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