BUDHHISM

Question 1

Kamma

Answer 1

For buddhists Kamma means that our internal actions have consequences. Buddhists do nit believe that Kamma is a punishent or reward from god it is a natural law of cause and effect, and its results cannot be avoided but you can change the results of your kamma.

Question 2

Kamma - rebirth

Answer 2

People who do not reach enlightenment are reborn and live lives affected by their kamma in previous lives.

skillfull actions lead towards enlightenment or a better rebirth and unskilfull actions do not which are driven by greed, hatred, ignorance.

Question 3

Benefits of belief in Kamma

Answer 3

• helps people accept suffering
• allows to have control over rebirth
• causes budddhist to live a life free of hatred

Question 4

Nibbana

Answer 4

Nibbana is the end of suffering, craving and ignorance

it is the end goal for buddhists
Nibbana is enlightenement, absoloute freedom of mind and is the END of Dukkha, Tanha, and kamma.

Question 5

Achieving NIbbana

Answer 5

Achieving Nibbana means that a being has no more craving or desire.
You generate no Kamma and will not be reborn on the wheel of life you are outside of Samsara.

Buddhists can only partially understand Nibbana until it is finally achieved.

Nibbana literally traslates as to snuff out a flame

Question 6

Three root poisons

Answer 6

At the centre of the wheel of life are three poisons that fuel samsara
- Greed
- hatred
- Ignorance
and in order to get out of Samsara it is vital we destroy these poisons

Question 7

Samsara

Answer 7

Samsara basically means wheel of life. buddhists goals are to either achieve nibbana or if they cant then they want to get a better samsaric rebirth.

Being part of Samsara is not what buddhists want. being in samsara is being stuck in a life of suffering and ignorance.

Question 8

Three root poisons - Greed (bird)

Answer 8

Greed - lust or craving, refers to our selfishness. when we are greedy we feed our desires and attachment our greed causes pain and suffering.

Question 9

Three root poisons - Hatred (Snake)

Answer 9

Hatred- refers to our anger, our aversion and repulsion towards unpleasent people, circumstances and even our own uncomfortable feelings.

Question 10

Three root poisons - Ignorance (Pig)

Answer 10

Pig - we are living an ignorant life away from buddhist ideal, refers to our delusion, dullness, our wrong views of reality.

Question 11

Three root poisoning - affects

Answer 11

These poisonous states of mind then motivate harmfull thoughts, speech and actions, which cause all manner of suffering and unhappiness for ourselves and others

Question 12

Negative Kamma
positive Kamma

Answer 12

Negative kamma binds us to a vicious cycle where there appears to be no way out (samsara)

Positive Kamma leads to a better rebirth and eventually to a point where you reach nibbbana, your falme of desire (tanha) is snuffed out and you no longer develop Kmma at all, you are free of samsara and will not be reborn. You are a BUDDDHA.

Question 13

Four Noble truths

Answer 13

The four Noble truths is a way of the buddha explaining what is going on in the world and how we can improve our life.

• Dukkha
• Tanha
• Nibbana
• Eightfold Path

Question 14

Four Noble truths - Dukkha, Tanha

Answer 14

Dukkha - All life involves suffering

Tanha - origin of suffering is craving, suffering is caused by craving and attachment
Buddhists believe that we rely on things that are unfullfiling. unsatisfying and we suffer as these things let us down.

Question 15

Dhamma

Answer 15

Dhamma refers to the teachings of the buddha, but also refers to anu accepted buddhist teachings.
Dhamma means a straight path.

Question 16

Eightfold path

Answer 16

Eightfold path is a way of life that all buddhists try and live by, it is a set of guidelines that if followed with dedication will give us tools to potentially reach enlightenment one day.

Eightfold path is divded into three areas
- wisdom
- morality
- Mediation (effort)

Question 17

Eightfold path - Wisdom

Answer 17

Wisdom means having the right view which means trying to deepen you understanding of life in a buddhist sense, trying to understand suffering.

Important because without the willingness to understand things like Dukkha, Annita, Annata the whole proccess of enlightenment is meaningless.

Question 18

Eightfold path - Morality

Answer 18

Morality focuses on our behaviours and ethical choices
Right actions - means following the 5 precepts of not to lie. not to steal, not to misuse sex, not to kill and not to cloud the mind with intoxicants like drugs and alcohol.

Important as by simply making these postitive choices and behaving in this way it encourages positive kamma for us and leads us on a better rebirth.

Question 19

Eightfold path - Mediation

Answer 19

Mediation - effort is an essential part of buddhism, it is a very important part of the proccess towards nibbana. mental training like this requests effort and concentratione which means you have to put aside your negative or evil thoughts and cultivate good and positive ones

Question 20

Eightfold Path - Three poisons

Answer 20

The eightfold path is a way to control effects of the three poisons, it controls Tanha.

once you break the cycle of negative kamma by following the eight fold path you are free to develop compassion and a clear mind.
pain caused by Tanha is lessened and yiu will get on with people better which leads to improved undertanding of dhamma which leads to better rebirth, kamma and nibbana.