Chapter 8 Review

Buddha- founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama; teachers who fully understand the nature of mind and reality are also called Buddhas



Enlightenment- a state of perfect happiness and understanding; unconditional compassion for all beings



Ascetic- someone who practices severe self-discipline or abstains from physical pleasures for religious purposes



Nirvana- the end of personal suffering and the experience of unchanging peace



Theravada- The branch of Buddhism that believes only monks can achieve enlightenment, but others are able to gain merit by following the teachings of Buddha



Mahayana- The branch of Buddhism that focuses on teaching and healing others on their personal journey



Vajrayana- The branch of Buddhism that absorbs elements of the local religion into their own beliefs



Zen Buddhism- The branch of Buddhism that believes enlightenment comes from meditation which involves a lifelong journey of exercises and practice through riddles or puzzling questions (philosophical)



Mandala- a visual object, usually in the form of a circle, that can be used as an aid for focusing in meditation



Mantra- a word or phrase that is chanted as an aid to meditation



Puja- also the word for a worship in hinduism. Because Buddhism has its roots in hinduism, many terms and practices in hinduism carried over to buddhism. 



Wheel of dharma- one of the most important symbols in buddhism. The eight spokes of the wheel represent each of the eight central teachings in buddhism.

 

Samsara- the law of birth, death, and rebirth, or the process of reincarnation. 



Merit- the idea in buddhism that a person can be reborn in a form closer to enlightenment if he or she accumulates merit; wholesome deeds and intentions can add to a person’s merit



Vesak- celebrates the birth of siddhartha gautama and, in some countries, also the day of his enlightenment and death. 



Asalha Puja- marks the beginning of the Buddha's teaching. Buddhists show thanks that the Buddha and other enlightened teachers shared their knowledge. 



Esala perahera- after the buddha’s death, one of his teeth was placed in a temple in Kandy. in august, a colorful procession carries the tooth around the city. 



Tripitakas- Three Baskets

  • Vinaya Pitaka - Rules of conduct for monks and nuns

  • Sutta Pitaka - A large collection of the Buddha’s teachings

  • Abhidhamma Pitaka - Explanations of the Buddhist view on laws of nature and the mind



Zen- Enlightenment through meditation. To achieve this state, people do certain exercises and practices, such as meditating on riddles or puzzling questions - for example, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”



The dalai lama- Spiritual and political leader of exiled Tibetans - and revered as the incarnation of a Bodhisattva



Karma- the law of cause and effect, of one’s actions having an impact on one’s future life



The 3 jewels- The concept of the Three Jewels is central to Buddhists and refers to the founder of Buddhism, to the Buddha’s teachings (dharma), and to the Buddhist community (Sangha)



Anicca- Impermanence. Buddhists believe that nothing is permanent. People, animals, plants, and even mountains are changing all the time including our mental and physical processes.



Dukkha- Suffering. All life involves suffering which includes physical pain and illness as well as things like being bored and being uncomfortable.



Anatta- Not Self. Means that there is no permanent identity or existence. 



Monks- an individual who has chosen to study Buddhism in their worldly life


Nobel Eightfold Path: 

  • The Buddha proposed a way to deal with human expectations and desires and avoid sorrow, called the Noble Eightfold Path.

  • It describes ways to think, behave, and meditate to avoid suffering.



Five Precepts: 

  • 1. To refrain from destroying living creatures

2. To refrain from taking that which is not given

3. To refrain from sexual misconduct

4. To refrain from incorrect speech

5. To refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs



 Four Noble Truths: 

  1. People Suffer (dukkha)
    - all our lives, we hurt physically and emotionally

  2. This suffering is caused by desire, greed, ignorance, and attachment

  • We can adapt to physical pain, but unfulfilled longings and cravings make our suffering deep

  1. To remove suffering, we must remove desire, greed, ignorance, and attachment
    - If we stop the things that cause us to desire, then suffering will stop
    - Taming our desires requires great discipline/

  2. To end suffering and achieve enlightenment, unending peace, and freedom from all desire, people should follow the Noble Eightfold Path.