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week 8 2023 flashcards

four noble truths

  1. suffering (dukkha)
  2. the cause of suffering (samudaya)
  3. the end of suffering (nirodha)
  4. The truth of the path to the end of suffering (magga)

Brahma Abodes

Four Immeasurable Minds

  1. love
  2. compassion
  3. joy
  4. equanimity

Love in Sanskrit is maitri; in Pali it is metta. Compassion is karuna in both languages. Joy is mudita. Equanimity is upeksha in Sanskrit and upekkha in Pali. A vihara is an abode or a dwelling place. The Four Brahmaviharas are the abodes of true love. This address is much greater than a four-star hotel. It is a 1,000-star dwelling. The Four Brahmaviharas are called “immeasurable,” because if you practice them, they will grow in you every day until they embrace the whole world. You will become happier, and everyone around you will become happier, also.”

6 sextets

6 Rupa Sextets or the 6 Sense Bases (are not self)

  1. Eye and visible forms
  2. Ear and sounds
  3. Nose and odours
  4. Tongue and tastes
  5. Body and tactile sensations
  6. Mind and mental objects

three marks of existence

In Buddhism, there are three types of suffering, which are known as the Three Universal Truths or the Three Marks of Existence. They are:

  1. Dukkha-dukkha: This refers to the suffering that arises from painful experiences, such as sickness, old age, and death.
  2. Samkhara-dukkha: This refers to the suffering that arises from the impermanence of all things, including pleasant experiences that are bound to change or come to an end.
  3. Viparinama-dukkha: This refers to the suffering that arises from our tendency to cling to things or experiences that are impermanent and constantly changing. This includes the suffering that arises from attachment, craving, and aversion.
Type of Dukkha Cause Explanation
Dukkha-dukkha Physical or mental discomfort, illness, injury, death This is the suffering or pain that arises from physical or mental discomfort, illness, injury, or death.
Samkhara-dukkha Attachment to conditioned phenomena This is the dukkha that arises from the impermanent and conditioned nature of all things. It includes the suffering that arises from not getting what we want, or getting what we don't want. It arises from our attachment to things that are ultimately unsatisfactory.
Viparinama-dukkha Impermanence and change This is the dukkha that arises from the fact that all things are subject to change and decay, even pleasant experiences. It arises from the impermanent nature of all things, whether we are attached to them or not.

To clarify, the main difference between Samkhara-dukkha and Viparinama-dukkha is that Samkhara-dukkha refers specifically to the suffering that arises from our attachment to conditioned phenomena, while Viparinama-dukkha refers more broadly to the suffering that arises from the impermanent and changing nature of all things, including our attachment to them.

Conditioned phenomena refer to all things that are dependent upon other causes and conditions for their existence, and are thus impermanent and subject to change. This includes all physical and mental phenomena, including the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, as well as all external objects and experiences.

In Buddhism, the concept of conditioned phenomena is closely related to the notion of dependent origination (pratitya-samutpada), which states that all things arise in dependence upon a complex web of causes and conditions, and that there is no permanent, independent self or entity that exists in isolation from this network of interdependence.

Attribute Definition
Dependent Origination The Buddhist doctrine that all phenomena arise in dependence upon other causes and conditions, and that there is no permanent, independent self or entity that exists in isolation from this network of interdependence.
Impermanence The characteristic of all conditioned phenomena that they are subject to change, decay, and dissolution, and that they do not possess any inherent or permanent existence or identity.
Interdependence The idea that all phenomena are interconnected and mutually dependent, and that nothing exists in isolation or independently of other factors or conditions.
Five Aggregates The five components or aspects of experience that constitute the basis of individual existence in Buddhism: form (materiality), feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness.
External Objects and Experiences All phenomena and experiences that are not part of one's internal mental or emotional states, but are instead perceived through the senses and interacted with in the external world. This includes all physical objects, events, and activities.

eight vicissitudes

The "eight vicissitudes" are a concept in Buddhism that refer to the eight emotional states that human beings experience throughout their lives. These eight states are:

