WTM Flashcards
(90 cards)
1
Q
define ascetic
A
living a simple and strict lifestyle with few pleasures or possessions; someone who follow ascetic practices
2
Q
what made Buddha decide to follow an ascetic lifestyle
A
the sense of peace he felt coming from the holy man who was one of the four sights and the four sights in general - holy man, death, old age and illness. They made him realise that suffering was unavoidable
3
Q
how long did buddha follow the ascetic lifestyle for
A
he followed it for 6 years rejecting anything that would give him pleasure and practiced extreme self discipline. He met and studied with different holy men
4
Q
what did buddha practice when following the ascetic lifestyle
A
meditation with two acestics: Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta who used pain and hardship to discipline their minds. It is said that this form of meditation gave Siddhartha a feeling of bliss but it did not offer him a permanent solution to the suffering that people experienced
he learned techniques from different Hindu masters
5
Q
what dangerous thing did Siddhartha do during his living of the ascetic lifestyle
A
he began to ignore his appetite and fasted for long periods of time becoming increasingly hungry and weak. Stories say his legs became bamboo stick thin and his backbone was like a rope, his chest and incomplete roof and his eyes sank right inside his skull like stones deep in a well
living skeleton suffering from terrible pain and hunger
he lived in a dangerous forest that was hot in day and cold at night and slept on a bed of thorns and when the animals came he never ran away
6
Q
what is impermanence in regards to the three marks of existence
A
annica
everything changes and is constantly in flux, enduring transitory
7
Q
what can symbolise annica
A
flowers as they die and need to be replaced showing a constant cycle of change
8
Q
why does annica cause suffering (dukkha)
A
because people want and expect things to stay the same and don’t want to experience negative changes such as death
9
Q
what are the three ways annica affects the world
A
living things - birth is followed by decay and death
non-living things - a nail will rust in the rain
our minds - our thoughts constantly change
10
Q
how can annica lead to dukkha
A
because people get et in routines and mindsets and familiarity and when things change this can lead to suffering
11
Q
what did Kisa Gotami come to understand about annica
A
that sorrow and death are a part of life not only for her bur for everyone because she realised that everyone experiences negative events
12
Q
what dos it mean by Buddha leading an austere life
A
denying himself of the things he craved especially food.
13
Q
why did Buddha abandon his ascetic lifestyle
A
one day when meditating he heard a man telling his son about stringing an instrument - fasten the strings too tight and they snap but too loose and they don’t play - either way no music is made. he saw this as a metaphor for the two extremes of life he practiced - luxury and austere. He washed and ate and his companions deserted him seeing him as a failure
14
Q
what did the two extremes of Buddha’s life show
A
that Buddhism is a middle way
15
Q
what book tells the story of the four sights
A
the jataka 075
16
Q
why was the holy man happy in the four sights
A
because although he was poor and ill he was holy and this brought him happiness as opposed to wealth which had no help with the aging man or the dead man or the ill man
the holy man had renounced the material life to find the truth and seemed happy which inspired Siddhartha to try the ascetic lifestyle
the holy man gave buddha a potential solution to the dissatisfaction caused by the other three - a religious
17
Q
what were the four sights
A
old age death illness holy man they saddened him and made hum unsatisfied with his extreme wealth and were the trigger for his spiritual journey to enlightenment
18
Q
what did Asita say would happen to Siddhartha is he saw the four sights
A
he would become a great religious leader
19
Q
what is eightfold path
A
the fourth noble truth and is sometimes referred to as magga
it is the middle way
8 elements that lead to enlightenment and those who don’t follow the path are trapped on the outer rim - the cycle of samsara
20
Q
what is nirodha
A
non-attachment - end of suffering
also referred to as nibbana
21
Q
what is the symbol of Dharmachakra and why is it important for Buddhists
A
