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Buddhists practices Flashcards

(50 cards)

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1
Q

What does Puja mean?

A

To honour/venerate the Buddha

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2
Q

What is Puja? (the act of puja)

A

Offerings at the shrine room
- earth touching mudras
- meditation
- chanting dharma
- involves taking shoes off

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3
Q

Why is Puja important?

A
  • Reminder of the Dharma: mantras, chant the 5 precepts, objects on the shrine are a reminder of the dharma
  • Reminder of the Buddha and what he did: He made offerings at the shrine and meditated to become enlightened, his statues have mudras
  • Brings the Sangha together: meditate together, monks help lay people with meditation, chant together, offerings at the shrine are given to monks in their alms bowls
  • Helps Buddhists become enlightened: Chanting mantras and meditation, focuses, calms and trains the mind (essential for enlightenment), Vipassana meditation helps to see the world as it really is (essential for enlightenment), Offerings at the shrine give good karma (helps to become enlightened)
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4
Q

What are the objects at the Shrine + their meaning?

A

Bell- law of karma
Candle- enlightenment
Incense- spreading dharma around the world
Fruit- pratitya samutpada, everything depends on everything else
Flowers- impermanence, they die but the seeds grow again
Water- preciousness of life
Statue of the Buddha- reminder of his qualities

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5
Q

What are Skilful acts?

A

acts driven by metta or karuna for good karma to break out of samsara

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6
Q

What are features of a Theravada temple?

A

Stupa- represents 5 elements + house relics of the Buddha
Bodhi tree- reminder of enlightenment
Statue of the Buddha- reminder of his qualities (ie metta, karuna)
Meditation hall
Shrine room
Teachings room
Vihara- where monks live

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7
Q

What are features of a Mahayana temple?

A

Statue of Bodhisattvas- reminder of their qualities (avalokiteshvera= compassion)
Meditation hall
Shrine room
Teaching room
Vihara- where monks live

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8
Q

What are examples of Offerings?

A
  • Dana to monks
  • Shrine: offer flowers, candles, incense
  • Money into temple money box
  • Festivals + Funerals: Kathina, offer cloth for robes
  • Food into the alms bowls of Monks
  • Free service (cleaning, painting)
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9
Q

What are the 3 marks of existence?

A

Anicca, Anatta, Dukkha

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10
Q

Why are Buddhist practices important?

A
  • Reminder of the 3 jewels/triratna
  • Reminder of the Buddha/qualities
  • Reminder of the Dharma (guidance towards enlightenment)
  • Bring Sangha together
  • Help end suffering-> enlightenment
  • ## Help see the world as it really is-> enlightenment
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11
Q

Why should Buddhists listen to the Buddha and Dharma?

A

sources of authority- trust them-> leads to enlightenment

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12
Q

What is a strength and a weakness of the Sangha?

A

Strength: part of the triratna which the Buddha set up

Weakness: the Buddha was enlightened on his own

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13
Q

What is a strength of the Buddha/Dharma?

A

The Buddha said
“one who takes refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, sees with perfect wisdom the 4 noble truths”

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14
Q

What is a weakness to the Buddha/Dharma/3 Jewels etc?

A

The Buddha said
“find your own path to salvation”

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15
Q

Where is meditation carried out?

A

Alone or as a sangha in front of the Shrine

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16
Q

What is Samatha meditation?

A
  • Calms the mind
  • Focuses the mind
  • focus on one thing (breathing, walking)
    -Focus on Kasinas (breathing, in and out breaths)
  • Develops Brahma Viharas (upekkha, mudita, karuna, metta) (peace, joy, compassion, love)
  • Before Vipassana meditation
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17
Q

What are the Brahma Viharas?

A

Metta- loving kindness
Karuna- compassion
Uppekah- peace
Mudita- joy
Calm mind

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18
Q

What is Vipassana meditation?

A

Insight mediation
- develops wisdom
- Helps Buddhists to see the world as it really is
- After Samatha meditation
- Allows to reflect on personal situation, apply 3 marks of existence/lakshanas ie in a situation of injustice
- “Wisdom is borne of meditation”
- develop brahma viharas
- Focus on the Dharma
- Insight into Buddha’s teachings (ie tanha)
- Apply to personal situation (focus on something you don’t like to develop non attachment)

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19
Q

What is Mettabhavana meditation?

