoughts , speech and counduct .
What is a monastery (vihara)
-A place where Buddhis monks and nuns live .
-These are Buddhists hwo have chosen to dedicate thier lives full tie to their spirtual practise spending their dyas studing and meditiation on buddhas eachings .
-Althugh monks n nuns have simple lifestyle , the monastery sill eeeds to provide all thier needs like eat sutdy sleep , some buddhist monastieres are like small vilages in hemseles .
-weheras some only one buidlings .
Siginficiance of a stupa
A stupa is particualry improtnst for a mosnatery .
-As when the buddha died , his body was cremated and ahsed were sent to differrnt places , the sutpas hodl Buddhas ashes
tody contains holyr elics and shes of some nuns or monks or items assoicated iwtht hte buddhist .
‘TIME AND EEFFORT TO KEEP SHIRNE CLEAN IS ACTUALLYC OSNIDERS A SKIL TO FOCUS ONES MIND IN SPRITUAL PRATICES ‘
Quuote by tibentan monk
What is Puja
An act of worship
-IT ALLWOS bUDDHISTS TO EXPRESS THEIR GRATITUDE TO THE BUDDHA AND REPSTCT TO HIS TEACHINGS .
-aLSO HELPS THEM ACKNWLEDGE THE IMPRTNCE THE bUDDHA IS IN THIER LIES , aLLOWIGN THEM TO FOCUS ON FAIH , (CONFIENCE IN THE PATH THE bUDDHA TAUGHT AND O DEEPEN HEIR UNDERSADNING OF THE bUDHAS TEACHING ) .
iMPROTANCE OF pUJA
whie doing puja , buddhist acknoledge qualitiies and commitment into following the Budddha .
-They remind themsleves of his teachings and nautre of the existnce and wya of life , leaidng to compassiona nd wisdom and thereofre ENLIGHTENEMNT .
What odes Pua include
-Rituals and cermeonies
-has the follwing ctivities
-Meditation , offerings chanting , reciting mantras , and bowing .
CHANTING
Back int he day , the only way to share Buddhiss tex as to memoriese them and to pass them on orally , so they chant the ex in order o remeer htem .
-sacred texts are sitll chanted today like FICE MROAL PRECEPTS , BODHSIATTA VOWS , THREE REFUGES ..
-CHANTING IS ALSO SID TO increase a Buddhiss recpetitivity toward sthe Buddha and his eachings . Can also be used ot help calm and ocnentrate the mind .
What is mantra recitation
-A manra is a sequence of sacred sylaables chaned ove and over .
-Some ay mantras have transformative powers , and they can be used in mediation to focus the mind .
-Mantras call on the spiritual wulities of the Buddha or Bodhisttva.
Most common Mantra
om mani padme
-represents osund oc compssion , and associated with Bodhiattva of compassion .
-they ay feel buddhists may feel that masntra helps them to become more recpetive to copssion helping them to better express quality in their lvies .
-hey use a malaa a stirngo rprayer belads ot hel count recitstions cuz they do it loads of times .
Wht is meditation ?
-A practise of clming and focusing the mind ,a nd reflectin deeply on specific teachings to penetrate thier true meaning . Also this helps devleop insight into the NAUTRE OF XISTENCE .
tHE PRACTICE OF MEDIITATION
-Before they begin meditation , a buddhist might recite verses praising the hree reufges , .
for theravada is customary then o recite five oral precepts .
-Meditiation involes settling mind and body , delvoeping calma nd stbailiy , if they notice hie rmind ha andered us bring i ack .
WAT THE BUDDHA SAY ABT MEDITATION
@YOU SHOULD TRAIN YOURSELF IWTH RPESECT LEARN TO CONTROLL YOURSELF ..
Differen types of meditation ?
Theravada Buddhiss often use samatha meditation o develop clam and posiive emotion .
-Vipassaa meditation to delveop udnersgtadnign and wisdom .
-mAY ALSO FOCUS ON OBJECTS TO COENRNETAE
What is the purpose of meditation ?
