Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism

"Great Vehicle" branch of Buddhism followed in China, Japan, and Central Asia. The focus is on reverence for Buddha and for bodhisattvas, enlightened persons who have postponed nirvana to help others attain enlightenment.

Theravada Buddhism

"Way of the Elders" branch of Buddhism followed in Sri Lanka and much of Southeast Asia. Theravada remains close to the original principles set forth by the Buddha; it downplays the importance of gods and emphasizes austerity and the individual's search for enlightenment.

Buddha

(c. 563-483 BC) Founder of Buddhism, also known as Siddhartha Gautama; he gave up princely life to search for truth and enlightenment. He established the Buddhist religion based on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

Ashoka

(r.268-232 BC) The Mauryan emperor who can be compared to Constantine and who promoted Buddhism throught his empire.

Middle Way

A basic Buddhist teaching that rejects both the pleasures of sensual indulgence and the self-denial of asceticism, focusing instead on a practical approach to spiritual attainment.

Buddhism

A belief system based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, which stress freeing oneself from worldly desires.

Zen Buddhism

A denomination of Buddhism that stresses exacting spiritual and physical discipline as the path to enlightenment. Came from Japan and China.

Nepal

A small landlocked Asian country high in the Himalayas between India and China. The buddha was the prince of this city before he actually became a the Buddha.

Wheel of Life

An important symbol of Buddhism. It represents the endless cycle of life through reincarnation.

Sri Lanka

An island country in the north Indian Ocean off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent in South Asia.

Four Noble Truths

As taught by the Buddha, the four basic beliefs that form the foundation of Buddhism.

Eightfold path

As taught by the Buddha, the path one must follow to achieve nirvana.

Where did Buddhism spread to?

Asoka sent missionaries to spread Buddhism to South East Asia. it naturally spread to Tibet and Korea, then to China and Japan.

Enlightened One

Buddha; one who has seen wisdom.

What areas were affected by the spread of Buddhism?

Buddhism spread from India, eastward, to China and Japan and other parts of Asia.

bodhisattvas

Buddhist holy men who refused advance toward nirvana to receive prayers of the living to help them reach holiness.

Palicanon

Completed Buddhist texts and regulations.

What was the early life of the Buddha like?

He was very wealthy but very sheltered.

What was the time period of the Buddha like?

It was a time of social/political uncertanty and general peace/prosperity.

What are the Eightfold Paths?

Know and understand the 4 Noble Truths; give up worldly things and don't harm others; tell the truth; don't commit evil acts; do rewarding work; work for good and oppose evil; make sure your mind keeps; your senses under control; and practice meditation as a way of understanding reality.

What are the Four Noble Truths?

Life is suffering, Suffering is caused by desire, To end suffering one must end desire, To end desire follow the eightfold path.

How many Buddhists are there today?

More then 350 million people.

the Great Departure

Siddhartha leaves his kingdom, shaves his head, changes his fine clothes for a single robe, He becomes a wandering holy man, He would wander for six years.

How did the early life of the Buddha lead to the beginnings of Buddhism?

The Buddha was sheltered his whole life and when he leaves the palace for the first time he sees people that are old, sick, and dying, and he wants to find an end to the suffering in the world.

Dhammapada

The Way of the Teaching; Well-known Buddhist scripture which is a collection of the Buddha's teachings.

Enlightenment

The beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation; all knowledge.

Himalayas

The highest mountains in the world, which stretch along northern India, separating it from the rest of Asia.

Four Central Truths

The ideas that the Buddha learned while meditating all night.

What are the major teachings of Buddhism?

The major teachings of Buddhism are to escape suffering of this world, by following a middle path that will allow reincarnation at a higher state, and to achieve enlightenment and be released from the cycle of reincarnation to reach a state of nirvana.

Bodg Gaya

The meditation position that the Buddha sat in all night.

nirvana

The ultimate goal of all Buddhists, the extinction of desire and any sense of individual selfhood, resulting in liberation from samsara and its limiting conditions.

Tibetan Buddhism

a Buddhist doctrine that includes elements from India that are not Buddhist and elements of preexisting shamanism, a tradition of Buddhism that teaches that people can use special techniques to harness spiritual energy and can achieve nirvana in a single lifetime

Monk

a man who separates himself from ordinary human society in order to pursue a life of total dedication to God

Siddhartha Gautama

founder of Buddism; born a prince; left his father's wealth to find the cause of human suffering; also know as the Buddha

kaon

something that has a hidden meaning to it or double meaning; a riddle.

Buddhist Literature

this includes commentaries, rules about monastic life, manuals on how to meditate, and legends about the Buddha's previous reincarnations

Diverse

to be unlike in nature, different