RS Buddhism Beliefs & Teachings
What is Buddhism?
A religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama around 2500 years ago.
What is the difference between 'A Buddha' and 'The Buddha'?
'A Buddha' is someone who has achieved enlightenement whereas 'The Buddha' refers to Siddhartha Gautama.
What did Queen Maya dream of and what does it symbolise?
A white elephant, which symbolises greatness, justice and power.
Where was Buddha born and what does this symbolise?
In the Lumbini Gardens, under the Bodhi tree, which symbolises hope, patience and being 'fully awakened'.
Why is the Bodhi tree so significant for Buddhists?
It is believed to be sacred because it represents the Buddha's life. Some even believe that a musical spirit lives within the trees and causes its movements.
How was Siddahrtha's birth special?
The Bodhi Tree bent its arms to help Queen Maya
The birth was painless
Baby Siddhartha could walk and talk
He walked Seven Steps - symbolises the seven states of suffering
With each step, a lotus flower sprung from the ground - symbolises enlightenment and the Buddha himself
The Buddha said, "I alone am the most honoured one, I will dispel all suffering in this world."
What was King Suddhodana's Fear?
The prophecy told that Siddhartha would become a great king or a holy man; so Suddhidana feared that Siddhartha would become a holy man.
How was Siddhartha's early life in the palace?
Kept away from any pain, sadness or dissapointment (suffering)
Luxurious lifestyle - finest silk, food, education, etc.
Key quote: "I was delicately nurtured"
What was the First sight and how did it influence Siddhartha?
Old man - realised that all humans lose strength, beauty and memory with age.
What was the Second sight and how did it influence Siddhartha?
Sick man - everybody will become ill at some point and physically suffer because of it.
What was the Third sight and how did it influence Siddhartha?
Dead man - death is an inevitable fate and it seperates people from their loved ones.
What was the Fourth sight and how did it influence Siddhartha?
Holy man - owned nothing but was still at peace, so Siddhartha left the palace to find a solution to suffering.
How was Siddhartha's ascetic lifestyle?
Rejected all pleasurable things
Practised extreme self-discipline
Fasted for long periods, becoming very meagre
Used pain, hardship and meditation to train his mind
How did the Jataka Tales describe the Buddha's time as an ascetic?
"severe austeries... like a time of interwining the sky with knots" - did not provide a cure for suffering
"he went about gathering alms in villages and townships" - had to rely on donations from villagers just to survive
Why did Siddhartha abondon asceticism?
One day, a villager girl offered him milk and rice and he accepted since he was nearing starvation.
He realised that neither luxury nor asceticism could stop his suffering, so he proposed the 'Middle Way'.
How did Mara tempt Siddhartha?
Sent his daughter to seduce Siddhartha - symbolise tanha, greed and pleasure.
Sent an army of demons to attack - symbolise fear and violence.
Personally challenged Siddhartha, claiming he has no right to seek enlightenement.
How did Siddhartha attain enlightenment?
He declared, "not until I attain the supreme Enlightenment will I give up this seat of meditation."
The arrow turned to petals before they reached him.
He claimed, "The Earth is my witness," demonstrating that he is worthy of enlightenment.
What was the First Watch of the Night?
The Buddha remembered all his former lives, going through life, death and rebirth.
He realised the nature of the cycle of samsara.
What was the Second Watch of the Night?
Understood the concept of kamma and anatta - how the universe behaves and functions.
What was the Third Watch of the Night?
Understood the dhamma - why suffering happens and how to overcome it
Understood vipassana - suffering arose on causes and conditions
What are the Three Jewels?
The Buddha (the honoured one), the Dhamma (the Buddha's teachings), the Sangha (the community of Buddhists)
Three things a Buddhist takes refuge in as a relief from suffering.
What is the importance of the Dhamma?
The truth about the nature of existence.
The path of training recommended by the Buddha.
The teachings of the Buddha, meant to be practised and tested against one's own experiences.
How do Buddhists define rebirth?
Fluid kammic energy is born into a new body after death.
What you do and think in this life will affect where you are reborn in the next life.
What are the Six Realms in samsara?
Gods, Titans, Hungry Ghosts, Hell, Animals, Humans.
Gods, Warmongers, Hungry Spirits, Relentless Heat and Cold, Animals, Humans.
Only which realm has the capacity to achieve enlightenment?
Humans.
What is samsara?
The cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
Ruled by Mara, driven by the Three Poisons in the middle.
What are the Three Poisons?
Greed, Hatred, Ignorance
Cockerel, Snake, Pig
What are the Three Medecines?
Genorosity, Compassion, Wisdom
What is kamma?
The law of action and result.
Skilful action, driven by good intention, will not lead to suffering.
Unskilful action, driven by bad intention, will lead to suffering.
What is Dependent Arising (Paticcasamuppada)?
The idea that all things arise in dependence upon conditions.
What are the Three Marks of Existence?
Anicca - Impermanence.
Dukkha - Suffering.
Anatta - No self or soul.
What is Anicca?
Impermanence; everything changes and nothing lasts.
All things are in a constant state of flux.
What is Dukkha?
Dissatisfaction and suffering. It is everywhere and unavoidable.
Caused by human experience in the seven states of suffering.
What is Anatta?
Beings do not have a permanent, fixed self or soul.
What are the types of dukkha?
Dukkha-dukkhata (ordinary pain or suffering)
Viparinama-dukkha (changes or loss)
Samkhara-dukkha (attachments or cravings)
What are the Five Aggregates (Skandhas)?
Form (physical body)
Sensation (feelings)
Perception (recognition of things)
Mental formations (thoughts and emotions)
Consciousness (awareness of the world and oneself)
What is Nibbana?
