Buddhist practices Flashcards
Whats in a temple
Main hall/building
Meditation hall/building
Study hall/building
Shrine or number of shrines
Stupa
Whats a stupa
A small building in a monastery that often contains holy relics
What type of offerings are given at a shrine
Offering of light (such as candle) symbolises widom cos light drives away darkness
Offering of flowers reminds Buddhists that all things are impermanent
Offering of incense symbolises purity
What is puja
Worship
What does puja allow Buddhists to do(3 things)
Express their gratitude and respect for the Buddha and his teachings
Gives them opportunity to acknowledge how important Buddha is in their lives
Allows them to focus on their faith and deepen their understanding of Buddhas teachings
How do Buddhists worship (7 things)
Meditate, give offerings, chant, recite mantras, and bow, rituals and ceremonies carried out in groups, private worship in the home
What do buddhists chant
3 refuges and 5 moral precepts or bodhisattva vow
What is samatha meditation
Meditation that focuses on calming the mind and focuses on your breath
Paying attention to sensation of your breathing and all the tiny movements it brings about in your body. e.g feeling chest expand
What is vipassana meditation
Meditation to try and gain insight into the true nature of reality and see things as they are
Helps buddhists understand all things are characterised by 3 marks of existence
What do Tibetan Buddhists visualise
Often visualise a deity (a being who has become fully enlightened such ad a Buddha or Bodhisattva)
Concentrate not only on what the deity looks like but also on the qualities in order to gain those qualities and attributes
What can a Buddhist use to visualise a deity
Thangka (detailed painting of Buddha ot Bodhisattva)
Mandala(intricate, circle shaped pattern used for meditation)
What happens at a funeral
People will make donations
Shrine may be set up to display the deceased’s portrait along with an image of the Buddha next to the shrine
Monks may give a sermon and perform Buddhist rites
Deceased usually cremated but can be buried
What can the family of the deceased do
They can create good karmic energy on behalf of the deceased to give them a better chance at the best rebirth
What do Buddhist festivals give Buddhists time to do?
Gives them opportunity to remember and celebrate the Buddha’s life and his teaching and to meet with family and practice together
What is a retreat
a period of time away from everyday life to focus on meditation
What is Wesak
a Therevadan festival that celebrates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing away
All 3 events happened on a full moon
To honour and remember the Buddha and his teachings
How is Wesak celebrated
Houses lit up with candles, lamps and put up decorations
Make offerings to the Buddha and give gifts such as food, candles and flowers to the monks
Monks may lead meditation or chant from the Buddhist scriptures
Focus mainly on Buddhas enlightenment
What is Paranirvana Day
Mahayana festival that is celebrated to remember Buddha’s passing to paranirvana.
Gives Buddhists chance to reflect on the fact of their own future death and remember friends and relatives who died
Idea of impermanence is a big focus on this day
Some may go on retreats and traditional day for pilgrimage
6 realms are:
Realm of the gods
Realm of the angry gods
Realm of the animals
Realm of the tormented beings
Realm of the hungry ghosts
Realm of the humans
4 sublime states meaning
4 qualities of love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity which the Buddha taught that Buddhists should develop
Equanimity meaning
Maintaining stability and calm in the face of both happiness and suffering
What does chanting increase?
A buddhist’s receptivity to the Buddha and his teachings. Also concentrates and calms the mind
What type of practice is chanting
Devotional practice
What is a mantra
A sequence of sacred syllables that is usually chanted over and over or silently said in the mind
Why are mantras important
They can focus the mind in meditation
Some believe they have transformative powers
Why are mantras important for tibetan buddhists
Mantra helps them to become more receptive to compassion therefore helping them to better express this quality in their lives
What is a mala
String of 108 beads that helps Buddhists count the number of recitations they have done
How do Buddhists bow
They bow 3 times in front of a shrine to recall the 3 refuges
meditation definition
A spiritual exercise that calms the mind and body, and leads to the development of insight into the nature of reality
what do buddhists do before meditating
recite verses praising 3 refuges and (therevada buddhists) 5 moral precepts
Why is loving-kindness meditation done?
To develop a sense of compassion for oneself and others and to let go of ill will and resentment. Helps to create a sense of calmness and positivity
What can Buddhists use as a focus for meditation (6 things)
certain character traits, emotions, breathing process, an image, candle flame, buddha
what does mindfulness of breathing do
makes buddhists more aware and present
What is a kasina
A kasina is an object used as a focus of attention in samatha meditation. 10 kasinas including elements -earth water fire air- and colours -red yellow blue.
