Human Destiny

• Buddhism emphasizes human destiny and ethical teaching, with arhat ideals, bodhisattva ideals, buddhahood, Pure Land, karma, rebirth, loving kindness, five precepts, and Six Perfections as key concepts.
• Anicca is the impermanent nature of all things in Buddhism.
• Anatta is the concept of no independent or permanent self in Buddhism.
• Dukkha is the concept of suffering or unsatisfactoriness in Buddhism.
• The 5 elements that make up a human being in Buddhism are known as (S)kandhas.
• Samatha is the practice of calmness or breathing meditation in Buddhism.
• Pratitya is the concept that everything exists because of other things in Buddhism.
• Mettabhavana is the development of loving kindness, usually through meditation in Buddhism.
• Vipassana is the practice of 'insight' meditation to see the true nature of things in Buddhism.
• A Buddhist might avoid samsara by following the teachings of the Buddha, studying the dharma, meditating and practicing daily.
• The Noble Eightfold Path, Three Poisons, tathagatagarbha, meditation, origin and value of human life, human rights, prejudice and discrimination, beliefs about death and the afterlife, crime & punishment are all related to Buddhism's teachings on human destiny and ethical teaching.
• The ideal figure within Theravada Buddhism is the arhat, a monk who has overcome the Three Poisons of greed, hatred and ignorance.
• Monks follow the teachings of the Buddha, study the dharma, meditate and practice daily.
• Once a monk has perfected the Buddhist path, they are no longer reborn at the end of their present life.
• The arhat is free from suffering the cycle of samsara, attains nirvana and is no longer reborn.
• There is no limit to how many arhats there might be at any time.
• The ideal figure within Mahayana Buddhism is the bodhisattva, one who seeks enlightenment for the benefit of others rather than themselves.
• The bodhisattva vows not to attain nirvana until all beings attain nirvana.
• It is compassion that leads a bodhisattva to remain in the cycle of samsara in order to help others.
• For many Mahayana Buddhists, bodhisattvas are seen as supernatural figures and have become focuses of worship with the ability to save others.
• Examples of bodhisattvas include Manjushri, Avolekitesvara, and Maitreya.
• In the Pure Land, followers of Pure Land Buddhism can attain buddhahood.
• By following the teachings of the Buddha (dharma), Buddhists build up positive karma.
• Karma is the teaching of cause and effect in Buddhism.
• Pure Land is a form of Japanese Buddhism with a bodhisattva called Amida (Amitabha) at its centre.
• The Precepts are not rules or commandments but following them minimises suffering (dukkha) and maximises happiness.
• Loving kindness (metta) is a way Buddhists can build up positive karma by showing respect for others and being delighted for others when they are successful and happy.
• When a Buddhist stops building up negative karma, they escape the cycle of samsara and attain nirvana.
• Buddhists are encouraged to try to avoid harming living beings (ahimsa), taking anything that has not been given to them, sexual misconduct, saying harmful things, and using intoxicants that lead to careless actions.
• Mahayana texts refer to the Six Paramitas that need to be perfected in order to achieve the compassion and understanding necessary to attain buddhahood.
• Mahayanists need to perfect generosity (giving without expecting reward), morality (following all aspects of the Dharma), patience (being patient and accepting the truth of dukkha), energy (dedication to attaining buddhahood), meditation (essential for developing understanding) and wisdom (understanding that everything is empty – sunyata).
• Followers of Pure Land Buddhism believe that by chanting the name of Amida they gain karmic merit which allows them to enter the Pure Land after death.
• Buddhists believe that good or bad karma leads into the next life when they are reborn into the cycle of samsara.
• Buddhist monks have a further five precepts that they should live by.
• The Five Precepts are basic guidelines set out for Buddhists, in line with the Buddha’s dharma.
• Theravada teachings accept the six perfections but also have four more.
• Mahayana Buddhists teach that buddhahood can be reached by becoming a bodhisattva.
• Buddhists believe that positive or negative thoughts and actions lead to positive or negative karma.
• By developing loving kindness, Buddhists believe they can eradicate desire (tanha) and the Three Poisons.
• Pure Land Buddhists believe that Amida took a vow to become a bodhisattva after he heard the Buddha give a sermon.