Buddhist practices

Question 1

What is the noble eightfold path?

Answer 1

set of guidelines on how to live. Last truth. By following it Buddhists belive they are on the path to remove suffering and set them on the road to enlightment

Question 2

What does wisdom (prajna) on the path include

Answer 2

• Right view - understanding life involves change
  -Right intentions - aim to resist desire and show compassion

Question 3

What does morality (sila) on the path include

Answer 3

-right speech - telling lies, speaking harshly, spreading gossip, pointless chatter
-right action - avoid stealing, harming living things, sexual misconduct
-right livelihood- jobs should reflects buddist values

Question 4

What does meditation (samadhi) on the path include

Answer 4

• -Right mindfulness - beinf more aware of own feelings and how your actions affect others
  -Right concentration - train your mind
  -Right effort- meditation

Question 5

Theravada Buddhists

Answer 5

they concentrate on following the path to enlightment. Their key quailty is Wisdom. This is gained mainly by meditation and or the study of the pali canon

Question 6

Mahayanists Buddhists

Answer 6

try to develop the six perfections as the path to enlightment. Their key quailty is compassion (this leads to bodhisattvas being reborn again and again in order to help all beings

Question 7

Benefits of following the noble eightfold path

Answer 7

• step guide on how to live
  -helps gain positve kamma
• if everyone followed it the world would be a better place
  -helps focus on positve actions rather than negative ones

Question 8

Difficulties of following the noble eightfold path

Answer 8

• hard to follow without expert guidance due to emphasise on widsom nd need to study scipture
  -not always easy to do right thing lies
  -meditation is difficult to master
  -buddhist living in western world can be hard to follow

Question 9

Benefits of belonging to sangha

Answer 9

• means community
  -wok together towards enlightment
  -as a monk or nun each day is organized in the same way to help people to develop Buddhist qualities
  -monks benift from peace and wuiet whereas lay buddhist life can involve noise arguments and even confrontation

Question 10

The five precepts

Answer 10

-I undertake to abstain from taking life
-I undertake to abstain from taking what is not freely given
-I undertake to abstain from the misuse of senses
-I undertake to abstain from wrong speech
- I undertake to abstain from taking drugs and alcohol which could cloud the mind

*applys to all Buddhist

Question 11

Importance of 5 precepts

Answer 11

-guideline so Buddhist know what to do
-in line with the eightfold path
-helps Buddhist practice skilful actions and avoid negative kamma

Question 12

Samatha Meditation

Answer 12

-suitable for everyone, all about gaining calm.
-meditation on love and kindness detaches from skhandas
-Mahayana Buddhists practice this method

Question 13

Vipasana meditation

Answer 13

-Samatha is often seen as a necessary before vipasana
-requires analytical thinking
-meditating to see what the world really is - impermanent and without permanent self
-required a teacher
-therevada buddhists use this method