The Buddha and his teachings Flashcards
What is the first thing that Buddha did after his enlightenment?
Buddha went in search of his former 5 companions at the Deer Park. He delivered a sermon (known as the Deep Park sermon), in which his 5 former companions converted and became the first members of the Sangha (order of Buddhist monks).
What is an Arahant?
Arahant - meaning one who ‘has fully completed spiritual training, is fully endowed with all factors of the Path, and has quenched the ‘fires’ of the defilements. He has overcome the ‘disease’ of dukkha and attained mental health.
Summerise the story of ‘Kisagotami and the Mustard Seeds’
A women who’s child has died is so distraught she is carrying round the dead child so her friends send her to the Buddha. Buddha says he can make medicine for her child if she can get mustard seeds from a house in which no one has died then he can make the medicine. The women tries but cannot find a single house in which someone has not died, this is when she learns her lesson.
What are the Three Refuges/Jewels? How is their importance summerised?
Together the Buddha, the Dhamma (Buddhas teachings) and the Sangha are called the Triratna, the Three Refuges/Jewels. Their importance is summerised in what is chanted in the Viharas (monasteries).
What is ehipassiko/ehipasyika?
Ehipassiko/ehipasyika means ‘come and try’. Buddhism does not expect blind faith and devotion and urged this in his scripture known as the Kalama Sutta.
What does ‘I take refuge in the Buddha’ mean, from the Three Refuges?
Refuge is more likely to mean ‘faith’ in this context and the statement is not declaring faith to the Buddha but to the notion go Buddhahood. In saying this refuge, the devotee is expressing their faith in their own capacity to achieve Buddhahood.
What does ‘I take refuge in the Dhamma’ mean, from the Three Refuges?
The believer is saying that they have faith in the teachings of the Buddha to facilitate the quest for enlightenment. These include the Four Nobel Truths, the Eight Fold Path ect.
What is the Sangha and what does it mean? What does ‘I take refuge in the Sangha’ mean, from the Three Refuges?
The Sangha is the name for the community of Buddhists on Earth, monks and nuns and lay people. Although Theravada Buddhists see it referring to monks and nuns only. Sangha means ‘assembly’ or ‘community with a common purpose’. Buddhist monks are called bhikkus and nuns called bhikkunis.
What are the Five Precepts?
The five precepts are
1) Not to take a life
2) Not to take what is not freely given
3) Not to engage in sexual misconduct
4) Not to misuse the power of speech
5) Not to tale alcohol or drugs
What is the oldest and original form of Buddhism?
What does its tradition centralise on? What is the Vinaya?
It’s Theravada, meaning ‘way of elders’ or ‘ancient teaching’. It centralises on the bhikkus and bhikkunis governed by the Vinaya which is the monastic rules. There are 227 for bhikkus and 311 for bhikkunis. They teach the lay people to farm, teach the children to read and write etc.
What is the Vajrayana form of Buddhism? Where are its origins and how does it differ from Buddhism?
Similar to that of the Mahayana tradition, Vajrayana Buddhism is Tibetan Buddhism. Vajrayana Buddhism makes much more use of rituals. Highly ritualised, contains a large tantric element. Prayer wheels and Mandalas are important to aid meditation. Tibetan Buddhism makes use of Bodhisattvas such as the Dalai Lama
