Final Flashcards
(53 cards)
The Buddha
The individual whose teachings form the basis of the Buddhist tradition. One who was spiritually awake and had escaped samsara and achieved nirvana.
Nirvana
Nirvana is the term for when one breaks free from suffering and the endless cycle of rebirth known as samsara. This is attainable by eliminating all greed, hatred, and ignorance within a person.
4 Noble Truths
Also known as arya, these were revealed in the Buddha’s first sermon. One becomes noble by understanding and following these truths.
1. Suffering
2. Desire, hatred, ignorance
3. Cessation
4. The Path
No-self
The idea that there is no permanent, unchanging self. This applies to everything in the universe. What we think of as “self” is an illusion created by the 5 aggregates, which are also impermanent.
Mahayana Buddhism
The umbrella term for the Buddhist tradition that emphasizes the Bodhisattva ideal. Followers seek to achieve enlightenment for the purpose of helping others achieve it as well. Pure Land and Zen fall under the Mahayana tradition.
Buddha-Nature
From Mahayana Buddhist tradition. The belief that all beings possess the potential to become enlightened, to the same extent as the Buddha, or that all beings already have pure Buddha essence within themselves.
Bodhisattva
In Mahayana Buddhist tradition, a bodhisattva is someone who makes a vow to become enlightened so they can relieve the suffering of all beings. Follows the Great Vehicle path.
The Lotus Sutra
This is the most famous Buddhist text in East Asia. It teaches a universalist doctrine, that all beings have potential to become enlightened, all paths to enlightenment ultimately lead to the same goal (One Vehicle), and all beings deserve compassion.
Nāgārjuna
A key figure from Indian Mahayana Buddhism. He is credited with taking Mahayana philosophical teachings and making them into one coherent idea: Middle Way Philosophy.
Tiantai Three Truths
The Tiantai school’s main philosophical principle: emptiness, existence, and the middle.
All phenomena are empty of any independent self-nature or essence, phenomena exist in a provisional manner, and phenomena are both empty of existence and exist provisionally.
Amitabha/Amida
The central figure in Pure Land Buddhism, a major branch of Mahayana Buddhism. His name means “Infinite Light,” reflecting his boundless compassion and the ability to guide beings towards enlightenment.
Decline of the Dharma
Refers to traditional Buddhist accounts of how Buddhism and the Buddha’s teaching is believed to decline throughout history. Provides a cyclical model of history, beginning with a virtuous age where spiritual practice is very fruitful and ending with an age of strife, in which Buddhism is eventually totally forgotten. This process culminates in the eventual arrival of a new Buddha.
Nianfo/nembutsu
A practice in Pure Land tradition. It involves chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha, seeking rebirth in the Pure Land, and cultivating faith and mindfulness.
Chan/Son/Zen
Originating from the sudden awakening movement. A form of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes direct experience and intuition through meditation to achieve enlightenment. Characterized by simplicity, present-moment awareness, understanding the interconnectedness of all things.
Transmission of the Lamp
The zen claim that zen comes from the Buddha directly transmitting the Lamp of Awakening to a single zen master, and it passes down to their disciple, establishing them as a successor in an unbroken lineage of teachers.
Bodhidharma
The Buddhist monk who is credited with bringing Chan Buddhism to China.
Huineng
The founder of “sudden enlightenment” Buddhism. According to tradition Huineng was an uneducated layman who suddenly attained awakening upon hearing the Diamond Sutra. Huineng was chosen as the fifth patriarch’s successor over of his publicly known selection.
Platform Sutra
A Buddhist text centered on the teachings and stories ascribed to the sixth Chan patriarch Huineng. It contains the well-known story of the contest for the succession of Hongren.
Linji
Both the name of this house of Sudden Awakening Buddhism and the founder. Most dominant sudden awakening house. Known for its koan tradition and also its somewhat unconventional teaching methods.
Koans
Riddles and stories used in Zen Buddhism as a meditative tool to help transcend ordinary thought and achieve enlightenment. They often present questions or statements that defy logical resolution, forcing the meditator to confront the limitations of conceptual understanding and explore deeper levels of awareness
Caodong
One of the houses of Sudden Awakening Buddhism. Follows the silent illumination method of becoming enlightened. Emphasizes just-sitting, where everyday activities are contemplative and meditative.
Silent Illumination
A Caodong practice of spending a long time in silent meditation without koans or directions from a teacher. Eventually, one’s inner nature will become illuminated.
New Confucianism
The current version of government-approved Confucianism in China. Confucius is viewed as a philosopher who promoted virtue, respect for elders, and respect for government. This form of Confucianism is seen as an ethic rather than a practice with rituals.
Korean Pure Land
A branch of Mahayana Buddhism that centers on the practice of seeking rebirth in the Pure Land, a paradise associated with Amitabha Buddha. It’s a devotional tradition that emphasizes chanting Amitabha’s name and accumulating merit to ensure rebirth in this blessed realm.
