Buddhism Beliefs

dukkha

suffering

anicca

impermanence

dukkha

suffering

anicca

impermanence

anatta

no fixed self or soul

Dhamma

Buddha’s Teaching/Buddha’s way of life/Truth and laws behind the universe and nature of existence

Dependent Arising

paticcasamuppada

Samsara

Buddhist belief in cycle of life, death and rebirth.

What is dependent arising?

Buddhist belief that everything is connected and interdependent. Nothing happens on its own

12 nidanas

Buddhist concept explaining causes of suffering and rebirth cycle.

What are the five aggregates?

The 5 components that make up human personality?

List the five aggregates?

Form, Sensation, Perception, Mental formations, Consciousness

Mahayana Buddhists teach the concept of sunyata, explain this.

Sunyata means ‘emptiness’ and what they teach is that humans and objects both don’t have true essence.

Why is the concept of sunyata important to Mahayana Buddhists?

Important to know they don’t have a true essence, as clinging to the idea of people/things having substance makes you more attached, thus moving further from enlightenment.

T or F: Mahayana Buddhists believe that anyone can become a buddha, not just monks?

True.

T or F: Theravadin Buddhists believe that anyone can become a buddha, not just monks?

F

What is theravadan buddhism?

Oldest and most traditional branch of Buddhism. More strict and puts an emphasis on monasticism.

What is Mahayana buddhism?

Less traditional and more internally diverse. Includes tibetan buddhism, Zen Buddhism and Pure Land Buddhism.

What is pure-land Buddhism.

Pure-landers are devoted to the Amitabha Buddha & hope to be reborn in his pure land (a place where it is easier to become enlightened).
They chant his name as part of meditation.

Therevadan Buddhists believe that Buddhists should aim to become a ____?

Arhat; Perfect person that has come to enlightenment with help (a Buddha is someone who did it on their own).
Arhats have freed themselves from Ten Fetters.

Mahayana Buddhists believe that Buddhists should aim to become a _____?

Bodhisattva; An enlightened being who chooses to stay within the cycle of samsara in order to help others attain enlightenment.
They do this because of compassion.

Core facts about the Buddha’s Birth?

Born in 500/400 BCE, Born in India (modern-day nepal)

What is the Buddha’s name?

Siddhartha Gautama

Who was the Buddha born to?

King Suddhodana and Queen Maya

What did Queen Maya dream before becoming pregnant with the Buddha?

That a white elephant with six tusks went in to her womb through her right side.

Where did Queen Maya give birth and what happened then?

She gave birth in the Lumbini gardens and a tree branch bent down to support her

What did Siddhartha do upon birth?

He began to walk and talk immediately, walked seven steps and a lotus flower bloomed at each step & he declared that this would be his last rebirth.

Why did Suddhodana give the Buddha a life of luxury, and protected him from the outside world?

Because a prophet/holy man predicted he would become either a ruler or holy man, and his father wished for him to be a ruler, so gave him the best life of luxury possible and protected him from the outside world.

What are the four sights?

Old age, Illness, Death and an ascetic man.

What did the first three sights make the Buddha realize?

That everybody suffered, grew old and eventually died.

What did the ascetic man resolve him to do?

The ascetic man despite having nothing seemed to be happy, so he resolved to become an ascetic in order to find happiness and escape suffering.

Why are the 4 sights important to Buddhists?

They set the buddha on the path to enlightenment.

What happened in the Buddha’s time as an ascetic?

• Left his wife and son

• Trained under several teachers

• Lived with 5 other ascetics, and practised denying himself food and living on the bare minimum.

• Realized this was not helping him, so he stopped and ate a meal.

• Decided he should follow the middle way and live a life in between asceticism and luxury.

Where did the Buddha sit after he gave up ascetism.

He sat underneath a Bodhi tree located in Bodh, Gaya, India and was determined to become enlightened.

Who tried to tempt the Buddha?

The Demon Mara

What are the 4 watches?

What the Buddha became enlightened over.

What was the first watch?

Learnt the truth of ‘samsara’ and gained knowledge of his past lives.

What was the second watch?

Learnt about kamma (action)

What was the third watch?

Learnt why there is dukkha & how to escape it.

What was the fourth watch?

Attained enlightenment.

What did he do after enlightenment?

Began to teach the others about the way of enlightenment, starting with the five ascetics.

Where did he teach the five ascetics?

Deer Park in Benares.

Why do buddhists become enlightened?

To achieve nirvana.

What are the 3 marks of existence?

Dukkha, Anicca, Anatta

What are the 4 noble truths?

Truth of Suffering, Truth of the cause of suffering, Truth of the end of Suffering and Truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.

Truth of Suffering

Dukkha

Truth of Cause of Suffering

Samudaya

Tanha

Craving

Truth of End of Suffering

Nirodha; buddhists can bring an end to suffering by ending tanha and three poisons

Truth of the Path

Magga; follow the middle way.

Eightfold path (Ethics; Sila)

Action, Speech, Livelihood

Eightfold path (Meditation; Samadhi)

Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration

Eightfold path (Wisdom; Panna)

View, Intention