Buddhism Key Concepts

What are the parts of the Four Noble Truths?

1. Life has inevitable suffering 2. There is a cause to our suffering (desires) 3. There is an end to our suffering 4. The end to our suffering is in the Noble Eightfold Path

What are the three sects of Buddhism?

1. Mahayana 2. Theravada 3. Tibetan

What are the parts of the Noble Eightfold Path?

1. Right Understanding 2. Right Thought 3. Right Speech 4. Right Action 5. Right Livelihood 6. Right Effort 7. Right Mindfulness 8. Right Concentration

What are the main differences between Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism?

1. Sunyata: the emptiness that comes with enlightenment - Theravada believes that emptiness comes with enlightenment while Mahayana believes that everything is nothing until compared to something else. This means that they do not know what comes with enlightenment. 2. Bodhisattva: Mahayana believes that people who have reached nirvana can stay to help others while Theravada believes that once people reach nirvana, they are done. 3. Mahayana believes that people can help each other reach nirvana while Theravada believes that there is one path to nirvana for each person, therefore, it is an individual process. 4. Theravada believes that the best/only way to reach nirvana is by being a monk or nun while Mahayana believes that you do not have to be a monk or nun to reach nirvana.

Where are we going according to Buddhism?

1. To a favorable or unfavorable rebirth after death 2. To Enlightenment by reaching nirvana 3. To Buddhahood 4. To bodhisattva hood (Mahayana Buddhism)

Nirvana

A state of enlightenment that comes with the recognition that the ego is an illusion that causes us pain and suffering. In order to reach nirvana in Buddhism, someone has to follow the Noble Eightfold Path. Normally only Monks reach nirvana, but lay-Buddhist strives to reach a higher existence in their next life.

Buddha

Buddha's real name is Siddhartha Gautama and he was born a prince. A holy man prophesied that he would either be a great ruler or a great spiritual leader. Due to this, his Dad kept him locked in the palace in order to make him a ruler. In his late 20s, he ventured into the outside world and saw 4 things: an old man, a diseased man, a dead man and a holy man. He realized that these were the sufferings of the world and needed to be like the holy man in order to rid himself of these sufferings. On his next trip he did not come home until he came upon his answers. Meditated for 49 days under the tree reached enlightenment and realized people need the middle way. The four people also represent the Four Noble Truths.

What is the human condition in Buddhism?

Buddhists believe that humans are caught in samsara: the endless cycle of existence characterised by maya (illusion), tanha (craving), and hatred/aversion which all lead to dukkha (suffering or unsatisfactoriness)

Anicca

Change: This is one of the bases for life. It means that nothing is permanent and that is why people should not have greed because nothing will last. This is also why people can also love and have a family, but they will have to realize that the state of them being with you is impermanent.

Tanha

Craving: Related to the greed people experience during life which is the root of suffering. This is the second Noble Truth. It can be either physical, emotional, or mental greed.

Dharma

Dharma, the Buddha, and the sangha (community of believers) make up the Triratna, "Three Jewels," to which Buddhists go for refuge. Dharma is also the actions buddhists take in order to get karma. A main practice of dharma is meditation - this helps focus the mind and obtain good karma.

Karma

In the Buddhist tradition, karma refers to action driven by intention (cetanā) which leads to future consequences. Karma decides if a person reaches nirvana or not and also decides if they move to a higher level when they are rebirthed.

Sangha

It is a chance for people to reaffirm their commitment to Buddhist practices and traditions. Procession of Buddhist monks © Sangha Day commemorates the spontaneous gathering of 1,250 enlightened monks to hear the Buddha preach at Veluvana Vihara.

Bhavana

Meditation - either philosophy or religion

Sila

Sila is right conduct and comprises right speech, right action, and right livelihood (of the eightfold path).

Dukkha

Suffering: A base for the Buddhist religion It is the first of the Four Noble Truths. It means that each person will suffer throughout life.

Samsara

This is the continual cycle of birth and death which is moved by Dukkha (suffering) and avidya (ignorance). When someone is born, it is not considered the start of their life. In order to end samsara, one would have to reach nirvana by following the Noble EightFold Path

Karuna

This is the idea practiced in Buddhism that as fellow buddhists we should help relieve the suffering of others. This is highly important because the Buddha said that in order to realize enlightenment, people would need to have wisdom and compassion. These two ideals go hand in hand with each other.

Panna

This is translated to wisdom, which was deemed necessary by the Buddha for enlightenment. This is normally related to understanding the Buddha's teachings, but also, if you understand how the world functions, you can reach nirvana.

What is the main difference between Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhism?

They share most of the same believes, but the one main difference is that Tibetan Buddhism believes that there are special techniques which harness spiritual energy which can lead to nirvana in a single life time.

Arhat

This is someone who has reached nirvana. They will transcend rebirth because they have freed themselves from all desires and sufferings.

Upaya

Upaya is any activity that helps others realize enlightenment. The most important points are that the action is applied with wisdom and compassion and that it is appropriate in its time and place. The concept of upaya is based on the understanding that the Buddha's teachings are provisional means to realizing enlightenment.

Bodhisattva

a person who has attained prajna, or Enlightenment, but who postpones Nirvana in order to help others to attain Enlightenment. This is because some sects of Buddhism believe that we should reach nirvana together

Maya

an illusion - being connected to things that are impermanent = an illusion

Anatman

lack of permanent self: at the core of all human beings and living creatures, there is no "eternal, essential and absolute something called a soul, self or atman". This is the main difference between Hinduism and Buddhism! They believe in reincarnation, but they do not know if your soul moves across lives