World Religions - Buddhism

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Buddha

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“Enlightened One.”

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Siddhartha Gautama/Gotama

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563-483 BC. Born in Lumbini, northern India (today, southwest Nepal). Born into a royal family. But turned away from position and prosperity and ritualistic Hinduism. He founded Buddhism.

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Shakyamuni

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The sage of the Shakya clan. It is the term widely used in China and Japan to refer to Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha.

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Ramaputta

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A Brahmin yogi who became a follower of the Buddha.

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Pipal tree

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A fig tree. a. k a. Bo tree/Bodhi tree/Aswattha tree. Gautama reached enlightenment as he sat and meditated under a fig tree in Bodhgaya.

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Sangha

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The Buddhist monastic order. Made up of monks and nuns.

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arhat/arhant/arahant

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“Worthy one.” An enlightened person. A holy person.

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dharma

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“Law.” The Buddha’s teaching, or tradition. It can also refer to the law of the universe.

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Ananda

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Siddhartha’s cousin who became a faithful disciple and companion.

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Ten Precepts

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A moral code to live by:

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1. no taking of life,
2. no stealing,
3. being chaste,
4. no lying,
5. no intoxicants,
6. eating moderately,
7. no spectacles,
8. no adornments,
9. simple beds,
10. no accepting precious metals.

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List the Ten Precepts.

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Four Noble Truths

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The foundation of the Buddha’s teaching.

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1. The reality of suffering (duhkha);
2. The cause of suffering is craving (tanha);
3. Enlightenment leads to the end of suffering;
4. The Eightfold Path leads to Enlightenment.

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List the Four Noble Truths.

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Nirvana

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“Enlightenment.” The state of absolute bliss associated with enlightenment – of being free from self and the suffering it causes.

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Stupa

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A shrine containing relics of Siddhartha Gautama or later Buddhas. In India and Sri Lanka, it has a bell-shaped dome structure. In Tibet and Nepal it is a terraced pyramid. In Burma, China, and Japan it is a tower-shaped pagoda.

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duhkha/dukkha

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“Suffering” or “sorrow.”

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moksha

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In Hinduism this term describes the “liberation” of the soul from the cycle of
rebirth.

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atman

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In Hinduism this is the eternal “self” or “soul.” It is the essence of Brahman in a person.

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anatman

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“Without self or soul.” In Buddhism, man does not possess an eternal soul.

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skandhas

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“Aggregates.” Five temporary components (aggregates) make up a person. They are: matter, sensations, perceptions, will, and consciousness. They disassociate at death and recombine in the next life according to the karma of the previous life.

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tanha

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“Craving.” The thirst or craving that leads to suffering.

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Eightfold Path

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The fourth Noble Truth that leads to liberation:

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1. Right view,
2. Right aim,
3. Right speech,
4. Right action,
5. Right living,
6. Right effort,
7. Right mindfulness,
8. Right concentration.

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List the Eightfold Path.

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Middle Path

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The path between the extreme of self-mortification (asceticism) and the extreme of self-indulgence.

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asceticism

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Abstention from ordinary bodily gratifications.

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jhana/dhyana

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A state of meditation.

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Samsara

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The cycle of birth and rebirth.

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Karma

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The law of deeds that determines the status of rebirth. In Buddhism, it is more a psychological than a practical phenomenon.

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Metaphysics

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To do with being or existence.

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Sanskrit

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An ancient Indian language. The language of the Vedas, and the scriptures of the Buddhist traditions that originated in northern India.

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Pali

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A simplified form of Sanskrit. The language of the scriptures of the Buddhist tradition that originated in southern India - Theravada Buddhism.

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Tripitaka

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“Threefold Basket.” The three collections of scriptures: the Vinaya Pitaka, the Sutta Pitaka, and the Adhidharmma Pitaka.

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pitaka

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“Basket.”

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Vinaya Pitaka

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“Discipline Basket.” Contains rules for monks.

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Sutta Pitaka

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“Discourse Basket.” Stories of the Buddha’s lives and poetry in praise of him.

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Abhidhamma Pitaka

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“Further Teaching Basket.” Analysis and elaboration of the Buddha’s teaching.

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sutra/sutta

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“Thread.” In Hinduism, it simply means a “book.” In Buddhism, it refers to a discourse on the Buddha’s teaching (dharma).

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Ashoka

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The king who ruled India between 273-232 BC. He convened the third Buddhist Council in 247 BC. He also sent out Buddhist missionaries.

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Hinayana

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“Lesser Vehicle.” Also known as: Theravada Buddhism (Pali), and Sthaviravada Buddhism (Sanskrit). Liberation through the disciplined life of the Sangha. Only a few successfully achieve enlightenment through this way.

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Mahayana

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“Greater Vehicle.” Liberation through the help of a Boddhisattva. Many can achieve liberation through this way.

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Vajrayana

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“Diamond Vehicle.” Also known as the Thunderbolt Vehicle, Tantric Buddhism, and Mantrayana. A powerful way to enlightenment. It involves meditative and ritualistic practices described in the Tantras – mystical Hindu scriptures.

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yana

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“Vehicle.”

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Theravada/Theravadin

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Pali for the “Way of the Elders.” In Sanskrit, it is known as Sthaviravada.

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Bodhisattva

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A person who has reached the point of Nirvana but who, out of compassion for others, defers this experience so that he can be available to relieve their suffering and help them to reach Nirvana.

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Avalokiteshvara

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“The Lord who looks down.” The Indian name for the Bodhisattva of Mercy.

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Guanyin/Kuan-yin/Kwan-yin

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The female Bodhisattva in Chinese Pure Land Buddhism (Jingtu).

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Kannon

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The female Bodhisattva in Japanese Pure Land Buddhism (Jodo).

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Tantric Buddhism

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A mystical Buddhism based on the meditative and ritualistic practices of the Tantra.

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Tantras

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Mystical Hindu scriptures. Dialogues between Shiva and his shaktis.

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mudras

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Sacred hand gestures.

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mantras

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Sacred words or sounds.

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mandalas

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Geometric patterns representing cosmic Buddhas. Used in Mahayana and Vajrayana meditation and devotion.

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lama

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“Supreme Being.” A Tibetan Buddhist priest. Equivalent to the term “guru” in Indian Buddhism.

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Dalai Lama

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“Ocean [of wisdom] Teacher.” Title given by the Moguls in the sixteenth century to the head of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhists. In the seventeenth century the Moguls established the Dalai Lama as ruler of Tibet. Each Dalai Lama is considered to be a reincarnation of the previous one. The present Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso who is presently living in exile in Dharamsala, India.