Branches of Buddhism Flashcards
(9 cards)
4 branches of Buddhism:
-Theravada
-Mahayana
-zen
-pure land
Theravada buddhism
-“… of …”
-classic and … Buddhism
-live a … life
—>live in a … of monks/…
-main focus in the 3 …
—>…, …, …
-can transfer … to others
-belief in the 5 …
-… is to become …
-“school of elders”
-classic and traditional Buddhism
-live a monastic life
—>live in a community of monks/nuns
-main focus in the 3 refuges
—>buddha, dhamma, sangha
-can transfer merit to others
-belief in the 5 aggregates
-goal is to become arhat
Mahayana
-“the great …”
-… term for … traditions
-… others is …
-don’t have to be a …/nun to become …
-believe in … (emptiness)
—>… has an … soul
-goal is to be …
—>follow the 6 …
-“the great vehicle”
-umbrella term for newer traditions
-helping others is key
-don’t have to be a monk/nun to become enlightened
-believe in sunyata (emptiness)
—>nothing has an independent soul
-goal is to be bodhisattva
—>follow the 6 perfection
Zen
-part of Mahayana
-use meditation to try and understand the truth about life
Pure land
-part of …
-want to be … into … land
-based on … Buddha
-no …, hunger or … in this world to … people from becoming …
-must …, recite …, offer
-part of Mahayana
-want to be reborn into pure land
-based on Amitabha Buddha
-no suffering, hunger or problems in this world to stop people from becoming enlightened
-must chant, recite scriptures, offer
How do Theravada Buddhist believe u can reach enlightenment
-only possible through monastic life (as a monk or nun)
—>because there are few distractions
-u must become an arhat
How do Mahayana Buddhists become enlightened
-through the middle way
-but some choose to stay as bodhisattvas to dedicate their life to helping others
How do pure land Buddhists reach enlightenment
-to hard to achieve on earth so aim to go to pure land after death
-pure land has no suffering so it’s easier to become enlightened
-once a Buddhist in pure land has earned nibanna they are free from the cycle of samsara
