Memorize Important Terms related to Buddhism

Chaitya

Place of Worship

Vihara

Dwelling Place of Monks

Torana

The gateway of a stupa

Hinayana

Hinayana Buddhists believe that The Buddha was an ordinary Human. 

The ideal of Hinayana is individual salvation.

Mahayana

Mahayana Buddhists believe that The Buddha is a God.

Ideal of Mahayana is Bodhisatva.

Yogachara

A major Mahayana school which attached great importance to meditation as a means  of  attaining the highest goal.

Bodhisattva

A person who attains nirvana by working for the welfare or the world and voluntarily postpones release  from  rebirth;   also   regarded as  an  incarnation  of  the  Buddha, prior to his own birth in the world.

Arhat

A person who has attained enlightenment.

Nibbana

A term used often in the Buddhist tradition for liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Upasaka

Upasika

A female lay follower of the Buddha's teaching.

Vassavasa

The monsoon retreat of Buddhist monks.

Bhikkhu

A Buddhist monk

Bhikkhuni

A Buddhist nun

Lumbini (Nepal)

Birth place of Buddha.

Bodhgaya (Bihar)

Place of enlightment of Buddha.

Sarnath (UP)

Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon or Dhammachakraparivartan Sutra.

Kushinagar (UP)

It is the site of Buddha’s death and mahaparinirvana.

Sutta Pitaka

The Sutta Pitaka consists of five sections (nikayas) of religious discourses and sayings of Buddha.

Vinaya Pitaka

The Vinaya Pitaka contains the rules of monastic discipline.

Abhidhamma Pitaka

The Abhidhamma Pitaka contains the philosophical ideas of teachingsof Buddha. It is written in the form of questions and answers.

First Buddhist Council

It was held at Rajagraha under the chairmanship of Mahakasapa immediately after the death of Buddha.

Its purpose was to maintain the purity of the teachings of the Buddha.

Second Buddhist Council

It was held in Vaishali, a village in Bihar under the patronage of the king Kalasoka in 383 BC.

It was presided by Sabakami.

Third Buddhist Council

It was held at Pataliputra under the patronage of Asoka. Moggaliputta Tissa presided over it.

The final version of Tripitakas was completed in this council.

Fourth Buddhist Council

It was convened in Kashmir by Kanishka under the chairmanship of Vasumitra. Asvagosha participated in this council.

The new school of Buddhism called Mahayana Buddhism came into existence during this council.