Buddhism Flashcards
(54 cards)
What are the three jewels?
Buddhists take refuge in these, protection and shelter from the pain and suffering of life
Buddha: Original teacher, without him nothing else would exist, reminds others that they can achieve enlightenment
Dharma: teachings of the Buddha
Sangha: worldwide community of Buddhists
What happened at the birth of the buddha?
His mother dreamt of a white elephant entering her womb, painless birth, was predicted to either be a great ruler or religious leader, born on the border of Nepal and India, he had many marks of a great person on him
What was the Buddha’s life like as a prince?
Siddhartha was married at 15, he was sheltered and had a privileged life, never witnessing suffering, sickness or death. He had a son
What was the Buddha’s first meditation?
He was at a festival, a man is plowing, and a worm is dug up and gets eaten by a worm, he realised everything is connected, had first meditation while watching the plow
What are the 4 sights?
He left the palace and saw a sick man, an old man, a dead man and a ascetic holy man, in 4 journeys. He realises this will happen to him. He seeks answers, didn’t like brahmin belief of we are reborn to suffer again
What was the Buddha’s life as an ascetic?
Cut off his long hair, exchanged robes for rags, believed the answers to life should be available to everyone, practiced meditation, ascetism where he fasted, he almost died but a girl gave him some rice. He heard a passing musician who said “if you tighten the strings too much they snap, too loose it will not play”
What is the middle way and what did the buddha do after finding this?
The buddha realised the middle way will help us achieve enlightenment. This means giving your body just enough to survive. He sat under the bodhi tree and he calmly thought and focused on his breathing determined to reach enlightenment. The demon king mara (phycological state not literal) appeared and faced him with many temptations
What happened when the buddha achieved enlightenment?
At age 45 he achieved enlightenment, he spent 7 days meditating in a state of pure bliss, he saw to remove suffering by removing desire. This is seen as the birth of buddhism, he taught until he died at age 80
What are the 4 noble truths?
1 Dukkha: Life is full of suffering
2 Samudaya: Suffering is caused by desire
3 Nirodha: To get rid of suffering (Dukkha) you have to stop desiring (Tanha)
4 Magga: To get rid of desire you must follow the 8 fold path
What are the 3 marks of existence?
Anicca
Anatta
Dukkha
What is Anicca?
Anicca: Impermanence
Everything changes, nothing stays the same. Quick changes like the burning of a match or slow changes like moving of the continental plates
Quote for Anicca?
Dhammapada 170
“When a man considers this world as bubble and froth, and as the illusion of appearance, then the king of death has no life power over him”
What is Anatta?
There is no permanent individual or self. All of us are constantly changing we are different people even tho we feel like the same person, no soul our sense of self is an illusion. (linked to 5 skandas)
Quote for Anatta?
Dhammapada 147
“Consider this body, a painted puppet with jointed limbs, sometimes suffering and covered in ulcers, full of imaginings, never permanent, forever changing”
What is Dukkha?
Suffering, this can be mental or physical. (It is the 3rd of 3 marks of existence and 1st of the 4 noble truths)
What are the 5 skandas?
Rupa: Form/physical body e.g. going bald
Vedana: sensations/feelings e.g. feeling angry then calming down
Samjna: perception e.g. perception of the world
Samskara: mental formations e.g. likes and dislikes/relationships
Vijnana: consciousness e.g. zoning out
What is samsara?
The cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. Full of suffering and fueled by desire. Your thoughts and actions keep you in this cycle (kammic energy). The wheel of life helps Buddhists understand this.
What is dependent origination?
Linked to samsara, it is cause and effect meaning you are in control and your actions will affect this and future lives
What are the 6 realms of the wheel of life?
Gods: pride e.g. Kardashians
Titans: jealousy e.g. putin
Hungry ghosts: greed e.g. squid game
Hell: evil e.g. karen
Animal: ignorance e.g. children
Human: selfishness e.g. lay Buddhists
What are the 3 root poisons?
Greed (pig)
Ignorance (chicken)
Hatred (snake)
What are the 3 root goods?
Non-attachment
Kindness
Wisdom
What is kamma/karma?
It’s the belief in the natural law of cause and effect. It is the result of dependant origination. It’s the sum of all your intentions and actions, including past lives. With each action you gain negative or positive kammic energy. The more positive energy the closer you are to enlightenment. Root poisons make unskilful actions, root goods make skillful actions.
What is Nibbana/Nirvana?
Enlightenment is a state of mind that can be achieved through meditation in this life. Nibbana is when this enlightened state of mind is held at death and then your kammic energy is not reborn into samsara. It literally means “to blow out” this refers to the flames of desire and experiencing suffering these cease to exist.
What are theravada Buddhists?
It is older and more conservative, follows the teachings of the buddha exactly.
Many of them are monks and nuns
Strive to be Arhats (perfected people who gained true insight into the nature of reality)