A

Loving Kindness meditation
- Wish for self, those you love, don’t know, don’t like, all living beings
- May I be free of danger, may I be healthy, may I be happy, may I live with peace and loving kindness
- Develop Brahma Viharas of metta, achieve enlightenment like the Buddha

  • taught Pothilla knowing the dharma wasn’t enough- needed to meditate, more important
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20
Q

What analogies did the Buddha use to show the importance of meditation?

A
  • Buddha compares our minds to monkeys jumping from branch to branch
  • Handkerchief with knots in
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21
Q

Why is meditation important?

Study These Flashcards
A

Reminds of the Dharma: reflect in Vipassana meditation, essential part of the 8 fold path, right concentration and mindfulness
Brings the Sangha together: monks guide lay people in meditation
How the Buddha found enlightenment: follow his example
Helps Buddhists to be like the Buddha and develop Brahma Viharas: ie metta bhavana meditation
Calms and controls the mind: important for right morality on the 8 fold path, following the 5 precepts

22
Q

What is Visualisation?

Study These Flashcards
A

Look carefully at an object, then reflect and try to embody it-> visualise in minds as part of meditation

23
Q

Examples of who Buddhists visualise?

Study These Flashcards
A

Siddhartha Gotama- reminder of the Brahma Viharas
Manjushri- reminder of wisdom
Avalokiteshvera- reminder of compassion
Medicine Buddha- reminder of end of suffering
Amidha Budda- reminder of non attachment and Pure land (pure land Buddhists)
- visualise images with particular mudras

24
Q

What are Mantras?

Study These Flashcards
A

Chanting in Sanskrit
- Calms the mind before meditation
Use Malas-> cross beads, rid of worldly desires, used when chanting mantras. 3 tassles= triratna. Negative energy into positive energy

