hinduism and buddhism Flashcards
Buddhism beliefs
Non-Theistic
– Not exclusively tied to belief in any deity
– The Buddha is a spiritual example, not a god
4 noble truths
reincarnation –> karma
nirvana
nirvana
ending the cycle of rebirth, dissolution of the self
what are the 4 noble truths?
(Dukkha) Suffering is a part of life
(Samudaya) The root of all suffering is desiring pleasure and avoiding pain
(Nirodha) In order to end desire, one must liberate oneself from attachment
(Magga) One can end suffering by following the Eightfold Path
significant people in buddhism
-buddha
-Dalai Lama
-Bodhisattva
Buddha
“the enlightened one”
– Siddhartha Gautama
– Prince in 5th/6th century BCE
– Saw an old man, a sick man, a corpse; disturbed by the suffering
– Became an ascetic monk, living in poverty. Neither the opulence of being a prince or the poverty of
being a monk brought him happiness,
– Under a Bodhi tree, Middle Path (Neither wealthy nor impoverished).
Dalai Lama
– Spiritual guide, reincarnated each life to continue
– Head of Tibetan Buddhism
Bodhisattva
one who postpones Nirvana in order to help guide others
Buddhism sacred texts
-Originally passed on through oral recitations of sermons and teachings from the Buddha
-Tripitaka
-Mahayana sutras
- “Dharma” = Teaching
Tripitaka
3 “baskets” of texts
– Sutra: Stories and anecdotes
– Vinaya: Moral and social guidelines
– Abhidharma: Philosophies
Mahayana sutras
– 4 centuries after the Buddha’s death
– Contained new insights and sutras, said to have been given in secret to those few who were ready to hear them
Buddhism worship
-in home/temple
-homes usually have a statue of Buddha
-eightfold path (Middle Way)
-celebration of Buddha’s birthday
eightfold path
- Right Understanding - follow the teachings of the Buddha
- Right Intention - approach situations with the proper attitudes
- Right Speech - speak truthfully, avoid slander, gossip, etc.
- Right Action - live peacefully, in harmony with others, avoid stealing, violence, overindulgence, etc. (The Five
precepts) - Right Livelihood - avoid making a living in such a way that brings harm to others
- Right Effort - work towards creating a positive frame of mind
- Right Mindfulness - develop awareness of the body, feelings, state of mind, etc.
- Right Concentration - Cultivate mental focus necessary for mindfulness
– Grouped into 3 categories: Wisdom (1-2), Ethical Conduct (3-5), and Meditation (6-8
Buddhism sacred sites
- Stupas
– Burial monument, containing part of the Buddha’s cremated remains, or built over a copy of a
Buddha’s teachings - Bodh Gaya
– Site where the Buddha obtained enlightenment
– Place of pilgrimage for many Buddhists worldwide - Temples
– Vary from country to country
– Some of the most famous are the Japanese pagodas - Mountains
– Places of encounter, where heaven and earth touch
– Location of many monasteries and temples
buddhism sacred symbols
- Wheel of Dharma
– symbol of the Eightfold path - Mandalas
– Sacred art, made out of colored sand
– May take days to complete, then
intentionally and ritually destroyed - Buddha statues
– Focal point for worship
– Fat because the Buddha is full of wisdom
and understanding - Tibetan Prayer flags
– Hung so that they catch a breeze
– Prayers and blessings taken on the wind - Meditation Bells
– Call to prayer, draw focus
– In monasteries, at home
hinduism beliefs
-oldest religion still practiced
-not traced back to a specific person or movement
-brahman
-everyone is connected to the Brahman, reflection on the Afman will lead to Moksha
-330 million gods
-samsara
-afman
brahman
the divine force, eternal, impersonal, omnipresent
samsara
rebirth/reincarnation
How you are born in the next life is dependent on behavior and actions in this life (karma). The
ultimate goal is to break free of this pattern of rebirth (moksha) by detaching from the illusions of this
world
atman
supreme self (soul)
hinduism significant people
Three important gods:
* Brahma – creator
* Vishnu – preserver
* Shiva – destroyer
Various incarnations of different deities throughout history
* 10 specific incarnations of Vishnu (Krishna, Rama, etc. Kalki – an incarnation yet to come)
* Ganesha
* Elephant-headed god of success
* Swamis and Gurus
hinduism sacred texts
- The Vedas
- Sanskrit for “knowledge”
- A series of books that are the oldest spiritual texts consists of 4 parts:
- Samhitas - ancient hymns of praise
- Brahmanas - Rituals prayers for priests
- Aranyakas - Worship and Meditation
- Upanishads - mystical and philosophical teachings
- Bhagavad Gita
- Long poem, conversation between a warrior prince, Arjuna, and Krishna (an
incarnation of Vishnu). Krishna convinces the prince that it is his duty to go to battle
worship hinduism
- Puja (literally means “honor,” often translated as “worship”)
- Can take place in the home or in a temple
- Reception, honoring, and ‘entertaining’ of the deity
- Approach the god with selfless love, and the god will love the devotee back (bhakti)
- Homes typically have a shrine to one or more deity
- Could be a room, an alter, or even just a statue or painting depicting the deity
- Prayers and offerings are made at the shrine
- Temple Puja
- Specific rituals inviting the god into an image, and then honoring their presence
- Many rituals are connected, not with the religion as a whole, but with the personal
moments in the life of the individual (births, marriages, deaths, etc.)
hinduism sacred sites
- Tirthas (crossings)
- Places where the divine crosses into the human world
- Certain cities: Benares, Mathura, Ayodhya, Dvararas, Kanchipuram
- Natural joining places of rivers: Allahabad, Hardwar
- The Ganges River
- Personification of the goddess Ganga
- Ritual washing by the faithful, purification of sins
- Mountains
- Natural dwelling place of gods and goddesses
- Mandir (Temples)
- Gods and goddesses actually reside in the temples
- Where Humans have access to them
- Much of the Indian subcontinent is covered in sacred places
hinduism sacred symbols
- Om (Aum)
- Representative of the beginning of creation
- Used to start off many Hindu mantras
- Swastika
- In Hindu culture, represents good fortune and auspiciousness
- Usurped by the Nazis
- Lotus flower
- Represent purity and the epitome of beauty
- Many gods are pictured with a lotus
- Anjali Mudra
- Gesture of welcome or greeting
- Often accompanied by the word “Namaste”
- Cow
- NOT a deity, but honored as a simple, peaceful nourisher
- Reminder that value is present in all natural creatures
