Buddhism 101
This is the first Noble Truth. It means “suffering” or "frustration” in Pali.
dukkha
This is one of the Three Marks of Existence. In Pali, it means “impermanence". This is the Buddhist doctrine that all things exist are constantly changing.
anicca
This prince was born into a wealthy family in the kshatriya (warrior) class (caste) in northern India (ca. 5th century BCE) and is the founder of what we call Buddhism.
Siddhartha Gautama
Kundun recounts the invasion of Tibet by this country.
China
This is a verbal puzzle designed to short-circuit the workings of the rational, logical mind. It is used especially in Rinzai Zen as a means of triggering satori
koan
This is the second Noble Truth. It means selfish desire (Pali “desire” “craving”). This causes dukkha.
tanha
This is one of the Three Marks of Existence. In Pali, it means “no self”.
anatta
This term comes from the Sanskrit language and means “the greater vehicle" referring to the most popular branch of Buddhism.
Mahayana
These are phrases or syllables chanted to enhance meditation.
mantras
In Rinzai Zen, this is the Zen experience of enlightenment, a flash of insight in which the true nature of one’s being is known directly.
satori
OR
kensho
This means “blowing out” in Sanskrit. It is the ultimate goal of all Buddhists, the extinction of desire and any sense of individual selfhood, resulting in liberation from samsara and its limiting conditions.
nirvana
This is the fourth Noble Truth and the solution to both tanha and dukkha.
the Noble Eightfold Path
This term comes from the Pali language and means “way of the elders" referring to the branch of Buddhism that is prevalent in Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. This branch focuses on the earliest texts and teaching of the Buddha more than the figure of the Buddha.
Theravada
This is the title for the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. This is the incarnation of the bodhisattva of compassion ‘Avalokiteshvara’. The current one is ‘Tenzin Gyatso’, the 14th incarnation, 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Dalai Lama
This is the school of sudden awakening, brought to Japan in the 12th century AD by Eisai. It is one of the two major sects of Zen.
Rinzai
This is a title from both Sanskrit and Pali meaning “awakened one”. It refers to Siddhartha Gautama and all others who have by their own insight attained perfect enlightenment.
Buddha
Lying, gossip, and hurtful speech all violate this step in the Noble Eightfold Path.
Right Speech (#3)
This is the ideal type for Mahayana Buddhism: those who have experienced enlightenment but motivated by compassion stop short of nirvana to help others achieve it.
bodhisattva
Martin Scorsese
This is the school of gradual awakening, brought to Japan in the 13th Century AD by Dogen. It is one of the two major sects of Zen.
Soto
These are the teachings of the Buddha, and one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism.
This is not to be confused with the Hindu doctrine of “ethical duty”. It is born not of mental reflection but of insight gained through a profound meditative experience.
Dharma
This is the term used to refer to the following instructions, taken as a whole:
1. do not take life
2. do not take what is not given
3. do not engage in sensuous misconduct
4. do not use false speech
5. do not use intoxicants
The Five Precepts
This is the ideal type in Theravada Buddhism: one who has become enlightened/awakened while still living
arhat
True to history and his political commitments, in a scene late in Kundun, this leader of China tells the Dalai Lama, “Only you can liberate yourself.”
OR
Mao Tse-Tung (Zedong)
This means “one time, one meeting”. It is the philosophy of Sen no Rikyu, the founder of the Japanese Tea Ceremony.
"ichi go ichi e"
In Sanskrit and Pali, this means “assemblage”. It refers to the Buddhist community of monks and nuns.
Sangha
These are the Four Passing Sights that Siddhartha Gautama saw, thereby initiating his pursuit of enlightenment.
an old man
a sick man
a dead body(corpse)
an ascetic/monk
In this branch of Buddhism, there is a rich tradition of monastic life (monks and nuns). In some regions, all males reside in a monastery temporarily. Serving as a monk for at least three months is seen as a required step toward becoming an adult.
Theravada
As we saw the child Dalai Lama recite in the film Kundun, these are the Three Jewels of Buddhism.
The Buddha
The Dharma
The Sangha
Rinzai, the school of sudden awakening, was brought to Japan in this century by Eisai.
12th Century AD (1100s AD)
Taking up a career as a bartender or executioner would violate this step of the Noble Eightfold Path.
Right Livelihood (#5)
In the context of the Noble Eightfold Path, one must obey this specific set of instructions in order to satisfy ‘right conduct’ (#4).
the Five Precepts (for a layperson)
the Ten Precepts (for a monk or nun)
This branch of Buddhism is prevalent in China, Japan, and Korea, and it encompasses a variety of forms, including those that emphasize devotion and prayer to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Mahayana
This branch of Buddhism was originally prevalent in Tibet, but is now practiced in exile in India and elsewhere, utilizing mandalas, mantras, and mudras.
Vajrayana
Soto, the school of gradual awakening, was brought to Japan in this century by Dogen.
13th century AD (1200s AD)