Phil
206-01:
Philosophy
of Life and Death
Buddhism:
Key Terms
and Concepts
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Ahimsa - nonviolence
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Amita, Amitabha
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Buddha associated with Ching-tu (the Pure Land)
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Anatta, Anatman
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Buddhist doctrine of No-self
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Atman - Ultimate
or True self, believed in Hinduism to be identical to Brahman
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Bodhi -
Enlightenment
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Bodhicitta -
"Mind of enlightenment"; altruistic attitude to achieve enlightenment for
the sake of all sentient beings
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Bodhisattva -
Enlightened being who remains in the world to help others
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Buddha - An
enlightened being; "one who woke up"
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Ching-tu -
School of Chinese Buddhism that emphasizes devotion to Amitabha Buddha
as a means to rebirth in the Pure Land
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Citta - mind
or mental state
-
Conventional/Provisional
vs. Ultimate/Instrinsic (Being, Existence, Truth, etc.)
- Distinction, associated with the Madhyamika school, between two levels/types
of being, truth, etc.
-
Dependent Origination
(Pratitya samutpada)
- Buddhist teaching, associated with the Madhyamika school, of the interconnectedness
of all things
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Dharma -
truth, virtue
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Dukkha -
suffering
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Eightfold Path -
Buddhist practice designed to lead to enlightenment: right knowledge, intention,
speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and meditation.
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Five Precepts -
Buddhist ethical precepts: do not harm, steal, lie, engage in improper
sexual behavior, or use intoxicants
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Four Noble Truths
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1) Life is dukkha, 2) Dukkha is caused by tanha, 3) Tanha can be overcome
by developing karuna, and 4) Karuna can be developed by following the Eightfold
Path.
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Four Passing Sights
- Sickness, Old Age, Death, and Religion (in the form of a Brahmin priest)
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Four Seals -
1) impermanence, 2) Dukkha is the mark of conditioned existence, 3) emptiness/selflessness,
and 4) Nirvana is true peace.
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Guarding the doors
- According to Buddhism, we can err in our actions, our speech, and
our thoughts. Accordingly, morality requires guarding the three doors of
body, speech, and mind.
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Hinayana - Theravada
Buddhism: "The little vessel". Cf. Mahayana.
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Impermanence -
Buddhist doctrine concerning the transient nature of reality
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Karma - Action
and the consequences of action; a connective principle between the things
one does and the events and circumstances of one's (future) life
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Karuna - Compassion
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Madhyamika -
"The Middle Way"; philosophical system associated with Nagarjuna
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Mahayana - Form
of Buddhism, prevalent in Tibet and East Asia, that emphasizes compassion
and the desire to bring all beings to enlightenment: "The large vessel".
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Mandala -
Physical or pictorial representation of "reality" (in a manner that would
not normally be available to one's senses), often used as focus for meditation.
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Nagarjuna -
2nd century AD, typically regarded as the founder of the Madhyamika school
of Buddhism
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Nirvana - Ultimate
release from all suffering, including the samsaric cycle of birth, death,
and rebirth
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Samsara - Cycle
of repeated birth, death, and rebirth
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Sangha - Buddhist
community of monks and nuns
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Shakyamuni -
The historical Buddha: Sage (muni) of the Shakya clan.
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Shunyata, Sunyata
- Buddhist doctrine of emptiness associated with the Madhyamika school.
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Siddhartha Gautama
- The historical Buddha, 6th century BCE.
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Sutra, sutta -
Scripture
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Tanha - Self-regarding
desire
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Theravada -
"Tradition of the Elders", cf. Hinayana and Mahayana.
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Three Jewels -
Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
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Three Higher Trainings
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Insight/wisdom, concentration, and morality/ethics
Website constructed and maintained
by
Douglas Shrader / Shradedw@Oneonta.edu
Updated February 8, 2002