living the buddhist life key words Flashcards
Puja
Acts of worship
Vihara
Temple with living accommodation for monks or nuns
Pagoda
– Multiple rooved building a type of Mahayana building often containing relics
Stupa
Mound shaped monument often with relics
Triratna Buddhist Centre
Place where Buddhists meet in the west, often in urban centres
Triratna
The three jewels (Buddha, dhamma, sangha)
Gompa
– A Tibetan building which is a place of learning (University) and meditation/worship
Shrine
A place with a statue/image of Buddha, a focus for puja, offerings are placed here
Buddharupas
– Statues of the Buddha (e.g. meditation or paranibbana statues)
Bodhi Tree
The type of tree (fig) under which the Buddha gained enlightenment
Meditation
Calming and focussing the mind to help achieve true understanding
Samatha meditation
Meditation to concentrate the mind/achieve mindfulness
Metta bhavana meditation
– Meditation on loving kindness to all beings
Vipassana meditation
Meditation on the teachings of the Buddha
Zazen meditation
– Seated meditation aimed at revealing our Buddha nature by a focus on the present moment
Mindfulness breathing
– Meditation that focusses on the experience of breathing
Chanting
– Repeating key sounds, words or passages used either to prepare for meditation by focusing the mind or as a form of devotion to either Buddha or a bodhisattva.
Mantra
A collection of sacred words or syllables repeated as a form of Buddhist practice
Sacred syllables
Mantras which hold meaning and dhamma in syllable
Visualisation
Seeing something in your mind. This could be an object to help meditation. It could be a bodhisattva or Buddha to focus on their values and qualities
Mala beads
– A string of beads to help you count recitations
Retreat
Period of time away from ordinary life in order to focus on meditation and/or the dhamma
Wesak
A festival to celebrate Buddha’s birthday, death and enlightenment (Theravada)
Vassa
The 3 month rain retreat spent in meditation and study (Theravada)
Kathina
Festival to celebrate the end of Vassa, laity give to monks and nuns in thanks (Theravada).
Upsotha days
Days to focus and cleanse the mind and dedicate oneself to the Dhamma
Paranibbana day
To celebrate Buddha’s death and enlightenment (Mahayana)
Hanamatsuri
– Japanese festival of flowers to celebrate Buddha’s birthday (Mahayana)
Obon
Japanese 3 day festival of the dead to honour ancestors (Mahayana)
Lama Tsong Khapa Day
A Tibetan festival to celebrate the enlightenment of Lama Tsong Khapa the founder of a Tibetan Buddhist tradition
Mourning Rituals
Activities and ceremonies which take place after someone’s death
Tibetan Book of the Dead
Describes the states between death and re-birth
Tibetan Sky Burial
Tibetan funeral where the body is left exposed on a mountain side
