The Buddha's Enlightenment Flashcards
1
Q
What is enlightenement
A
- the gaining of true knowledge that arises from understanding the self and the nature of reality, usually through meditation and self - discipline
- gaining freedom from cycle of rebirth
2
Q
who is mara?
A
a demon that represents spiritual obstacles especially temptation
3
Q
why did siddartha meditate?
A
- siddartha wandered if meditaton would help him achieve enlightenment
- he made a cushion from grass and sat under a peepul tree and started to meditate
4
Q
in traditional stories, what did mara try and do to siddartha
A
- the demon mara appeared and tried various tactics to distract siddartha including:
-sending his daughers to seduce siddartha
-sending his armies to throw arrows at siddartha
-offering siddartha control of his kingdom
-questioning siddarthas right to sit at the seat of enlightenement and claimed no one would believe his enlightenment without a witness
5
Q
In traditional stories what was siddarthas responce to maras distractions?
A
- he remained focused on meditating
- he was not swayed by the charms of mara and continued meditating
- arrows turned to lotus flowers
- he touched the earth to witness his right tp sit at the seat of enlightenment, the earth schook to acknowledge his right
- his self - discipline and will power helped him focus
6
Q
What are the 3 watches of the nights?
A
- realisations siddartha experience during the night that he became enlightened
7
Q
The first watch
A
siddartha gained knowledge of all his previous lives
8
Q
second watch
A
- understood repetitive cycle of birth, death and rebirth
- understood how beings are born according to their kamma or actions
- he understood that nothing has an unchanging essence
- (in summary realisation of marks of existance
9
Q
the third watch
A
- he understood beings suffer because of desire and attachment
- he understood that suffering can be overome through path to enlightenment
- (second and fourth noble truth)
10
Q
what was siddartha referred to as after enlightenment?
A
became known as the buddha (enlightened or awakened one
11
Q
after he became enlightened..
A
buddha taught his wisdom to five ascetics who became his first dicsiples
12
Q
What is the middle way?
A
- teachings of the Buddha that can lead to the end of suffering
- aka eightfold path
- called ‘middle way’ becaue wanted followers (ascetics) to choose middle way between two extremes of luxury and asceticism
