Test 2: Buddhism Flashcards
The founder of Buddhism. He is given the title Buddha which means “Awakened One”. Comes from the sanskrit term “bodhi” which means illuminated intellect. He is not the only Buddha. He was born into a Hindu family, into royalty. Lived to be 80 years old. Some dispute as to which year he was born in, approx 563/566 - 483/486 BCE
Siddhartha Gautama
The tribal name of the tribe Siddartha Gautama was apart of.
Shakyamuni
Renunciate. People who renounce the world in order to achieve enlightenment. Movement that started in the northwest of India, especially along the ganges river. Rejected caste. Mostly young men who did not want to go through the stages of life before enlightenment. Eventually rejected gender and women could become renunciates aswell.
Sramana
The buddhist community. For Theravada buddhists, the monastics only. For Mahayana buddhists, the monastics + the lay people.
Sangha
Actions driven by intention.
Karma
The cycle of reincarnation. Cycle of deaths and rebirths closely associated with soctrine of dependant co-arising.
Samsara
Components. The ____ of sentient beings.
Skandhas
“Own being”, independant eternal existence. Nothing has this.
Svabhava
no self/no soul
Anatman
the enlightenment. Literally means “extinguishing”. The extinguishing of desire.
Nirvana
When an enlightened person dies. Complete extinguishing.
Parinirvana
The early Buddhist scriptures. Means “Three Baskets”. Three categories of early Buddhist writings including Sutras; words of the Buddha, Vinaya: rules for the sangha, and Abhidharma; later scholarly treatises. The scriptures were at first oral but got written down by 1st C. CE. All Buddhists except this.
Tripitaka
“The Way of the Elders”. Type of Buddhism focusing on the traditional practices . Core scripture is Tripitaka. Very self powered. Includes the triple gem. Ideal is Arhat “be lamps unto yourselves”. The ultimate goal is indivdual parinirvana. Believes only monastics (men) can achieve enlightenment
Theravada
Someone who is extremely close to enlightenment but they do not fully dissolve formations because they have the sole purpose of remaining within samsara to help others. They dont all take rebirth on earth, some take rebirth in the heavens that are considered god like figures. In Mahayana Buddhism, they help everyone achieve enlightenment.
Bodhisattvas
Bodhi “the illumined intellect”
Satva “pure clarity”
All Buddhists recognize this. Theravada Buddhists understand it differently. Includes the (historical) Buddha, the Dharma (teaching), and the (monastic) Sangha.
The Triple Gem
also reffered to as the triple refuge.
“The Great Vehicle”. Type of Buddhism. Believes everyone can become enlightened, women can be monastics (nuns). Has 3 special teachings: The teaching of Sunyata (emptiness), The mediation of the Bodhisattva, and The Teaching of the 3 Bodies.
Mahayana
“Noble serpent”. Disciple of Buddha who was given the jewel of emptiness by the Naga king.
Nagarjuna
Concept taught in Mahayana Buddhism. Means “emptiness”
Sunyata
The teachings
Dharma
Buddha of Infinite Light. Developed his own loca (realm in the heavens) called sukhavati. He is a bodhisattva. Associated with Pure Land Buddhism
Amitabha
Disciple of Amitabha. Heavenly form of the Dalai Lama. In Vajrayana (tibetin buddhism) he has bliss body in the heavens but also takes incarnation on earth as the Dalai Lama.
Avalokiteshvara
The earthly incarnation of Avalokiteshvara. There have been 14. The current is Tenzin Gyatso. Means “ocean teacher”. When he dies, it takes 49 days for the tanha knot to find new incarnation.
Dalai Lama
Anxious grasping. Wanting to be permanent is the cause of suffering. You can eradicate duhkha by extinguishing this. You extinguish this through the 8 fold path. It is a pulling energy
Tanha
Suffering. all is this, and it has a cause described by the 4 Noble Truths. You can eradicate this by extinguishing tanha
Duhkha
“circle”. Always an 8 or 12 spoke wheel, also represents the locas of various bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism.
Mandala
Japanese teaching of Buddhism, orginally ‘chan’. (“absorbtion”/”meditation”)
Zen
Core practice of Zen Buddhism. Means “sitting”. Observing whats going on inside you. When you sit you can change habitual response patterns.
Zazen
Core practice of Zen Buddhism. Logic-defying “riddle” meant to break down the rational structures of the mind. Ex. what is the sound of one hand clapping?
Koan
