Buddhism and Confucianism Key Concepts

These flashcards cover key concepts of Buddhism and Confucianism, including significant teachings, practices, and figures.

What does the name 'Buddha' mean?

The title 'Buddha' translates to "the awakened one" or "the enlightened one," signifying someone who has attained bodhi (enlightenment) and is free from suffering and the cycle of rebirth (samsara).

What are the four sights of Siddhartha?

The four sights witnessed by Prince Siddhartha, which prompted his spiritual quest, are:

1. An Old Man: Siddhartha saw an aged, frail man, revealing the inevitability of aging and physical decline.

2. A Sick Man: He encountered a severely ill man, demonstrating the prevalence of disease and suffering.

3. A Corpse: The sight of a dead body highlighted the ultimate reality of death and impermanence.

4. An Ascetic (Samana): Finally, he saw a serene holy man who had renounced worldly life, suggesting a path to overcome suffering and find peace.

What are the Four Noble Truths?

The foundational teachings of Buddhism, revealed by the Buddha, are:

1. Dukkha (Suffering): Life is inherently characterized by suffering, dissatisfaction, and unease. This includes physical pain, emotional sorrow, the anguish of not getting what we want, and the impermanence of even pleasurable experiences.

2. Samudaya (Origin of Suffering): The origin of suffering is craving or attachment (tanha) to desires, existence, and non-existence. This includes craving for sensual pleasures, for becoming, and for not becoming.

3. Nirodha (Cessation of Suffering): Suffering can be completely ceased by eradicating craving and attachment. This cessation is Nirvana, a state of perfect peace and freedom.

4. Magga (Path to the Cessation of Suffering): The path leading to the cessation of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path, which provides practical guidelines for ethical conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom.

What is the Noble Eightfold Path?

The path to salvation, guiding to liberation from suffering, which consists of:

1. Right Understanding (Samma Ditthi): Comprehending the Four Noble Truths and understanding reality as it is, free from delusion.

2. Right Thought (Samma Sankappa): Cultivating thoughts of renunciation (detachment from worldly things), goodwill (love and kindness towards others), and non-harming (compassion).

3. Right Speech (Samma Vaca): Abstaining from false speech (lying), slander (divisive speech), harsh speech (abusive language), and idle chatter (gossip), promoting truthful and beneficial communication.

4. Right Action (Samma Kammanta): Abstaining from killing living beings, stealing, and engaging in sexual misconduct, promoting ethical and compassionate behavior.

5. Right Livelihood (Samma Ajiva): Earning a living in a way that causes no harm to others or involves practices that go against Buddhist principles (e.g., selling weapons, intoxicants).

6. Right Effort (Samma Vayama): Exerting oneself to prevent unwholesome states from arising, abandon existing unwholesome states, generate wholesome states, and maintain existing wholesome states.

7. Right Mindfulness (Samma Sati): Maintaining active and clear awareness (sati) of one's body, feelings, mind, and mental objects (dharmas) in the present moment, cultivating vigilant observation.

8. Right Concentration (Samma Samadhi): Developing single-pointed concentration through meditation, leading to higher states of consciousness (jhanas) and ultimately wisdom and liberation.

What are the five precepts of Buddhism?

The five precepts are the fundamental ethical guidelines for Buddhist lay practitioners, aimed at cultivating moral conduct and inner peace:

1. Do not kill: Abstaining from taking the life of any living being, fostering compassion and non-violence.

2. Do not take what is not yours: Abstaining from stealing or taking anything without explicit permission, promoting honesty and respect for others' property.

3. Do not engage in sexual misconduct: Abstaining from sexual relations that cause harm or are unskillful, promoting responsible and respectful relationships.

4. Do not use intoxicants: Abstaining from alcohol, recreational drugs, or any substances that lead to heedlessness and dull the mind, promoting mental clarity and self-control.

5. Do not engage in false speech: Abstaining from lying, deceptive speech, harsh words, or divisive talk, promoting truthfulness and harmonious communication.

What is Sangha?

Sangha refers to the worldwide Buddhist community, specifically the monastic orders of monks (bhikkhus) and nuns (bhikkhunis). It is one of the "Three Jewels" of Buddhism (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), representing the community of practitioners who support each other on the path to enlightenment and preserve the teachings.

Sangha - monastic communities 

Arhats - a person who has reached enlightenment 

Mandala - sand painting with colorful designs. Destroy to symbolize nothing remains

Mantras - repeating text to internalize it

Mudras - hand motions that go with prayers

Lama - a spiritual leader (monk or guru)

Nirvana - the state of perfect peace and ultimate goal in buddhism. You have reached enlightenment 

Vizakha - buddhist festival that celebrates the Buddha

Tripitaka - original Buddha text

Bodhisattvas - those who have reached enlightenment but have stayed back to help those who haven’t. 

What is Nirvana?

Nirvana is the ultimate spiritual goal in Buddhism, signifying the complete cessation of suffering (dukkha), craving (tanha), and the cycle of rebirth (samsara). It is a state of perfect peace, liberation, profound tranquility, and the extinguishing of all defilements such as greed, hatred, and ignorance. It is not an afterlife or a heaven, but rather a state of being achieved in this life or at the moment of death (parinirvana).

