[Part 5]- Buddhism: Beliefs and teachings 🪷

Question 1

What is the story of Nagasena and the chariot ?

Answer 1

• the story of Nagasena and chariot, illustrates anatta.
• a monk known as Magasena arrived at the court of King Milinda, and the king asked him his name.
• Nagasena said there was no person behind the name.
• as the king was confused about what Nagasena meant, he asked the monk who was standing before him which the monk illustrated through analogy.

Question 2

What is the analogy of the chariot ?

Answer 2

• a chariot is made up of different parts; the word chariot refers to all of these parts.
• this means, that no chariot is independent of its parts- meaning a person exists, but only because of the parts they’re made from.
• This is because, there is no soul or fixed self- known as anatta [one of the three marks of existence]

Question 3

What are the five aggregates ?

Answer 3

• the five aggregates, are the five standard of form, sensation, perception, mental formations and consciousness.
• ; the idea of the five aggregates, is that one’s being is composed of these five factors [these parts are constantly changing]

Question 4

What does form mean ?

Answer 4

• form, is the first of the five aggregates, referring to: matter, the sense organs and the objects of their experience

Question 5

What does sensation mean ?

Answer 5

• sensation- the second of the five aggregates, meaning feelings that arise from our sense organs making contact with objects

Question 6

What does perception mean ?

Answer 6

• perception- the third of the five aggregates, meaning the ability to distinguish between different objects that we expirience through our senses [perception enables memory]

Question 7

What do mental formations mean ?

Answer 7

• mental formations- the fourth of the five aggregates, meaning mental activities that direct a person to good, bad, or morally neutral actions.
• ; mental formations also produce good or bad kamma

Question 8

What does consciousness mean ?

Answer 8

• consciousness- the fifth of the five aggregates, meaning of something without or before recognition [perception]

Question 9

What is the Tibetan wheel of life ?

Answer 9

• the Tibetan wheel of life, is an image that illustrates dependent arising as applied to the birth, death and life [samsara] of all beings

Question 10

What are the twelve nidanas ?

Answer 10

• the twelve nidanas, are twelve stages on the outer wheel [of the Tibetan wheel of life], which illustrates how human beings are subject to samsara

Question 11

What’s dependent arising ?

Answer 11

• [also known as: Paticcasamupada], dependent arising, is the concept that all beings are interconnected [like a web].
• For example, all creatures and humans are interconnected because, they depend on a healthy plant to survive.

Question 12

What’s one way, how dependent arising can influence Buddhists today ?

Answer 12

• one way that dependent arising influences Buddhists today, is to live a moral life.
• this is because, dependent arising teaches Buddhists that everything is interconnected to each other, and is dependent on each other. [including rebirth]

Therefore, one way that dependent arising influences Buddhists today is to live a moral life because, the positive actions they demonstrate to others [e.g- showing metta], will attract positive kamma and better their future rebirth into samsara

Question 13

What’s a second way, how dependent arising can influence Buddhists today ?

Answer 13

• a second way how dependent arising can influence Buddhists today, is to perform good works such as following the noble eightfold path.
• for example, a Buddhist may a right livelihood- by not earning a living in a way that harm animals.
• this is because, dependent arising teaches Buddhists that we are all interconnected and dependent on a healthy planet to survive therefore, a Buddhist will perform good works because of this teaching.

Question 14

Why might some Buddhists see dependent arising, as not important ?

Answer 14

• some Buddhists may not see dependent arising as important because:
• other Buddhist teachings such as: the six perfections [in Mahayana Buddhism] can still aid a Buddhist’s understanding of Buddhism.

Question 15

What are the four noble truths ?

Answer 15

• the four noble truths, are an important part of the Buddha’s teachings found in the Pali Canon, which explain the truth about existence
• [the four noble truths are: dukkha, samudaya, nirodha and magga]

Question 16

What is the first noble truth ?

Answer 16

1) dukkha- meaning life is suffering, which is an inevitable part of life [as dukkha is inescapable]

Question 17

What is the second noble truth ?

Answer 17

2) samudaya- the truth and origin of suffering [meaning it has a cause, known as the three poisons]

Question 18

What is the third noble truth ?

Answer 18

3) nirodha- the truth of the cessation of suffering [suffering can be extinguished and ended, through attaining nibanna]

Question 19

What is the fourth noble truth ?

Answer 19

4) magga- the truth of the path, to the cessation of suffering- [following the middle way and the noble eightfold path, is they key to the cessation of suffering]

Question 20

Why might samudaya, be seen as not important to Buddhists ?

Answer 20

• samudaya [the second noble truth] is not relatively important because, craving is an inherent aspect of all human beings.
• how can it hold importance, if this part of human nature is near impossible to remove ?

Question 21

What’s another reason, why samudaya holds no relative importance in Buddhism ?

Answer 21

• although the second noble truth [samudaya] argues that the truth and origin of suffering, is the three poisons samudaya no relative importance.
• this is because, there are multiple forms and levels of craving.

Question 22

Referring to tanha, why might samudaya hold no relative importance ?

Answer 22

• furthermore, tanha is a shared quality relating to the positive aspects of human life.
• it’s a necessity for humans to be attached, as it is too challenging to be free of craving and remain non-attached- additionally, the effects of craving can also be reduced by good karmic actions

Question 23

What are some other reasons, why the four noble truths are important ?

Answer 23

• if Buddhists believe in the four noble truths, this gives them a meaning and purpose
• the four noble truths, are a way that suffering can be understood.

Question 23

What else do the four noble truths, do for Buddhists ?

Answer 23

• the four noble truths give a reason to practise the noble eightfold path [because of magga- the fourth noble truth]
• the four noble truths provide wisdom that Buddhists can use, in challenging times

Question 24

• Fill in the gaps: the four _____ truths must be first understood, to understand the _____ eightfold path

Answer 24

• the four noble truths must be first understood, to understand the noble eightfold path