  1. Gain and loss: the experience of gaining something we want or losing something we value
  2. Praise and blame: the experience of receiving praise or criticism from others
  3. Fame and obscurity: the experience of being well-known or unknown to others
  4. Pleasure and pain: the experience of physical or emotional pleasure or pain
  5. Honor and disgrace: the experience of being honored or disgraced by others
  6. Hope and despair: the experience of feeling hopeful or hopeless about the future
  7. Approval and disapproval: the experience of receiving approval or disapproval from others
  8. Gain and non-gain: the experience of gaining something we want or not gaining it.
  9. The eight vicissitudes are seen as a natural part of life and practicing equanimity and detachment can help one navigate these emotional states with greater ease.

five hindrances

The five hindrances are obstacles that can arise during meditation and prevent one from attaining deep states of concentration and insight. They are:

  • Sensory desire (kamacchanda): The strong attachment to pleasant sensory experiences and desire for more.
  • Ill-will (vyapada): Feelings of hostility, anger, and aversion towards oneself or others.
  • Sloth and torpor (thina-middha): A state of dullness or sleepiness that hinders alertness and clarity of mind.
  • Restlessness and worry (uddhacca-kukkucca): An agitated and restless mind that is distracted by worries, fears, and anxieties.
  • Doubt (vicikiccha): The lack of faith in oneself or the practice, leading to uncertainty and indecisiveness.

By recognizing and working to overcome these hindrances, one can develop greater concentration, insight, and inner peace in meditation and in daily life.

Five Precepts

  • The Five Precepts:

  • These are ethical guidelines that provide a foundation for Buddhist moral conduct and consist of:

  • abstaining from harming living beings

  • taking what is not given
  • engaging in sexual misconduct
  • speaking falsehoods
  • taking intoxicants.

four metta phrases

The four metta phrases are commonly used in metta (loving-kindness) meditation in Buddhism. They are:

  • "May all beings be happy" or "May all beings have happiness and its causes"
  • "May all beings be free from suffering" or "May all beings be free from misery and its causes"
  • "May all beings never be separated from happiness that is free from suffering" or "May all beings never be parted from the happiness that knows no suffering"
  • "May all beings abide in equanimity, free from attachment and aversion" or "May all beings dwell in balance, without too much attachment or aversion"

seven points of posture

  1. legs
  2. arms
  3. back
  4. eyes
  5. jaw
  6. tongue
  7. head & shoulders

six stages of metta

The six stages of metta meditation in Buddhism are:

  1. Loving-kindness towards oneself: Begin by directing loving-kindness and goodwill towards yourself. Wish yourself happiness, peace, and well-being. Repeat phrases such as "May I be happy, May I be peaceful, May I be healthy."
  2. Loving-kindness towards a good friend: Think of a good friend or someone who has shown you kindness, and direct loving-kindness and goodwill towards them. Repeat phrases such as "May you be happy, May you be peaceful, May you be healthy."
  3. Loving-kindness towards a neutral person: Choose a person who you do not have any strong feelings towards, and direct loving-kindness and goodwill towards them. Repeat phrases such as "May you be happy, May you be peaceful, May you be healthy."
  4. Loving-kindness towards a difficult person: Choose someone who has caused you difficulty or pain in your life, and direct loving-kindness and goodwill towards them. Repeat phrases such as "May you be happy, May you be peaceful, May you be healthy."
  5. Loving-kindness towards all beings: Expand your loving-kindness to all beings, without discrimination. Repeat phrases such as "May all beings be happy, May all beings be peaceful, May all beings be healthy."
  6. Equanimity: In the final stage, cultivate a sense of equanimity towards all beings, whether they are loved ones, enemies, or strangers. Repeat phrases such as "May all beings be free from suffering, May all beings be at peace."

eightfold path

  • The Eightfold Path:
  • This is the path to the end of suffering and the attainment of enlightenment.

preface all with right

  1. understanding
  2. intention
  3. speech
  4. action
  5. livelihood
  6. effort
  7. mindfulness
  8. concentration.

extras

DISAPPOINTMENT

We must surrender our hopes and expectations, as well as our fears, and march directly into disappointment, work with disappointment, go into it and make it our way of life. . . . If we can open, then we suddenly begin to see that our expectations are irrelevant compared with the reality of the situations we are facing. This automatically brings disappointment. Disappointment is the best chariot to use on the path of the dharma. It does not confirm the existence of our ego and its dreams.

Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche”