Exam 1 Flashcards
Takster
14th Dai lama
Tibet in Exile
1950
Land as subdued demoness
Buddhism civilizes Tibet (determined by Nepalese and Chinese queens)
Tibetan Buddhism
Incorrectly called Lamaism, develop from 7th century, based on Madhyamika and Yogacara philosophy, utilizes Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism), also incorporates early mainstream buddhism and indigenous Tibetan religion (Bon), last of the major national Buddhisms to develop, heavily influenced by India, only form to continue in a fairly traditional form into the 20th century (no colonialism)
Reincarnating lamas
Begins in 13th century
Tulku
Emanation
Theravada
Live on to present day
Mahayana
Social movement/ spiritual vocation (Tibet/East Asia)
Early South Asian Period
Nikaya Buddhism (500 BCE-100 BCE), life of the Buddha
Middle South Asian Period
Sanskritic Buddhism (100 BCE-600 CE), Mahayana Buddhism and prajnaparamita
Late South Asian Period
Syncretic Buddhism (600-1200 CE), Vajrayana Buddhism, secretive and advanced form
Kangyr
word of the Buddha
Lama
spiritual being who is awakened, special title
Nirvana
Path beyond suffering
Buddhism Thought
concerned with bodily, vocal and mental transformation toward awakening (soteriological), mental transformation occurs though cognitive apprehension (gnoseological), teleological in scope
Bodh Gaya
where the Buddha was awakened
Three Baskets
Tripitaka, teachings of the Buddha, the canon of Buddhist scriptures, include Vinaya (monastic code/discipline and morality), Sutra (discourses and concentration) and Abhidharma (philosophy and wisdom)
2 approaches to the Story of the Awakened One
Historical narrative: chronological account of past events in the life of Gautama (historical Buddha as a human) - modern scholars (doubts)
Hagiography: account of the life of a holy person, a spiritual biography
Historical Buddha
Term not used by traditional Buddhists, historical Buddha of our current age is Siddhartha (“he who will succeed), belonged to the Gautama clan, also called Sakyamuni (sage of the Sakya people many of whom were wiped out), 480-400 BCE, Kapilavastu
Life of historical Buddha
Birth, maturity, renunciation (some shock and gave up privileges), search, awakening and liberation from natural human condition, teaching (45 years), death
Sakyamuni Buddha
4th of the fortunate aeon of a 1000, a Mahapurusa or great person, physically exemplified by marks and signs (32 major + 80 minor), Mahayana view as transcendent and cosmic
Jataka
Birth stories
Avadanas
Minimal effort, maximal effect
Twelve Deeds
- Dwelling in Tusita heaven, 2. descent from Tusita heaven, 3. entering the mothers womb (Mahamaya), 4. Birth in Lumbini (janma), 7. going forth (raised) in Kapilavastu, 10. awakening in Bodh Gaya (Nirvana; abhisambodhi), 11. first teaching (turning of the wheel of dharma) in Sarnath, 12. final nirvana / completely passing beyond suffering in Kushinagar (full going = mahaparanirvana)
Mothers dream
Mother dreams of an elephant entering her body (Gautama), elephants signify royalty and power, white = purity
Legend of the Buddha
Full moon month of Vaisakha (May after 10 months), in Lumbini Grove, he was born from the right side of Mayadevi while she was standing (signifies purity), 7th astrologer holds up 1 finger compared to the rest that put up 2 with tears in his eyes predicting he will become a Buddha and will not live long enough to see him become one (2 means wheel turning king/ Cakravartin), takes 7 steps in each direction, each step creates a lotus, has the same stature as Hindu deities
5th Act / Deed
Proficiency in worldly skills and sensuality, married Yasodhara at 16 and had a son, Rahula (eclipse), lived a life of ease and luxury, father wants him to be a king and so names him Siddartha and is given training
6th Act / Deed
Disenchantment: 4 visions - old man =old age, cripple sick person = illness, corpse = death (shock from these 3) and ascetic = peace and contentment (sramana)
7th Act / Deed
Renunciation: great going forth (mahapravrajya), for the sake of gods and men, nothingness, neither perception nor nonperception
9th Act / Deed
The confronting and defeat of Mara (and his armies), sat under the bodhisattva tree to achieve full enlightenment and called the earth as his witness when asked by Mara, Mara used many aversions to attack and move the Buddha but he had become fully enlightened (desire, discontent and delight are his daughters that attempted to seduce the Buddha)
10th Act
Full awakening: direct experience of the unconditioned (reality of things), discovers middle way, has a vision of all previous life’s, the coming and going of all beings (karma and samsara), 4 noble truths and interdependent co-arising
Pratityasamutpada
Interdependent co-arising
11th Act
