Key Word Flashcards
Ahimsa
Angkor Wat
– Temple built by a Khmer (Cambodia) king in the early 12 th century
– Elements of Hinduism and Buddhism existing in historical layers
– Today a UNESCO heritage site
Aung San Suu Kyi
- Buddhist pro-democracy advocate
- Daughter of a famous general = popular support
- Was living in England but returned to Myanmar in 1988 to support pro-
democracy movement - Placed under house arrest in 1989 (released in 2010).
- Nobel Peace Prize in 1991
- Brings together Buddhist principles with modern democratic values
- Buddhism outside of the monastery, a powerful force in the political life
- Buddhism as a living tradition
- 2015 – her political party wins the general election = becomes a civilian
leader - 2017 – Myanmar army accused of ethnic cleansing against Muslim
minorities in the country – Aung San Suu Kyi denied the accusation - 2021 – military takes over Myanmar (again) - Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders under military supervision
Bon Dance (Obon)
Buddhaghosa
- A famous commentator on the Pali Canon (4 th century, originally from
India) - The name literally meaning “Buddha utterance”
- The most famous work, Path of Purification (early teachings on
meditation).
Buddhist Churches of America
Buddhist Peace Fellowship
Chan
- Chan means “meditation”
- Meditation School
- Eventually becomes Zen in Japan
- Direct person-to-person transmission of teaching.
- Emphasis on the experience of enlightenment over the textual study of scriptures.
- Bodhidharma (460-534 CE) – Indian meditation master
o Chan Lineage starts with Bodhidharma
Confucianism
– Based on the teachings of Confucius (551–479 BCE)
– Emphasis on filial piety, ritual propriety, proper decorum in relationships with others.
– Highly influential in East Asia
– Confucian view of the world
* Emphasis on the harmonious relationship between heaven, earth, and human society
* Emperor stood at the center of this relationship
* Observed prescribed rituals, embody moral virtues, etc.
Dalai Lama
Dana
Dogen
Faxiang
- The Chinese Yogacara school
- The name literally means “Marks of the Dharma ” – influenced by Vasubandhu
- Organized by the monk Xuanzang
- Xuanzang (596–664)
- Traveled to India to collect sutras
- Translated many sutras into Chinese
- Later featured in the epic “Journey to the West
Five Precepts
Gelug
Honen
o Concern for the “Degenerate Age of the Dharma” (mappo)
o The only way to enlightenment = faith in Amida
o Emphasis on Nembutsu (Namu Amida butsu)
Hsi Lai Temple
Huineng
o “Platform Sutra of the Six Patriarch”
* Studied under a famous Chan master Hongren 弘忍 (601-674 CE), the Fifth Patriarch.
* Hongren holds a competition to decide his successor – write a verse that expresses your understanding of enlightenment.
* Shenxiu (606-706 CE)
o “The body is the tree of perfect wisdom. The mind is the stand of a bright mirror. At all times, diligently wipe it. Do not allow it to become dusty.”
* Huineng’s verse
o “Fundamentally perfect wisdom has no tree. Nor has the bright mirror any stand. Buddha Nature is forever clear and pure. Where is there any dust?”
* Huineng wins the competition
Jingtu
- Pure Land School
- Emphasis on the devotion to Amitabha
- Popular among the common people
- Hope for future salvation (birth in Amitabha’s Pure Land)
Kami
native gods, spirits in nature, ancestors, emperor
Mahinda
Marpa
Milarepa
Mongkut
– A modernizing force of the Thai sangha
– Led a movement called the “Thammayut order” (“those holding to the Law”)
* Emphasized strict observance of the Vinaya precepts
* Presented Buddhism as a rational, scientific religion by getting rid of its “superstitious” and “irrational” elements (magical beliefs,
rituals, etc.)
Nichiren
o The founder of Nichiren School
o Claimed that the Lotus Sutra was the only way to salvation
o “Namu myoho rengekyo”
o Claimed that Japan would be invaded by “foreign bandits” unless the Lotus Sutra was honored–Mongol Invasions (1274 and 1281)
o Some thought Nichiren predicted the Mongol Invasions
o “Kamikaze” – “divine winds” that protected Japan from the Mongols
Orientalism
Padmasambhava
Pali Canon
- Collection of scriptures for the Theravada school (established in Sri Lanka
in the 1 st century B.C.E) - Clear organizations of texts among Sutra, Vinaya, and Abhidharma
- Contains the earliest accounts of the historical Buddha
- Marks Buddhism’s transition from oral to written tradition
- In some Southeast Asian countries, the study of Pali still mandatory for
monks - Some keep alive the oral tradition
Prince Shotoku
Sanlun
- The Chinese Madhyamika school
- The name literally means “Three Treatises” – based on three major Madhyamika texts – heavily influenced by Nagarjuna
- Established in China by Kumarajiva (344-413CE)
Scholar-Practitioner
Shingon
– Shingon means “True Word “ (mantra)
– Founded by Kukai (774-835, also known as Kobo Daishi) – traveled to China to study Buddhism
– Studied Tantric Buddhism in China
– Kukai brought Tantra to Japan and established it as the Shingon School
– Monastery on Mt. Koya
– Esoteric (tantric) rituals popular at the court
– Goma Fire Ritual
Shinran
o A disciple of Honen
o Expanded upon Honen’s teachings.
o Founder of “True Pure Land” denomination (separate from Honen’s denomination)
o Reliance on the “other power” (tariki), as opposed to “self-power” (jiriki)
o Largest Buddhist denomination in Japan today
Shinto
Sila
Sohei
Soka Gakkai
o One of Japan’s (many) new religions (Name literally means “Society for the Creation of Value”)
o Based on the teachings of Nichiren
o Daimoku – reciting the name of the Lotus Sutra (Namu myoho rengekyo)
o Soka Gakkai connected to the political party “Komeito”
o Soka Gakkai members very active during election cycles.
o One of the most active and influential new religions today.
Taoism
– Based on the teachings of Laozi (???)
– Emphasis on inner contemplation, spontaneity, and union with nature.
– Quest for immortality.
– Tao (Dao)
* Literally, the “Way,” “Path”
* Underlying essence of all reality
* Outlined in the central Taoist text called Daodejing.
Tendai
– Founded by Saicho (762-822, Dengyo Daishi)
– Japanese version of the Tiantai School (founded by Zhiyi)
– Saicho studied in China on Mt. Tiantai
– Stressed the importance of the Lotus Sutra
– Buddhism and the Emperor
* Mutual dependence between Buddhist establishments and the Japanese state (the state supports the sangha and the sangha legitimizes the state).
– Mt. Hiei – the foundation of many later schools of Buddhism
Thich Nhat Hanh
– Peace activist since Vietnam War
– Engaged in antiwar activities
* Rebuilding bombed villages, establishing clinics, providing
assistance to farmers, etc.
– Exiled from Vietnam (lived in France mainly)
– Holds meditation retreats for Vietnamese refugees and American Vietnam veterans
– Example of “engaged Buddhism”
Tiantai
- Literally “Heavenly Terrace,” named after the mountain on which the school was found.
- Organized by Zhiyi 智顗 (531-597)
- Developed a system of classification of Buddhist teachings
- The Lotus Sutra is the ultimate teaching
