Theravada, Mahayana and Pure Land Buddhism(+arhats and bodhisattvas) Flashcards
1
Q
What is Theravada Buddhism?
A
- is one of the oldest schools of Buddhism practices mainly in south asia
- Theravada Buddhism teaches that the human personality is made up of five parts or aggregates.
2
Q
charactertics of therevada buddhism include..
A
- can be considered an orthodox from of buddhism by some since its practices are strict and unifrom
- ordination is monastic community is emphasised
- full ordination primarily reserved for men
- buddha focus of worship and is seen as the teacher and guide, but is not considered to be a god
- the goal is to achieve enlightenment and achieve nirvana, dedicate entire life to this goal
- SOME theravada buddhists believe that good fortune (or merit) may be transferred to others. This practice is emphasised when someone has died.
3
Q
What is the concept of the five agreggates?
A
- Therevada buddhism teaches that we are made up of five parts called the five aggregates
- these interact with eachother to make up a person’s identity and personality.
- the purpose of thinking about a person in this way is to help understand that nothing has a fixed, unchanging naature.
- these categories also aid understanding of the processes of sense perception, craving, and how people form habits
4
Q
What are the five agreggates?
A
- Form
- Sensation
- Perception
- Mental formations
- Consciousness
5
Q
Form is…
A
- a persons body or objects in the world, including other people.
- Example: you enter a room and see a cake
6
Q
Sensation is..
A
- the feelings of or sensations that occur when people come into contact with things.
- Can be physical (e.g. a sesnation of pain after tripping over) or emotional (e.g. feeling joy after seeing a friend).
- example: seeing cake gives u feeling or sense of anticipation
7
Q
Perception is..
A
- how people recognise or percieve what things are, based on their previous experiences
- example: u recognise its a slice of cake from seeing other slices of cake in the past
8
Q
Mental formations are…
A
- thoughts and opinions - how a person responds mentally to the things they experience
- Includes like and dislikes , and a person’s attitude towards different things
- example: u form and opinion about whether u want to eat the cake or not
9
Q
Consciousness
A
- a person’s general awareness of the world around them
- example: ur underlying awareness of all previous processes in other examples
10
Q
What is Mahayana Buddhism
A
- traditions that share similar cxharacteristics
- umbrella term to describe later forms of buddhism
- traditions that are considered mahayana iinclude: pure land buddhism, zen buddhism and tibetan buddhism
11
Q
beliefs of mahayana buddhists
A
- mahayana buddhists believe that buddha can still influence world a
- he can be seen and interacted with in dreams
- he can be manifested in different forms, times and places
- Theravadas do not believe this and view the buddha as a historical figure.
- also believe in sunyata (emptiness)
- and buddha nature
12
Q
What is sunyata
A
- sunyata (emptiness) is an improtant cocept in mahayana buddhism
- it is a restatement of anatta, but applies to all thingss rather then just human beings
- TEACHES that nothing has a fixed, independent, unchanging nature
- everything exists in relation to or because of, other things
- For buddhists, realising that everything depends on everything else can lead to trust, compassion and selflesness
13
Q
example of sunyara to conceptualise
A
- a laptop does not have a ‘soul’ - a seperate, independant bit that forms the essence of the laptop
- instead the word ‘laptop’ is just a name given to a collection of parts
- these parts all rely on each other in order for the laptop to function
- the laptop is impermenat one of the parts will ecentually break down and, because the other parts rely on it to function properly, the laptop will stop working
- the laptop has the nature of sunyara (empty of independent existance)
14
Q
What is buddha-nature?