Turning of the wheel (of law), the first teaching that was heard, proclaimed middle way between self-indulgence and self-mortification, 5 ascetics became 1st disciples (taught the 4 noble truths and 8-fold path)
The first turning: nobles four truths
truth of suffering (diagnoses), truth of the arising of suffering (etiology-does not occur without cause), truth of the cessation of suffering (prognosis/cure), truth of the path with leads to cessation (prescription) - marga = lam = path
12th Act
The Buddha’s death (full going out), became ill in the 81st year, final instructions: all conditioned things are impermanent; to be lamp unto yourselves, strive on with diligence
Lessons from life story
illustration of highest emanation body, model of how awaken beings live, something not right with the world (death, dissatisfaction, illness, impermanence), solution requires renunciation and a middle way, wholesome moral qualities are cultivated
First communal recitation at Rajagrha
held in the year of the Buddha’s death, Kasyapa: president of the council, Upali: the recitation of the Vinaya, recitation of the sutras; role of Ananda and the charges against him, codified 500 arhats, develops multiple schools
Three turnings of the Dharma-Wheel
1st: Basic mainstream Buddhism (all nikayas espeically the teaching at Samath, four truths)
2nd: Mahayana-Madhyamaka (perfection of wisdom at vultures peak, emptiness and interdependence)
3rd: Mahayana-Yogacara (Samdhinimocana taught at Vaisali, mind as the ground of existence)
Buddha
An Arhat that is also a teacher
Arhat
An Arya that has obtained nirvana
Arya
Has had a direct realization of the way the world truly is
Buddha: 3 dimensions
Dharmakaya: reality body, reality dimension of awakening, Sambhogakaya: nature of light, perfect major and minor marks only perceptible to bodhisattvas
Nirmanakaya: manifests in forms perceptible to both pure and impure beings
Samyak-sambuddha
Perfectly, fully awakened one
Sravaka-buddha
One who is awakened as a disciple
Pratyeka Buddha
solitary buddha
Three jewels
Triratna (3 precious ones), essential components of Buddhism; Buddha (teacher), dharma (teachings), Samgha (community of followers), Tibetans add another (Lama = guru)
Tibetan Buddhisms
Fusion of Nikaya/Mainstream Buddhist phase, the Mahayana phase and Tantric/Vajrayana phase (diamond vehicle)
Hinayana
Lesser vehicle, Sravakayana (listeners), Thervada, Pratyekabuddhayana (no input, no output), discipline and monastic, sravaka-yana, mainstream, ideal practitioner is a monk or sravaka (listener - 8 fold path), goal is to be an Arhat (one who has obtained nirvana as an escape)
Mahayana
Greater / universal vehicle, ideal practitioner is a bodhisattva (bodhicitta - gateway to Mahayana)), paramitayana (vehicle of perfections, 6 in Tibet), Vajrayana (diamond vehicle), goal is to become a buddha who has obtained unlocated nirvana, include 6 perfections
Paramitayana
Altruism and Bodhisattva, bodhicitta
Vajrayana
Transformation and tantric, diamond vehicle, rocketship to awakening, secret, awakened here and now
4 tenets of Tibetan Buddhists
all conditioned things are impermanent, all contaminated things are suffering, all things lack essence, nirvana is peace
Truth of suffering
Dukha, conditioned things are unsatisfactory or uncertain, 3 forms: the suffering of suffering, the suffering in change, pervasive suffering of conditioned existence
Samsara
Cycle of existence, khor ba = revolving or wandering, involuntary cycle of repeated birth and death in different realms
6 kinds of rebirth
hell beings, hungry ghosts (pretas-great amount of suffering), animals —> lower realms
demigods (titans-jealous), humans (can attain full buddhahood), gods (desire, form, formless) —> higher realms
Creation through Karma
beings in the universe have created that universe themselves through their karma (action), karma is intention, strive for moksha of escape of samsara
5 factors affecting the weight/severity of Karma
object with particular nature, knowledge of object as having that nature, intention, action and outcome of action
Karma
Cetana - ones intention to act and the imprints or habits that come from intention
5 aggregates
Panca-skandha, suffering as conditioned states are produced by over attachment to 5 aggregates; form/matter, feeling/sensations, recognition, mental formations and consciousness/presencing
personal identity
all beings are a dynamic flow, karmic continuity rather than an unchanging essence
Karma
a specific action
Samskara
the karma formation
Karma-vipaka
the future fruition of that tendency of karma formation
Why a self (atman) is not necessary
personal continuity is sufficient for karma to work, Buddha claims the self does not exist
Mental continuum
no beginning and no end, only the mind and its conditioning go from life to life, is NOT a self (atman) because it is constantly changing from moment to moment
Truth of arising