FIRST A to devleop a calm focused mind .
-SECOND , is to develo greater awareness and undersgtaning od the Buddhas eaching in order ot gaina deeper isnign ab nature of relaity , THIS RELAISAIION brings about MORE AKARUAN SO LESS SUFFERING LEADING TO ENLGIHRMEN .
-althoguht buddhism got nog od , u cn viualise / pray ot buddha or bodhsitava while meditatoin like visualise them .
What s Samatha meditation
-Calming meditation that invovles clming the mind and developing a deeper concenration .
-One of the two main types of mediation in THERVAADA buddhism . s
-Samtha mens calming .
-calm meditatonn enables deeper concentration .
-but there are many ways o do i many focus on techique called MIDUFLNESS OF BREATHING .
What is midnfulness of breathig ?
- meditation practice Fcouses on the expericne of brething
-In this you pay atentio to the sensation , and all the tiny movments in your body .
-Normally a persons attention is divided betwen manyt higns but when theymeditate ,gently return attention to breathing .
-IF YOU STURGGULE TO FOCUS u could a KASINA , focusing this could be a colur ,w ater , earth fire waret wind .
Purpose of samatha meditation ?
-Learning to focus gently on one obket helps to develop a clam conecntraed mind .
-PREPARATION FOR DELCOPIING WIDSOM AND UDNERSTANDING NAUTRE OF RELAITY - ALSO PREPER FOR VIAPSSANA MEDITTION .
-key nto to be discourage dby distactions , keep doign i and ou will amser it , a monkc hases eleoahnt finally gains contol represnritng mind , ibetainPAINTAING .
What is vipassana meditation ?
-‘Insight meditation’ , a tpe of meditation involing developing udnerstadning of the neature of rwliaty
-Ide of it is to try and peentrate the ture nature of rliayt .
-COULD CONSITS ON REFLECTIN HREE MARKS OF EXSITCE , IMPERNNECE , ANATTA ND AAHCEMENT LEADSING OT SUFFERING
Differenc between samatha and vipassana
-Differenc eis obectsbeing suties ,
-in samatha its and object or porcess .
-In vipassana everything can be exlopred objectively , you may foucs on somehting mroe personal , like somethin u find unatractie about yourself , you maya lso feel an emotion like nervousness or annoyance , so you might to o be meditte with midnfulness .
Another difference between vipassana and amaatha
-In samatha te ai is to focus solo n one object for a period of time .
-Vipassan a, you can switch your attention between lots of difffernet things one after the other .
-AIm is to give full ttetion to what youc aare about at onr particualr time .
Imporatnce of ciapssana meditaition
-Helps yout o udnerstad how everythng is characterised by the thre mearks of exticnece .
-AND TO DEVELOp greater wisdom and awarenss baout the world .
-making meditation an essential part of the ieght fold pth goal is compelete understand and achieve elgihrement .
What is Zaxen meditation ?
A type of meditation in Zen Buddhism , that requires awareness of the present moment .
-Lead to a deeper udnersting wit the nature of exsicne .
Walkigng meditation
-pe foot behidn other ,
-arms held anwyay comfortbae
-whle breathing life the heal of your foot , then breath put foot down .
-walk slwoly
-eyes open obtain balanve .gPut all snsaiton ito feet and egs .
-nOt a rce , yes
Various Buddhiss use visualisaiton as a part of meditation
common in tibetan buddhism
-Imagining or ‘seeing; an object in one’s mind .
-A bit different ot kasina ,a s the kasian is pysicall infornt of them , wheres VISUALIATION , ou try to imagine the object iwth as much detail as possible .
DeitY visualisation
-IN tibetan , theyc an imsgine a deity , soemone who is not a god but a being fully englifhtened .
-Focus on looks and characteristic of eity . or Imgien yourel s a diet .
-IDEA HERE IS YOU IAMGINE WHAT YOU WANT TO BE TO UNDERSTAND IT BETTER ND BEOCME MROE LIKE IT N THEREFORE REACH ENGLIGHTENEMTN .