A
- everyone has the essence, or nature, of a buddha already inside them
- a person’s buddha-nature is hidden by desires, attachments , ignorance and negative thoughts
- when a person truly comes to understand the buddha’s teachings, they experience their inner Buddha-nature
15
Q
metaphor to understand buddha-nature
A
- the uttarantantra uses the following metaphor:
- buddha-nature is like honey surrounded by a swarm of bees
- the honey is sweet and tasty. but as long as it is surrounded by bees it isn’t possible to eat it,
- even though it’s been there all the time
- the only way to experience the honey is to get rid of the bees
- MAHAYANA BUDDHIST AIM TO ACHIEVE BUDDHAHOOD
- to become buddhas (enlightened beings)
- they believe everyone has the potential to do this because of their inherent buddha-nature
16
Q
What does a theravada buddhsits aim to be?
A
an arhat by following eightfold path
17
Q
what does a mahayana buddhsits aim to be?
A
- mahayana buddhsits aim to bcome bodhisattvas by devoloping the six perfections
18
Q
what is an arhat
A
- an arhat is a ‘perfected person’ who has overcome the main source of suffering - the three posions - to become enlightened
19
Q
how do theravada buddhists become arhats
A
- when someone becomes an arhat they are no longer reborn when they die
- they become free from cycle of rebith (samsara) to reach nirvana
- goal achieved by following eightfold path
- it is said that many of buddha’s disciples became arhats
20
Q
what is a bodhisattva
A
- bodhisattvas see their own enlightenment as being bound up with the enlightenemnt of all beings
- out of compassion after they achieve enlightenment, they choose to remain in the cycle of samsara to help others achieve enlightenment too
- bodhisattvas combine being compassionate with being wise
- they believe the original emphasis of the buddha’s teachings was ‘to go forth for the welfare of the many’
21
Q
what are the six perfections
A
- person becomes bodhisattva by practising six perfections. they are:
- generosity - to be charitable and generous in all that is done
- morality - to live ethically by follwing moral precepts
- patience - to practice being patient in all things
- energy - to cultivate the enrgy and perseverance needed to keep going
- meditation - to develop concentration and awareness
- wisdom - to obtain wisdom and understanding
22
Q
earthly and transcendent bodhisattvas are..
A
- earthly bodhisatvvas contunue to be reborn into the world to live on earth and help others
- transcendent bodhisattvas are purely spiritual beings beyond time and space. they may appear in different forms in the world, to help others and lead beings to enlightenment.
- mahayana buddihsts may pray to these bodhisattvas in times of need.
23
Q
what is pureland buddhism
A
- one of the main forms of buddhism in Japan today
- tradition with mahayana buddhism
- based on faith in amitabha buddha and his paradies
- pure land buddhists hope to be reborn and gain enlightenment in the pure land
- main pratice of pure land buddhism is the recitation of Amitabha’s name
24
A
- amitabha buddha is believed to have created a paradise or pure land called Sukhavati when he beacame enlightened
- pure land buddhists hope to be reborn into this world, in which it is considered to be easier to achieve enlightenment
25
what are the characterstics of the pure land?
- offer perfect conditions for enlightenment
- far to the west beyond boundaries of our world
- a perfect paradise
- contains no suffering or other barriers to enlightenment
- all beings born in this land are ceratin to reach enlightenmet
- where people can be taught by amitabha himself
26
how to reach the pure land
- T'an-luan, the founder of pure land buddhism in china, recommended 5 practices:
-recitiing scriptures, meditating on amitabha and his paradise, worshipping amitabha, chanting his name, and making praisings and offerings to him
- as pure land buddhism developed, the post importanr practice beacme reciting Amitabha's name
27
differnces between pure land buddhism and therevada buddhism
- IN PURE LAND BUDDHISM faith in Amitabha is the focus of practice, and more important than person's actions and behaviours
- WHILE IN THERVADA BUDDHISM a person can only gain enlightenment through their actions and behaviour (e.g. by following the Eightfold path)
- IN PURE LAND BUDDHISM buddhists believe Amitabha will help people to be reborn in the pure land
- WHILE IN THERAVADA BUDDHISM people cannot rely on any outside help to achieve enlightenment
28
what has helped pure land buddhism gain a popular following?
- offers simple practice, recitation of Amitabha's name
- also offers Amitabha's help to reach enlightenment
