Buddhism Flashcards
(28 cards)
Buddhism Premise
All of life is suffering
Salvation from suffereing lies in our own efforts
in understanding how we create suffering for ourselves we can become free
Sacred Myths
The life of Buddha
Born 563 BCE as Siddhartha Gautama
prince- son of wealthy landowner, kshatriya cheif who tried to protect his son from the world
according to borth legends, born of miraculous conception
sage told siddhartha would become either a ascetic or supreme monarch
Four passing sights
sickness
old age
death
sannyasin
Enlightenment
Great resolution
Attains Buddhahood- ‘radiated light’ became a ‘buddha’
no longer sattva(being, person) striving for bodhi(state of complete awareness of total insight into the nature of reality) rather he is now a buddha (a fully enlightened one)
Five aggregates of self (5 skandhas)
physical matter feelings or sensations perceptual activity impulses to action bits of consciousness
Anatman
no ‘self’
Buddhist doctrine that there is no permanent, absolute self
Three marks of reality
Constant change
Lack of permanent identity
Existence of suffering
Constant change
Anitya- everything in the world as we experience it is impermanent, constant flux
wise person expects change accepts it and embraces it
Lack of permanent identity
Anatman- no permanent identity/self
each person is changing and compromised of parts that are constantly changing
Existence of suffering
Dukkha/Duhkha- suffering sorrow dissatisfaction
life when lived conventionally can never be fully satisfying because of inescapable change
can’t escape suffering but we can decide how to respond to it
The Dharma
Teaching or truth concerning the ultimate nature of things
Four noble truths
Dukkha- life means suffering
Trsna- the origin of suffering is attachment, cling, desire
Nirvana- the cessation of suffering is attainable
Eightfold Path- The path to the cessation of suffering is achievable by following the noble eight fold path
The noble eight fold path
right understanding right intention right speech right action right livelihood right effort right mindfulness right concentration
Order of disciples
sandha (community, association)
Three refugees of Buddhism
I take refugee in the Buddha, in the dharma(teachings) and in the sangha (Buddhist community)
Darhma
Truths of reality and right conducts
Wheel of birth and death in Buddhism
no eternal self to be reborn (anatman)
one changing state of being sets another into motion every event depends on a cause
karma- acts of will
ultimate goal is to break free of cycle to reach nirvana and end the wheel of suffering
The tripitaka/tipitkata (three baskets)
Sutra/Sutta Pitaka
Vinaya Pitaka
Abidharma/Abhidhamma Pitaka
Sutra/Sutta Pitaka
discourse basket buddhas teachings and stories
Vinaya Pitaka
disipline basket procedural rules for monastic life
teachings of vinaya (community of buddhist monks and nuns)
Abidharma/Abhidhamma Pitaka
special teachings basket
teaching not from buddha himself
2 divisions of buddhism
Theravada(indian)- way of elders
mahayana(Asian)- greater vehicle
both groups agree on four noble truths, eightfold path, karma and nirvana
Theravada
Elders monk and nuns individual reponsible for destiny key virtue: wisdom and insight scripture pali cannon only buddha considered a saint, supreme, teacher and inspirer Southeast Asia
Mahayana
centered on all persons fate of individual linked to fate of all key virtue: compassion Scriptue: Pali canon plus others Buddha considered a saviour Asian
