GCSE Buddhist beliefs Flashcards
where is the story of Siddhartha’s life told and what are its main points
-told in the jataka tales 075
-queen maya (mum) saw white elephant enter womb and tell her buddha would be great king or holy man
-he became a prince and the prophecy was great king or holy man
-king (dad) wanted his son to rule so hid suffering from him with a life of luxury
what did his life of luxury involve
kept away from suffering-ignorance (1 of 3 poisons)
kept in palace
everything he could desire
grew bored at 29 and decided to explore beyond the palace (dad didn’t like)
what are the four sights and why are they significant
-old age, illness, death, holy man
first three sights were suffering which shocked and saddened him so he wanted to find a cause and cure
final sight was inspiration to become like holy man
what were Siddhartha’s main 3 lifestyles
luxury having too much and being too ignorant
ascetic life of discipline where he barely ate and suffered. no answers + almost died
middle way having enough to be comfortable to allow focus but not be greedy
what were Siddhartha’s 3 realisations upon enlightenment
why people suffer and how to stop it
cycle of samsara
knowledge of previous lives
who tried to prevent Siddhartha from meditation
mara the evil one
sent his daughters to seduce
sent army’s to attack
offered his kingdom
symbolic of everyday distractions
what is anatta
no fixed soul
new soul when reborn based on karma
we constantly change because the 5 aggregates change
what are the 3 marks of existence
3 things that make us human
dukkha everyone suffers
Anicca nothing is permanent everything changes
Anatta no fixed soul always changing
what is an arhat
a perfect person
the aim of Theravada Buddhism
work on own enlightenment
what is a bodhisattva
a teacher of enlightenment
Mahayana tradition
work on others enlightenment
compassion for others
what are the 5 aggregates
form (body)
consciousness (awareness)
Perception (understanding)
mental formations (thoughts)
sensations (feelings)
this shows anatta as they are always changing
what is the concept of Buddhahood
becoming enlightened
Mahayana tradition
everyone has buddha nature (essence of buddha and the ability to reach enlightenment)
Buddhahood is reaching that potential
what do pureland buddhist’s believe
-Japanese tradition and a form of Mahayana Buddhism
-Amitabha buddha created it after enlightenment out of compassion
called sukhavati
-hope to be reborn there to be taught how to reach enlightenment
-not nirvana but has minimal suffering
four noble truths
-suffering exists
-causes are the 3 poisons, cravings and attachment
-suffering can end
-cure for suffering is the eightfold path
3 main causes of suffering
Tanha (cravings)
Attachment
3 poisons
what are the three poisons
ignorance
greed
hatred
what types of suffering so Buddhist’s believe in
physical- birth, age, illness, death
emotional
change (annica)
what is eightfold path
eight rules to reduce suffering
all begin with the word right
Right- action, intention, speech, livelihood, concentration, mindfulness, effort, understanding
can be categorised as 3 fold way being
ethics, meditation and wisdom
what is nirvana/ nibbana
place free of suffering
where you go once enlightened after death
cycle has stopped
goal of all buddhists
what is dependent arising
everything depends on something to exist eg. plant need sun
everything is connected
next life based of karma in this one
what is the Tibetan wheel of life
a mandala to represent cycle of samsara
mandala is circular design to help meditate
shows the cycle we are trapped in unless enlightenment is reached
what are the 3 refuges
3 things that offer safety from suffering
1 buddha teaches how to avoid suffering
2 dhamma the truth/ nature of reality
3 sangha aka the Buddhist community
name 3 aspects of Theravada buddhism
become arhat and avoid sexual relationships and alcohol
transfer good karma to dying
5 aggregates
3 aspects of Mahayana buddhism
believes in sunyata- emptiness or without form understand nothing is permanent
buddha nature- everyone has buddhas essence
more compassionate to become bodhisattva than arhat
