Development of Buddhism Flashcards
what is Theravada buddhism known as
the school of the elders
what is Mahayana Buddhism known as
the great vehicle
what is a Bodhisattva
a person who is able to reach enlightenment but delays it in order to save the suffering
what is an Arhat
a perfected person, one who has gained insight into the nature of existence
what is the great schism?
a disagreement that most likely was the fact that the elders attempted to modify the monastic rule by adding additional rules
what did Gethin point out as possible causes for the split between practises
it was a movement inspired by popular lay and stupa worship
what is Mahayana Buddhism the foundation of
tibetan and zen buddhism
what were the different views of the buddha in the Mahayana and Theravada buddhism
in Theravada buddhism the buddha is seen as a man and nothing else whereas Mahayana Buddhists see the buddha as almost God like, leading to rich iconography
what is the parable of the burning house
- children are playing in a house, and the father sees the house is on fire
- the children won’t leave, so the father says he will give them all presents if they come out.
-there was no presents when the children got outside
what is the parable of the burning house an example of
Upaya
what does the parable of the burning house teach
it explains that we can use the truth or anything that works to achieve the goal, once we are saved from immediate danger, the full truth can be revealed.
what is Upaya
an enlightened being’s ability to tailor their message to fit a specific audience
what is trikaya
the three Bodies of the buddha
what are the three bodies of the buddha
Nirmanakaya
Sambkogakaya
Dharmakaya
what is Nirmanakaya
is the human body on the earth
what is Sambhogakaya
the body of enjoyment, this is the body that experiences the bliss of enlightenment
what is Dharmakaya
the truth body, is the body that sees the world for what it is. it is the absolute, and essence of the universe
what does Denise Cush say of Trikaya.
shows that the Nagarjuna texts talk to the two forms of the buddha. The physical and the dharma body. The important thing is not the physical body but the truth he taught.
what does Trikaya help buddhists understand
solves the issue related to how the buddha simultaneously be one with the absolute while appearing in the relative world for the benefit of suffering beings.
what is a defence against devotional practise to the buddha that can be seen as attachment
followers have dualistic world view, devotion an be seen as a projection of ones higher self, which helps them over come their limited lower self, so helps the path to enlightenment
who was the bodhisattva of compassion
Avalokitesvara
what are the six perfections (paramitas)
Wisdom, courage, generosity, patience, meditation, morality
what are the four other perfections
skill in means
determination
strength
knowledge
what is the analogy of the sinking boat
if Arharts help people on their way to enlightenment their boat will sink before they get there, meaning no one is helped, rather not helping until they reach their destination allows the greater number.
what is the arhat path seen as
tainted with selfishness
why do Mahayana buddhists think the path of an arhat is inferior
it is not worth pursuing, as it lacks compassion and wisdom beach when he leaves samsara after enlightenment and does not grasp complete selflessness
what does Cush say of the arhat path
it was only taught by the Buddha as a skilful device, and it better to reject
what is another suggestion for the parable of the burning house
those that came before (lesser vehicle) are the preliminary exercises that get people started on the path but not the final teachings.(greater vehicle)
issues with upaya
it can be seen as dangerous to put too much to rely on a teachers ability to use it successfully.
what is an issue with the Bodhisattva path
the buddha did not teach the path, and was only recognised a century after the Buddha’s death.
