Buddhist Teachings + vocab Flashcards
Give some facts about the Buddha’s early life
- Stories can be found in the Jataka
- Lived in Nepal Born in Lumbini
- he was born Hindu
- He was born in 563 BC
- Siddhartha’s mother dreamed of a white elephant (symbol of wisdom) entering her womb just before the Buddha was born
- Siddhartha took 7 steps after he was born, a lotus flower blossoming at each and he said that he would have no more rebirths
- His mother died when he was a baby
- His father was told by a fortune that he would either become a great ruler or a great wise man. His father did not want him becoming a holy man and so sheilded him from all suffering to stop him questioning life
- He lived in luxury until the age of 29
What are the four sights
- Old age
- Sickness
- Death
- Holy man
Describe the Renunciation
- After seeing the four sights, Siddartha was no longer happy with his life of luxury, so he left the palace and only took his robes
- He joined two Hindu teachers who taught him meditation
- He was not satisfied with the Hindu teachers so he joint fice Hindu ascetics (holy men). He lived in a forest and tried to achieve spiritual perfection by living simply and not giving into bodily desires
- He lived on a grain of rice a day and was so thin that you could see his back bone through his stomach
- After 6 years, a milk maid offered Siddartha some milk and rice when coming out of the river from bathing. He was so weak he couldn’t meditate so he broke his fast
- The 5 holy men where dissapointed in him and left him
Where did the Buddha get enlightened
under a Bo tree
What three things happened to the Buddha when he was enlightened
- Intimidation
- Temptation
- Doubt
What was Intimidation like during the Buddha’s enlightenment
He was attacked by Mara with wind, rain, rocks, weapons, hot coal, burning ashes, sand, mud and darkness
What was Temptation like during the Buddha’s enlightenment
Mara tempted Siddhartha with women, sexual thoughts and frightening images. Mara’s daughters appeared to him.
What was Doubt like during the Buddha’s enlightenment
Mara fought for the spot under the Bo tree, saying it was his
What is the Devil in Buddhism
Mara
What do Mara’s three daughters reresent
The three posions
* Greed
* Hatred
* Delusion / Ignorance
What happened to the Buddha as he was being enlightened
- He saw the world as how it really is
- He saw all of his past lifes
- the universe is a string of cause and effect
What happened to the Buddha after his enlightenment
- He was liberated
- He became known as the Buddha (the enlightened one)
- He realises the peace of Nirvana
What did the Buddha realise after he was enlightened
- He had previous lives
- the chain of cause and effect
- The world is impermanent
- There is no fixed self
- Everyone suffers
- We can overcome suffering
What is the Dharma
Buddhist book containing the teachings of the Buddha
What is Pratitya Samudpada
the law of cause and effect
What are the Three Marks of Existance / Three Universal Truths / Lakshanas
- Annica
- Anatta
- Dukkha
What is Annica
- everything is changing
- Everything depends on something else for existance relating to the law of cause and effect
What is Anatta
- There is no permanent self
- Because we are dependant on other things that are also constantly changing due to Annica
What is Dukkha
- Everything is always suffering
What are the 3 types of Dukkha
- Emotional and Physical
- Due to change
- Due to attachment
3 reasons why the Annica, Anatta and Dukkha are important to Buddhists
- Annica → It teaches nothing is permenant so Buddhists should not become attached
- Anatta → It teaches that there is no fixed self so Buddhists don’t need to be set in their bad habbits
- Dukkha → It teaches that that all life is always suffering showing them they are not alone
What analogie is used when the Buddha talks about the Four Nobel Truths
doctor and medicine
What are the Four Nobel Truths
- Dukkha → the fact all life involves suffering
- The cause of the suffering
- If craving stops suffering will stop
- The way to overcome suffering
Why are the Four Nobel Truths important to Buddhists
- Teaches them they are not alone in their suffering
- The Buddha said ‘‘those who have fathomed the four nobel truths, walk the right path’’
- It teaches them the cause of suffering
- It teaches them that there is hope and that suffering can be overcome
- It is important because it teaches them how to overcone the causes of suffering
What is Magga
The 8 Fold path / The 3 Fold way
Describe the 8 fold path