it is the symbol of a wheel which is important because it symbolises the eightfold path which Buddhists follow to reach enlightenment
it reflects the idea that we are on the rim of life but by following the ways of the eightfold path (spokes) we can reach enlightenment in the centre hub of the wheel
22
Q
what are the eight elements of the eightfold path
A
right... view thoughts/intention speech action livelihood concentration effort mindfullness
23
Q
what is magga
A
the eightfold path and the fourth noble truth
24
Q
what can the eightfold path also be understood as
A
the threefold way in Dhammapada 183 - to avoid all evil, to cultivate good and cleanse one’s ,mind
wisdom or panna - (though/view)
morality or Sila - (action/speech/livelihood)
meditation or samadhi - (effort/meditation/concentration)
25
what is panna
wisdom
26
what is sila
morality
27
what is samadhi
meditation
28
what are the four noble truths
1) truth of suffering (dukkha)
2) cause of suffering (samudaya) (tanha)
3) truth of end of suffering (nirodha)
4) following the path to end suffering (Magga)
29
what is tanha
craving
30
what is a Vihara
a Buddhist place of worship - a monastery where Buddhists, monks and nuns live
it is a building or a group of them
Buddhists who live there have dedicated their whole lives full time to spiritual practice - all of their time is spent meditating, studying and practicing Buddha's teachings
monasteries are like small villages
they are plain due to the ascetic lifestyle and no distractions
isolated in mountains
tapestries cover the wall as most people used to be illiterate
31
why are stupas important to monasteries
when Buddha died he was cremated and parts of his ashes were have said to have gone to different places
stupas were built to hold his ashes
small domed shaped building that usually contains holy relics and such as the remains of monks and nuns or items associated with important Buddhists
dome shape = the world
32
discuss Buddhist temples
often the heart of a Buddhist community
one building or several on one site
main hall - practice together and contain statue of buddha but Mahayana temples contain various Bodhisattvas statues
meditation hall- a quiet space where Buddhists can meditate (in Tibetan it is a gompa)
study hall- meetings and lectures
shrine - in Mahayana they are dedicated to a Bodhisattva
pagoda/stupa - tiered tier containing holy relics
temples are an important centre of religious life
33
pagodas and stupas
symbolise the five Buddhist elements: earth, water, air, fire and wisdom
34
shrines
an area where the focus is a statue of the Buddha sitting crossed legged ( a Buddha rupa) which provides a focal point for meditation and devotion
Buddhists will make offerings to the Buddha in a shrine to pay respect and express thanks and gratitude for his teachings and the offerings remind Buddhists of the teachings because different offerings symbolise them
35
what does an offering of light in a Buddhists shrine symbolise
an offering of light such as a candle symbolises wisdom, hope and purity because the light of the candle drives away the darkness of the three poisons one of which being ignorance
36
what does an offering of flowers symbolise in a Buddhist shrine
an offering of flowers symbolises annica which means impermanence and is one of the three marks of existence because they wilt and decay and need to be replaced
37
what does an offering incense symbolise in a Buddhist shrine
it symbolises purity reminding Buddhists of the importance of practicing pure thoughts, speech and conduct which are parts of the eightfold path and the fourth noble truth
38
give a quote about shrines
the time and effort required to keep the shrine clean and replenished with flowers and other offerings is considered skilful activity to focus one's mind in the spiritual practices - lama choedak Rinpoche who was a Tibetan buddhist monk
39
what are the six perfections
```
generosity/giving (dana)
morality (sila)
patience (ksanti)
effort/energy (virya)
meditation (bhavana)
wisdom (prajna)
```
40
what are the six perfections also called
paramitas
41
what are the four types of Buddhist meditation called
zazen
samatha
vipassana
visualisation
42
discuss zazen meditation
seated meditation to lead to a deeper understanding of the nature of existence. Begins with sitting, relaxing and mindfulness of breathing. Then sitting aware with the present moment and always returning to it whilst thoughts come and go. they try to attain a state of relaxed attention with no thoughts, reasoning or reflection.
