Buddhism (Origins) 1 Flashcards
Where did Buddhism originate?
India
What was the caste system and what did this mean for Hindu’s?
Is a social hierarchy. Hindu believed that the higher you are within the system the more likely you are able to be reincarnated.
What practice was commonly performed by the priests in the Hindu religion?
Animal sacrifice and Puja
How did they believe they attained moksha (exited the cycle of samsara)?
Through asceticism
Who were shramanas and what did they practice?
Shramanas were hindu, holy and nomadic individuals and they practised aesticsm.
What did shramanas teach about?
They taught about the nature of the soul, how to attain better moksha and that asceticism is the way to achieve nirvana.
What was the Buddha born as?
He was born into royalty as a prince
What was predicted at his birth?
That he would either be a great king or spiritual leader
How did the King react to this?
The king sheltered him and controlled his every movement to ensure that he would never experience dukka.
What did Siddhartha see on his journeys outside the castle?
Within his journey outside of the castle, he encounter a sick, old, dying and holy person.
What is seen as the noble deed by Buddha?
He left his life of material desires in order to seek enlightenment
What did he practice after he left the castle and why did he stop this?
He practiced asceticism. He stopped because he realised that he didn’t have to go to that extreme to reach enlightenment and eventually created the middle way.
What happened to his followers?
After he had consumed the bowl of rice, his followers had left him.
What did he teach after he gave up asceticism?
He taught the Eight Fold Path as well as the turning wheel of the Dhamma.
Where did he attain enlightenment?
Under a bodhi tree
