Buddhism Through Its Scriptures Flashcards
day 2 - Surveying the Canon (21 cards)
Abhidhamma (Sanskrit Abhidharma)
analysis of Buddhist teachings, part of Tipitaka
Buddhavacana
word of the Buddha
closed canon
scriptures are fixed; nothing new can be added
Dharma
Reality or Truth; nature of reality as taught by Buddha
Dharma to be learned
teachings need to be studied and udnerstood intellectually
Dharma to be practiced
teachings applied through ethical living, meditation, mindfulness
Dharma to be realized
direct, personal insight into the truth taught by Buddha
dual canon
a body of scripture is accepted, but also interpreted in the light of a second, more valued scripture
Evam me sutam
“thus i have heard”; start of a discourse that comes directly from Buddha itself
First Council
After Buddha’s death, the he disciples Ananda and Upali recited the Buddha’s sermons and rules for the monastic order
First Sermon
The first sermon given by Buddha is the teaching that, among others, set the “wheel of truth” in motion and the four noble truths
Gandhari
oldest language used to transmit buddhist teachings orally
Mahayana
one of the three main existing brands of buddhism
open canon
scriptures are not fixed; new texts can be added
Pali
main language of Theravada Buddhism/Tripitaka
Pali canon
earliest collection of Buddhist scriptures, written in Pali, central to Theravada Buddhism
Sanskrit
ancient Indian language used in many Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain texts
Sutta (Sanskrit Sutra)
Buddhist scripture, a teaching/discourse given by Buddha
Theravada
oldest Buddhist school; emphasizes Pali canon and personal enlightenment
Tipitaka (Sanskrit Tripitaka)
“Three Baskets”; the three-part collection of Buddhist scriptures: Vinaya, Sutta, Abhidhamma
Vinaya
set of rules and guidelines of monastic discipline in buddhism