they may have been posed a paradox (koan) where the answer may come during these sessions which trains monks to give up on reasoning and force sudden intuitive enlightenment
comes from soto zen which is Japanese Buddhism
43
discuss samatha meditation
samatha means calming
the purpose is to focus on one of the ten kasinas to concentrate on to develop concentration and therefore wisdom
trains the mind not to be distracted by thoughts - one-pointedness of the mind
eight trance levels (jhanas) are recognised beginning with mindfulness of breathing. this is about being in the present moment still and calm
each subsequent one is more complicated/refined. Nibbana cannot be attained from samatha as the level operate within the universe
44
what are the ten kasinas
earth elephants
water wriggle
fire ferociously
blue because
yellow yellow
red rabbits
white space were
consciousness crying
45
Buddhist texts on meditation
Buddhist texts list 40 meditation subjects including, of breathing, on the Brahma- viharas (sublime states) and on the 32 parts of the body
46
discuss vipassana meditation
insight meditation
focus is on analysing the mind and the body and interactions with the material world in order to break attachment. This allows insight to be gained into the true nature of reality particularly of the three marks of existence. from that nibbana can be gained
it is a permenant solution to the problem of suffering given the realisation of the three marks
vipassana seems to be more connected to wisdom than concentration
focus on objects like candle flame or blue triangle
switch between thoughts but think about them deeply or might focus on their negative and unattractive parts of their body to cause detachment of the body and the mind
47
discuss virtualisation meditation
this involves calming the mind and visualising Buddhas or bodhisattvas to develop compassion. it is common to Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism
it may include trying to recreate an image in one's mind of a mandla, a tangkha, a buddha heaven or a mantra
the meditator is trying to see what it would be like to be the subject or in the place being visualised
48
what IS wesak
commerates 3 events in Buddha's life
- birth
-enlightenment
-death (his passing into pannivana the final state of nibbana)
celebrated on a full moon as the events are said to have happened on a full moon during the month of Vesak in May
honour and remember Buddha and his teachings
a social and joyful day with activities for all
49
describe what HAPPENS during wesak
In Singapore caged birds are released symbolising liberality and release from the three poisons and past troubles and wrong decisions
the laity follow the 8 precepts (the five precepts plus refraining from dancing/singing/wearing garlands and perfumes/eating after midday and sleeping in luxurious beds)
they attend a temple and make offerings but also to the vulnerable of society (giving one of the 6 perfections) and restate their commitment to the precepts (virtue).
They monks lead meditation, chants and give sermons focusing on the enlightenment of Buddha (cultivation)do good deeds
some Buddhists wear white robes and spend the whole day in the temple
pour water and put garlands on Buddha statues
people light candles or lanterns because light symbolises hope and purity
50
karuna
mercy or compassion
one of the four sublime states (Brahma-viharas) which Buddhists are urged to develop
virtue that leads to selflessness which a Bodhisattva exemplifies because they have vowed to help others
Amitabha welcomes Buddhists into his heaven as an act of karuna
the buddha is a model of compassion and wisdom and compassion without wisdom can lead to harmful actions
the whole point of the noble eightfold path Is to develop compassion and wisdom
51
metta
loving -kindness
selflessness and not done for personal gain
one of the four sublime states - Brahma Viharas
actions that flow from the concern of well-being for others
the metta suta says - "whatever beings there may be... may all beings without expectation be happy-minded"
Mettabhavana meditation makes the meditator think loving thoughts to push out the world in stages from those closest to us to those we dislike to those we don't even know.
