Buddhism

sutras

(scriptures) Buddha's own words and teachings

tantras

(texts) Teachings about spiritual practices for advanced Buddhists

bikkhu

A Buddhist monk

Ch'an

A mahayana Buddha-nature tradition in East Asia

Buddha-nature school

A mahayana Buddhist belief that all beings have a portion of nirvana and so possess the latent potential for its realization. A reversion to belief in the soul that also reinforced the need for traditional meditation practices

Names of the Buddha

Bodhisattva - can reach enlightenment but chose to stay around on the earth to help others in their suffering reach enlightenment, sometimes referred to as "Buddha to be" Buddha - awakened one Shakyamuni - sage of the skaya clan, he was born into this family name Siddhartha Gautama - buddha's name at birth means every wish fulfilled Sugata - happy one Tathagata - the thus perfected one Muni - from Gautama's clan, the Shakyas

Four good deeds to use wealth for

make family and friends happy ensure security against worldly dangers make offerings to family, friends, gods, ghosts support worthy religious people

pap

means demerit

Svarga

means heaven

punya

means merit

vipassana meditation

mindfulness meditation, being mindful of three characteristics -dukkha - suffering anitya - impermanence anatman - nonself emptying your mind theravada style meditation

ten grave precepts

no taking life. no taking what is not given. no sexual misconduct. no lying. no taking intoxicants. no eating after noon. no watching or participating in dancing, singing or shows. no adorning oneself with perfumes. no sleeping in a soft bed. no handling money.

casuality

not all contingencies in life are karma dependent

Three Baskets (Tripikata)

o 1. Basket of Order- codes, stories, the Buddha's life o 2. Basket of teachings- teaching of Buddha and his followers o 3.Basket of special learning- further teachings of the monks

Avalokiteshvara

Most popular Bodhisattva Known as Guanyin in China Kannon in Japan Chenrizi in Tibet Karunamaya in Nepal

Middle Path

Name for Buddhism stemming from: Spiritual life is best undertaken as a middle path between the extremes of sense indulgence and extreme asceticism that weakens the body

sadhana

communion with a celestial Buddha or bodhisattva through the experience of identification with his or her body, speech and mind

enlightenment

defined as nirvana.

tanha

desire that causes karma and ties people to the cycle desire craving part of the second noble truth

arhat

disciple of the Buddha enlightened disciple or saint according to Theravada school advanced disciple according to Mahayana school

anatman

doctrine of there being no self reject any notion of an essential, unchanging interior entity at the center of a person rejected is the indestructible soul posited in the Upanishads person is made from the skandhas

bodhi

enlightenment

nirvana

extinguished ignorance and desire eliminates suffering and desire and released from samsara and enter a blissful state a person will no longer be reincarnated state of perfect virtue/wisdom At this point, person following the 8fold path is called an Arhat or "saint"

Bodhisattvas

future Buddhas. As the ideal types for Mahayana Buddhism; being who have experienced enlightenment but, motivated by compassion, stop short of entering nirvana so as to help others achieve it. Most popular celestial Bodhisattva was Avalokiteshvara

anitya

impermanence of life and existence

Religious Striving

o Dana- self-less giving to diminish desire o Shila-mortality o Svarga- heaven o Dharma-deshana-instruction on doctrine on the four noble truths • Syllabys for advancing in spiritual attainment • Punya-provided the chief orientation point and goal in the Buddhist laypersons worldview and ethnos • Dana- starting practice for accumulation it • Buddhist seeking punya to change the karma account that affects them in this life as well as to modify future rebirth destiny

dana

one of the four merit-making activities in Buddhist culture, "self-less giving" to diminish desire

shila

one of the four merit-making activities in Buddhist culture, morality

Buddha

the enlightened one

Buddhist holy days

Not to eat (solid) food after noon Not to view shows, dancing, or singing, or wear garlands, jewelry etc. Not to sleep on high or wide beds

pranjnaparamita

"Perfection of transcendent wisdom"; central concept of Mahayana Buddhism and is seen as an indispensable element of the Bodhisattva path part of Madhyamaka school of Mahayana Buddhism

special inclusions

any person regardless of caste or sex could find enlightenment women asked to join the group, at first reluctant, but eventually allowed.

Four Noble Truths

1) all life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow. (dukkha) 2) the problem is suffering which is caused by desire and craving (tanha). We seek attachments ideals, ideas, and views and try to satisfy our cravings and that causes suffering, stress, unrest. 3) there is a way to escape the suffering, you have to end cravings 4) the answer lies in the 8fold math

pali canon

Ancient Buddhist theravada text containing the tripikata Only complete textual canon of the Buddha's teachings

sangha

Buddhist community of monks the original 5 ascetics were the first members one of the three jewels of Buddhism

Arada Kalama

First person Siddhartha went to Shramana guru Meditation to achieve a state of nothingness

prajna

Insight or wisdom necessary for enlightenment

Dharma-deshana

Instruction on doctrine of four noble truths instruction on reaching enlightenment

King Asoka

Like Constantine I, catapulted the expansion of Buddhism. ruled India and determined authorative list of Buddhist scriptures

Pure Land/Amida Buddhism

Mahayana sect Worshiped Bodhisattva called Amitabha (Amida in Japan) Goal of devotees is to reach a paradise called Pure Land If they worshiped Amitabha, then they will be reborn in the Pure Land

pagoda

Places for meditation for theravada buddhists

Life of Siddhartha

Siddhartha - one who fulfills all goals before birth he was destined to be a great ascetic or ruler Lived in a closed off palace Left the palace and saw the four passing sights which led him to feel a sense of spiritual emptiness that he had to escape. Found a shramana guru (Arada Kalama) providing meditation to achieve a state of nothingness - didn't work Found Udraka Ramaputra who taught trances of neither perception nor non perception - did not work Joined group of 5 ascetics who practiced extreme fasting, breath control, and unmoving meditation. did not work Realized the "Middle Path" between sensual indulgence and asceticism Went to meditate under the bo tree where he would achieve enlightenment Mara tried to disturb him but he touched the earth and washed his demons away He meditated and extinguished all desire and ignorance by realizing his capacity for insight (prajna). After he reached nirvana, he stayed there for weeks. Mara tried to convince him to stay but high gods intervened and convinced the Buddha to teach others of his doctrine and help them reach enlightenment through dharma.

