6/BT1 Religious Figures and Sacred Texts

of what sect is Thich Nhat Hanh?

Vietnamese and Zen Buddhist master

he incorporates both Mahayana and Theravada traditions in his teaching

what Order did Thich Nhat Hanh (TNH) form?

Founded the Order of Interbeing - a community of monastics and lay people who have committed to living their lives in accord with TNH's 14 Mindfulness Trainings

what type of Buddhism is TNNH credited with creating/introducing

what is it?

when did he set the example of this?

Socially Engaged Buddhism

It aims to apply the teachings of the Buddha and meditations to more social and political platforms

TNH first example of this during Vietnam War when he tried to actiely spread the teachings of Ahimsa

It is taught that be socially and politically aware is part of your meditations, not distinct from it.

what did TNH create his 14 precepts in response to?

what are they and how do they compare to usual Buddhist precepts?

in response to the Socially Engaged, better informed Buddhism

they are more open than the precepts and rules of usual Buddhist communities and are in line with a more 'western' approach.

what new concept did Socially Engaged Buddhism introduce into Buddhism?

what period of time provoke this especially?

Buddhist martyrdom, the religious oppression of the South Vietnamese regime that was prosecuting Buddhism

what quote from John F Kennedy describes the photo of the monk Thich Quang Duc?

what did the monk do

'No news picture in history has generated so much emotion around the world as that one'

He lit himself on fire at a busy intersection in Saigon in an attempt to show that, to fight all forms of oppression on equal terms, Buddhism too, need to have its martyrs.

what is a quote from TNH about engaged Buddhism

'Engaged Buddhism is just Buddhism. When bombs begin to fall on people, you cannot stay in the meditation hall all the time'

what is a quote from TNH about prioritising spiritual richness over physical riches?

'If you don't have enough peace and compassion within you, there is no way you can be happy'

what is a quote from TNH about the starting of a peace movement?

'Nonviolence and compassion are the foundations of a peace movement. (...) Everyone knows that peace has to begin with oneself, but not many people know how to do it'

who is the Dalai Lama?

spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism

Tenzin Gyatso (14th Dalai Lama)

what type of leader was the Dalai Lama

what is the position of Dalai Lama considered to be?

he was the political leader of Tibet before the Chinese-Tibetan conflict of the 1950s before being exiled

the Dalai Lama is considered the human incarnation of a Buddha/Bodhisattva

What is the Trikaya doctrine in Mahayana Buddhism?

The Mahayana belief that a Buddha/enlightened bodhisattva has three distinctive 'bodies' from different planes of existence in which they can operate.

heavenly bodhisattvas assisting Buddhists on their path

what are the 3 'bodies' in the Trikaya doctrine (just name, don't explain)

1) Nirmankaya (transformation body)

2) Sambhogakaya (enjoyment body)

3) Dharmakaya (Dharma body)

what is the Nirmankaya body?

appears where?

purpose?

Transformation body

- The Buddha appears as a physical being in the human realm in the cycle of samsara

- Purposefully generated for reintroducing Dhamma to the world.

what is the Sambhogakaya body?

exists where?

proximity to samsara/nirvana?

Enjoyment body

- exist in heavenly realms - as close to beyond Samsara as possible before Nirvana

- temporal, exists within the realm of existence

what is the Dharmakaya?

exists where?

what is it?

how do bodhisattvas interact with this?

Dharma body

atemporal - exists outside of space/time

it is the ultimate truth that bodhisattvas have access to

As their vow decrees, bodhisattvas resist total immersion in dharmakaya

how does the trikaya doctrine relate to

what is the relation of bodhisattvas to the universe ?

Bodhisattvas can reach Enlightenment but choose to remain on Earth out of their compassionate vow until all been saved.

what is the bodhisattva vow?

"however innumerable sentient beings are, I vow to save them all"

give an example of bodhisattva of another realm.

Amitabha = Pure Land

Does the existence of the Dalai Lama promote reincarnation instead of rebirth?

NO

No, because the increased consciousness of bodhisattvas and access to the Dharmakaya allows them to influence the Bardo (where 'soul'/energy is before moving into a new life).

There are also 2 types of rebirth:

Caused by karma

Influenced by prayer/ compassion (only for superior spiritual beings, i.e. bodhisattvas)

what are the three ways in which the High Lamas might discover where the next reincarnation will be found

1. Dream - High Lama may receive indication in a dream

2. Smoke - from the cremation smoke of the previous Lama

3. Oracle Lake - Lhamo Lhatso and wait for a sign from the lake itself

what happens after the Lamas find the new reincarnated Dalai Lama ?

the Lamas present him with a number of artefacts If the boy chooses the ones which belonged to the previous Dalai Lama then he is selected.

what is one of the Dalai Lama's core teachings that is different to traditional Mahayana beliefs?

One should foster more compassion to others, not for the benefit of others, or to receive help from the Buddha, but rather for the happiness of one's own self.

'Inner peace is the ultimate source of happiness'

what is a quote from the Dalai Lama on where destructive emotions come from and how to overcome them

'Destructive emotions are caused by two things: having a self-centred attitude and believing reality as it appears.

The antidote is altruism and realising that nothing exists as it appears'

what is a quote from the Dalai Lama on the ultimate source of happiness?

'(way of thinking).. This is the ultimate source of happiness, joyfulness'

what is a quote from the Dalai Lama about how humans cannot be dependent on the Buddha for happiness?

and what is quote about the role of the Buddha in human's pursuit of happiness

'Buddha cannot remove a human being's suffering by his hand (...) nor he give us his own inner peace

Only thing is he show method of how to bring inner peace according to his own experiences'

give a quote/teaching from the Dalai Lama about how the Buddhist teachings is still relevant today?

If the people of Tibet in majority vote to abolish the institution of the Lama tradition and Buddhist tradition 'then the institution will automatically cease, up to the people'