the dalai lama once said - "my religion is simple my religion is kindness"
52
metta and karuna are the most important virtues how far do you agree (12 marks)
agree:
buddhas example was that he learned to himself he shared it with others to help many to achieve enlightenment without the pain and torture he had to experience on his journey to the discovery of it Selflessness and non-attachment
Dalai Lama - "my religion is simple my religion is kindness"
disagree:
wisdom is more important
misguided compassion and compassion without wisdom can lead to harmful actions
being faithful to the Dhama is more important
metta and karuna are not always possible in a situation
53
omnipotence
all-powerful
it does not mean God can do the impossible such as bring back a dead relative or make a mountain even he can't move
- genesis
- miracles performed by Jesus like parting the red sea and making the bread and wine feed millions
- the resurrection of Jesus power over death
54
omnibenevolence
all-loving
without expectation and prejudice
even a bad person is loved by God which suggests that even bad people can be redeemed and reconciled to God
- sacrificing his own son to atone for the sins of humanity
- parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)
- Jesus teachings for example sermon on the mount - Mathew 5:43-45,48)
55
original sin
genesis
when adam and eve were tempted by the devil to eat from the tree of good and evil and were evicted from the garden of eden as punishment
Christians believe that humans were all descended from this adam and eve and all humans have an inbuilt tendency to disobey God
sin separates man from god as eternal punishment
humans are full of sin and god rectified this problem with the sacrifice of Jesus as atonement
most Christians do not take the story literally as it conveys the message that humanity has the inclination to do what they are told not to do which damages their relationship with him
56
discuss the crucifixion of jesus
he was convicted of blasphemy by the Jewish authorities and put to death for treason under roman law
he was crucified at Golgotha - the place of the skull
Mark records that during the 3/6 hours it took for him to die the earth was dark symbolic of the judgement on Israel for the rejection of the Messiah
Jesus said - "God why have you forsaken me"
Mark says that at the point of death the temple curtain tore in two which is believed to show that Jesus' death had destroyed the barrier of sin that separated man from God therefore making it possible to access god
57
discuss the incarnation of Jesus
when god took on human from as Jesus in the flesh
John 1:14 - "the Word became flesh and lived amongst us"
Truly the son of god and if Christians acknowledge this than God lives within them
"son of God" is used in the NT
Mary was a virgin who conceived through the power of the holy spirit
some Christians accept the virgin Mary story as true whereas others suggest it is more of a metaphor to show that Jesus was both human and divine
58
importance of the incarnation
it help Christians understand the extent of God's love for humanity
it shows how Christians should live- as God loved us so we should love one another - ( 1 John)
many Christians have taken on this act of selfless love - consider Mother Teresa
59
discuss Jesus' knowledge due to the incarnation
if fully divine jesus should have had full knowledge of what was happening, yet at times his knowledge was limited e.g he didn't fully understand about the end of
the world
this can be explained by saying that to come fully human he had to give up most of his divine knowledge - a great sacrificial act and he came as a servant but was still fully god in his relationship with and understanding of God
60
why did jesus have to die
at the time Jesus teachings gave a new understanding of the Torah which brought him into direct contact with Jewish leaders
at the time the roman governor was under pressure to keep peaceful land so came down hard on religious rebellion
in Christian thought jesus had to die to fufil God's plan. Without his death humans could not be reunited with God and enter heaven. Jesus atoned for the sins of humanity bringing god and man back together
61
what does the book of revelations say God said ?
"God will wipe every tear - there will be no more death, or crying, or pain"
62
what do Christians believe about death
it separates temporary life on earth and eternal life with God
not something to be feared
Christians believe they will reunite with the dead thus easing the pain of bereavement
63
why is belief in the resurrection of Jesus important to the views of afterlife
belief in the resurrection is important to Christians because it means that the dead will be raised to life because of the teachings of Jesus and the fact that he himself overcame death . St Paul said this was central to Christian belief
64
what do Christians mean by resurrection ?
