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Year 10 - Religious education

Human destiny: the Arhat and Boddhisatva ideals

Buddhism: beliefs

Unit Summary

In this unit pupils will examine key beliefs in Buddhism. They will examine key concepts such as dhamma and the idea of the human condition. They will gain an understanding of Buddhist ideas about suffering and the way to end it. They will also examine the story of Gautama Buddha.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain Buddhist beliefs on human destiny and how these beliefs influence Buddhists today.

Key Notes

  • Mahayana means 'great vehicle', which refers to the idea of the Bodhisattva path as a 'vehicle' to Buddhahood.
  • The Theravada Arhat path is sometimes called the 'lesser vehicle', but this is less common due to negative connotations.
  • When a person follows the Arhat path, they seek perfection in understanding and enacting the Buddha's teachings.
  • An Arhat sees pleasure as a distraction and aims to completely remove craving and desires.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • enlightenment: a state of wisdom that enables total clarity and understanding of the truths of existence
  • Arhat (Arahant): a perfected person; in Theravada Buddhism, this is a term for a person who has become enlightened
  • Bodhisattva: in Mahayana Buddhism, this is an enlightened being who remains in the cycle of samsara in order to help others achieve enlightenment
  • human destiny: the path a Buddhist will take to achieve enlightenment

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Arhats (Arahants) and Bodhisattvas are essentially the same and share identical goals.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

Mahayana means 'great vehicle', which refers to the idea of the Bodhisattva path as a 'vehicle' to Buddhahood. The Theravada Arhat path is sometimes called the 'lesser vehicle', but this is less common due to negative connotations.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'enlightenment'

a state of wisdom that enables total clarity and understanding of the truths of existence.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: Arhats (Arahants) and Bodhisattvas are essentially the same and share identical goals. Correction: An Arhat might be viewed as a fully enlightened being focused on their own liberation, while a Bodhisattva is someone who seeks to bring others along on the path to enlightenment.

More Lessons In This Unit

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