Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) = born around the 6th century B.C.E. into royalty at Kapilavastu, which lay in the foothills of the Himalayas near the present day Nepalese-Indian border. As an adult, he was also troubled by the caste system, which denied many the possibility of salvation, as well as by the exclusivity and abuses of the brahman priestly caste who controlled religious practices at that time.

Bodh Gaya = where the Buddha meditated under a banyan tree until he achieved enlightenment and understood a path to enlightenment known as the middle way.

middle way = between extreme austerity and extreme indulgence was the path to wisdom and freedom from suffering.

The Four Noble Truths =

• Life is suffering.

• Suffering is caused by desire, and by clinging to the notion of self.

• It is possible to end suffering. To end the suffering caused by desire and ego, one must eliminate the cause.

• Suffering can be ended by following the Noble Eight fold Path.

• Noble Eight fold Path = a set of resolutions characterized by a concern for morality, concentration, moderation, positive action, and wisdom.

sangha (Monasticism) = monastic community that could includes men and women. These monastic communities are integral in the diffusion of Buddhism to East and Southeast Asia from its origins in South Asia.

• Women also had some opportunities within Buddhism that they wouldn’t have had access to otherwise, such as the ability to become Buddhist monks. Buddhism gave them an option for work outside the traditional sphere of family and home.

Stupa = a hemispherical mound that represents the burial mound of the Buddha (could also be a container) that contains relics and is a focal point for prayer.

Theravada Buddhism = believed to be the oldest form of Buddhism. It upholds the monastic path and adheres to the oldest surviving recorded sayings of the Buddha, collectively called the Pali canon. Theravada is the dominant form of Buddhism today in Sri Lanka as well as Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.

Mahayana Buddhism = Mahayana is a philosophical movement that proclaimed the possibility of universal salvation, offering assistance to practitioners in the form of compassionate beings called bodhisattvas. The goal was to open up the possibility of buddhahood (becoming a Buddha) to all sentient beings. The Buddha ceased to be simply a historical figure, but rather was interpreted as a transcendent figure who all could aspire to become.

Mahayana also spread to Southeast Asia, however its greatest impact is felt in the East Asian nations of China, Korea, and Japan. As Mahayana evolved, it continued to expand a vast pantheon of buddhas, bodhisattvas, and other divine and semi-divine beings, drawing from and assimilating regional and local traditions.

Vajrayana (the Vehicle of the Thunderbolt) Buddhism = An offshoot of Mahayana Buddhism, can be traced to ancient Hindu and Vedic practices as well, including esoteric ritual texts designed to achieve physical, mental, and spiritual breakthroughs. It is sometimes described as offering a shortcut to enlightenment. Because some practices subverted mainstream Buddhism and Hinduism, engaging in acts otherwise considered taboo, its practitioners were secretive. Initiates worked closely with a spiritual guide or guru.

Vajrayana Buddhism is most closely identified with Tibetan Buddhism, however, it also influenced parts of Southeast Asia and East Asia.

Bodhisattva = Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who postpone their own salvation in order to help all sentient beings. The bodhisattva is an ideal type, not a depiction of an historical person like the Buddha. Bodhisattvas have some of the characteristics of Christian saints. They are compassionate figures who help worshipers. Unlike saints, however, they are not associated with historical persons, hagiographies, or martyrdom. According to Mahayana teachings, a Buddha is first born as a bodhisattva, and then after many lifetimes, progresses on to Buddhahood. The historical Buddha was himself referred to as a bodhisattva before becoming the Buddha.

Zen Buddhism = An offshoot of Mahayana Buddhism, it developed in China and became influential in Japan. Within Zen Buddhism, one emphasizes seeking one's own Buddha nature through meditation.

samsara = the cycle of rebirth and suffering.

nirvana = a virtually indescribable state in which individual identity would be “extinguished” along with all greed, hatred, and delusion. With the pain of unnecessary suffering finally ended, the enlightened person would experience an overwhelming serenity, even in the midst of difficulty, as well as an immense loving-kindness, or compassion, for all beings.