Buddhism Midterm Vocab

Brahmanism

The religious and social system of the Brahmins, based on the Vedas, emphasizing rituals, caste hierarchy, and cosmic order.

Veda

The ancient sacred texts of Brahmanism, considered divine knowledge.

Upanishad

Philosophical texts that reinterpret earlier Vedic traditions, introducing concepts like karma, samsara, and moksha.

Deva

Celestial beings or gods in Indian religious traditions, subject to karma and rebirth.

Śramana

A renunciant or ascetic who rejects Vedic rituals and seeks spiritual liberation.

Moksha

Liberation from samsara in Brahmanical traditions, analogous to nirvana in Buddhism.

Arupadhatu

The formless realm in Buddhist cosmology, where beings exist without physical form.

Kammadhatu

The realm of sensual desire, encompassing humans and lower celestial beings.

Arahant

One who has attained enlightenment and is free from the cycle of birth and death.

Buddha

An enlightened being who has discovered and taught the Dharma.

Kamma/Karma

The law of moral causation, where intentional actions create future consequences.

Six Realms

The different realms of rebirth in samsara: gods, demigods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings.

Dhamma/Dharma

The truth and teachings of the Buddha, representing both the reality of existence and the path to liberation.

Asura

Demigods who exist in a state of constant conflict, often driven by jealousy and ambition.

Preta

Hungry ghosts characterized by insatiable desire and suffering.

Samsara

The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, driven by karma and ignorance.

Vipāka

The ripening or fruition of karma, determining one’s experiences in future lives.

Phala

The fruit or result of actions, closely related to vipāka.

Pāpa/Pāp

Unwholesome or negative actions that generate bad karma.

Kusala/Akusala

Wholesome and unwholesome actions that influence one’s karmic trajectory.

South Asia & Southeast Asia

Regions where Buddhism has historically developed and spread.

Early Indic Socio-Philosophical Context

The religious and social environment in which Buddhism arose.

Pali

The language of the Theravāda Buddhist scriptures.

Bodhgaya

The site of the Buddha’s enlightenment.

Householder

A layperson who supports the monastic community while following Buddhist teachings.

Cetana

Intention or volition, a crucial factor in karma formation.

Jataka

Stories of the Buddha’s past lives that illustrate moral lessons.

Vessantara

A past life of the Buddha known for his extreme generosity.

Rahula

The Buddha’s son, representing renunciation.

Four Sights

The old man, sick man, corpse, and ascetic seen by Siddhartha Gautama.

Pārami/Pāramitā

The perfections cultivated by bodhisattvas.

Bodhisattva

An enlightened being on the path to Buddhahood who helps others.

Kushinagar

The place where the Buddha passed away.

Sarnath

The location of the Buddha’s first sermon.

Lumbini

The birthplace of the Buddha.

Asceticism

The practice of severe self-discipline and renunciation.

Cosmic Reproduction

The idea that religious rituals maintain cosmic and social order.

Metteyya (Maitreya)

The future Buddha who will appear when the Dharma is forgotten.

Phra Malai

A legendary Buddhist monk known for visiting the heavens and hells.

Middle Way

The Buddha’s path of moderation between extreme asceticism and indulgence.

Tathāgata

An epithet for the Buddha, meaning 'one who has thus gone'. It signifies the Buddha's transcendence beyond ordinary existence and his attainment of enlightenment.

Brahmanism

The religious and social system of the Brahmins, based on the Vedas, emphasizing rituals, caste hierarchy, and cosmic order.

Veda

The ancient sacred texts of Brahmanism, considered divine knowledge.

Upanishad

Philosophical texts that reinterpret earlier Vedic traditions, introducing concepts like karma, samsara, and moksha.

Deva

Celestial beings or gods in Indian religious traditions, subject to karma and rebirth.

Śramana

A renunciant or ascetic who rejects Vedic rituals and seeks spiritual liberation.

Moksha

Liberation from samsara in Brahmanical traditions, analogous to nirvana in Buddhism.

Kamma/Karma

The law of moral causation, where intentional actions create future consequences.

Six Realms

The different realms of rebirth in samsara: gods, demigods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings.

Dhamma/Dharma

The truth and teachings of the Buddha, representing both the reality of existence and the path to liberation.

Samsara

The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, driven by karma and ignorance.

Cetana

Intention or volition, a crucial factor in karma formation.

Bodhisattva

An enlightened being on the path to Buddhahood who helps others, embodying the ideal of compassion derived from Buddhist teachings.

Middle Way

The Buddha’s path of moderation between extreme asceticism and indulgence, contrasting with the practices emphasized in Brahmanism.