god will resurrect them before judgement day
jesus told people that the new mode of existence would be different from the earthly one
there is a continuity between a person's life on earth and the resurrected one
most Christians believe in it even thought there is no scientific proof because they believe the events of the bible are literally true - fundamentalists
65
discuss heaven and hell
heaven is a state of being NOT a place and is with God for eternity outside of time and space
it s often described to be what they desire in the present moment e.g for the poor it is milk and honey
hell is a physical place in isolation from god and is described to be an unquenchable fire which was historically used to frighten people into obeying the church rules
humans choose hell by turning away from God
it is neither decided by god nor what god wants for us
some Christians embrace universalism - they believe everyone will eventually respond to God's love have repented and being forgiven
66
discuss purgatory
believed in by Roman Catholics
a state between death and the afterlife
after the death of a body the soul goes to purgatory if it is destined for heaven where it is purified and repented enough to enter heaven
67
discuss judgement
jesus taught that god's love and mercy are unconditional
at the end of time on the day of judgement all souls (Christian or not) will be judged by Jesus
parable of the sheep and the goats and the rich man and Lazarus
jesus will come to judge both the living and the dead
others reject the idea of a second coming of Christ. Jesus was just trying to express something that humans simply cannot understand
humans will account for their actions but no one know how or when
68
reconciliation
coming back together after a falling out so that no grudge is held
- Jesus reconciled the world through his death bc it was the ultimate sacrifice
- Corrymeela in Ireland and the international community of the cross of nails are working together for reconciliation
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu in South Africa has spent his whole life working towards reconciliation between the black and white communities to stop discrimination
he has also worked with the Israeli and Palestinian communities
-the quakers do not believe in the use of violence and many have worked as meditators to bring reconciliation to opposing sides in the pursuit of peace
the aim is to follow Jesus' teachings of love thy neighbour in order to allow people to enter heaven and be good Christians that will be pure on the day of judgement and to stop things like war
69
discuss general baptism
Baptism welcomes a person into the Christian Church and is practiced worldwide in Christian communities
it is important because it is what jesus did which makes people fee connected to him and it removes sin and enables spiritual growth
John the Baptist was the first few Jew to use baptism to symbolise the forgiveness of sin and this prepared for a new way of life with the coming of the Messiah (Jesus)
Jesus was baptised by John and experienced the Holy Spirit entering his life. Jesus' last instructions were to baptise in the name of the trinity - Mathew 28:18-19
70
discuss infant baptism
Key elements used by Roman Catholics, Orthodox and the Church of England are:
- baptism of a baby
- use of holy water blessed from the font and poured three times over the forehead
- the sign of the cross made on the forehead in the name of the trinity
- promises made by God parents on behalf of the child to repent sins, reject evil and turn to Christ
- lighting of a pascal candle which symbolises receiving the light of Christ
- use of holy oils to symbolise strength to fight evil and salvation
- reading
- prayers
71
discuss believers baptism
a ceremony for older children and adults which takes place in a baptistery
- use of water and the trinitarian formula
- subject testifies why they seek baptism and declares the repentance of their sin and their intention to follow a Christ-centred life and avoid evil
- walk down three steps to symbolise the end of an old life of sin
- three full submersions representing the trinity
- leave by three other steps symbolising start of new life
72
what is the support for infant baptism
natural for parents to want to bring their children into Christian faith
gifts of the holy spirit allow the child to grow up strong in God's love
enables the child to receive the other sacraments
brings comfort to an ill child that upon death they will be with god
removes original sin
purifies
73
what is the support for believers baptism
only those old enough to take, make and keep promises should take this step
a child might grow up to resent the choices that have been made for them
jesus was an adult when baptised
god's love is dependent on actions so baptism is unnecessary and god is omnibenevolent and loves all Christian or not
how can a child have sins to remove when they are pure and when jesus died to eradicate sin
74
what are the seven sacraments
```
baptism
confirmation
eucharist
reconciliation
healing
marriage
ordination
```
75
what are useful quotes about worship
"humble yourself in the sight of the lord and he will life you up" - James 4:10
