Buddhism

Buddhism key terms:

Buddha- a title given to someone who has achieved enlightenment, usually used to refer to Siddhartha Gautama. Buddhism- a religion founded around 2500 years ago by Siddhartha Gautama. Pali Canon is a source of authority. Dhammapada is a source of authority. Jataka- they are the tales about the lives of the Buddha, popular stories. Ascentic- living a simple and strict lifestyle with few pleasures or positions. Meditation- a practice of calming and focusing the mind. Enlightenment- the gaining of true Knowledge about the self or the nature of reality; gaining freedom from the cycle of rebirth. Mara- the demon who represents temptation. Three watches of the night- three realisations that the Buddha made to achieve enlightenment: first watch: his previous lives second watch: The cycle of samsara and Karma Third watch: Why suffering happens and how to overcome it. Dhamma(Dharma)- the Buddha’s teachings. Pali- the language of the earliest Buddhist scriptures. Sanskrit is the language used in later Buddhist texts. Sangha- a community of Buddhists. Dependent arising- the idea that all things arise in dependence upon conditions. The Tibetan wheel of life- an image that symbolises samsara, often found in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and temples. Nibbana/Nirvana- a state of complete enlightenment, happiness, and peace. Nidanas- 12 factors that Illustrate the process of birth, death, and rebirth. Kamma/Karma- a person’s actions, the idea that skillful actions result in happiness and unskillful ones in suffering.