Overview of Buddhism Flashcards
How old is Buddhism?
~ 2500 years old
What context did Buddhism come out of?
- originated out of a polytheistic and pantheistic Hindu context
- widespread adherence to the caste system, which created a divide
What is Asceticism?
This is a religious practice of self-denial or self-discipline to show devotion or adherence to a particular deity or god/goddess
- Giving up all their food, clothing, shelter, and anything else to show they are doing what God intended
What is the concept of a “Buddha”?
It is understood that when karma and dharma decline in the world, a highly developed being will be reincarnated for that era
- This Buddha is enlightened to the needs of that time. However, a Buddha is NOT A GOD; it is a HUMAN BEING WHO HAS ACHIEVED GREAT SPIRITUAL AWARENESS and will extend that knowledge for the benefit of all human beings
Siddhartha Gautama - who was he, what did his life consist of?
Siddhartha Gautama is known as the Buddha of our era
- he was a human born male born roughly between 560-670 BCE in a small kingdom below the Himalayas
- his father was a chief of the Shakya clan, which made him a wealthy prince
- his father kept him locked inside their palace because Brahmin priests predicted he would become a great monk.
- he was not allowed outside, but felt something was missing in his life
- so he ventured out into the kingdom, and was repulsed and shocked by the things he saw around him
- he found what he felt was missing, a purpose outside of his palace walls
- therefore, he abandoned his life, including his wife and son, to live a life of solitude in the forest with a group of ascetics with the hopes to attain enlightenment
- he could not find what he was looking for for 6 years, until he was sitting under the Bodhi Tree
- he became the Buddha by becoming enlightened with the true nature of reality by sitting under the tree for days on end, practicing complete self-denial
What are the Four Sights?
- A sick man
- An aging, old man
- A dead man
- An ascetic
What are the Four Noble Truths?
The true nature of reality
1. All existence is characterized by suffering; this is the nature of reality
2. The origin of suffering is attachment
3. The cessation of suffering is possible
4. The path to the cessation of suffering is the Eightfold Path
What is the Middle Way?
Do not want to be over indulging or ascetic (not too strict and not too loose)
- the middle way gives clarity of mind
What are the Three Marks of Existence?
The Buddhist Truth or Dharma
1. Suffering
2. Impermanence
3. Anatman (No-Soul)
What is Buddhist Dharma?
The teachings of the true nature of reality
What is the Buddhist View of the Cosmos?
“Everything that arises also passes away” - attributed to the Buddha
Not Eternal, Impersonal
What is the Eightfold Path?
- How to reach Nirvana
- How to escape Samsara
Eight ways self-improvement and self-awareness can be developed, each of equal importance
Divide into 3 main categories: Moral Conduct, Mental Discipline, and Wisdom
What is Buddhist Karma?
The energy of one’s past actions, which operates in the wheel of samsara
What are the Buddhist Texts?
Tripitaka or “Three Baskets” or Pali Canon
- highly comprised of oral tradition for the most part but became written down in these texts
- they were stored in three baskets, based on what their purpose is
What is the concept of a boddhisattva?
A person who is able to reach nirvana, but delays doing so out of compassion in order to save suffering beings
