Buddhist terminology Flashcards
Zazen meditation
a type of meditation in Zen Buddhism that requires awareness of the present moment
Wheel of life
a pictorial representation (a thangka) that symbolises the nature of reality and the cycle of birth. death, and rebirth
Wesak
traditional Therevada festival that celebrates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing away
Visualisation
imagining or ‘seeing’ an object in one’s mind
Vipassana meditation
‘insight meditation’ - a type of meditation that involves developing understanding of the nature of reality
Vihara
a Buddhist temple or monastery
Tripitaka
the ‘three baskets’ of traditional Buddhist sacred scriptures
Three mental Poisons
the forces that keep the cycle of Samsara turning: ignorance, greed, hatred
Therevada Buddhism
‘the school of elders’ - the oldest Buddhist tradition found in Southern Asia
Thangka
a detailed painting of a Buddha or Bodhisattva for vipassana meditation
Tanha
craving - the cause of suffering. There are 3 types: craving for pleasure, craving for being, craving for non-being
Stupa
small building in a monastery that sometimes contains holy relics; Buddhists may circumambulate to remind themselves that the Buddha and his teachings are at the centre of their lives
Skandha (aggregate)
the 5 aspects that make up a person (the chariot analogy)
Shrine
an area with a statue of the Buddha (or Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism), which is the focal point for Buddhist meditation and devotion; a means of showing gratitude
Paramita (Six Perfections)
6 qualities/virtues that Mahayana Buddhists try to develop in order to live as a Boddhisattva: dana (generosity), virya (energy), sila (morality), dhyana (meditation), ksanti (patience), prana (wisdom)
Sila
ethics - a section of the eightfold path that emphasises the importance of skilful action as the basis for spiritual progress
Sangha
the second noble truth: there are causes of suffering
Samsara
the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth
Samatha meditation
calming meditation - a type of meditation that involves calming the mind and developing concentration
Samadhi
a section of the eightfold path that emphasises the role of meditation in spiritual development
Saddha
trustful confidence or faith; what we need to have in the Buddha’s teachings in the early stages before we have wisdom
Pure land Buddhism
a Mahayana form of Buddhism based on the belief in Amitabha Buddha
Puja
worship
Punya
karmic merit or fruitfulness
Paritta
chanting, reciting from Buddhist scriptures
Parinirvana
nirvana-after-death or nirvana-without-remainder, which occurs upon the death of someone who has achieved nirvana in their lifetime
Panna
wisdom - a part of the eightfold path that deals with Buddhist approaches to understanding the nature of reality
Nirodha
the third noble truth: suffering can be stopped
Nidana
twelve factors that illustrate the process of birth, death, and rebirth (in the wheel of life)
Nirvana/Nibbana
a state of complete enlightenment, happiness, and peace
Metta
loving kindness - showing a benevolent, kind, friendly attitude to all other beings
Mara
a demon that symbolises spiritual obstacles such as temptation
Mantra
a short sequence of sacred syllables
Mandala
an intricate, circle - shaped pattern that is used for meditation
Mala
prayer beads that are used to count the number of recitations in a mantra
Mahayana Buddhism
an umbrella term to describe later Buddhist traditions such as Pure Land Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Zen Buddhism
Magga
the fourth noble truth: the eightfold path
Kasina
focal object used in Samatha meditation. The Buddha mentioned 10 kasinas: earth, water, fire, wind, blue, yellow, red, white, space, consciousness
Karuna
compassion of empathy for the suffering of other beings
Kamma
Buddhists believe that our actions in this life initiate another life after ours. Our skilful and unskilful deeds affect the next life either positively or negatively
Jataka Tales
a body of literature concerning the lives of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form. Typically the Buddha helps resolve a situation and exhibits a particular Buddhist virtue
Gompa
hall or building where the Tibetan monks meditate
Four Sublime States
the four qualities which the Buddha taught all the Buddhists should develop: karuna (compassion), metta (loving-kindness), mudita (sympathetic joy), upekkha (equanimity)
Enlightenment
the gaining of true knowledge about the nature of reality, gaining freedom from the cycle of rebirth
Engaged Buddhism
a movement that focuses on applying Buddhist teachings to matters concerning environmental and social justice
Samkhara-dukkha
suffering that arises through attachment to people and things
Viparinama-dukkha
suffering that arises through ordinary processes of change
Dukkha-dukkha
pain or physical suffering
Dukkha
the first noble truth: there is suffering
Dhammapada
the collections of sayings of the Buddha; one of the tripitaka
Dhamma
one of the three jewels/refuges, the teachings of the Buddha
Dana
charity/generosity; one of the 6 perfections
Buddha-nature
the idea that everyone has the essence of or the potential to become a Buddha within them
Buddha rupa
a statue of the Buddha, often sitting cross-legged in a meditation pose
Buddha
a title given to someone who has achieved enlightenment
Bot
the ordination hall in the Buddhist temple or vihara
Bodhisattva
For Mahayana Buddhists, someone who has become enlightened but chooses to remain in the cycle of Samsara to help others achieve enlightenment
Bikkhu
an ordained Buddhist monk
Arhat
for Therevada Buddhists, someone who has been enlightened
Antarabhava
the intermediate state between death and rebirth
Anicca
impermanence; the idea that everything is subject to change
Anatta
the idea that people do not have a permanent fixed self or soul
Adhisthana
blessing - spiritual energy passed through proximity
