RE SAC Part 2 Buddhism Flashcards
When was it founded?
The origin of Islam can be traced back to 7th century Saudi Arabia. Islam is thus the youngest of the great world religions. The prophet Muhammad (circa 570-632 A.D.) introduced Islam in 610 A.D. after experiencing what he claimed to be an angelic visitation.
Who is the founder of Islam?
Founded on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as an expression of surrender to the will of Allah, the creator and sustainer of the world.
Who founded Buddhism and when?
● Buddhism was founded by a prince of the Saka clan names Siddharta Gautama, who was born in North-Eastern India in approximately 560 BCE. It was founded in the late 6th century B.C.E
What are Buddhists beliefs?
Buddhists do not believe in a creator God, they instead believe that the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, experienced enlightenment and became the “Awakened One”; that is to say he saw the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, understood it and experienced the state of perfect happiness that comes to those who have ended the cycle of birth, death and re-birth. He had contemplated and discovered the four noble truths which form the main foundation of Buddhism.
A belief in samsara (reincarnation)and karma complement these truths.
What are the 4 noble truths?
Dukkha, Tunha, Nirvana and Marga.
Buddhists Ethical principles and oral/written codes of behaviour
“Although the cycle of life and death, and the attainment of liberation in Nirvana were theories that were accepted by Indian society at that time, the problems lay in the questions of why was there rebirth and how could one be liberated. The Buddha gave wise answers to these questions. This was the teaching of the “Middle Path”. The “Middle Path” distinguished the Buddha’s Teachings from other religions. “Middle” means neutral, upright, and centered. It means to investigate and penetrate the core of life and all things with an upright, unbiased attitude. In order to solve a problem, we should position ourselves on neutral, upright and unbiased ground. We investigate the problem from various angles, analyse the findings, understand the truth thoroughly, and find a reasonable conclusion.
The “Middle Path” represents a distinct theory and way of Buddhist practice that is not common to other religions. Buddhism is a religion with high moral values. It lays great emphasis on human thought and action in dealing with the natural environment, society or individual problems. It is concerned with the relationship between thoughts and behaviour, and the relationship between behavior and its consequences.”
Buddhists rituals
● Rituals in Buddhism include elaborate and detailed pujas and forms of meditation.
● ‘Puja’ is the name given to the wide variety of devotional and offering ceremonies practiced in allBuddhist traditions. The word itself comes from the root meaning ‘a flower’ while pujas themselves probably developed from the custom of offering theBuddhaflowers on his arrival in a particular place during his travels. The earliest pujas consisted of placing flowers, lights and incense in front of a symbol or image of the Buddha. ● The value of the practice is that it grows out of and reinforcesfaithand devotion which are considered positive emotions able to motivate and enhance one’s practice of the Dhamma (Buddha’s teachings). It is believed that when the rituals are performed well they can move a person toward the path of enlightenment
● Meditation is central to Buddhism. Mindfulness of breath and meditation of loving kindness are the two most common types of meditation.
Buddhists symbols
The two golden fish: In older times, the two fish were drawn to symbolize the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers. It has, through interpretation, come to mean luck and fortune. It also means the courage and fearlessness to face the ocean of sufferings and to be able to swim freely like fish through water.
The Lotus Flower: The lotus has been used in many teachings of Buddhism to impart the true nature of all mankind. The roots of the lotus plant are stuck deep in the mud, but it still grows above murky water and blossoms into a beautiful, sweet-smelling flower. The lotus can be analogous to how we rise up from our sufferings to reach enlightenment, beauty and clarity. Different-colored lotus plants mean different things in Buddhism. White means spiritual and mental purity, pink means the traditional Buddha, purple is for mysticism, red means love and compassion, while blue means wisdom.
Buddhists sacred texts and religions
● After the Buddha became enlightened he first delivered a sermon about what he had learnt in his time of meditation. These teachings would be known as Dharma. He started his journey on the road of Northern India spreading his teachings among the people for over forty years. The teachings of the Buddha were initially passed down through word of mouth. Three centuries after his death his teachings were written down.
● There are several types of Buddhism, each of which have different sacred texts. Two important ones are the…
- Tipitaka (Pali Canon) for Theravada Buddhism which
contains the Buddha’s sayings and rules for monks.
- The Perfection of Wisdom for Mahayana Buddhism which
deals with the theme of Perfection or “transcendent
wisdom”.
Both texts also describe the Buddha’s life story, explain how to be a Buddhist and what the Buddha believed was the truth about life.
Myths and other sacred texts
The Buddhist Jataka Tales
A collection of over 500 stories believed to have been told by Guatama Buddha to his followers
They are folklore literature indigenous to India and concern the previous lives of the Buddha
They also teach values and morals of life and correct living.
In Theravada Buddhist countries the longer tales are performed in dance, theatre and religious ritual.
Social structures
Buddhism rejected the Hindu caste system and preferred an egalitarian society where people are considered equal.
Within this society there are two main social groups; monks and laity.
Monks (referred to as the sangha) who devote their entire lives to pursuing religious goals. They declare poverty and renounce ownership of material possessions. They receive their food from the laity and the laity do this happily believing that it is good karma. In return, the monks perform religious services for the laity, including blessings for marriages and giving religious guidance. This is good karma for the monks. Monks are mostly male but there are orders of female monks called nuns. It was not until recently that they have been accepted as equals.
Laity are those who follow Buddhist practices but choose not to be ordained.
Religious experience and spirituality
The following extract taken from an article about the spiritual life of a Buddhist explores Buddhist spirituality. It emphasises that Buddhist spirituality is strongly linked to a concern with the end of life’s suffering (by being enlightened) as well as an emphasis on a deep understanding of the self and things within the world. It is about ultimate freedom from suffering and entering into a holy place free from emotional burden, sadness and grief. Instead, it promises a place of peace and acceptance and understanding of the essential nature of all things.