Mahyana deity visualisation
-Believe that visualising themselevsa s the Buddha , helps them to awaken Buddha nature .
-Might fous o
-MEDICINE BUDHA - invovled in healing , viusalising medicine helps reduce suffering buddhsit believe .
-Avalokiteshra , compassio bodhisattva devleoping own sense of compassion therefore reaching enlgithenment .
-Amtiabha Buddha - help the be reborn into pure land to achieve enlightenment quicke
Thangka - detaied painting of Buddha or Bodhisttva .
-Mandala intricate shped pttern used ofr meditation
-Buddhist can use this to visualise a diety .
-highly sklle dbuddhisdt can study thanka or manala and visualsie in mind all detials .
-IN TIEBETAN MONASTIER , Monks make mandalas out of sand , take weeks and weks THEN ONCE FINSIHED THEYBRUSH IT AWAY .
-The idea of this is to encourga eht emoks to focus on NICCA IMPERNNCNE IN LIFE . NEER KEPT AS PA PICE OF ART AS ATTAHCMENET WHICH THT MIGHT ED TO GOES AGAISNT BUDDHAS TACHINS , and one of the main aims of meditation is to see how everything is impermannent .
Buddhist beliefs about death
Traditions teach when buddhis dies their karmic energy leves thie body and is reborn into a new one .
-Therefore detah is not the end , only a transition from one form to the other .
-THEY DO GIREVE , LOSS OF PEOPLE ,bt they also bear in midn , thaty impermanenc eis a nutal part of life , Fuenrals are valuabale remidner of this eaching of impermanance ,
-Funerals can varys ome elaborae some simple and calm .
Theravada funerals
-very little money is spent on a unerl .
-insted family and friends ma doante merit to deceased .
IN THERAVADA BUDDHISM , it isp possible to tranfer karmic energy based on your skilfula ctions and deeds to someone else . In this case , good karma that is creaed y donating is worhy cause it is tNSFERRED O THE DEAD PERSON TO HELP HEM HAVE MORE FAOURABLE REBIRTH .
-rITUALS TRANFERRING EMRIT TO DECASES , MAY ALSO BE PERFORMED BY FMILY MEMEBERS , like cloth to mke new robes o asenior monk on behalf of deacwased person .
Theravada funerals (2)
-Shrines may be set up to display th deceased portait with canldes incese flwoers .
-pic of Buddha Deceased may be cremated or bruied , but CREMATION MORE COMMON .
-Fam mebers maya ssit carrying csket . all moruners hosuld be sending good thoughts to the fmailya nd contmplating the imperancne of lfie .
Ceremonies and rituals in Tibet
-One of the best k,nown Tibetqn trditions is SKY BURAL .
-Body s left in a high place a s gidft for the VUTLURES .
-In moutnaineous re s, they are short of firewod ,and ofren too frozen for grave digging , Giving ot vultuures is seen as both pracgicla na generous .
-BUT MORE CUSTORMARY OW TO BURY BODY .
—Cermoeneis involing prayers often yak butter lamps may be made every 7 days for 48 days after death .
Ceremonies and rituals in Japanese pure land traditions
-Coffin poitneing wes it is places .
namo amIDA BU IS WHT HTOSE ASSEMBELD CHAN AS THEY PROCESS AORUND THE COFIN .
-iT IS COMMMON ACROSS L jAPANSE TRADITIONS THAT ATER CREMITON OU PICK UP THE BONES FROM THE ASHES USING CHOSPITICKS .
aS IN TIBEBT THESE REMAINS MAY BE KEPT OR 49 DAYS AND PRAYERS OFFERED VERY 7TH DAY .
What is a retreat ?
-A period of time spent away from everday life to foucs on meditation .
-They give poeope an opportunity to depend thier understanding of buddhiss practicses , invovling meditation alks
Theravda monks ovserve VASSA an annual retreta lasing three motnhs during rainy seaosn , can only leave temple when ncessry dedicat etime ot medittion and study .
