buddhism 🪷

• the four noble truths

  the buddhas basic teachings on the cause of suffering and the way to overcome it
• the three poisons


  greed, hatred, ignorance- negative characterises possessed by all humans
• Skandha


  "heaps" or "bundles". the five impermanent parts that make up a human being
• Sunyata

  "Emptiness" . Buddhist belief that all things have the potential to become a buddha
• offering


  something given as part of worship (eg: god or religious figure"
• wesak celebrations


  Lights symbolise enlightenment

  Giving offerings at temples and shrines

  giving alms to support monks

  releasing captive animals which symbolise liberation of nirvana

  lay buddhists may follow five additional expected of monks
• parinirvana day celebrations


  giving gifts to monks and the poor

  reading the parinirvana sutra or hearing it recited at a temple.

  preparing and sharing food

  praying for loved ones who passed recently

  some take pilgrimage to kushinagar where the buddha died
• kathina celebrations


  a time for monks and lay buddhists to come together after vaasa retreat

  lay buddhist may prepare a meal for monks
• offerings


  flowers; anicca

  candles: enlightenment

  water: purity

  fruit: karma

  incense: dharma
• mala


  buddhist prayer beads; used as an aid to worship
• mudras:


  symbolic hand gestures; often seen on Buddhist statues, used as aid to worship/meditation
• What's does the V stand for in the eightfold path

  right VIEW
• what does the i stand for in the eightfold path

  right INTENTION
• what's does the S stand for in the eightfold path

  right SPEECH
• what's does the A stand for in the eightfold path

  Right ACTION
• what does the L stand for in the eightfold path

  right LIVELIHOOD
• What does the E stand for in the eightfold path

  right EFFORT
• what does the M stand for in the eightfold path

  right MINDFULNESS
• what does the c stand for in the eightfold path

  right CONCENTRATION
• 1st moral precept


  Abstain from harming sentient beings
• 2nd moral precept


  abstain from taking what isn't given (stealing)
• 3rd moral precept


  Abstain from sexual misconduct
• 4th moral precept


  To abstain from false speech
• 5th moral precept


  abstain from taking intoxicants
• Nagasena and the chariot 1-

  A non buddhist king asks a monk to show him what a chariot is
• Nagasena and the chariot 2-


  The monk (Nagasena) asks a king to show him what a chariot is.
• nagasena and the chariot 3-


  when the king points to the chariot, nagasena explains that a chariot is simply a collection of parts,nothing more
• 1st noble truth


  all life involves suffering
• 2nd noble truth


  origin of suffering: suffering is caused by craving
• 3rd noble truth


  cessation of suffering- if suffering is eliminated, we will no longer suffer.
• fourth noble truth


  the path to the cessation of suffering- to end suffering follow the eightfold path
• form: the physical stuff of beings (ie our bodies)

  sensation: basic data that comes from our senses

  perception: when sensations are transformed into concepts

  mental formation: our desires and impulses

  consciousness: awareness of being a thinking,feeling thing
• Dharma


  • For Buddhists, human life can only be understood in the light of the dharma
  • Accepting the truths of the dharma, at a deep level is a necessary step to attaining nirvana
  • One of the 3 refuges that Buddhists commit to help them on the path to nirvana
• Marks of existence + pratityasamitupada


  • Concepts that the dharma consists of, which are the Buddha's teachings
• features of mahayana temples in japan

  • hondo (hall containing sacred objects)
  • kodo : lecture hall
  • pagoda : monument
  • bonsho : bell used to summon priests to pray
  • accomodation for priests + their families
• features of theravada temples

  shrine room

  accomodation for monks + nuns

  stupa - monument

  bodhi tree

  ordination hall
• importance of mahayana temples

  • Place for children to learn about Buddhism
  • Focus for important events (eg: festivals)
• importance of theravada temples


  provides services to local community (eg: funerals , helping the poor)

  house sacred objects (worship is done at home)

  cemeteries are found in temples.
• example of renunciation

  Gautama left the palace , practiced asceticismm , almost died
• 1st watch : he saw all his past lives

  2nd watch: understood how samsara + karma work

  3rd watch: understood that craving is the cause of suffering