Purpose of samatha meditation
Helps to develop concentration/ focus
Preparation for vipassana meditation
Focus on single object helps create calm and tranquil mind
Helps buddhists feel more alive and happy
3 main aims of vipassana meditation
Understand how all things are characterized by 3 marks of existence
Develop greater wisdom and awareness about the world
Ultimately achieve enlightenment
what is zazen meditation
Literally meaning “seated meditation” Practised in Zen Buddhism
What is zazen intended to lead to
Deeper understanding into the nature of existence.
How to do zazen meditation
Start sitting, relaxing and a period of mindfulness of breathing. Meditator then simply sits with awareness of the present moment. Thoughts and experiences may come and go and meditator returns again and again to present moment
Why do mahayana buddhists use visualization?
They believe visualising themselves as the Buddha helps them to stimulate and awaken their Buddha-nature
Examples of visualisations
Medicine Buddha- Visualising this Buddha may reduce suffering and promote healing powers
Avalokiteshvara- Visualising this Bodhisattva helps buddhists to develop a sense of compassion
Buddha Amitabha- Pure land Buddhists may visualise Buddha Amitabha in hopes of being rebirthed into Pure Land
Theravada funerals
Very little money spent
Family/ friend donate to worthy cause
Rituals transferring merit to deceased
e.g offer cloth to make new robes to nearby monastery
Funerals in Tibet
Sky burial- body left in high place as a gift for the vultures, started because lack of wood for cremation
More common now to cremate
Revered teachers remains placed in a stupa
Ceremonies involving prayers and offerings of yak-butter lamps may be made every 7 days for 49 days
Funerals in Japan
Coffin placed with head facing west towards direction of Sukhavati
Those assembled chant Amitabha Buddha around the coffin
Relatives after cremation come together and pick the bones out using chopsticks
Remains can be kept for 49 days and offerings made every 7
Wesak significance
Commemorates 3 major events in Buddhas life-birth enlightenment death
Opportunity to honor and remember buddhas teachings
Light used to symbolise hope, enlightenment and overcoming ignorance
Celebrating wesak
Caged animals released
Go to monastery to listen to sermons on buddhas life or practice meditation
Make offerings to Buddha/ gifts to monasteries
Light up homes with candles and lanterns
Paranirvana Day significance
Celebrated during Feb to remember Buddha’s passing to paranirvana
Solemn occasion where buddhists reflect on their own future death and remember friends or relatives who have passed away
Teaching of impermanence is important on this day
Celebrating Paranirvana Day
read and study the Mahaparinivarna Sutra (buddhist scripture that describes buddhas last days)
meditate and worship at home or in temple
go on retreat to reflect and meditate or go on pilgrimage to Kushinagar (where Buddha died)
Buddhist retreats
May involve meditation, talks, study groups, workshops and rituals
aim to help them deepen their understanding of buddhist practices
held in monasteries or buddhist centers
Example of buddhist retreat
Vassa- annual retreat in theravada when monks dedicate more time to meditate and study
What are skilful actions motivated by and what is the result of it
Motivated by generosity, compassion and understanding
Results in happiness
What are unskilful actions motivated by and what is the result of it
Motivated by craving, ignoring, hatred
Results in suffering
what is karuna (4)
recognizing a person cannot be happy while others suffer
feeling concern for the suffering of others, almost as if it were your own
wanting others to be free from suffering and trying to relieve it
recognizing when you are suffering and showing compassion towards yourself
Charity motivated by compassion
ROKPA
Tibetan word for “help” or “friend”
Involved in projects in Zimbabwe, Nepal and Tibet
Helps run schools and provide education to thousands of children each year
Aim of ROKPA
To help families out of poverty and teach children about the value of compassion
Why is metta an important quality to develop
Reduces tendency to act out of negative emotions such as greed and hatred(2/3 poisons showing reducing these negative emotions will reduce suffering and eventually lead to enlightenment)
what is metta
A desire for others to be happy
3 facts about metta
one of 4 sublime states
should be cultivated even to those who act unskillfully
should not expect anything in return
What are the 5 moral precepts
1) Abstain from taking life
2) Abstain from taking what is not freely given
3) Abstain from misuse of the senses or sexual misconduct
4) Abstain from wrong speech
5) Abstain from intoxicants that cloud the mind
Following 5 moral precepts
Need to be applied sensitively and need balance from one precept against the next
First precept is a root for all the others
Purifies mind of greed, hatred and ignorance