due to karma and mental affliction (desire, hatred and delusion), root of all suffering is ignorance or miss knowledge, misperception, thinking things exist one way when they actually exist in another, appearance: permanent, pure, pleasure and seld
Dependent arising
Pratitya-samputpada, effects arise from causes and conditions (impermanent), casual process entangles sentient beings in samsara, mutual interdependence
Truth of cessation
Cessation of suffering = nirodha, highest form is nirvana, freedom from 5 aggregates, nirvana is the non-attachment to conditioned experience
Truth of the Path
Noble eightfold path: wisdom (understanding and thought), concentration (effort, mindfulness and concentration), morality (speech, action and livelihood)
Principle immediate defilements
Nivarana: sensual desire, ill will, tiredness/sleepiness, excitement/depression and doubt
Calm abiding
Samatha: keeping the mind focused on the object without distraction for as long as desired, results in joy or fluency
Insight
Vipasyana: seeing things as they truly are, results in wisdom
Stilling the mind
concentration of mind leads to different states of consciousness (dhyana = absorptions),
sphere of the senses = kamavacara
sphere of pure form = rupavacara (4th dhyana most important)
Marga
Search out nirvana, the clear realization (abhisamaya), liberation from the fetters (samyojana), synonyms: path of liberation, mother and vehicle
The 5 paths
of equipment/acquiring provisions (accumulation of merit, basic learning, mindfulness), application/preparation (of what has been learned), seeing (direct realization of impermanence, selflessness and dissatisfaction or suffering, insight into 4 nobles truths), cultivation (deepening of realization, repeated practice), the adept/no more learning (nirvana)
Bodhisattva
awakening being, Buddha in training, patterned after life of Buddha in Jataka tales. heroic being after pattern of Hindu epic literature, used in all forms of Buddhism difference placed on realization goals and developments, seeks to end the suffering of others because their suffering belongs to his own stream
Mahayana Buddhist formation
altruism as motivation, revised definition of nirvana, new conceptions of the buddha (buddhalogy), rejection of essence, skill in means, visionary and expansive, increased use of sanskrit , new tropes and heroes
4 characteristics of Mahayan
follow the path to Buddhahood rather than an Arhat, focus on perfection of wisdom and realizing emptiness (sunyata), concern with consciousness luminosity of the mind, path to buddhahood can lead to rebirth in pure lands (Buddha realms)
Mahayana Texts
Dasabhumika sutra (setting out stages of the bodhisattva path
Prajnaparamita (early sutras focusing on emptiness)
Samdhinirmocana (only mind is real, ideas only)
Lankavatara (embryo of the Tathagata)
Lotus sutra (one ultimate vehicle for everyone)
Sukhavati-vyuha (pure land sutras)
Suramgama-samadhi Sutra (meditation sutras)
Buddhology
accumulation of wisdom - perfection of wisdom - wisdom insight - truth body (dharmakaya)
accumulation of merit - 5 perfections (giving, morality, patience, energy, meditation) - skill in means and compassion - form body (32 major and 80 minor marks)
= omniscient Buddhahood
2 types of obscurations
related to afflictions - wisdom is antidote and result is liberation
omniscience - wisdom and compassion as antidotes - omniscience is the result
Basis, Path, Fruit
non contingent: ultimate - wisdom - reality body
contingent: conventional - method (compassion —> merit) - form body
2 realities/truths
ultimately real: paramartha-sat
conventionally real: samvritti-sat
ultimate reality is not taught without relying on conventions, without understanding ultimate reality nirvana is not obtained, one who does not know how to distinguish between these 2 realities does not discern the profound thatness within the Buddhas teaching
4 sets of philosophical tenets
Mahayana: Madhyamaka (Tibet) and Yogacara (mind only)
Hinayana: Sautrantika and Vaibhasika
The Ultimately Real
early buddhism: ultimately real entities are called dharmas, ultimately real and irreducible partless atoms, Abhidharma presents a table of the elements, highest object of truth (wisdom) and consciousness, things that do no appear false lead to liberation
The Conventionally Real
anything made of dharmas is conventionally real (accords with linguistic conventions), anything that is not made of dharmas is not even conventionally real (self, no permanent atman), relative; deception, concealment, defined differently by different schools
2 Truths in Abhidharma
ultimately real (paramarthasat): substantially existent, dharmas as elements, defined as that which has essence (svabhava)
conventionally existent (samvrittisat): nominally existent, nominal entities or secondary existent’s, lack essence but are composed of dharmas
What is Mahayana philosophy?