Udraka Ramaputra

Siddhartha's second teacher Taught trances of neither perception nor nonperception

Tibetan Buddhism

Similar philosophy to Mahayana Referred to as Vajrayana (meaning the diamond or thunderbolt way) meaning enlightenment can happen at any moment, it does not have to take years Can use magic to cope with problems (shamanistic ways alongside buddhist teachings) Have distinct clergys or lama's (superior one) o Emphasize realizing salvation speedily and in this lifetime o Not publicly or openly shared but was passed on only those the tantric teacher thought to be capable of understanding and practicing o Central idea is sadhana, communion with a celestial Buddha or bodhisattva through the experience of identification with his or her body, speech and mind

karma

The potential for certain strong karma effects to set off mechanistic causal connections between past and present, the force generated by a person's actions that determines how the person will be reborn in the next life The potential for certain strong karma effects to set off mechanistic causal connections between past and present

bodhi tree

The tree under which Sidartha Gautama achieved enlightenment. Was a Bo tree

shramana

Wandering ascetics during the time of Buddha

Mahayana Buddhism

Wehn Buddhism split, the other camp ti split into was Mahayana (the expansive way). IT was larger and more liberal (great vehicle ) sacred scriptures: sutras - Buddha's own words and teachings Shastras(treatises) - rules Tantras (texts) - teachings about spiritual practices for advanced Buddhists Buddha had secret teachings taught to a select few Many other Buddha's or beings that came to earth to help people According to this school there are many Buddhists (Bhoddisatvas) located in different parts of the world to help people reach enlightenment. Mahayana Buddhists could study the lives of these Buddhas and build temples for them Emphasize mastery of word chains - mantras

skandha

according to anatman the parts or aggregatesthat make up a person or "soul" o Physical body o Feelings o Understanding/perception o Will o Consciousness

Theravada Buddhism

When Buddhism split, one of the camps it split into was Hinayana (the exclusive way). This was the smaller and more conservative camp. The only remaining school of Hinayana today is Theravada Buddhism known as Tradition of the Elders (elders = Sthaviravadins) Sacred scriptures: Pali Canon Pali Canon contains the tripikata (three baskets) This school believes itself to be closer to the original teachings of the Buddha and because of this it is viewed as more conservative. Today the major locations of this school are in Sri Lanka and the Southeast Asian nations of Burma, Thailand, Cambodia The goals of religion are reached through the efforts, meditation and achievements of the individual Theravadins have come to venerate relics like Buddha's bones, teeth and possessions at many important sites Monks shouldn't not be concerned with making merit and monastic life is structured in ways that block the acquisition of either merit or demerit, both of which lead to rebirth and impede progress towards enlightenment They should meditate and study the Buddhist scriptures, all to cultivate the types of mental states and knowledge that lead towards enlightenment Sometimes pagodas are used as places to meditate for monks and lay Buddhists

caitya

a term that can also signify any Buddha shrine

1st noble truth

all life is suffering (dukkha)

samadhi meditation

practice of trance that does not lead to nirvana not given highest priority

stupas

religious buildings that originally housed Buddha relics. Stupas developed into familiar Buddhist architecture

bhikkhunis

religious nuns in the sangha

Four passing sights

sick man old man dead man shramana (ascetic)

Bodh Gaya

site of the Buddha's enlightenment, under a tree

Life of the Buddha

spent 40 years teaching the Four Noble Truths which culminated in the eightfold path Started the sangha Also let women join the sangha Died at 80 in Kushnagar, his body was cremated and divided into relic mound shrines (stupas)

dukkha

suffering in all its ramifications physical pain or loss process of the body imperminence of things (anitya) which makes pleasurable moments only temporary

2nd noble truth

suffering is caused by desire/craving (tahna

Mara

supernatural being regarded as personification of death, delusion, and temptation Summoned demons as soldiers and women to distract Siddhartha while meditating Tried to tempt Siddhartha to stay in nirvana and not spread his teachings

dharma

teachings of the Buddha one of the jewels of buddhism ultimate truth and the teachings that lead to it

4th noble truth

the way to end desire is the eight-fold path

Samatta meditation

theravada style meditation involving intense concentration

3rd noble truth

to escape suffering you have to end desire

Four conditions to seek

wealth gotten by lawful means godd renown in society long life birth in heaven

three jewels (Triratna) (three refuges)

• Buddha, • dharma, • sangha

Three pure concepts

• not creating evil, • practicing good, • actualizing good for others

eight-fold path

• outlines necessary means for achieving the realization of nirvana wisdom right views- noble truths right thought morality right speech right action right livelihood meditation right effort right mindfulness- meditation right concentration- trance Also arranged in: Morality (shila) entails speech, action, livelihood Meditation (dhyana) entails effort, mindfulness, concentration Insight or wisdom (prajna) entails views and thoughts