Insight Flashcards
what is the concept of Samsara
samsara refers to the cycle of life, which includes birth, death and rebirth
what can samsara literally be translated as?
continuous movement
why does samsara exist
people fixate on themselves and their experiences, it comes from ignorance and it causes a state of suffering
what does the wheel of life include
6 realms into which the soul is reborn into and the wheel is held by a demon. around the rim the twelve stages of dependent origination
what does the inner hub of the wheel represent
the snake, the pig and the cockerel.
what does the snake represent
hatred
what does the pig represent
ignorance
what does the Cockerel represent
greed
what are the six realms
- Gods
- world of men
- animals
- cold and hot hells
- ghosts
- titans
why is the realm of Gods significant and its teachings
is the highest realm, buddha reminds the Gods of their limited pleasures and warns them of vanity. they encounter a special from of suffering - the illusion of eternity
significance and teachings of the realm of men
men suffer from permeant samsaraand they are driven by egoism and ignorance. this realm is the easiest to reach enlightenment
what is the importance of the parable of the raft
it teaches people to use Buddhas teachings other then them just being beliefs and not to become attached to them, they are a means to an end
what is the parable of the raft
the darmha is like a raft, it helps one cross a river of suffering and reach liberation. however once the shore is reached, the raft is no longer needed and should be abandoned.
significance and teachings of the realm of animals
special suffering of animals caused by the oppression from other beings. animals are only concerned with food, sec etc.
significance and teachings if the hell
place of torment for those how commit evil deeds. life here is very long. the Buddha also appears in hell, bringing hope and light.
significance and teachings of the realm of ghosts
the ghosts are never able to satisfy their hunger and thirst. this is shown in the picture by their tightened throats. the buddha appears with a jar of nectar for the ghosts
significance and teachings of the realm of titans
they are permanently at war with the Gods and fighting for their desires. their suffering comes from endless war caused by envy. the Buddha appears as a minister to the titans
what is the name for dependent origination
Pratityasamutpada
what does dependent origination embody.
the cycle of rebirth and are all connected. these are fund around the realms
what does the Potter represent
elemental impulses, someone who moulds their own karma
what does the monkey plucking fruit and swinging represent
consciousness, symbolising ignorance uncontrollably moving from object to object
what does the house with five windows represent
the sense organs, symbolising the entrances by which we perceive the world
what does a man and a woman kissing represent
contact, symbolising the consequence of sensual perception
woman offering a drink to a man
desire, symbolising the weakest link, id we can get rid of desire the whole chain falls apart
a man plucking fruit
appropriation, we keep the thing we desire for ourselves
why is the Buddha outside the wheel
he has escaped the cycle pf samsara
what does the image of the wheel teach Buddhists
that everyone has the potential to reach Nirvana
what does karma mean
it means action or doing
SOW for Karma as a seed
“according to the seed that’s sown, So is the fruit you reap there from.”
issues with Karma in society
people born into poverty or disability may be seen as just having bad karma by Buddhists and treating differently
what is samsaric existence conditioned by
Annica, Anatta and Dukkha
how was Karma originally understood by Brahmanical society
is a certain ritual was performed correctly, it would have specific desired results
what did the Buddha teach of the three poisons
when extinguished then you will experience Nirvana
what are the three marks of existence
Anatta, Anicca and Dukkha
what does Anicca mean
impermanence
what does Anatta mean
not-self
what does Dukkha mean
suffering
why might non-Buddhist not except Anicca
God is permanent
what is the teaching of Anatta
there may be various aspects of our bodies and minds that we may identify with, but we should avoid attachment to the idea of any of these as really ourselves
what to the five khandas make up
the five aspects of being which make up Dukkha
what are the five khandas
Matter
sensation
perception
mental formation
consciousness
how many types of Dukkha are there
three types
what is the first form of Dukkha
consists of pain and direct unpleasant experience.
what is the second type of Dukkha
frustration which arises from pleasant experiences being impermanent
what is the third type of Dukkha
unsatisfactoriness that we experience, e.g. something doesn’t work as well as we thought
“As the wind shakes a weak tree, so does disease shake the body.”
what does this quote suggest by Nagasena
This simile draws a parallel between the vulnerability of a weak tree in the wind and the fragility of the human body in the face of illness. It highlights the impermanent and precarious nature of physical existence.
what does nagasena ( a buddhist monk use to teach anatta to the king
the analogy of the chariot, how much can you take away before it is not a chariot