What is Wesak
-A theravda fstival that celebates the Buddha’s birth , enlightenement and passing away .
Significance of Wesak
-It is celebrated on the full moon of Vesak (usuallyf alls iNN May )
It commemrates three maojr events .
-Buddhas life
-His enlgihtnemnt
-and passing into parinirvana ..
-All thes eevents are siad to have happened on a full moon .
How to celebrate Wesak ?
-Buddhists may light up their homes with canldes , lamps or paper lnterns and put up decoration s.
–Make offering like ofodl ight flowr to locl monasteyr .
-Inr eutrn monks may elad some meditation chant from buddhsi scriputres , focusing on the three ey yevents .
Celebration specials of wesak
-In singapore , caged birds are released as a symbol of libertiona dn to signigfy the releae of pst troubles and worng-doing .
-idnoensia , paper lanters lit and flaot up into sky , light is impotant as it canbeu sed to show people how to overcome darkerness or girnoalnce , it s a symbol of hope for enlightenment .
What is PARINIRVANA DAY ?
- A day that commemorates the Buddha’s passing awa y
-mre solemen than Wesak , it is acc a chance for buddhiss to reflet on their ose that have passed away recently .
-it is the idea everyhting is impernanent central to buddhist tachings has rel focus ofr the day .
MAHAPRINIRRVANA SUTRA - is an imrpotan scriputure describign the bdudhas last days , buddhists might pend the day reading this and medittio at homes .
-THIS DAY is also a traiditonal dy dor piligrimge ,many will visit the city Kushinagar In India , where THEY BELEIVE THE BUDDHA DIED .
What is karma ?
-A person’s actions the idea that skilful actions leads to happiness unskilful leads to suffering .
DEEPER UNDERSTAIFNIN , IS HOW ETHICSL IMPULSES BEHID A PERSONS ACTIONS LEADS THWM int he direction OF SUFFERIG OR HAPPINESS , skILFUL ACTIONS LEADING IN GENROICSTY COMPASSION UNSKILFUL ACTIONS ROOTED IN OPPOSITED THREE POSIONS .
Karma shows not htat peopole are punsihed or rewareded FOR thier ctions but BY tge - lieke someoene who is anrgy , as theya ct with anegr reuglarly ,t herefore , ight shout break things beep horn .
karma (2)
-A persons actions also imapct their futuree rebirths .
-DEPENDING On a person’s akrma , you may be born into one of the six realms .
What are the six realms ?
-The realm of the Gods
-The realm of the anrgy Gods
-The relamof th animals
-The realm of the tormented eings
-The realm of the human Ghost
-The human relam
-human realm is the best realm to achievee enlgithenemtn .
Why is the idea of karma empowering for Buddhists ?
-It means they can chnage the futurre thuogh their own actions .
-By cultivaitng skilful mental sttes and actions , they can not oly live ahppier lfe but can also lay the ground for a favourable rebirth .
Buddhist ethics
-right action is following the eight fold path , acitng morallya dne thically . Recuce suffeing they have to do this to reach ENLGIHTENMENT . DO this bys howing karuna , ethical behavioru towards aials , helpigna poor commnity .
-The fact that a persown own behaviour creates happiness or suffering is an INCENTIV to be more skilful . Not only does the eprson being skilfl beenfit , but the peoson recieeing a person skind nd wise actiosn rahter than three posions greed ignronrant and hatred actions .
How the buddha showd karuna ?
Karua copassion ; feeling concenrend aboutt he sufeirng for other people and wanting to relieve thier sufferign ..
-buddha shred hsi teachings with others becuase he relaied there was a lot of ahrdship in the world , he wanted everyone ot overcome suffering .
-it means to rleiev suffering for tohers
HOWEVER , it also means to recognsisie when you yourslef are suffering and act with compassion toward yourself , It means recognsiisng , a person cannot be truly happy while there is still sufering in this world .
Improtance of karuna in Buddhism ?
