Module 3.2: Theravada Buddhism Flashcards
the name for the school of Buddhism that takes its scriptural inspiration from the Pali Canon, or Tripitaka, which is generally acknowledged as the oldest record of the Buddha’s teachings.
Theravada
Where does the word Theravada come from?
from Pali words thera, meaning elders,
and veda, meaning ‘word’ or ‘doctrine’
Theravada is at times recognized as ___________ to distinguish it from Mahayana (the ‘Greater Vehicle’)
Himayana (the ‘Lesser Vehicle’)
Theravada is the leading religion of which countries?
- Sri Lanka
- Burma
- Thailand
Who is the founder of Theravada Buddhism?
Siddhartha Gautama
When and where was Siddhartha Gautama born?
Born in the sixth century B.C. in what is now modern Nepal.
He was the ruler of the Sakya people, and Siddhartha’s father. Siddhartha grew up living the extravagant life of a young prince.
Suddhodana
At what age did Siddharta Gautama marry?
16
Who did Siddhartha Gautama marry at 16?
Yasodhara
What age did Siddhartha Gautama leave his kingdom and newborn son to lead an ascetic life and identify a way to dismiss man’s suffering?
29
How long did Siddhartha Gautama practice various methods of meditation with different religious teachers?
6 years
A path of balance instead of extremism that Siddhartha Gautama encouraged people to follow.
“The Middle Way”
What age did Siddhartha Gautama reach enlightenment?
35
What title did Siddhartha Gautama earn at age 35?
the title “Buddha”, or “Enlightened One”
one of the many epithets for Siddhartha.
Buddha
What is Siddhartha commonly addressed as?
Bhagavat
What does Siddhartha refer to himself as?
the Thagata
- It is the earliest collection of Buddhist teachings and the only
acknowledged as canonical by Theravada Buddhism - It means “three baskets”
- “the text was written on a long narrow leaves, which were
sewn at the edges then grouped into bunches and stored in
baskets”
Tripitaka
- It is also called a Pali Canon
- It is a massive collection of writings, comprising up to 50
volumes. - Its contents were communicated orally then written down in
the third century B.C.E
Tripitaka
- Vinaya Pitaka (Discipline Basket
- Earliest and smallest basket and provides the rules and regulations for the monastic community.
- 227 rules taken from Buddha’s responses to particular situations in the community
First Basket
- Sutra Pitaka (Discourse Basket)
- Recited by Buddha’s cousin – Ananda – considered as his
closest companion - Largest basket
- Contains Buddha’s teachings on doctrine and behavior,
focusing especially on meditation techniques
Second basket
- Abhidharma Pitaka (Higher Knowledge or Special Teachings Basket)
- Recited by Mahakshyapa – Buddha’s successor
- It is essentially a collection of miscellaneous writings, including songs, poetry, and stories of the Buddha and his past lives.
Third Basket
a contingency plan for dealing with the physical, mental and psychological sufferings humanity faces.
The Four Noble Truth
What are 4 Noble Truths?
- The truth of suffering
- The truth of the cause of suffering
- The truth of the end of suffering
- The truth of the path leading to the end of Suffering
the fourth of the Four Noble
Truths. It is said that the term ‘path’ contextually means a process to help one remove or move beyond the conditioned
responses that obscure his true nature.
Buddhism’s Eightfold Path
What are the 8 steps of The Noble Eight-fold Path?
- Right understanding - Samma-Ditthi
- Right Thought - Samma-Sankappa
- Right Speech - Samma-Vaca
- Right Action - Samma-Kammanta
- Right Livelihood - Samma-Ajiva
- Right Effort - Samma-Vayama
- Right Mindfulness - Samma-Sati
- Right Concentration - Samma-Samadhi
Complete or perfect vision. Vision of
the nature of reality and the path of
transformation.
Right understanding - Samma-Ditthi
Perfected emotion or aspiration.
Liberating emotional intelligence in
your life and acting from love and
compassion.
Right Thought - Samma-Sankappa
Perfected of whole speech.
Clear, truthful, uplifting, and
non-harmful communication.
Right Speech - Samma-Vaca
Integral action., an ethical
foundation of life based on
principal of non-exploitation of
oneself and others.
Right Action - Samma-Kammanta
Proper livelihood. Livelihood based on correct action the ethical principal of non-
exploitation.
Right Livelihood - Samma-Ajiva
Complete of full effort, energy or vitality.
Consciously directing our life energy to the
transformative path of creative and healing
action that fosters wholeness.
Right Effort - Samma-Vayama
Complete or through awareness.
Developing awareness “if you hold
yourself dear watch yourself well”. Levels
of awareness and mindfulness - of things,
oneself, feelings, thought, people and
reality.
Right Mindfulness - Samma-Sati
Full, integral, or holistic Samadhi. The first level of meaning is concentration when the mind is fixed on a single object. The second level of meaning goes further and represents the establishment, not just in mind, but also of the whole being in various levels or modes of consciousness and awareness. Samadhi is the sense of enlightenment or Buddhahood.
Right Concentration - Samma-Samadhi
1-3 good moral conduct, 4-6 meditation and
mental development and 7-8 is wisdom or insight.
The Noble Eight-fold Path
Everything is interconnected; everything affects everything else; and everything that is, is because other things are (All
in existence exists because other things exists.)
The Law of Dependent Origination
involves the idea that nothing is absolute. No beings or phenomena exists autonomously of other beings and phenomena
because all things are caused to exist by other things.
The Law of Dependent Origination
Things are the way they are because they are conditioned by other things. The Buddha explained “when this is, that is. This
arising, that arises. When this is not, that is not. This ceasing, that ceases.”
The Law of Dependent Origination
describes a chain of causes that lead to
other causes. It is vital to understand the links form a circle; there is no first link.
The 12 links
Known in Buddhism as annica
The doctrine of impermanence
impermanence is an irrefutable
and inevitable fact of human existence and nothing in this world is ever free from it.
The Law of Impermanence of Things
Buddhism holds that impermanence and change are the indisputable truths of our existence.
The Law of Impermanence of Things
suffering is not inherent in the world if
impermanence; suffering arises when people cling. So when clinging disappears, impermanence no longer gives rise to
suffering. The answer to suffering then is to end clinging, not to try to escape form the transient world.
The Law of Impermanence of Things
What is the answer to suffering according to Buddhism?
To end clinging
“Buddhists are non-theistic.”
True or False?
True
What is the origin of the idea of god according to Buddha?
Origin in fear
What do Buddhists believe to be unnecessary?
To believe in god
What is the issue in Buddhism?
Territory Conflict in Mainland Southeast Asia
