Phil: Buddhism exam
Middle way
siddhartha guatama came to the conclusion that neither sensual indulgence not self denial is helpful to understanding and liberation from suffering so he chose the path in between them
lama
spiritual teachers
Jataka tales
stories of the previous lives of Buddha.
S.N. Goenka
teacher of vipassana meditation
Sangha
the buddhist monastic order of the 5 ascetics
Buddha
the enlightened one, many different buddhas
Siddhartha Guatama
the man who left his family after seeing the four sights to pursue the life to find out what leads to suffering. He reaches enlightenment and teaches in to other ascetics in the Sangha
Tipitaka / Tripitaka
the sacred bible of the Buddhists, composed of three main scrolls: sutra, abhidhamma, vinaya
Dalai Lama
the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism and, until the establishment of Chinese communist rule, the spiritual and temporal ruler of Tibet.
nirvana
the state of pure equanimity, unmoved bliss
Dhamma / dharma
the teaching of the buddha
anatta / anatman (no-self)
there is no static self that remains the same, our greatest attachment is to our notion of self
mantra
verse uttered ("OM")
Vajrayana
views itself as being traced back to buddha himself and combines elements of Mahayana with secret teachings in the Tantras. Believes that the material world is a manifestation of divine energy and to reach control of that energy is to reach enlightenment
Theravada: ("way of elders")
views itself as representing the original and authentic teaching of the Buddha. Emphasizes own efforts to reach nirvana; those who attain it are arhats
Mahayana
views itself as the tradition that penetrates the teachings of buddha more deeply than Theravada; sees buddha as the earthly expression of ultimate reality
Four sights
1: frail old man (sidd had never seen old age) 2: man with disease (sidd had never seen disease/suffering before) 3: a corpse (no one can escape death) 4: wandering ascetic (gave sidd hope because the man was homeless and without possessions but still happy)
Four noble truths
1: suffering is inherit in life 2: the cause of suffering is desire 3: there is a way to end desire and suffering 4: follow the noble eightfold path
vesak
A celebration of Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death. Dancing and celebrating in the streets.
pali
An ancient language of India, similar to Sanskrit but more commonly understood, and used in the writing of the earliest Buddhist texts; most important for Theravada Buddhism
hinayana
Branch of Buddhism known as the "lesser vehicle," also known as Theravada Buddhism; its beliefs include strict, individual path to enlightenment, and it is popular in south and southeast Asia.
Amitabha
Buddha of the Pure Land
stupa
Buddhist shrine that is shaped like a dome or mound
Lotus Sutra
Culminating discourse deliverance at the end of Shakyamuni's life. Eternality of the Buddha (Doctrine of the Trikaya) buddha existed as a heavenly being before a human and was a heavenly being afterwards. He isn't just a man but an eternal being. Shakyamuni's choice to remain in samsara to teach the dharma. Extremely self-referential. Said there were three different types of buddhas
right speech, right action, right livelihood (eightfold path)
Cultivate ethical conduct
Samsara (Buddhism)
Cycle of existence and suffering
sutta/suttra
Dhamma teachings from the Buddha's sermons
Chan (Mahayana)
Foundation not scripture or imitation, but direct insight into one's own mind achieved through zazen (sitting meditation)
magha puja
It celebrates a gathering that was held between the Buddha and 1,250 of his first disciples, which, according to tradition, preceded the custom of periodic recitation of discipline by monks. On the day, Buddhists celebrate the creation of an ideal and exemplary community, which is why it is sometimes called Saṅgha Day
shunyata: ("emptiness")
Teaching that all compounded things have no independent existence or eternal real
Shakya clan
The Shakya were a clan of late Vedic India and the later so-called second urbanisation period in the Indian subcontinent. The Shakyas formed an independent oligarchic republican state known as the Śākya Gaṇarājya
Buddhist transtheism
The buddha seems to have rejected Bhakti as a way of salvation. Believed that the world had non-human gods, goddesses, demons, etc., but all are finite. Did not espouse ritual sacrifice and prayer. Rather, it focused on human suffering (a "symptom")
buddha-nature
The idea that everyone has the essence of a Buddha inside them
Karma (Buddhism)
The moral law of cause and effect of actions; determines the nature of one's rebirth
right view and right intention (eightfold path)
Wisdom: Understand and Accept the Three Marks: - Annica (impermanence) - Dukkha (suffering) - Anatta (no self)
Maitreya
a Buddha (or bodhisattva) expected to appear on earth in the future
pratyekabudha
achieves same insight without a teacher (Shadowy) someone not a part of the Sangha and reaches nirvana on their own
anicca (impermanence)
all things are always changing. All things are always in a state of becoming
bodhisattva
aspiring to become a future Buddha, liberate all beings
Deer park
buddha's first teaching which he spoke of the middle way, the four noble truths, and the noble eightfold path to the first 5 ascetics and when the sangha was formed
genre
category of composition marked by a particular form, style, and subject matter
dukkha (suffering)
central to the dharma, suffering is the desire to hold on to something when nothing can be held
deity yoga
concept involves visualizing oneself as a deity
tanha
desire, thirst, or craving. It is what suffering stems from
bhakti
devotion to a deity or guru
"three marks"
dukkha (suffering), anicca (impermanence), anatta / anatman (no-self)
Ashoka
emperor of India's Mauryan dynasty who imposed violence and suffering and then regretted it and turned to buddhism
Zen (Mahayana)
emphasizes practice over doctrine. total control over the mind rather than devotion to a figure. it's the most radically self reliant form
satori
flash of insight
Bodhidharma
founder of Zen Buddhism
mudra
hand positions believed to channel contact with deities and can also ward of evil spirits or demons
Pure Land (Mahayana)
infinite compassion of the Amitabha Buddha and recites the Buddha's name in order to guarantee his path to the Pure Land after his death. No rebirth or samsara just eternal heaven for helping Buddha reach the pure land
abhidhamma
learned discourse, doctrinal interpretation
parinivana
moment of physical death and transition of Nirvana
Vipassana
one of the two types of meditation. begins with a focus on breath and gain insight into the workings if compulsive and restless thought and to get past the suffering they cause
Samatha
one of the two types of meditation. cultivates the ability to focus awareness on a single object of concentration. Stabilizes the mind
arhat / arhant
one who has reached enlightenment
sharvaka
path of the arhat seeking nirvana (Theravada) a member in the Sangha
koan
puzzle intended to stymie the mind, bring new insight
eightfold path
right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration
vinaya
rules of monastic discipline
mandala
("frame") picture form depicting celestial deities
puja
("offering") of prayers, confessions of sins, or sacrifices
skandhas
"heaps," "clusters," the five impermanent aggregates (form, feeling, conception, karmic dispositions, and consciousness); by their collocation, they give rise to the mistaken sense of "self"
Shakyamuni
"sage of the Shakyas," one of the titles applied to Gautama Siddhartha as a historical personage
three refuges / jewels
"I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha"
upaya
"Skillful Means" was developed into a form of Buddhist practice that encourages imaginatively applying wisdom to whatever circumstances one is in to assist in easing suffering or cultivating insight
bhikkus / bhikkhunis
Monks
ekayana
One vehicle; notion in the Lotus Sutra that refers to the essence or true practice behind all forms of Buddhism
festival of the tooth
This historical procession is held annually to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha, which is housed at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. A unique symbol of Sri Lanka, the procession consists of many traditional local dances such as fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandyan dances and various other cultural dances, in addition to the elephants who are usually adorned with lavish garments.