"But the hour is coming and now is when true worshippers will worship the father in spirit and in truth for the father is seeking such to worship him" - John 4:23
76
what is liturgical worship
follow a set pattern usually from a printed book
found in the Roman Catholic, Orthodox and church of England
set prayers and readings with the congregation repeating key phrases
hymns are sung at set times and a sermon is given
sometimes these differ between services
the ordered nature makes worshippers feel comfortable and part of the process
77
what is non-liturgical worship
worship that follows a changeable structure
informal
it follow a pattern/order but the elements are tailored to each service
prayers often read in the leader's own words, the sermon on a topical theme and bible readings chosen to fit
without set words worshippers feel it comes more from the heart
78
charismatic worship
informal worship that lacks structure and is free-flowing
evangelical worship is often in this style
this service has recognisable characteristics like prayer but is free flowing
charismatic is spirit inspired and people often speak in tounges or feel the holy spirit within them
79
private worship
it can be liturgical for example roman Catholics may say the Angelus (a series of short meditations performed three times a day)
it can be non-liturgical e.g a simple prayer at the time of need
worshipping alone allows the person to feel close to God in the exact way they want
a time to be with god and say things from the heart and build a relationship with God
silent meditation could be a reflection on a bible passage or religious truth
a sense of peace and calm is key which contrasts with the hustle of everyday life
80
what is a rosary
a set of beads on a string often with a crucifix on the end and believers thread the beads through their fingers while saying set prayers like the lords prayer or the hail mary
81
discuss prayer
both talking and listening to God - to be open to guidance from the holy spirit
it should include praise, confession, thanks, prayers for the self and others and show devotion and compassion
Jesus spoke about in prayer humility and honesty are essential
stated that an all loving god would always respond to sincere prayers
outcomes are not always in the way Christians seek however god knows best
set prayers like the lords prayer are used publicly and privately
82
why is it important to worship
bring a sense of togetherness and connection with god
external expression of internal faith
gain a deeper understanding of your religion or faith in God
purifies the worshipper and makes them spiritually fit for what they do
83
church growth
missionary religion expanding across the world
African membership on the rise
European membership on the decline
there has been a renewed focus on preaching to make the gospel relevant in a modern world
many churches trying to find a new approach whilst maintaining key beliefs
84
the church army
members are trained and licensed by the Church of England to work throughout the UK
they aim to help people find faith, showing their love of God as revealed through Christ
focus on vulnerable an marginalised people in society - provide projects for young children and families
- work with drug addicts
- work as chaplains in prisons and hospitals
- visit the elderly
- provide access to worship outside of the church
85
SIM - serving in mission
worldwide scope to follow Jesus' instruction to send people out on mission
members work chiefly in areas where it appears Christianity is under attack like in Nigeria where Christians are often the target of terrorist groups, where churches have being destroyed, vicars killed and people simply being traumatised
SIM supports rebuilding of communities
86
The Ichthus Fellowship
a group of new churches linked to already established ones which are planted so that the church continues to grow
offer more evangelical than traditional worship to appeal to a modern audience who are not enthused by traditional forms of worship
87
Fresh expressions
this organisation offers different churches set up in public cafes schools and event skate parks or benches
these gatherings take religion directly to people who would never normally think about going to church
they are all planted to suit the needs of that group and help them become and develop as Christians
88
what did Mathew say about Mission in his gospel
that jesus had said go make disciples of all nations
89
Christmas
- the birth of jesus
- Western church = 25 Dec
- Eastern church = 6 Jan
- the story of jesus birth is found only in the gospels of Mathew and Luke
- the incarnation of Jesus had human and humble beginnings thus showing humility
90
celebration and importance of christmas
thank god for his gift of jesus
focus on family, children and the poor and lonely to make Christmas a time of warmth, love and togetherness
it is common for churches to set up shelters and provide hot meals and gift parcels to the most needy
a time of giving and receiving of love to symbolise the love that God showed
hope
peace
reconciliation
show faith to the world
love thy neightbout
