Buddhist Teachings

Buddha

The enlightened one

renunciation

the practise of giving up certain things

middle path/way

a path of moderation and balance between two extremes

how did Siddhartha gain enlightenment ?

-took care of himself

-sat under a pipal tree and meditated

-lord of death, Mara, sent temptations and visions yet Siddhartha stayed focused

the night of enlightenment

6-10pm - gained knowledge of former lives, gained all understanding of the past

10pm-2am - understood the way in which all creatures come into existence and pass away again, nothing lasts forever

2-6am - understood things that keep creatures bound to the wheel of life(negative feelings and cravings), craving causes suffering, he must overcome them

6am - gained full enlightenment and experiences Nirvana, 3 poisons are burned out leaving a sense of peace

Describe what happened when Prince Siddhartha left the palace for the first time

sick man

dead man

old man

holy man

Dharma/ Dhamma

universal truths

the real nature of life and existence

buddha became aware of it/ moment of enlightenment

3 lakshanas

universal truths, what buddha became aware of

dukkha- suffering, everyone suffers

anatta- no permanent self or soul

anicca- nothing lasts forever

4 noble truths

dukkha- suffering, everyone suffers

samudaya- the cause of suffering, we suffer because we crave

nirodha-the end of suffering, to stop suffering, we must stop craving.

magga-the path leading to the end of suffering, to stop craving you need to follow the middle way

the eightfold path

leads to the liberation from samsara

categorised into 3 divisions, threefold way:

wisdom(panna/prajna)

-right understanding

-right aspiration

morality(sila)

-right speech

-right action

-right livelihood

concentration(samadhi)

-right effort

-right mindfulness

-right concentration

wheel of life

3 poisons:

-pig=ignorance

-snake=hatred

-cockeral=craving

6 realms:

-humans

-animals

-beings in hell

-hungry ghost

-realm of the gods

-jealous god domain

12 links to dependent origination

rebirth

belief that after we die our karmic energy will move to one of six different realms

pratityasamutpada

dependent origination

tathagatagarbha

buddha nature

5 skandhas

components that come together and interact to make an individual

consiousness- being aware of the world

perception- how we recognise things

mental formation- opinions, thoughts, personality

sensation- 5 senses, emotional sadness, anger

physical form

dhammapada

‘Hatred never appeases hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeases. This law is eternal’

theravada routes to enlightenment

-arhat

-to be enlightened you must be a nun or monk

-there was only ever 1 buddha

-at death leaves the samsara cycle and achieves nirvana

-follows buddhist example stricly

-focus on following 8fold path

mahayana route to enlightenment

-bodhisattva

-anyone has potential to become a buddha

-chooses to stay in the samsara cycle to help others become enlightened

-anyone can become enlightened

-develops the 6 paramitas

pureland buddhist route to enlightenment

-mahayana buddhists believe there are different buddhas for different spaces and times in the universe, known as buddha realms

-siddhartha is for this world and amida buddha(amitabha) is the buddha in the realm of bliss

-’namo amitabha buddha’

karuna

compassion

metta

loving- kindness

5 moral precepts

do not destroy or harm life

do not take what is not given

do not misuse sex

do not lie

do not cloud the mind with drugs and alcohol

6 paramitas/ perfections

dana- generosity

sila- morality

virya- energy

kshanti- patience

samashi- meditation

prajna- wisdom