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Q: Describe the human condition according to Buddhism. Characterised by dukkha – suffering/disease/dissatisfaction. Suffering can be in the form of pain, death, disease, uncertainty and confusion. Suffering caused by tanha – attachment/craving and refusal to accept impermanence (anicca). Humans are trapped in samsara – an illusionary/false life rather than an enlightened life. Q: What impact do Buddhist beliefs about the human condition have on their lives? Give up trying to satisfy ‘self’ in life, stop making ‘self’ central to your life. Show compassion/kindness (metta) to others. Control negative states of mind. Get rid of the illusion of impermanence (anicca). Develop wisdom/mindfulness through practicing the Eightfold Path. Q: Describe Buddhist beliefs about dukkha. Dukkha means suffering, dis-ease, dissatisfaction. It is the 1st Noble Truth. Dukkha is seen in many forms – physical suffering, pain, illness – emotional/mental suffering, loneliness, depression – also seen as the suffering of ignorance (not knowing how to escape conditioned existence). Dukkha is one of the three marks of existence along with anicca and anatta. These characterise the human condition. Q: What do Buddhists understand by the Three Root Poisons? Greed, ignorance and hatred. At the centre of the wheel of samsara and keep it turning thus keeping ignorance and suffering alive. They are mental poisons which lead to bad kamma and rebirth. In Buddhist symbolism they are represented by a cockerel, pig and snake all chasing each other. Q: What is vipassana meditation? Insight meditation designed to increase wisdom/awareness of your own mental state. Can focus on a single idea such as love, joy or change. Leads to greater understanding of the truths of Buddhism and the nature of the human condition. Leads to knowledge of and acceptance of suffering (dukha) and change (anicca). Q: Describe how samatha meditation is practiced. Calming meditation sometimes called mindfulness. Focuses on the breath to calm the mind and still restless thoughts. Intended to come before vipasana/insight meditation to make the mind still. Some Buddhists say is like calibrating a telescope before you use it. Can be practiced with walking or any simple human activity. Q: What two benefits might the practice of meditation bring Buddhists? Trains the mind and develops strong selfawareness. Eliminates cravings and the illusion of self. Generates feelings of joy and goodwill. Calms restlessness, anxiety and anger. Gives insight into the nature of reality (vipasana in particular). Neuroscience is finding it beneficial for some mental health conditions. Q: What is the sangha? Specifically refers to the monastic community of monks & nuns following the dhamma. Mahayanans use the term to refer to all those who are seeking enlightenment whether monastic or lay. One of the Three Jewels/Refuges. In Buddhist countries the sangha relies on support from the lay community for food. Q: What is an Arhat? The ideal of an enlightened person in the Theravadan tradition. Always male monk living in the sangha.. Has achieved great wisdom, morality & skill in meditation. Achieves enlightenment and enters parinibbana and experiences no rebirth. Depends on the lay community for practical support and provides them with an opportunity to gain good kamma. Q: What are the benefits & difficulties of being a Buddhist monk or nun? Benefits Easier to overcome craving if isolated. More time to meditate & cultivate compassion Access to spiritual teachers for help. Encouragement from others in the sangha. Difficulties Harsh lifestyle, cut off from family, home etc Not easily available in non-Buddhist countries Easy to become detached from other people. Q: What made the Buddha establish the sangha? Needed group to teach the dhamma to. Needed group to preserve his teachings. Needed to stop travelling during the rainy season, therefore the sangha developed. Wanted to establish monastic bases for spreading the dhamma to others. Q: What is a Bodhisattva? One who is motivated only by compassionate love for others. Can be male or female. One who ‘puts off’ Nibbana so they can help others be free from suffering. The Mahayanan ideal all Buddhists should try to be like. Q: Give examples of the role of the sangha in Buddhist countries. Provides monastic life for people to follow the dhamma with total commitment. Provides teaching on Buddhist scriptures, meditation and morality. Allows people to spend short periods living a monastic life. In Thailand young boys enter the sangha to be educated prior to marriage & work. Q: What is the role of the Buddha in revealing the dhamma? The dhamma (path/law) was waiting to be discovered for each universe. The Buddha discovered it whilst meditating under the Bodhi tree. Revealed it in the Deer Park Sermon, called ‘turning the wheel of the dhamma’. Travelled rest of life to share the dhamma. Mahayanan Buddhists allow for additions to the dhamma after the Buddha. Q: Describe Buddhist beliefs about Nibbana. Third Noble Truth and goal of Buddhism. A condition of inner peace where suffering, craving and ignorance are ended. Two types: with remainder, without remainder (parinibbana) Theravadans = Nibbana can only be achieved by monks and nuns. Lay Buddhists can only work towards a better rebirth next time. Mahayanas = Nibbana can be achieved by everyone this life. Is a less difficult path. Q: Describe two steps of the Noble Eightfold Path. Right intention – part of the wisdom area of the Noble Eightfold Path (NEP). Having the right intention provides the basis for right actions. Right action – part of the morality area of the NEP. Means acting with compassion, trying to extinguish the three poisons. Q: Describe two steps of the Noble Eightfold Path. Right speech – means not using speech to hurt, no lies, gossip, angry remarks. Use speech positively or not at all. Right livelihood – means your way of earning a living must not harm other beings. Specifically not working in the meat, weapons