25
What are examples of Mantras
Om-Mani-Padme-Hum - Bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara - Helps Tibetan Buddhists focus on compassion 3 jewels mantra - I go to the Buddha for refuge, I go to the Dharma for refuge, I go to the Sangha for refuge - Reminder of where Buddhists can turn to to overcome Dukkha and achieve enlightenment Metta bhavana mantra - Helps Buddhists reflect on the important sublime state and the 1st precept - get into the right frame of mind for enlightenment and overcoming the 3 poisons
26
What is a mala?
Prayer beads Buddhists use for counting mantras 112 beads with 3 tassels, reminder of the 3 jewels
27
Why is using Mala beads important?
- Helps Buddhists keep track of mantras, each bead is a syllable of a mantra - Helps to remind Buddhists of the Dharma, cross the beads to remind of getting rid of worldly attachments - Helps to remind of where they can find help to find enlightenment-> 3 tassels= 3 jewels
28
Why are Mantras important?
- brings together the Sangha - Reminder of the Dharma: chant triratna + om mani padme hum - promote Bodhisattva qualities (Om Mani Padme Hum-> reminder of Avalokiteshvera, Pure Land chant to Amidha Buddha) - Reminder of where Buddhists can turn to help (3 jewels mantra) - Reminder of qualities Buddhists should develop (Om Mani Padme Hum)
29
What are Mudras?
Hand gestures showing the qualities of the Buddha and the Dharma
30
What are examples of Mudras?
Dana mudra- shows giving Dharma mudra- reminder of teachings (4 noble truths, 8 fold path) Earth touching mudra- reminder of reality + see world as it really is Fearless mudra- reminder of when Buddha stopped drunk elephant from stampeding - used in visualisation - negative energy into positive energy
31
What are features of a Theravada funeral?
- Immediate rebirth after death - In Sri Lanka (Theravada country), families give cloth to monks to make new robes to pass good karma onto deceased person - Shrine is set up with portrait of person and offerings to the Buddha of incense, candles and flowers - Procession behind the casket at the ceremony, family members carry casket as a sign of respect - Body is cremated - Dana: materials + into alms bowls - Chant mantras of Lakshanas - Merit making ceremonies by the monks at the family home: 1 week, 3 months, 1 year after + with monks
32
What are features of a Mahayana funeral?
- Whisper name of Buddha into the ear - Wash body - Flowers: reminder of impermanence - Candles: reminder of enlightenment - Readings from Tibetan book of dead - Sky burial (tibet), person's body is left on mountains, for vultures (lesson of impermanence and good karma) - Rebirth takes place 49 days after death, the person becomes conscious between death and rebirth - Rebirth is not immediate, there are different Bardo states - Cremation - Pick bones from ashes with chopsticks (japan) - Funerals give opportunity to pass merit onto deceased
33
What is Kathina?
Theravada ceremony Almsgiving ceremony at the end of Vassa - reminder of when 30 monks were travelling to the Buddha and got caught in the rainy season so had to delay their arrival. When they arrived, the Buddha gave them cloth to make new robes - Kathina is the sewing frame used to make the robes
34
How is Kathina celebrated?
- Young boys return to parents after spending time in viharas - Lay people give dana: cloth, money, food (to monks), razors - Monks devote their time to learning the Dharma - Lay people give up bad habits - Monks stay up at night to sew robes using cloth
35
What is Wesak?
Celebration of Buddha's birth, death and enlightenment Remembers the Buddha's teaching of breaking out of samsara First full moon in May
36
How do Buddhists celebrate Wesak?
- Light lanterns to represent enlightenment - Spend time with the monks learning the dharma - Some lay people take 5 extra precepts (ie not eating after midday) - Give monks good karma - Water over Baby Buddha statue, show purity - Float lanterns - Walk around lit stupa - Release caged birds
37
What is Vassa?
Celebration of the time the Buddha gave his first sermon to 5 men During the rainy season, after the first full moon in July and August
38
How is Vassa celebrated?
- Monks and nuns stay in viharas and study and teach the dharma - Joined by lay people - Young boys take monastic vows, stay with monks and nuns in the viharas, learning the dharma - Parade to the vihara dressed as princes, then shave their heads and put on inexpensive clothes once arrived
39
What is Paranirvana?
Mahayana festival Remembers the death of the Buddha, passing into paranirvana
40
How is Paranirvana celebrated?
- mediation - Retreats - Monks read from Paranirvana Sutta on Buddha's death - Sangha comes together to do puja and consider the teaching of Sunyata - Chants + meditation on Dukkha, Anicca and Anatta - Pilgrimage to Kushinagar, death place of the Buddha
41
What are features of Wesak and Kathina?
- involve Dharma talks - eating together - taking extra precepts= show commitment Kathina (first precept) Wesak (all 10 precepts)
42
What are features of a Buddhist temple + importance?
Stupa- symbolises 5 elements of the earth + stages of enlightenment, contains relics of the Buddha Shrine room/Prayer hall- holds the shrine, reminds Buddhists of the dharma where offerings are made, Meditation and mantras Statues of the Buddha/Bodhisattvas- reminder of their qualities Study room- study the dharma
43
What are the similarities between a Mahayana and a Theravada temple?
- Both have a prayer hall/shrine room - a study room - Stupa/Pagoda-> store Bodhisattva/Buddha relics
44
What are differences between a Mahayana and Theravada temple?
Mahayana- 3 Buddha hall + Bodhisattvas Theravada- Bo tree outside, reminder of enlightenment
45
What is a pagoda?
On top of a temple Squared story with a curved roof
46
What is a stupa?
On top of a temple Pointed tower Represents elements of Earth, Fire, Water, Air, Wisdom Represent human, bodily desire at the bottom, emotions in the middle, enlightenment in the head at the top
47
Why are Pagodas and Stupas important?
Both contain relics
48
What are the advantages of a converted town house as a Buddhist temple?
Not building on new land Supports 2nd precept of not taking what is not freely given (from the earth Buddhists can easily access it as it is in town, so may not need to drive, therefore supports 1st precept of not harming living beings (ie pollution from driving, traffic)
49
What are the disadvantages of a converted town house as a Buddhist temple?
- may not have stupa or pagoda on the outside so unclear if it is a temple or not-> New Buddhists may not know where it is - May not be big enough as a house to fit sangha, shrine and study room, might have to sacrafice elements of a typical temple
50
What is the role of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas in devotional worship?
- Used in visualisation as a reminder of their qualities-> Visualise Siddhartha Gotama to remind of metta, karuna, upekkha and mudita Visualise Manjushri, wisdom sword cuts through ignorance Visualise Medicine Buddha, reminder of wisdom and healing from suffering= 8 fold path - Visualise Buddhas and Bodhisattvas with mudras (Dana mudra for generosity etc) - Statue of Buddha (T) and Bodhisattvas (M) in temple, remind Buddhists to venerate them and make offerings - Chant mantras, remind Buddhists of them-> take refuge in the Buddha.., om mani padme hum, "I dedicate my life to the Buddha of infinite light"
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