-Karuna is one of the four subliem states in Buddhism which are ;
-Loving kidness
-COMAPSSION
-Sympathetic joy 9 beign happy for others )
-equanimity (maintains tbailitya nd calm int he face of both happiness and usffering )
-These were what the buddha tuaght that were improtant for buddhist to develop . TOGETHER they expalin how buddhist should act toward s themslees and other .
-In mahayana buddhism crucial wuality required to become bodhisttva ( also an improtant quality for all buddhists to develop ).
Why do buddhists believe that widsom and compassion should be developed otgetehr KEY QUALITIES OT REACH ENLIGHTENEMNT .
-yOU NEED Compasion to do something as well as the knowledge about how to dit .
WHAT IS ROKPA ?
-An internation chairty , involiving ZIMBABWE , NEPAL AND TIPE .
-This charity hepps runs schools and provide educatio to thousands of children each year .
-Aim tohelp dfamilies out of povery thuorgh better educarion also teaching children how to vaule comapssoin .
-ROKPA believe that , learning how to be kind and developing a d esire o help others is the way to bring about real and lasting change .
Metta is loving - kindess - explain ?
-Another one of gthe four sublime states is METTA .
-Buddhists try to develop a loving kind friendly attitude towards themselves and other beings .
-It is a wish for all beings to be happy nd free froms uffering , without expecting anything in return .
-It is even cultivated to those who act unskilfully .
How is metta and karuna different ?
-Metta is the genreal desire to want people to be hy , and is culitavted tards all .
-Whereas Karuna rises whn METTA COMES INTO CONTACT w tih a specific person who MIGHT BE SUFFERING . Wishing for them o be hPPY IS an example of metta , the person’s goodwill towards them transfroms INTO COMPASSIOn - the urge to alleviate the suffring .
The importance of developing metta .
-Buddhists cultivate loving-kindness towards themsleevs and others in order to dissolve away the tendency to act out of greed AND HATRED - TWO OF THE THREE POSIONS WHICH THE BUDDHA TAUGHT WERE THE MAIN CAUSES OF SUFFERING .
-So developing metta aloows you to ACHIEVE ENLIGHTEMENT .
-META MEAN YOUR MORE LVOING AT PEACE SO YOU WON’T EXPRESS AS MUCH ANGER .
What is loving - kindess meditaation ?
-It is a common form of meditation in Buddhism . Its aim is to help the meditator develop an attitude of metta , firstly towards themsleves and then toards everyone else in the world .
-what are the five steps which involve cultivating love and kindess towards :
1.Yourslef
2.A good friends
3.A ‘neutral’ person soemoene you com into contact on a reuglar basis but neither like nor dislike .
4.A ‘difficult’ person , someone you dislike .
5.All four of these pople , gradually followed by everyone else in t he world .
The emditator might visualise that peroson lookign happy or their psotiv qualitieis , or positive phrases applying them to their meditiation .
-what are the five steps which involve cultivating love and kindess towards :
1.Yourslef
2.A good friends
3.A ‘neutral’ person soemoene you com into contact on a reuglar basis but neither like nor dislike .
4.A ‘difficult’ person , someone you dislike .
5.All four of these pople , gradually followed by everyone else in t he world .
The emditator might visualise that peroson lookign happy or their psotiv qualitieis , or positive phrases applying them to their meditiation .
The five moral precepts - five commitments that Buddhists try to follow to live ethicallya nd morally
1.To abstain from taking life .
2.Abstin from taking what is not freely givn .
3.To abstain from misuse of the senses or sexual misconduct .
4.To abstain from wrong speech .
5.To abstain from intoxicants that cloud the mind .
First moral precept in depth ?
-Do not undetake nor harm any living being including animals .
-For this reaosn , Buddhsis (especially in the West ) are vegan or vegetarian .
Second moral precept in depth ?
-Buddhists should not take things that have not been given to them .
-It means stealing ,as well as ma nipualting or explotiing people (taking advanatge of others ) .