- Right View
- Right Intention
- Right Ethics
- Right Speach
- Right Action
- Right Livelihood
- Right Meditation
- Right concentration
Why is the 8 Fold path important to Buddhists
- It teaches them how to end suffering
- It teaches them right morality through right action, speach and livelihood, so they know how to behave
- It teaches them right meditation which is key to ending suffering
- It helps them achieve enlightenment / nirvana
What is Samsara
Samsara is the world we live in and in which we are reborn into as a result of our Karma
What is Nirvana
It is a place which is reached after enlightenment
How do some Buddhists interpret Nirvana
They believe it is a state of mind which we can experience many times in our life. You can go in and out of Nirvana
How do Theravadan Buddihsts interpret Nirvana
They believe humans are finally enlightened at the end of many rebirths. They believe Nirvana is a state where all desires are overcome and there is no more rebirths into Samsara
How do Mahayana Buddhists interpret Nirvana
They believe that some people are enlightened in this life, and once they die they come back as bodhisattvas to help others
Which Buddhists follow the The Five Skhandas / Aggregates
Theravadan Buddhists
What are The Five Skhandas / Aggregates
F S P M C
It is the always changing state in which humans are ‘‘self’’
* Form → physical part of us
* Sensation → our feelings
* Perception → our recognition of what things are
* Mental Formation → our thoughts and opinions
* Consciousness → our awareness of the things in the world around us
Why are The Five Skhandas important to Buddhists
- They explain what makes up a person
- They reinforce anatta
- They explain our actions
- It helps understand personal suffering
Which Buddhists believe in Sunyata
Mahayana Buddhists
What is Sunyata
Mahayana Buddhist belief → It is very similar to anatta. It shows that nothing is fixed
Which Buddhists believe in Buddha-nature
Mahayana Buddhists
What is Buddha Nature
A teaching which says that everyone is born with Buddha Nature and that deep inside everyone they are already enlightened, however it is hidden by things such as attachment
Which Buddhists believe in Arhats
Theravadan Buddhists
What is an Arhat
Someone who has completed the 8 fold path and has destroyed attachment and the 3 poissions to overcome Dukkha
How can a Buddhist make it easier for themselves to become a Arhat
They can become a monk, or atleast live in a monastery for a part of their life → children and teenagers and encouraged to spend a year or two in a monastery
Which Buddhists believe in Bodhisattvas
Mahayana Buddhists
Which Buddhists believe in Buddha hood
Mahayana Buddhists
What is Buddha hood
it is the highest form of enlightenment
What is a Bodhisattva
A person who delays their enlightenment in order to help others
What are some differences between an Arhat and a Bodhisattva
- Theravadan’s believe you can only become an Arhat if you are a monk, Mahayana Buddhists believe anyone can become a Bodhisattva
- Arhat’s seek their own enlightenment whilst Bodhisattva’s will return to samsara to help others
What is a similarity between an Arhat and a Bodhisattva
- Both follow the 8 fold path in attempt to end the 3 poissions
Which Buddhists believe in the pure land
Mahayana Buddhists
What do Pure Land Buddhists promise
- That anyone who has vowed to be reborn into Pure Land will be
- That Amitabha will apear at anyones death who has lead a good life and wishes to go to the pure land
- That if Amitabha appeared to you at your death you would go to the pure land
- That if someone goes to the Pure Land they will be allowed to chose weather they will become a Buddha or go back to samsara and become a Bodhisattva
What is the law of Karma
the law that skillful actions come with good consiquences and that unskillful actions will have negative consiquences
What do Buddhists believe about rebirth
- When humans die we will be reborn back into samsara unless we have been enlightened
- Rebirths depend on Karma
- There is no soul which is reborn
- Habits and tendencies are passed onto your next life
- You can be reborn into different reals (Animal realm, Heavenly realm)
*
How can possitive Karma be accumilated
By following Metta and Karuna
What is Karuna
compassion
What is Metta
loving kindness
What are the Five Precepts
Laws which Buddhits have to follow
1. Avoid harming all living beings
2. Do not take what is not freely given
3. Do not have wrong relationships
4. Do not speak falsely
5. Do not drink alcohol or take drugs
