Religion and Life Issues - Buddhism Key Terms and Definitions

Question 1

anatta

Answer 1

No self, no soul; the Universal Truth that the soul is insubstantial; that people change
over their lives; denial of a real or permanent self.

Question 2

anicca (anitya)

Answer 2

Impermanence, instability, not permanent, etc.

Question 3

Buddha

Answer 3

1. Historically the Buddha – the enlightened one.

2. An awakened or enlightened person.

Question 4

dhamma (dharma)

Answer 4

Universal law; ultimate truth; the teachings of Buddha.

Question 5

Dhammapada

Answer 5

A scripture of the Pali Canon with 426 verses.

Question 6

dukkha

Answer 6

Suffering, imperfection, illness; also means dissatisfaction. Suffering; ill; everything
leads to suffering; unsatisfactoriness.

Question 7

the Eightfold Path

Answer 7

The way to wisdom and mental training and the way of morality.

Question 8

the Five Moral Precepts

Answer 8

To not kill any living being, refrain from stealing, refrain from wrongful sexual activity,
refrain from lying, refrain from taking drugs and alcohol that cloud the mind.

Question 9

The Four Noble Truths

Answer 9

Dukkha, Samudaya, Nirodha, Magga (suffering, the cause of suffering, the end of
suffering, the path to the end of suffering).

Question 10

kamma (karma)

Answer 10

Literally ‘action’. Deliberate actions that affect the believer’s circumstances in this and
future lives; cause and effect

Question 11

magga (marga)

Answer 11

Path. ‘The Middle Way’ which leads to freedom from suffering (The Fourth Noble Truth).

Question 12

mantras

Answer 12

Prayers/chants such as Om Mani Oadme Hun.

Question 13

metta

Answer 13

Loving kindness. A pure love, which is not possessive and which does not seek to gain.

Question 14

nibbana (nirvana)

Answer 14

To reach a state of perfect peace where the individual experiences liberation from the
cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Question 15

niroda (nirodha)

Answer 15

The end of suffering is to get rid of desire and craving (the Third Noble Truth).

Question 16

samatha

Answer 16

Meditation; a state of calmness.

Question 17

samsara

Answer 17

The circle of births, death and re-birth, which can be transcended by following the
Eightfold Path.

Question 18

Sangha

Answer 18

The community or assembly, of monks, nuns, lay men and lay women, depending on
the form of Buddhism practised.

Question 19

Siddattha Gotama

Answer 19

The name of the historical Buddha.

Question 20

sutta (sutra)

Answer 20

The word of the Buddha.

Question 21

tanha (trishna)

Answer 21

Desire, which causes suffering. The attempt to grasp at the things we enjoy.

Question 22

the Three Marks of

Existence

Answer 22

Anicca, Anatta, Dukkha.

Question 23

the Three Refuges

Answer 23

Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha.

Question 24

Tipitaka

Answer 24

A collection of texts, the Vinaya, Sutta and Abhidamma. Literally means Three Baskets
or Pali Canon.

Question 25

vinaya

Answer 25

The rules of discipline of Buddhist monastic life.

Question 26

vipassana (vipashyana)

Answer 26

Insight into the nature of things; meditation.