Buddhism beliefs

Question 1

Anatta

Answer 1

No fixed self, people change in the course of their lives, denial of a real or permanent self

Question 2

Anicca

Answer 2

Impermanence, instability, not permanent

Question 3

Buddha

Answer 3

An awakened or enlightened person

Question 4

Buddhahood

Answer 4

Enlightenment

Question 5

Buddha - nature

Answer 5

In Mahayana Buddhism, the fundamental nature of all beings, all beings can attain Buddhahood

Question 6

Karuna

Answer 6

Compassion, part of the spiritual path

Question 7

Consciousness

Answer 7

The fifth of the Five Aggregates - awareness of something without or before recognition

Question 8

Dependent arising

Answer 8

Paticcasamupada. The belief that everything in existence is because other things are. Everything is interconnected and that everyone affects everyone else.

Question 9

Dhamma/dharma

Answer 9

Universal law, ultimate truth, the teaching of the Buddha.

Question 10

Dukkha

Answer 10

Suffering, everything leads to suffering

Question 11

Eightfold Path

Answer 11

The path to Nirvana. Right views, right intention, right speech, right cation, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.

Question 12

Energy

Answer 12

One of the six perfections, it relates to making a courageous effort to attain enlightenment.

Question 13

Enlightenment

Answer 13

Wisdom and escaping the painful cycle of rebirth

Question 14

Sila

Answer 14

Ethics, moral conduct

Question 15

The Five Aggregates

Answer 15

Form, sensation, perception, mental formation and consciousness. The idea that one’s being composed of these five factors.

Question 16

The Five Moral Precepts

Answer 16

To not kill any living being, refrain from stealing, refrain from wrongful sexual activities, refrain from lying, refrain from taking drugs and alcohol that cloud the mind

Question 17

Form

Answer 17

The first of the Five Aggregates. It refers to matter, to the sense of organs and the objects of their experience.

Question 18

The Four Noble Truths

Answer 18

Dukkha, Samudaya, Nirodha and Magga (there is suffering, the cause of suffering, the end of suffering and the path to the end of suffering).

Question 19

The Four Sights

Answer 19

Gautama’s four encounters with an ill man, an old man, a dead man and a holy man

Question 20

Generosity

Answer 20

One of the six perfections. The selfless desire to benefit others without expecting an award.

Question 21

Greed

Answer 21

One of the Three Poisons, the attachment to materialistic things, sensual desire

Question 22

Hate

Answer 22

Another one of the Three Poisons, wishing others harm

Question 23

Ignorance

Answer 23

The last of the Three Poisons, the inability to see things as they really are

Question 24

Jataka

Answer 24

The Jataka Tales are stories about the previous lives of the Buddha.

Question 25

Kamma

Answer 25

Deliberate actions that affect the believers' circumstances in this and future lives, they cause an affect

Question 26

Metta

Answer 26

Loving kindness. A pure love which is not possessive

Question 27

Magga

Answer 27

The Eightfold Path. It leads to freedom from suffering (The Fourth Noble Truth).

Question 28

Morality

Answer 28

One of the six perfections. It entails following the five moral precepts.

Question 29

Nibbana

Answer 29

To reach the state of perfect peace where the individual experiences liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Question 30

Nirvana

Answer 30

The Sanskrit form of Nibbana

Question 31

Panna

Answer 31

Insight to the true nature of reality

Question 32

Patience

Answer 32

One of the six perfections.

Question 33

Perception

Answer 33

The third of the Five Aggregates. The ability to distinguish the difference between different objects that we experience through our senses.

Question 34

Rebirth

Answer 34

This refers to when a person dies they are reborn and this process of death and rebirth continues until Nibbana is attained.

Question 35

Samudaya

Answer 35

The causes of suffering (The Second Noble Truth)

Question 36

Sensation

Answer 36

The second of the Five Aggregates. It is about the feelings that arise from our sense organs making contact with their objects.

Question 37

The six perfections

Answer 37

Guides in Mahayana Buddhism to lead one into Enlightenment.

Question 38

The Threefold way

Answer 38

The three divisions of the Eightfold Path into ethics, meditation and wisdom

Question 39

The Three Poisons

Answer 39

Ignorance, greed and hate

Question 40

The Three Refuges

Answer 40

Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha

Question 41

The Three Marks of Existence

Answer 41

dukkha, anicca and anatta - the truth of existence