WEEK 13: BUDDHISM REVIEWER

IMPORTANT KEY TERMS

 Bodhisattva - The ideal religious figure in the Mahayana tradition
 Mahayana - The Buddhist tradition which regards itself as “great” both in its
interpretations of the Buddha’s teaching and in its openness to a broader group of
people, especially lay people
 The three streams of Buddhism are;
A. Theravada
- The Buddhist tradition which regards itself as the most faithful to the
teachings that have been passed down through the generations
- Arahants – He is the ideal spiritual model of Theravada Buddhism who
attains nirvana and have perfected their discipline such that defilements and
desires are extinguished
B. Mahayana - A school of Buddhism widely practiced in China, Japan, Korea
and Mongolia. It literally means "Great Vehicle" and teaches universal
salvation with emphasis on social concerns.
C. Vajrayana
 Mantra – it is a syllable or phrase for chanting or meditation, containing within it
the sacred power and cosmic energies of a Buddha or bodhisattva
FACTUAL INFORMATIONS:
 The stream of Buddhism, Vajrayana tradition, is most prominent in Tibet.
 The Buddha spoke of three types of suffering.
A. The suffering or Suffering - The ordinary suffering of mental and physical
pain
B. The suffering of Change - The suffering produced by change
C. The suffering of Existence - The suffering produced by failure to
recognize one’s self as conditioned and interdependent with everything
and everyone
 In Vajrayana or Tribetan tradition of Buddhism, it sees itself as embodying both the
teaching and meditation practice of the Theravada monks, as well as the teaching
of the emptiness of all conditioned things that is distinctive to Mahayana
philosophy.
 True or False: The Mahayana Tradition is more flexible than the Theravada
tradition about the orthodoxy of scriptures.
 Vedic is considered a major stream of Buddhism
 According to Buddha tradition, Right Speech is the only way to achieve freedom.
 Cheating is not included in the five precepts in the foundation of all morality.