Buddhism - Final

Who established Buddhism as the official religion of India?

Emperor Ashoka

Why did Siddhartha's disciples desert him?

Eventually, Siddhartha collapsed from weakness. He was found resting under a sacred tree by a kind woman, who had come from the nearby town of Gaya to worship the spirit of the great tree. She offered him food, which he ACCEPTED gratefully and ate under the shade of the tree, out of the sun. Once revived, Siddhartha realized that his austerities had not strengthened him or brought him any closer to the answers he sought. His five companions, having discovered Siddhartha's rejection of asceticism, abandoned him.

Why is avoiding to cause suffering to others so essential in Buddhism?

For Buddhism, ahimsa ("nonharm") is fundamental. The ideal holds that to cause suffering to any being is cruel and unnecessary- life is already hard enough for each of us. Ahimsa discourages causing not only physical pain but also psychological hurt or the exploitation of another. Upon reaching a real understanding that every being that feels can suffer, the individual gains wider sympathy. It is then natural and satisfying for the individual to live with gentleness.

Three Realms

Formless realm, form realm, realm of desire.

Nirvana seems to come from a word that means

blow out.

A person of great compassion, willing to be reborn constantly to help others, is called

bodhisattva.

One of the essential Buddhist teachings is

everything is changing.

A major goal of Buddhism is

inner peace

To lessen suffering, the Buddha recommended

lessening desire.

Buddhism focuses especially on

maintaining inner peace.

Tradition holds that which relative of the Buddha died soon after the birth of the Buddha?

mother

The unconditioned state of reality that is the highest goal of Buddhism is called

nirvana.

The first noble truth sounds dark, but we are not to be melancholy but...

realistic

Relative Truth

Conceptual, backed by linguistic conventions

Absolute Truth

Inexpressible, cannot be captured by linguistic conventions, can only be experienced

What does the word "buddha" mean?

"Awakened one," "one who has awakened" to the truth of existence

mandala

"Sacred geography" (Tantra) A _____ is a diagram (usually based on a square and/or circle oriented to the four directions) of the cosmos in the form of a vision or a set of buddhas and boddhisattvas when then acts as a basis for visualization and meditation.

Mara

"The evil one." Tempted Buddha while he was meditating under the Bodhi Tree.

Trishna

"Thirst," "craving." The answer to "Why do living things suffer?"

Formless Realm

A realm of pure spiritual energy

The four passing sights

A. Old men , crooked and toothless B. A sick person, wasted by disease C. A corpse being taken for cremation D. A wandering holy man who had no possessions but seemed to be at peace

What are the paths within the Noble Eightfold Path?

A. Right Understanding: I recognize the impermanence of life, the mechanism of desire, and the cause of suffering. B. Right Intention: My thoughts and motives are pure, not tainted by my emotions and selfish desires. C. Right Speech: I speak honestly and kindly, in positive ways, avoiding lies, exaggeration, harsh words. D. Right Action: My actions do not hurt any other being that can feel hurt, including animals; I avoid stealing and sexual conduct that would bring hurt. E. Right Work: My job does no harm to myself or others. F. Right Effort: With moderation, I consistently strive to improve. G. Right Meditation (Right Mindfulness): I use the disciplines of meditation (dhyana) and focused awareness to contemplate the nature of reality more deeply. H. Right Contemplation: I cultivate states of blissful inner peace (samadhi)

What are the three goals of the Noble Eightfold Path?

A. To face life objectively B. To live kindly C. To cultivate inner peace

What is ended with nirvana, and why is this a blessing?

Although reaching nirvana occurs rarely, it is theoretically possible to attain during one's lifetime; the Buddha is said to have "entered nirvana" at the time of his enlightenment. Once a person has reached nirvana, rebirth is finished, and in a culture that believes that individuals have already been born many times before this current life, an end to rebirth can be a welcome thought.

The Buddha of the Western Paradise is

Amitabha.

The Indian ruler who spread Buddhist teaching widely was

Ashoka

The Bodhi Tree

Buddha sat beneath this tree and meditated until he reached enlightenment.

Where did Buddhism begin?

Buddhism is one of the world's oldest and most significant religions. It has spread through most of Asia, influencing many cultures there, and is now gaining followers in the West. But it had its beginning in India and arose from the experience of one person.

Who was Ashoka and how did he influence Buddhism and its spread?

Buddhism might have remained an entirely Indian religion, much as Jainism has, if it were not for an energetic king named Ashoka, who flourished about 250 BCE. Ashoka's plan to expand his rule over a large part of India naturally entailed much fighting. After a particularly bloody battle in eastern India, as Ashoka was inspecting the battlefield, he saw the scene very differently than he had before. The whole experience was so horrifying that Ashoka converted to the ideal of nonviolence. Although it is uncertain whether Ashoka became a Buddhist, he did make political use of Buddhist moral values. To bring a large number of the population around to his new nonviolent way of thinking and acting, Ashoka decided to spread the principles of nonviolence throughout India and possibly even beyond. To do this, he erected many stone columns inscribed with his principles, placing some at sites important in the Buddha's life.

Buddhism came to Tibet from

India

Buddhism began in

India.

What keeps sentient beings trapped in samsara?

Karma

Three Types of Suffering

Ordinary suffering, suffering produced by change, the suffering of conditioned states

Karma

Our actions and their consequences

The Eightfold Path

Right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration

Sentient beings are trapped in ______.

Samsara

Realm of Desire

Samsara, where humans live, seek out pleasurable experiences, avoid negative experiences, and prolong neutral experiences.

What ascetic tradition gave rise to Buddhism?

Shramana ("wandering")

Who was the historical founder of Buddhism?

