Colin Buddhism Practices Knowledge Sheet Flashcards
Chanting
A type of worship that involves reciting from Buddhist scriptures.
Karma
. An ethical principle that explains how a Buddhist’s actions lead either to happiness or suffering.
. Skilful actions result in good karma and happiness.
. Unskilful actions result in bad karma and suffering.
. When a Buddhist is reborn their new life will be affected by their karma from past lives.
Karuna
. Compassion – feeling concerned for the suffering of others.
. It is one of the four sublime states that Buddha taught Buddhists should develop.
. Buddhists aim to recognise the suffering of others and do something to make their lives better.
Mantra
A short sequence of syllables recited during worship.
Metta
. Loving-kindness – a desire for other people to be happy.
. One of the four sublime states.
. It means desiring other people to be happy and is an attitude of warmth and kindness that Buddhists try to feel toward other people.
. It leads to a feeling of peace and contentment.
Parinirvana Day
. A Mahayana festival that commemorates the death and passing into enlightenment of Buddha.
. It is celebrated by Buddhists reading and studying the last writings of Buddha, meditating at home or in a temple or going on a retreat to reflect and meditate.
Puja
. Puja is the name for Buddhist worship which is a ceremony that expresses gratitude and respect for Buddha and his teachings.
. Buddhists perform chanting where sacred texts are remembered and taught orally and with devotion.
. They also recite mantras which are short sequences of syllables that help concentrate the mind.
Rupa
A statue of Buddha used in worship and meditation.
Samatha Meditation
. A form of meditation focused on calming the mind and mindfulness.
. This is a type of meditation that involves calming the mind and developing deepened concertation.
. This can be done through mindfulness of breathing where Buddhists concentrate on the pattern of their breath to relax their mind.
Shrine
A focal point for Buddhist worship and offerings in temples or at home.
Skilful
Actions that lead to good karma, unskilful actions lead to bad karma.
Stupa
A tiered tower structure that is designed to symbolise elements of Buddhist teaching.
Temple
The focal point of Buddhist worship – the building where Buddhists gather.
Vihara
A monastery or community where Buddhists gather to meditate.
Vipassana Meditation
. A form of meditating on a teaching of Buddha to gain greater understanding.
. This type of meditation focuses on developing an understanding of the nature of reality.
. Buddhists focus on the teachings of Buddha, especially the Three Marks of Existence in order to move them closer to enlightenment.
Wesak
. A festival celebrating the life and teachings of Buddha.
. Wesak is a Theravada Buddhist festival which celebrates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing away into nirvana.
. It is celebrated by lighting up candles and lanterns to represent enlightenment and by attending the local temple to take part in worship or meditation.
Five moral precepts
These form a Buddhist ethical code. They are five principles that Buddhists try to live their life by:
- to abstain from taking life.
- to abstain from taking what is not given.
- to abstain from sexual misconduct.
- to abstain from wrong speech.
- to abstain from intoxicants.
The six perfections
. These are six qualities that Mahayana Buddhists try to develop to become Bodhisattvas.
. They require practice and thought in order to develop them.
. They are: generosity, morality, patience, energy, meditation and wisdom.
Buddhist funerals
. Buddhists usually try as spend as little money as possible on funerals as they believe the cycle of samsara means their energy moves onto a new body.
. In a Sky Burial Tibetan Buddhists leave the body on a mountainside as an offering to the vultures. This reflects a belief in anicca, the impermanence of existence.
Places of worship
. Buddhists often worship in a temple where they gather to meditate together and perform puja.
. A temple or vihara will have rupas (statues of Buddha), stupas (towered structures designed to symbolise Buddhist teaching) and often shrines where offerings can be made.
