Year 10 - Religious education
Meditation and wisdom
Buddhism: beliefs
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
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 the nature, purpose and significance of meditation in Buddhism and how it influences Buddhists today.
Key Notes
- Meditation is a significant Buddhist practice.
- It can be a means to making progress in the stages of the Eighfold Path.
- There are many different types of meditation, but samatha and vipassana are the main types.
- Buddhists may also do metta bhavana meditation, which focuses on loving kindness.
- Meditation influences most Buddhists to develop mindfulness and deepen their wisdom of the Buddha's Dhamma.
Vocabulary To Learn
- meditation: a spiritual experience that opens a person up to the highest state of consciousness
- samatha: a method of meditation; a state of calmness
- vipassana: a method of meditation focused on insight into the true nature of things
- metta bhavana: a method of meditation focused on developing pure love which is selfless and not possessive
- zazen: a method of meditation practised cross-legged with the aim of gaining vipassana (insight)
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Meditation requires clearing the mind completely of all thoughts.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Meditation is a significant Buddhist practice. It can be a means to making progress in the stages of the Eighfold Path.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'meditation'
a spiritual experience that opens a person up to the highest state of consciousness.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Meditation requires clearing the mind completely of all thoughts. Correction: Meditation can involve observing and acknowledging thoughts without getting attached to them.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Buddhahood and the Pure Land Study Guide
- Gautama Buddha's life and its significance Study Guide
- Human destiny: the Arhat and Boddhisatva ideals Study Guide
- Human personality in Mahayana tradition Study Guide
- Human personality in Theravada tradition Study Guide
- Nibbana and the end of suffering Study Guide
- Suffering and its causes Study Guide
- The concept of dependent arising Study Guide
- The concept of Dhamma Study Guide
- The Eightfold Path Study Guide
- The Four Noble Truths Study Guide
- The three marks of existence Study Guide
- The three poisons Study Guide
- The Threefold Way Study Guide
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