key terms Flashcards
Buddhism
a religion founded 2500 years ago
Buddha
a title given to someone who has achieved enlightenment
the Four Sights
old age; illness; death; holy man
Jataka
the tales of the lives of the Buddha
ascetic
living a simple lifestyle with few pleasures and possessions
meditation
a practise of calming and focusing deeply on the mind; reflecting deeply on specific teachings to penetrate their true meaning
enlightenment
the gaining of true knowledge about God, self, nature of reality.
gaining freedom from a cycle of rebirth
Mara
the demon which represents spiritual obstacles especially temptation
the three watches of the night
the three realisations that the Buddha made
the five ascetics
the Buddha’s first five students
Dhamma
the Buddha’s teachings
Pali
the language of the earliest Buddhist scriptures
Sanskrit
the language used in later indian buddhist texts
dependent arising
the idea that all things arise in dependence upon conditions
the Tibetan Wheel of Life
an image that symbolises samsara, often found in monasteries and temples
nidanas
the twelve factors that illustrate the process of birth, death and rebirth
samsara
the repeating cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth
kamma
a persons actions; the idea that skilful actions result in happiness and unskilful ones in suffering
nibbana
a state or complete enlightenment happiness and peace
dukkha
the first noble truth; there is suffering
anicca
impermanence; the idea that everything changes
anatta
the idea that people do not have a permanent self
the five aggregates
the five aspects that make up a person
the Four Noble Truths
the four truths that the Buddha taught about suffering
dukkha
the first noble truth; there is suffering
samudaya
the second noble truth; there are causes of suffering
nirodha
the third noble truth; suffering can be stopped
magga
the fourth noble truth; the way to stop suffering; the Eightfold path
Theravada Buddhism
the school of elders; an ancient Buddhist tradition found in southern Asia
Mahayana Buddhism
an umbrella term to describe some later Buddhist traditions
tanha
craving
the three poisons
greed; hatred and ignorance; the main causes of suffering
