h
* 3 rafts of Buddhism – Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana
* 4 Noble Truths – – life is suffering – cause of suffering is desire – to overcome suffering we must overcome desire – the path to salvation is the Noble Eightfold Path
* 4 signs Siddhartha saw when he left temple – = age- everything is going to change = sick person- everyone suffers and nothing can change that
corpse = nothing is permanent = ascetic renounce material possessions, learn that there is hope & chance to break suffering
* Anatma – The Buddhist doctrine of “no soul” or “not self” that means a permanent, unchanging, independent self does not exist, though people act as if it does. Ignorance of anatma causes suffering.
* Arhat – From the Sanskrit for “worthy one,” it is a concept of Theravada Buddhism which refers to one who has attained Nirvana in their present lifetime, thus, liberated from the cycle of rebirth.
* Arhats – Buddhist saints
* Ascetic – a person who renounces material comforts and practices extreme self-denial in the area of religious devotion
* Bodhi Tree – The tree under which Sidartha Gautama achieved enlightenment
* Bodhisattva – a being that compassionately refrains from entering nirvana in order to save others and is worshipped as a deity in Mahayana Buddhism
* Bodhisttuas – – means “Buddha in making” or “Baby Buddha”
– someone who has achieved enlightenment but decides to come back to help others
* Buddhism literally means ___________ – “wake up”
* Daila Lama – the head lama of Tibetan Buddhism who was the spiritual and political leader of Tibet until its takeover by Chinese command
* Dharma – from the sanskrit meaning uphold in hinduism is that which is in accordance with the laws of the cosmos o& of nature like righteous acts
* Enlightenment – deep level of meditation, point when Siddhartha Gautama became Buddha “perfectly calm state, like a perfectly stable lake”
* Four sights – The inspiration to become a monk for Siddhartha the Buddha, the four sights were an old crippled man (old age), a diseased man (illness), a decaying corpse (death), and finally an ascetic that Siddhartha encountered on an unannounced journey outside of the palace.
* Gupta Dynasty – 240-550 CE, when the Gupta Empire ruled India with political peace and prosperity
* Lamas – In Tibetan Buddhism, teachers and often heads of monasteries
* Lotus Sutra – idea that these are the final teachings before Buddha died, part where he second guests monks and nuns
* Mahayana – – means “the great vehicle”
= followed in China
= focuses on the Buddha himself
= do not believe in Sanghas, Monks, or Nuns
= believes in Bodhisattuas
= texts: modified Tripitaka & Lotus Sutra
* Mahayana Buddhism – Literally the “Great Ox Cart.” This branch of Buddhism differs from Theravada Buddhism because it accommodates a greater number of people from all walks of life.
* Mara – demon king
* Middle Way (Buddhism) – the buddhist teaching that liberation from samsura comes neither through severe ascetical practices nor through wild indulgences but in the middle of the spectrum between those 2 opposites
* Nirvana – meaning to extinguish or to blow out it refers to the extinction of suffering impermanence delusion & all that keeps the life cycle (samsara) going
* Noble Eightfold Path – 1. Right understanding- be familiar with buddha teachings 2. Right thought- how thoughts change actions 3. Right speech- words can build or cut 4. Right conduct- living moral life 5. Right livelihood- moral job 6. Right effort- wise vs. unwise 7. Right mindfulness- mental capacity 8. Right concentration- to gain enlightenment
* Pagodas – Towers in eastern Asia, usually with roofs curving upward at the division of each of several stories and erected as temples or memorials.
* Pala Dynasty – The empire that controlled the Indian subcontinent from the eighth to twelfth centuries. The word pala means “protector.”
* Pali Canon – also known as Tripitaka
* Sangha – monasteries Buddha started
* Siddhartha Gautama – -when born he could either be great ruler or holy man, dad tried to protect him from pain and suffering -leaves temple and discoverers the 4 signs -died at 80
* Tantric – A word to describe Hindu literature written in Sanskrit and concerned with rituals acts of body, speech, and mind.
* The 5 Precepts (laws/rules) – 1. do not take life- do not kill your self or anyone 2. do not take what is not given- don’t steal, exploit, or manipulate 3. do not engage in sexual misconduct- no porn/sex before marriage 4. do not use false speech- don’t lie 5. you cannot use intoxicants- no alc or drugs
* Theravada – – means ‘Way of the Elders’
– followed in Cambodia, Burma, Sr Lanka, Thailand, etc
– seen as the authentic form of Buddhism
– teachings of Buddha are most important, not himself (he is no god)
– emphasis on Sanghas
– texts: Tripitaka
* Three parts of Tripitaka – Vinaya Pitaka- life and stories of the Buddha, contains lessons
* Sutra Pitaka- guidelines for monks and nuns, stories if you don’t go by the rules
* Abidharna Pitaka- psychological teachings of Buddha
* Tripitaka – – means “three baskets’ – main sacred text followed by all three rafts – holds primary teaching of Buddha
* Vajrayana – – means “diamond vehicle” – followed in Tibet – the Dalai Lama is the reincarnation of the Buddha – monastic hierarchy – texts: Tripitaka, Lotus Sutra, Kanjur (additional teachings), Tanjur (translations and commentary), Tantric Texts (forms of prayer)
* Vajrayana Buddhism – Literally “Diamond Vehicle,” it is the prominent branch of Buddhism in Tibet.