or alcohol industries, or in an occupation which exploits people or animals. Q: What do Buddhists understand by samsara? Lit. meaning = ‘wandering’. A description of existence viewed from a non-enlightened/ignorant viewpoint, where everything is illusory or false. A description of the here and now as a cycle of endless rebirth. A state of conditioned existence where one thing leads to another (kamma). Freedom from conditional existence. Is fuelled by the 3 poisons. Q: Describe how kamma works. Kamma is the natural law of cause & effect – good actions bring good effects, bad actions bring bad effects. Kamma comes from intentional actions. The results of actions can be immediate or a future life. Bad kamma is the result of the unenlightened life (samsaric existence). Q: Explain how kamma is connected to Nibbana. ‘Unskilful’ actions bind us to samsaric existence therefore we can’t realise Nibbana ‘Skilful’ actions help us realise Nibbana. Kamma is connected to conditional existence (cause & effect) Nibbana breaks the links of conditional existence. Achieving Nibbana means ceasing to create bad kamma. Q: Describe what Buddhists believe the Buddha’s life was like up until his enlightenment. Born a prince – Siddartha Gautama – lived a protected life in a palace. Saw the ‘Four Sights’ – sickness, old age, death & holiness – and renounced his wealth and previous life to search for the truth. Lived with the forest ascetics practising extreme forms of fasting and meditation. Left the forest ascetics and gained nibbana (enlightenment) under the bodhi tree. Q: What were the Four Sights witnessed by the Buddha on leaving the palace? A sick person. An elderly person. A dead person. A holy person (sadhu). Q: What is the Pravrajya and why was it a significant event for the Buddha? Means ‘going forth’. Was when Siddartha left the palace and his life of pleasure. Was Siddartha’s attempt to find a way to deal with suffering. Was a renunciation of pleasure as a way of finding lasting happiness. Q: In what ways is the Buddha viewed differently by Buddhists? Theravadans see the Buddha as a great role model and example to follow but not a God. Mahayanans have a much more ‘religious’ view of the Buddha, seeing him as more than a role model, able to be contacted through prayer and existing in three dimensions or bodies (the Trikaya) Q: Describe the Four Noble Truths. The diagnosis of what’s wrong with the human condition is suffering – dukkha. The cause of this suffering is craving, or tanha. The cure for the human condition is enlightenment - nibbana. Nibbana is achieved through following the Noble Eightfold Path. Q: What is the Tipitaka and what does it comprise of? The Vinaya-pitaka (concerned with monastic rules). The Sutta- pitaka (concerned with the teachings of the Buddha as told by Ananda). Abhidhamma-pitaka (analysis of Buddhist ideas and advice on meditation.) Q: What impact do beliefs about anatta have on the lives of Buddhists? Minimise attachment. Focus less on self, more on others. Practice mindfulness “an attitude of open awareness to the present moment.” Live according to the Five Precepts and Noble Eightfold Path Q: In what ways is the Buddha viewed differently by Buddhists? Theravadans see the Buddha as a great role model and example to follow but not a God. Mahayanans have a much more ‘religious’ view of the Buddha, seeing him as more than a role model, able to be contacted through prayer and existing in three dimensions or bodies (the Trikaya) Q: What are the Five Precepts? Do not kill Do not take what is not freely given Do not over-indulge the senses (sex, food) Do not lie, or spread false stories Do not take drugs or alcohol which clouds the mind Q: What is the AryaSangha? A special group of monks and nuns who have achieved Enlightenment. In Mahayanan Buddhism they are called Bodhisatvas. In Theravadan Buddhism they are called Arhats. Q: What are the Three Jewels? Three ‘refuges’ providing safety and comfort to Buddhists. The Buddha The Dhamma The Sangha. Q: In what different ways is worship (puja) practiced in Buddhism? In Theravadan Bism worship is simple & focuses on images of the Buddha. Recitation of scriptures, meditation. And giving food to monks are considered worship in Theravadan Bism In Mahayanan Bism worship is more colourful & varied and includes prayer flags, wheels and chanting. Prayers for help are offered to the Buddha or Bodhisattvas in Mahayanan Bism Q: What were the key aspects of the Buddha’s Enlightenment? Happened at Uravela under the Bodhi Tree or ‘Tree of Awakening’. Experienced temptation from Mara - the Evil One – who sent his daughters. Persevered despite temptation – touched the ground as witness to his right to meditate. Achieved Enlightenment through four jhanas and experienced total freedom from craving Q: What do Buddhists understand by the Dhamma? Another name for the Buddhist religion. Means ‘natural law’. Refers to a universal moral law, which, if followed correctly, will lead to peace. Also means the ‘teachings of the Buddha’. Q: What do Buddhists understand by upaya? Is the doctrine of ‘skilful means’. Refers to ethical decision-making and says that an action is either ‘skilful’ or ‘unskilful’ depending upon the intention behind the action. Means that there are no absolute rights or wrongs in Buddhism. Q: What is meant by the human condition? Refers to the state of being human. Is debated by religious people & philosophers. Involves beliefs such as Do humans have a soul? Is there life after death? Do we have free will? Are we capable of moral choices? What happens when we die? Q: What is the goal of Buddhism? To live ‘skilfully’ and create positive kamma make progress towards Enlightenment. Ultimately to attain Enlightenment and awaken to the true nature of reality. To ‘blow out the fires of craving’ which lead to rebirth. Q: What means do Buddhists use to achieve the goals of Buddhism? Taking refuge in the Three Jewels helps humans achieve the goals of Buddhism. Following the Eightfold Path helps humans progress towards Enlightenment