Third moral precept in depth ?
-Buddhists undetake not to abuse or overindulge in sensual pleasures or to sue sex harmfully lie rape or adultery .
Fourth moral precept in depth ?
-It emans that Buddhists should not lie or gossip about othes , Buddhists should aim to speak truthfully or kidnly at the right time .
Fifth mroal precet in depth ?
-Not taking alcohol or durgs - importnt for Buddhists who have commited themselves to developing calm , clear awarenes .
Follwoing the five moral precepts .
-As there is no God in Buddhism who rewards or punishes . The five moral precpets are voluntarily practised more and more deeply as the progress .
Why do the precepts need to applied sensitively ?
Some Buddhists have to balance one blance against another (UPAYA KUSALA ) .
-tHE root precept is the first one - do not cause harm .
-oTHER PRECPET ARE expressions of the first ones .
-tHESE PRECPETS CAN BE PRACITCED ON AN EVER DEEPER LEVEL , ESPECIALLY AT THE LEVEL ON THE MIND (Wanting to hurt someone is unskilful even if you dont actually hurt them . )
How do the precpets link with karma ?
-Links with Karma -good actions - reward bad punished , therefore the first step in following the precpets is WANTING to follow them . TRhis will then allow them to practicse precepts in a depeer devel overtime , purifying their mind of the three posions , DEVELOPING MROE WISDOM AND COMPASSION TO ENLIGHTENMENT .
The six perections - these express how Bodhisattvas live according to Mahayana buddhism , in cotnract to five mroal precepts telling youw hts unskilgul THIS TELLS YOU WHATS SKILFULL TO BECOME A BODHISATVA .
The six perfections are ;
1.Generosity or giving
2.Morality
3.Patience
4.Energy
5.Meditation
6.Wisdom .
1.Generosity in depth …
The first perfection is concerned with the cultivation of giving or generosity . TIBETAN BUDDHISTS talk about the three main types of giving .
1.Mateiral goods - clothe and food . Immediaitre hel pp good but not longterm .
2.Protection from fear
3.THe dhaama - Buddhas teachings - the person can help themselves using this and rhrefore has a longwr lasting impact .
-FOR BUDDHISTS - the intention of giving is important , Buddhists should give without expecting nothign in return - so also need to undertsand the MOTIIVES OF GIVIGN and purifiying these motives to give FREELY .
2.Morality in depth …
-Most buddhists follow the ive mrola precepts
-mAHAYNA FOLLOW A FURHTER FIVE .
-tRYING qto develop this perfection , a buddhist might begin feeling as i they have to restrian themsleves from doing immporal things , which requires a great dela of SELF DISCIPLINE .
-But the key of doing moral things is to do it out of GENROIStY AND FREEWILL concern for otehrs . You can use MEDITAtION to help practice this .
3.Patience in depth …
-Bodhisttave mboides patience expressed through tolerance and endurance.
-This means Buddhsits should learn ot endure personal hardship or suffering to practice compassion to those who show anger and ot hve pateicne with tohers .
-The best way to do develop this is by accepting the first noble truth THE EXISTENCE OF SUFFERING , which will help buddhists cultivate the patience needed to endure it .
4.Energy in depth …
Cultivate mental enegry and strength - Buddhists should put as much effort qand enthusiasm ino thier practice of dhamma as possible .
-They should cultivate the courga eand enegry needed to srive for enlgihtenment over many years ( or indeed lifetimes ) .
-A Buddhist can develop this in many ways - looking after own healrh , or deepn understandigns through meeditation , or study buddhas teachings .
5+6 Meditation and wisdom in depth …
-Meditation we already saw helps to develop concentration and awareness needed to achieve the sixth perfection , wisdom .
-All of the first five perfectoins contribute to the development of the sxith one . Meditation and sudying the buddhas teachings and through living morally and ethically
-Buddhists aim to understnad a full understanding of the nature of reality .
-(Mahayna buddhism bodhisattv combines widsom and compassion )
