1. Buddhism

2. Buddhists follow one of many paths of action and become free from suffering not by worshipping gods, but by following the example of the 6 th century B.C. founder, Siddhartha Gautama. Gautama, the historical “Buddha,” taught that human ignorance of the true nature of things perpetuates our suffering and necessitates a continual round of rebirths (similar to the Hindus).

3. Buddhism continued… Buddhists strive to become enlightened and freed from desires and cravings by disciplining their lives according to the Eight-Fold Path of right understanding, intention, speech, behaviour, livelihood, effort, meditation and concentration. The bliss of Nirvana awaits the enlightened. Found throughout Asia in three major “schools”: Theravada, Mahayana, and Tibetan Vajrayana. Each school lays emphasis on different “Buddhas,” or Enlightened Beings.

4. VOCAB! HOORAY!

5. Triple Gem Also known as the Three Jewels of Buddhism; one takes refuge in these three when becoming a Buddhist. They include the Buddha (6 th century B.C.E founder of Buddhism), the Dharma (discourses and teachings of Buddha), and the Sangha (a community living the righteous life, or an Order of monks and nuns established by the Buddha).

6. Dharma Literally, “the teaching” of the Buddha --- his discourses; also refers to the earlier Hindu meaning of cosmic order that is sometimes symbolized in Buddhism as the Wheel of the Law. As such, it also implies moral behaviour.

7. Buddha The Enlightened or Illustrious One refers to Siddhartha Gautama of the Sakyas after he achieved enlightenment under the bodhi tree in northeastern India. Since the Sakyas refers to his clan, the historical Buddha is sometimes called Sakyamuni (563-483 BCE)

8. Nirvana In Buddhism, Nirvana is the “blowing out” or “extinguishing” of the flames of desire and craving that tie us to suffering and rebirth. It is the absence of all the ills of the world that are acknowledged as the basic challenges of the human condition. In Mahayana Buddhism, the achievement of our “Buddha nature” is an eternal and blissful condition.

9. Four Noble Truths 1)Life is pervaded by suffering, characterized by estrangement of various kinds because of our desire for permanence 2)Suffering is caused by desire or craving for private fulfillment 3)One can conquer suffering by the cessation of desire. 4)The way to cease desire is to follow the Eightfold Path; this is the path to Enlightenment.

10. The Eightfold Path It is also known as the MIDDLE PATH or the MIDDLE WAY. It maps out an entire pattern of life to eliminate suffering: Right Views, Right Motive, Right Speech, Right Behaviour, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Meditation. The last three of these practices focus on mental disciplines for reaching Enlightenment.

11. The Eightfold Path

12. Enlightenment This state of total awareness may only be achieved by those who have renounced craving, since our ego-based desires prevent us from “seeing things as they are.” This is the goal of Buddhism and leads to Nirvana.

13. Tripitakas The three baskets of the Buddhist sacred text: 1)The Discourse basket (Sutra Pitaka) 2)The Discipline basket (Vinaya Pitaka) 3)The Supplementary Doctrines (Adhidharma Pitaka) Tripitakas are recorded in the Pali Canon, the body of scriptures of Theravada Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhists refer to their scriptures as Sutras.

14. Theravada The way of the Elders or the Orthodoxy of Buddhism. The branch of Buddhism practiced in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Cambodia, Burma and Laos).

15. Zen Buddhism A “school” of Mahayana Buddhism (Ch’an in China) favored by many in the West. It holds that Buddhahood cannot be transmitted by teachings, but must be experienced. Hence, practices arose that encouraged the pupil to transcend normal consciousness and experience “satori” or “kensho” (sudden Enlightenment). One such practice is zazen, or seated meditation; another is the use of koans, or riddles to confound the mind.

16. Vajrayana Buddhism This form of Buddhism developed in Tibet and is practiced in Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Mongolia. The majority of Buddhists in the United States follow this Tibetan form of Buddhism, possibly as a result of the forced exodus of many Buddhists from Tibet, including their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

17. Dalai Lama Spiritual and temporal leader of Tibetan Buddhism, chosen and trained from childhood after a rigorous search conducted by Tibetan lamas or monks who employ a particular criteria. The present Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso, the 14 th Dalai Lama. He resides today in exile in Dharamsala in northern India as a result of the Chinese occupation of Tibet. The film Kundun used one of his titles in Tibetan – “Presence.”

18. Stupa A Buddhist shrine built in the form of a mound pointing upward and housing a relic of the Buddha. Shrines or temples house statues of the Buddha, who serves as a protective and loving presence to guide worshippers on the path to Enlightenment. Stupas are the focus of pilgrimage as well.