critique of sravaka (abhidharma), not even dharmas withstand analysis, emptiness (sunyata) as ultimate reality (is not ultimately real), interdependence (pratityasamutpada) and the conventional and only mode of existence
Nagarjuna
founder of the Madhyamaka school, born 2nd century, middle way between existence and non existence, major works: 6 texts of reasonings, Madhyamaka-karika, Ratnavali and collection of praises
Nagarjuna’s philosophy
soteriological and therapeutic purpose of cognzing sunyata, emptiness implies dependent origination, aimed at realist positions which uphold substantial existence, use of negation (svabhava = essence) and important of 2 truths theory, distinguish absence of intrinsic existence from utter non existence
conventional analysis: pertains to everyday world of conventions and social customs
ultimate analysis: pertains to ontological status of things and events
Mahayana conventional truth
mere appearances, 3 senses: concealer, that which is interdependent, worlds social conventions, functionality
2 truths comparison
Abhidharmist (Vaibhasika): elements - things made of elements - to be reducible is to be ultimately unreal
Nagarjuna (Madhyamaka): emptiness - that which is dependent - to be dependent is to be ultimately unreal
Yogacara: emptiness - dualistic appearances - direct non conceptual perception
Sautrantika: particulars - universals - to be imputed by terms and concepts
Nagarjunas most important philosophical text
Fundamental verses on the middle way (origin verses on centrism), teaches emptiness and interdependence
Sunyata
the ultimate reality of all persons and things, can not find essence so any person or thing is empty of essence and is the conclusion of the search for what a person or thing really is, emptiness is empty of being emptiness, all persons and things have no non-relational identity (exist with relational identities)
Fundamental verses of the Middle way
emptiness (sunyata) is interdependence (pratityasamutpada), everything interdependent is empty, emptiness is dependent designation, its the middle way, everything makes sense to a person to whom emptiness makes sense, nothing is not empty of essence (nothing has risen independently), would be forced to accept that the Nobles 4 Truths does not exist if everything was not empty
Tibet: Geography and Environment
no indigenous word for China (Tibet) in Tibet (China), indigenously known as Po (Bod) = native land and Kangchen = Land of snows, Tibet derived from Arabian tubbat and related to Mongolia thubet, 3 provinces (cholkasum): Ü, Tsand and Kham (Amdo comes later)
4 main phases of Tibetan Buddhist history
initial introduction: 7th century, reign of King Songsten Gampo until 842
period of adaptation: until mid 11th century (400 year adaptation of Indian Buddhism Nyingma-pa = school of ancient ones
renaissance: 1150-1500 - Sakya, Kargyu and Kadam (Sarma = school of new ones)
scholastic period: 15th century onward, rise of Those of the Wholesome way, school of Dalai Lamas
School of Ancient ones
Nyingma-pa, early period
School of new ones
Sarmapa, late period, three schools, Sakya (grey earth), Kargyu (instruction lineage), and Kadam (supreme instruction lineage)
stages of tibetan Buddhist History
early transmission: 640-836 CE
late transmission: 970-1300 CE
Early history of Tibet
beginnings of tibetan society through the 6 children of Avalokiteshvara (monkey) and Snow Lady (mountain ogress), Nyatri Tsenpo neck throned king (first king, carried by the neck, functions as a throne) and the beginning of the Yarlung dynasty, mountain worshipping tradition, those that are merciful, intelligent, sensitive and do not talk more than necessary are like Avalokitesvara while Tibetans that are red faced, stubborn and sinful are like the mountain ogress (myth written during Songsten Gampos rule)
Religions in Tibetan Cultures
Chos=religion/custom, religion of men, storytellers and singers, ancestral legend of the egg (cosmic egg cracks and people emerge), three level worldview (Iha=sky, gnyan=earth and klu=underground), Lha chos: way of the gods —> Buddhism
Pre=Buddhost religion
Bon, spirit medium, personal, experiential, sacrifice, rooted in the world, cult of the kings
Tibetan empire
6th century Yarlung dynasty brought Tibet under control and began to build the country into a militant power, Tibet surrounded by Buddhist counties on all sides
