Key vocabulary Unit 1: History and belief ascetic Someone who a life of simplicity and self-denial bhikkhu A Buddhist monk; nuns are called bhikkhunis Bodh Gaya The holiest site in Buddhism, Siddhartha meditated under a Bodhi tree and became the Buddha Brahmins Priests in ancient India who interpreted Queen Maya’s dream when she was pregnant with Siddhartha Buddha The awakened or enlightened one system A series of social classes that determine someone’s job and status in society Dhammapada A Buddhist scripture that contains the teachings and sayings of the Buddha Dharma The Buddha’s teachings dukkha The suffering or dissatisfaction of all living beings Eightfold Path Eight instructions taught by the Buddha to help people overcome suffering and reach enlightenment enlightenment The state of being awakened to the truth about life Five Precepts Five rules that all Buddhists are expected to follow Four Noble Truths The basis of the Buddha’s teachings: all creatures suffer; suffering is caused by selfish desires; suffering can be ended; the way to end suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path Four Sights Four things seen by Siddhartha when leaving the royal grounds – old age, sickness, death and a holy man karma The forces that influence peoples’ fortune and future rebirth laity Buddhists who are not monks or nuns meditation The practice of focusing the mind Middle Way A lifestyle between luxury and having nothing at all missionaries People who spread a religious message to different countries nirvana A state of bliss experienced by those who have found enlightenment Pali Canon The main sacred text for many Buddhists which contains the teaching of the Buddha, rules for monks and nuns and the philosophy of Buddhism; also known as the Tipitaka parable A story used to teach a moral or spiritual lesson parinirvana A of complete bliss, entered into by souls that are not reborn pilgrimage A journey taken for religious reasons samsara The continual process of life, death and rebirth Sangha The community of Buddhist monks and nuns Sanskrit An ancient Indian language scriptures Religious texts sermon A speech given by a religious leader stupa A place where the remains of the Buddha were buried Three Jewels Buddha, dharma, Sangha; also known as the Three Refuges Three Poisons Greed, hatred and delusion Unit 2: Buddhism in the modern world bardo A state of being that exists between death and rebirth bhavacakra A particular Tibetan Buddhist mandala depicting the cycle of samsara
Bodhisattva A person who has found enlightenment but is reborn to help others Dalai Lama The leader of Tibetan Buddhism, believed to be an incarnation of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara jhana A state of absorption – a stage on the path to nirvana through meditation Kathina A festival of gratitude to the Sangha lama A senior monk or teacher in Tibetan Buddhism lotus A flower and key symbol in Buddhism; also used to describe a position used in meditation Mahayana A school of Buddhism that believes in Bodhisattvas and that the term ‘Sangha’ applies to all Buddhists mandala A circular pattern that has symbolic meanings and is used to help people meditate mantra A sacred phrase that is chanted during meditation Thai Forest Tradition A form of Theravada Buddhism that encourages monks and nuns to retreat into the forest to practise meditation in complete solitude thangkas A Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton or silk Theravada A school of Buddhism that views the Sangha as very important Vassa The period of the rainy season, when monks stay in their monasteries Wesak A festival to commemorate the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death; also known as Buddha Day
4 Explain two different ways in which the story of Mara can be interpreted. a) A literal interpretation: some Buddhists believe it is a historical fact that Mara sent demons to torment Siddhartha. b) A symbolic interpretation: other Buddhists disagree and say that Mara is a symbolic character and represents the physical and mental temptations Siddhartha needed to overcome in his search for enlightenment. 5 Explain how Siddhartha achieved enlightenment. Siddhartha achieved enlightenment by sitting down, cross-legged, under a Bodhi tree and meditating. Through deep meditation he gained the ability to remove all craving, hatred and ignorance. 1.5 The Four Noble Truths 1 What is meant by dharma? Dharma is the name that Buddhists give to the laws or truths that Buddha discovered. 2 Why is the symbol of the wheel important to Buddhists? The is an important symbol in Buddhism because it signifies that all life is constantly in motion, passing through the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The only way to escape this cycle is by following and understanding the dharma. 3 What are the Four Noble Truths? The Four Noble Truths are the foundation teachings of Buddhism given by the Buddha in his first sermon at Sarnath. 4 Explain each of the Four Noble Truths in your own words. Answers should credit any correct summary or interpretation. For example: All creatures suffer. The first noble truth is that all life contains suffering. The Buddhist term for this is dukkha. Suffering is caused by selfish desires. We suffer because we want things we cannot have and we have things we want to last forever that we will lose. Suffering can be ended. Because our minds create suffering through our desires and attachments we can train our minds so as to eliminate suffering. The way to end suffering is the Eightfold Path. Following the teaching and instruction of the Buddha is the only way to end suffering and find enlightenment. 5 Explain how the analogy of the doctor helps explain the Four Noble Truths. A doctor will (1) see what the problem is, (2) understand its cause, (3) decide on a cure and (4) prescribe a way of making you better. This is why Buddhists sometimes think the Buddha is like a doctor whose mission is to help remove suffering from the world. 1.6 The Eightfold Path 1 What is the Eightfold Path? The Eightfold Path is steps taught by the Buddha to help people overcome suffering and reach enlightenment.