What is the primary focus of Theravada Buddhism?

Theravada Buddhism, often called the 'Doctrine of the Elders,' emphasizes the original teachings (Dharma) of the historical Buddha as preserved in the Pali Canon. Its primary focus is on individual enlightenment (arhatship) through personal effort and strict adherence to the monastic rules and meditation practices. The teachings themselves are considered more important than the figure of the Buddha, viewed as a guide and teacher rather than an object of worship for intervention.

What distinguishes Mahayana Buddhism?

Mahayana Buddhism, meaning 'Great Vehicle,' distinguishes itself by a broader understanding of compassion and accessibility to enlightenment for all beings. Its main focus often shifts to the Buddha as a divine, cosmic figure (e.g., Amitabha Buddha), and followers may pray to him for guidance, salvation, or aid on their path. It features the ideal of the Bodhisattva, an enlightened being who postpones their own Nirvana to help all other sentient beings achieve enlightenment.

What enlightenment story is associated with Mahavira?

Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara of Jainism (not Buddhism), is associated with an enlightenment story where he attained 'Kevala Jnana' (omniscient knowledge). This involved 12 years of intense asceticism, including long periods of fasting and meditation, often sitting exposed to the elements (like the sun under a tree), representing extreme self-sacrifice and detachment from the body and worldly comforts to purify the soul and achieve ultimate spiritual understanding.

Why is the Buddha called a 'rebel saint'?

The Buddha is called a 'rebel saint' because he radically challenged and rejected many established religious norms of his time (6th century BCE Hinduism). He specifically turned away from:

• Rituals and Sacrifices: He deemed elaborate Vedic rituals and animal sacrifices as ineffective for achieving liberation.

• Caste System: He rejected the rigid social hierarchy of the caste system, teaching that spiritual attainment was open to all, regardless of birth.

• Religious Authority: He did not claim divine revelation or absolute authority based on scriptures. Instead, he encouraged followers to investigate truths for themselves, emphasizing personal experience, reason, and meditation over blind faith in priests or texts.

What is the significance of Yin and Yang?

Yin and Yang are fundamental concepts in ancient Chinese philosophy, particularly Taoism, representing the interconnected and complementary forces that make up all things in the universe. They symbolize:

• Balance of Opposites: Yin (dark, feminine, passive, cold, night, soft) and Yang (light, masculine, active, hot, day, hard) are opposing yet interdependent energies.

• Interconnectedness: One cannot exist without the other; they are parts of a whole, constantly interacting and transforming. For example, too much light leads to darkness, and vice-versa.

• Harmony: Their harmony and balance are essential for well-being and the natural order. This concept is applied to health, relationships, nature, and governance.

What text contains the moral stories and rules for people in Buddhism?

The Vinaya Pitaka is one of the three main divisions of the Pali Canon (Tripitaka) in Theravada Buddhism. It primarily contains the monastic rules (Patimokkha) for monks and nuns, along with detailed explanations of their origins, background stories, and consequences for transgressions. It focuses on the discipline, conduct, and organization of the Sangha, providing the ethical framework for monastic life.

What is the difference in the concept of Tao between Confucianism and Taoism?

While both Confucianism and Taoism recognize 'Tao' (Dao) as a fundamental principle, their interpretations and applications differ significantly:

• Confucianism: In Confucianism, Tao is primarily understood as a moral path or a way of human conduct. It represents the ideal social and ethical order that should govern human society, emphasizing virtues like righteousness (yi), benevolence (ren), filial piety, and appropriate social roles. It's a path for active engagement in the world to cultivate moral character and contribute to a harmonious society.

• Taoism: In Taoism, Tao is the natural cosmic flow, the ultimate source, and the underlying principle of the entire universe. It is an ineffable, indescribable force that orchestrates everything spontaneously and effortlessly. Taoism advocates for aligning with this natural flow through 'wu wei' (non-action or effortless action), simplicity, naturalness, and withdrawal from artificial societal conventions to achieve inner peace and harmony with nature. It's a path of passive observation and non-interference, often rejecting human attempts to impose order on the natural world.

Who is the figure of devotion in Pure Land Buddhism?

In Pure Land Buddhism, the central figure of devotion is Amitabha Buddha (Amida Buddha in Japanese). Amitabha is a celestial Buddha who, according to Pure Land sutras, vowed to create a Western

What is contained within each of the following texts of Buddhism 

Vinaya Pitaka: moral stories/ rules for the people

Sutra Pitaka: story of the Buddha & how to reach enlightenment

Abidharrna Pitaka: what the buddha says about the mind; psychological teachings 

Lotus Sutra: teachings of the Buddha right before he died

Kajur: guide to enlightenment

Tanjur: commentary on writings of Buddha

Tibetan Book of Dead: tells you how to prepare for death. How to navigate the spirit realm

Tantric texts: prayer styles & methods

What is Theravada Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism - believe that the teachings of Buddha are more important than the figure. They follow the original texts of buddha

What is the Vajrayana Buddhism

Vajrayana Buddhism “diamond vehicle” - focuses on spiritual rituals, meditation, and mantras to reach enlightenment faster. They use mandalas and chanting as practices. They have lamas to guide them. The dalai lama is the spiritual leader.