To be freed from the cycle of samsara.
'blowing out' the fires of the Three Poisons, to completely overcome dukkha.
Achieving perfect wisdom on how the universe works (dukkha, kamma, annica, etc.)
Why is meditation important in Buddhism?
Meditation helps Buddhists develop mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.
It helps to overcome attachment and craving, leading to enlightenment.
What is the First Noble Truth (dukkha)?
Suffering is an inescapable part of life.
Buddhists have to acknowledge that suffering exists without personalising it to oneself.
What is the Second Noble Truth (Samudaya)?
Dukkha stems from our cravings (tanha) and how we respond to the Three Poisons.
What is the Third Noble Truth (Nirodha)?
The way to cease suffering is to stop craving and respond differently to anicca.
Doing this will allow you to reach enlightenment/nibbana, where you are completely removed from suffering.
What is the Fourth Noble Truth (Magga)?
The (eight) aspects that Buddhists should practise and live by in order to achieve enlightenment - the Noble Eightfold Path.
Only through practising and experiencing the Noble Eightfold Path can you truly understand the Four Noble Truths.
What are the steps of the Eightfold Path?
Right Understanding – Understanding the Four Noble Truths.
Right Intentions – Developing good intentions like kindness and compassion.
Right Speech – Avoiding lies, gossip, and harmful speech.
Right Action – Acting virtuously, not harming others.
Right Livelihood – Choosing a job that does not harm others.
Right Effort – Cultivating positive qualities and removing negative ones.
Right Mindfulness – Developing awareness and focus.
Right Concentration – Practicing meditation to develop concentration and insight.
What are the sections of the Threefold Way?
Wisdom (panna) - overcoming igonrance and acheiving wisdom.
Ethics (sila) - having good morals, behaving ethically and acting to help others and oneself.
Concentration (samadhi) - meditating effectively, culvating the mind.
What is Thervada Buddhism?
'the school of the elders'
Ancient Buddhist tradition found in Sri Lanka and Thailand.
185,000,000 followers globally
What is Mahayana Buddhism?
'Greater Vehicle'
Umbrella term to describe the later Buddhist traditions. (incl. Pure Land Buddhism, Vajrayana Buddhism, Zen Buddhism)
124,000,000 followers globally (mainly in China, Tibet, Japan)
What do Thervada Buddhists believe?
Practised uniformly - big monastic community.
Ordained people are mostly men.
The Buddha is a historical figure but is not present today.
Focus on the cultivation and transfer of merit.
Emphasis on achieving Nibbana for yourself.
Belief in the Five Skandas (Five Aggregates).
What do Mahayana Buddhists believe?
Many different sects with some overlapping characteristics.
The Buddha is still active today and can influence the world.
The Buddha can manifest in visions and meditations.
Everyone has the potential to become a Buddha.
Insight to Sunyata and the Dhamma leads to enlightenment.
The goal of enlightenment is to not to escape samsara for yourself, but to help others do the same.
Focus on cultivating the Six Perfections.
How do Theravada Buddhists view kammic merit?
Is cultivated through (right) meditation.
Can transferred to share one's fortune to others.
Used in funerals, where friends and family transfer their merit to help their loved ones have a better rebirth.
How do Mahayana Buddhists view sunyata?
Literally means 'emptiness'
Like the parts of a computer, each part depends on the other parts to function. Take those parts away and what's left is emptiness.
All things are empty since they wouldn't exist without other prexisting things.
There is nothing to hold on to, realising this truth leads to Nibbana.
How do Mahayana Buddhists view Buddha-nature and Buddha-hood?
All beings have a seed or essence of Buddha hidden within them.
Our Buddha-nature is clouded by our experiences of suffering and cravings.
Through meditation we can develop awareness and remove the things that obscure our Buddha-nature.
Achieving Buddha-hood is to become enlightened - a Buddha.
Who are Arhats?
For Theravada Buddhists, someone who has become enlightened and escaped the cycle of samsara.
For Mahayana Buddhists, a 'near-perfect' person who is far along the path to enlightenment but is not yet enlightened.
Who are Bodhisattvas? (Mahayana only)
Someone who sees their own enlightenment as bound up with the enlightenment of all beings.
Driven by compassion, they stay in samsara to help others achieve enlightenment.
Someone who has mastered the Six Perfections.
Earthly bodhisattvas continue to be reborn on Earth whereas Transcendant bodhisattvas remain between Earth and nibbana but still manifest on Earth.
What are the Six Perfections?
Generosity, morality, patience, perserverance, meditation and wisdom.
What is Pure Land Buddhism?
A form of Mahayana Buddhism based on the belief of Amitabha Buddha.
Main type of Buddhism in Japan.
The ultimate goal is to be reborn into Sukhavati.
Who is Amitabha Buddha?
The Buddha worshipped by Pure Land Buddhists. (not to be confused with Siddhartha Guatama, who they also believe in)
He was a king who renounced his throne to become a monk.
He achieved enlightenment becuase of the Buddha, he created a pure land called the Sukhavati beyond our world and he continues to live there today.
How is Sukhavti described in Pure Land Buddhism?
A paradise beyond the cycle of samsara.
There is no suffering, only compassion for all beings.
Depicted in drawings as ethereal palaces, where the people are in a state of bliss.
It can be reached by reciting scriptures, meditation, worshipping Amitabha Buddha, making offerings to him and chanting his name.
What is tanha?
What drives our Five Aggregates to be reborn every second.
What drives us forward in samsara.
Desire or Thrist.
Thrist for sensory pleasure, being and non-existence.