Siddhartha Gautama

How was Buddha's birth miraculous?

Siddhartha was born the son of a prince of the Shakya tribe in what is today Nepal, in the lower Himalaya Mountains. Legend says that his mother, Maya, dreamt that a white elephant entered her side- this was the moment of conception of the future Buddha- and that there was no pain involved. Siddhartha's mother died a week after childbirth, and the boy was raised by his aunt.

Form Realm

Similar to the Christian idea of a realm populated by angels and spiritual beings.

What does Buddhism accept and reject about the soul and how does this faith avoid an apparent contradiction?

The Buddha rejected the notion of a soul (an unchanging spiritual reality), but he accepted some notion of rebirth. How, we might then ask, can an individual be reborn if there is no soul? Buddhism holds that while there is no individual soul, the elements of personality that make up an individual can recombine and thus continue from one lifetime to another.

Yama

The God of Death

What is the Great Going Forth?

The Great Going Forth refers to the event in which Siddhartha decided to escape. Legend tells how he took a last look at his sleeping family and attendants and rode to the edge of the palace grounds, where he gave his horse to his servant, removed his jewels, and cut off his long black hair. Putting on simple clothing, he went out into the world with nothing but questions.

Samsara

The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

What is the essence of this third noble truth?

The essence of the Third Noble Truth is this: I cannot change the outside world, but I can change myself and the way I experience the world.

Four Noble Truths

The foundation of Buddhist thought: (1) life is pain (2) pain is caused by desire (3) elimination of desire will bring an end to pain (4) living a life based on the Noble Eightfold Path will eliminate desire.

What is the great Buddhist prayer of compassion?

The great prayer of Buddhist compassion is this: May all creatures be well and happy. It is a common Mahayana practice to mentally project this wish to the world every day.

What are the central festivals of Buddhism?

The most important Buddhist festivals focus on the birth of the Buddha, his enlightenment, his death, the celebration of the New Year, and sometimes the commemoration of the dead. The exact dates for these celebrations and memorials differ from culture to culture.

What is the middle path?

The path between the two extremes of hedonism and asceticism.

Dalai Lama

The spiritual leader of Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism, believed to be an incarnation of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. 16th century onward, head of Drepung monastary in Tibet. New incarnations identified by signs from previous Dalai Lama, dreams, and tests.

Duhkha

The truth of suffering. Suffering is the natural state of the world - it is inescapable.

What is the goal of Buddhism?

The ultimate goal of Buddhism is nirvana (Sanskrit; Pali: nibbana). The term nirvana suggests many things: end of suffering, inner peace, and liberation from the limitations of the world.

Four Stages of Enlightenment

Through practice, (Theravadan) practitioners can achieve four stages of enlightenment: 1) Stream-Enterers: Those who have destroyed the first three fetters (false view of Self, doubt, and clinging to rites and rituals); 2) Once-Returners: Those who have destroyed the first three fetters and have lessened the fetters of lust and hatred; 3) Non-Returners: Those who have destroyed the five lower fetters, which bind beings to the world of the senses; 4) Arahants: Those who have reached Enlightenment—realized Nirvana, and have reached the quality of deathlessness—are free from all the fermentations of defilement. Their ignorance, craving and attachments have ended.

In China, what are the "Three Doctrines"?

Ultimately, Buddhism was linked with Daoism and Confucianism as one of the officially sanctioned "Three Doctrines," and it became an essential part of Chinese culture.

According to Buddha, why is desire bad?

When he analyzed suffering, the Buddha saw that it comes from wanting what we cannot have and from never being satisfied with what we do have. We all have desires, and because life around us is always changing, no matter how much we acquire we cannot be permanently satisfied. Desire is insatiable, and the result is discontent, dissatisfaction, and sometimes misery.

What happens to the individual when nirvana is reached?

Upon attaining nirvana, the individual has self-control and is no longer driven from inside by raging emotional forces or from outside by the unpredictable events of life. It may not necessary imply the elimination of anger (stories tell of the Buddha's getting angry at disputes within the monastic community), but it does suggest a general inner quiet. Nirvana is also believed to end karma and rebirth after the present life. To reach nirvana, Buddhism recommends following the Noble Eightfold Path.

What two options were foretold for the life of Siddhartha? What did his father do about it?

When a sage inspected the child, he saw that he would be an illustrious person. It was foretold that his life could go in one of the two directions: either he would follow in his father's footsteps, inheriting his position and becoming a great king, a "world ruler"; or, if he were exposed to the sight of suffering he would become a great spiritual leader, a "world teacher." Siddhartha's father, wanting his son to succeed him, took measures to keep the boy from exposure to suffering. Kept in a large, walled palace compound, Siddhartha grew up in luxury; married, at an early age, a young woman his father had chosen; and had a son. He was educated and trained as a warrior to prepare for eventually taking over his father's role.

Does Buddhism separate "wants" from "needs"?

Yes- Some of our desires are obvious: food, sleep, clothing, housing, health. Some desires are more subtle: privacy, respect, friendship, quiet, stresslessness, security, variety, beauty. And some desires are simply "wants" that are cultivated by our society: alcohol, designer clothes, tobacco, entertainment, expensive food.

Regarding his social class, the Buddha was

a kshatriya

The ideal of the Theravada branch is the

arhat (arahat).

The Buddha was particularly troubled by the problem of

suffering and death.

he basic outlook on life, formulated by Buddhism, is contained in

the Four Noble Truths

The Buddha opposed

the caste system.

Siddhartha Gautama is the name of

the person who became known as the Buddha.

In regard to the common belief in a permanent soul, the Buddha seems to have taught that

there is none.