Sources of Wisdom and Authority Flashcards
What was the birth name of the Buddha?
Siddhartha Gautama
What did the Buddha declare after his birth?
“I am the Chief of the World”
What prophecy was made about the Buddha?
He would become a great king or a great religious leader
What were the four sights?
Old man, sick man, dead man, ascetic
What was the Renunciation?
The Buddha’s decision to leave the palace and become an ascetic
What is an ascetic?
A religious person who practices strict physical discipline (e.g. starvation) to achieve spiritual insight
What were the three ways Mara tried to prevent the Buddha reaching enlightenment?
- Sent his daughters to tempt him
- Offered him his kingdom
- Sent his armies to attack him
What is the message of the Parable of the Burning House?
1) Samsara is suffering and Buddha is justified to use whatever means he can to guide us out
2) The Buddha had to use skilful means because his earliest followers were spiritually immature (like the children of the story)
3) The Mahayana vehicle is superior to all other forms of Buddhism
Where is the Parable of the Burning House found?
The Lotus Sutra
What happens in the Parable of the Raft?
A man crosses a river with a raft and abandons it when he reaches the other side, symbolising how the Dhamma is a tool for reaching enlightenment
What is upaya?
Skilful means; the idea that Buddhists should use the approach that best reduces suffering and helps people reach enlightenment
In what way do Mahayana Buddhists believe that the life of Siddhartha Gautama was skilful means?
They believe he was enlightened before his birth and chose to present himself as the role model for how an ordinary human can achieve enlightenment
What are the Four Noble Truths?
1) The existence of suffering (Dukkha)
2) The cause of suffering, tanha (craving) (Samudaya)
3) The end of suffering, Nirvana (Nirodha)
4) The way to the end of suffering, the Eightfold Path (Magga)
When/where did the Buddha teach the Four Noble Truths?
His first sermon, in Deer Park (found in the Pali Canon)
What are the Three Jewels/Three Refuges?
Buddha, Dharma, Sangha
What are the Three Marks of Existence?
Dukkha, anicca, anatta
What is the Pali Canon?
The accepted scriptures of Theravada Buddhism, written in Pali
Explain how it could be argued that Buddhist teachings about Dukkha are NOT pessimistic
They are realistic/pragmatic and lead people to accept suffering and move on; they teach there is an end to suffering
Who does the Buddha send in search of a mustard seed?
Kiso Gotami
Explain how it could be argued that Buddhist teachings about Dukkha are pessimistic
They suggest that all life is suffering/everything which exists is marked by suffering
What are the Three Poisons?
Ignorance/delusion, greed, hatred/ill will
Why do Theravada Buddhists believe that Siddhartha Gautama has authority as the Enlightened One?
Because he achieved Nirvana and started the turning of the wheel of Dharma, which had been taught by no previous teachers and which he discovered on his own
Why do Theravada Buddhists view Gautama as a role model?
He shows willingness to suffer and persevere (e.g. through the ascetic life), and models qualities such as metta (loving-kindness) and karuna (compassion), e.g. through his response to Kiso Gotami and Angulimala
