Buddhism Key Terms

• Anatta TEST
  • No-self; the notion that there is no permanent self, and that a per- son is a changing combination of components.
• Anicca TEST
  • Impermanence; the idea that the world is in constant flux.
• Arhat
  • Someone who has achieved nirvana; the ideal of spiritual perfection in Theravada Buddhism.
• Ascetic
  • One who practices very strict devotions using severe self-denial.
• Bodhisattva TEST
  • a compassionate being who enlightens himself or

    herself and helps others to be enlightened

• Buddha
  • The Enlightened or Awakened One;     the founder of Buddhism, formerly     Siddhartha Gautama.
• Dharma TEST
  • The teachings of the

    Buddha and his idea of the “truth” con-     cerning the “laws” of the universe.

• Dukkha TEST
  • Dissatisfaction; the     idea that human suffering is inevitable.
• Enlightenment
  • Understanding the truth of     life by attaining freedom from ignorance.
• Five Precepts
  • The rules that Buddhists

    follow. They include abstaining from harm-     ing living beings, stealing, improper sexual

    activity, false speech, and taking alcohol or     drugs.

• Four Noble Truths
  • The Buddha’s diagnosis of the main problem in life: suffering,

    the cause of suffering, elimination of suffering, and the path to ending suffering.

• Karma
  • “Action,” or the law of cause and     effect; the totality of one’s thoughts and     actions, which determines one’s fate in the     next life.
• Mandala
  • Maps, or geometrical diagrams, of the spiritual journey.

    Looking at them helps awaken spiritual     potential.

• Mantras
  • Symbolic phrases that are     chanted.
• Middle Way
  • The path in life prescribed by     the Buddha; the path between extremes.
• Nirvana
  • An everlasting     state of great joy and peace resulting from     the end of desire and suffering.
• Noble Eightfold Path
  • The last of the Four     Noble Truths. This is the path leading to     the end of suffering.
• Samsara
  • The endless cycle     of uncontrolled rebirths.
• Sangha
  • The community of     Buddhist monks and nuns.
• Tripitaka
  • Known as the Three Baskets; a collection of early Buddhist scriptures.
• Dalai Lama
  • The ruler and spiritual leader of Tibet.
• Four Sights
  • The ruler and spiritual leader     of Tibet.
• Sutras
  • Scriptures establishing the teach-     ings of Buddhism. They are represented as

    the discourses or sermons of the Buddha.

• Wheel of Life
  • A complete visual repre-     sentation of samsara, or the endless cycle

    of uncontrolled rebirths.