Self, Death, and the Afterlife Flashcards
What is meant by samsara?
‘wandering on’; the aimless wandering we experience from birth to death and from life to life - the cycle of rebirth
What is the mandala which represents Samsara?
The Tibetan Wheel of Life
What are the six realms of samsara?
Gods
Angry Gods
Humans
Animals
Hungry Ghosts
Hell
Whose research on past life memories has been used as evidence for reincarnation?
Dr Ian Stevenson
What are the three interpretations you need to know of samsara?
Literal, metaphorical, psychological
What is meant by a literal interpretation of samsara? Give an example
Samsara as described as samsara should be taken at face value e.g. hell is an actual place, the gods really live long lives, Hungry Ghosts really have long necks and breathe fire
What is meant by a psychological interpretation of samsara? Give an example
Samsara is a way of understanding our everyday psychological experiences as individuals e.g. Hell is the psychological state of depression, rebirth represents the ability to change our perspectives through mindfulness
What is meant by a metaphorical interpretation of samsara? Give an example
Samsara is a metaphor for the real world, in which the realms represent social or economic groups, e.g. Hell is the prison system, the gods are the rich, Hungry Ghosts are addicts/homeless
What question does the Buddha use karma to explain?
Why we find such variety among humankind, e.g. healthy and sick, rich and poor, ugly and beautiful
Why is karma like a seed?
It is planted and takes time to ripen
How can the idea of stolen mangoes be used to explain the link between anatta and karma? (Nagasena)
If a man stole another man’s mangoes he would deserve a thrashing, even though the mangoes he arrives home with are not the same as the ones stolen. Continuity of identity = responsibility
What do the 12 links show us?
How we become trapped in cycles of behaviour which generate bad karma and keep us locked in samsara
What are the four types of attachment recognised by Buddhists?
Attachment to sense-objects
Attachment to opinions
Attachment to rites and rituals
Attachment to the idea of selfhood
Give an example of a definition of karma which scientists would support
Karma means ‘action’ and shows that all events have consequences which reverberate into the future
Give an example of a definition of karma which scientists would not support
Karma is a moral law which dictates whether you will experience a good or bad rebirth
What is anatta?
No self: the belief that we have no fixed self or personal identity
Who uses the example of the chariot to explain the concept of anatta to King Milinda?
Nagasena
How does Nagasena’s chariot illustrate the concept of anatta?
The chariot has no essential part which makes it a chariot, but is a chariot because the parts taken together are commonly recognised as a chariot. No chariot = no self
If we have no self, what are we made up of?
32 body parts and five skandhas
What are the skandhas? (Define, don’t list)
The five mental aggregates which shape our experience
What are the skandhas? (List!)
Form
Sensations
Perceptions
Mental Formations
Consciousness
What is the difference between conventional and ultimate truth?
Conventional truth: things which are useful to believe because they are of everyday use (e.g. self, chariot)
Ultimate truth: the way things really are (e.g. no-self, no-chariot)
Which Buddhists would believe that achievement of nirvana is the goal of life?
Theravada
Which Buddhists would belief that a better rebirth is the goal of life?
Pure Land
Why do Pure Land Buddhists believe that better rebirth is the goal of life?
It is too hard to achieve Nirvana in this life so you should aim to be reborn in the Pure Lands where it is easier to study the Dharma
What is an arhat?
A perfected saint in Theravada Buddhism; the ideal which monks should aim for - someone who has ended the cycle of rebirth and gone to Nirvana
Why do Theravada Buddhists believe in aiming to become an arhat?
It is not feasible for humans to achieve full Buddhahood
What is a bodhisattva?
One whose essence is enlightenment; the goal of life for Mahayana Buddhists - a being who has chosen to be reborn in order to help others achieve nirvana
Why do Mahayana Buddhists believe in aiming to become a Bodhisattva?
They do not view the arhat goal as sufficient and think that Buddhists should aim towards the more selfless aim of being reborn for the sake of others
Who is Avalokitesvara?
The Bodhisattva of Compassion, who is now expressed in the form of the Dalai Lama
Give an example of how the Dalai Lama shows an expression of compassion
His three commitments:
- Religious harmony
- Human values
- The Tibetan Cause
How are Dalai Lamas identified?
Clues given by previous Dalai Lamas / signs e.g. child able to recognise possessions of previous Dalai Lama
Who is the current Dalai Lama?
Tenzin Gyatso
