Buddha and Enlightenment

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to the life of Buddha, his teachings, and Buddhist philosophy.

Buddha

Means 'the awakened one'; represents the ideal of enlightenment.

Aniconic representation

Representation of a figure through symbols rather than physical images, as seen in early Buddhism before the Common Era.

Dharma

Buddhist teachings symbolized by the wheels.

Swastika

A symbol of auspiciousness; often associated with well-being.

Bodhi Tree

The tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment.

The Four Sights

The first experiences that led the Buddha to seek enlightenment: an old man, sick man, corpse, and monk.

Great Renunciation

Buddha's decision to leave his family and royal life to seek a solution to suffering.

Asceticism

A lifestyle of severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence.

Nirvana

The state of liberation and freedom from suffering attained by the Buddha.

Four Noble Truths

Core teachings of Buddhism: (1) Life has suffering, (2) Suffering has a cause, (3) Suffering can end, (4) The path to the end of suffering is the Eightfold Path.

The Eightfold Path

The means by which one can achieve Nirvana, consisting of Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.

Anatman

The concept of no-self in Buddhism, which asserts that there is no permanent, unchanging self.

Five Aggregates (Skandha)

The Buddhist understanding of human existence, consisting of material form, sensation, perception, volitions, and consciousness.

Craving (Trsna)

The cause of suffering that stems from attachment and desire.

Mara

The demon spirit that attempted to thwart Buddha's path to enlightenment.

Metaphor of the Poison Arrow

Buddha's teaching that focuses on the immediacy of suffering rather than speculative questions about existence.

Empirical critique of the self

Buddha's perspective that attachment to self leads to negative emotions and suffering.

Metaphor of the Chariot

A metaphor illustrating that the self is composed of parts, analogous to a chariot composed of various components.