Transcript samsara - WordPress.com

Answer the following
questions in your jotters.
1. What is samsara? (4 marks)
2. What are the three root poisons?
(3 marks)
3. How do the three root poisons link
to samsara? (3 marks)
The Wheel of Samsara
The Wheel of Samsara
This is a source.
The Buddhist belief linked to
this source is samsara.
The point of the wheel of
samsara is to teach Buddhists
that everything depends on
something else for its
existence. This is called
dependent origination.
In the middle of the wheel, are the Three Root
Poisons.
Ignorance (rooster), greed (pig) and hatred (snake)
These are in the middle because they are what
fuels samsara. Each of these root poisons causes
bad kamma, which keeps a person in samsara.
In the middle of the wheel, are the Three Root
Poisons.
Ignorance (rooster), greed (pig) and hatred (snake)
These animals are pictured eating each other, to
show that they all depend on each other
(dependent origination).
The next two circles include the “six realms”.
These are six good realms and six bad realms which
rebirth can happen in.
Heaven
Titans
Humans
N.B. Buddhists don’t really believe in Heaven or Hell
or ghosts or titans.
The wheel is not to be taken literally - it is only
symbolic.
Animals
Ghosts
Hell
The final ring is 12 stages of dependent origination.
These are 12 links of cause and effect, showing how
everything is caused by something else.
Ignorance is shown as a blind man.
1. Ignorance. This is the first cause of samsara,
because we don’t realise we are impermanent and
dependent on other things.
Kamma shapes the new life like a
potter shapes clay.
2. Kamma. Because we are ignorant, we create bad
kamma, which has consequences in our future life.
The monkey moving from one tree to another is like
moving your consciousness from one life to another.
3. Consciousness. Because of kamma, you remain
conscious after death into your next life, until you
reach Nibbana.
4. Name and form. This refers to a new being’s
mind and body.
The two travelers in the boat are
the new mind and body.
5. Sensations. Once that mind and body develop, it
will start to be able to sense things.
The empty house shows the mind and
body before the senses are used.
6. Contact. After the first use of the sense, they
develop.
A man and woman’s first kiss shows the
first use of a sense which will then develop.
7. After sensations and contact as those sensations
develop, we have feelings.
A person feeling an arrow in his eye.
8. Craving. Feelings create cravings.
Craving is shown by a man drinking.
9. Attachment. If you crave things, you become
attached to them.
Attachment shown by a monkey
grasping at fruit.
10. Being. As long as you have attachments, you will
remain being in this world (in samsara).
You will be reborn as a baby.
A new baby
11. Birth. Once a woman is pregnant, she will give
birth.
A corpse in a coffin
12. Ageing and dying. As soon as you are born, you
are on your way to ageing and dying.
Outside the wheel stands the Buddha pointing to
the moon, which symbolises freedom - nibbana.
The wheel is held by a formidable master with three
eyes, fangs and a crown of skills. He is called Yama, the
Lord of Death, who has control over the fate of those
who live in samsara.
They are controlled by ignorance - that is one of the main
reasons why they are locked in samsara.
The wheel is often thought of as being a mirror, which
tells Buddhists the truth so they can stop being ignorant,
gain enlightenment and escape samsara.
Exam Question
Identify a Buddhist source you have
studied. What does it teach about
Buddhist beliefs about samsara?
(4 marks)
Write an answer in pairs
The source I have studied is the Wheel of Samsara. This source teaches
Buddhists about samsara.
The Buddha taught that samsara is the cycle of life, death and rebirth,
which is represented by the wheel being a circle, with each part of the
wheel leading to the next. This shows that everything is dependent on
something else for its existence, which is called dependent origination.
The Buddha taught that being locked in samsara is a constant cycle of
suffering, since life is dukkha. This is shown by the fact that Yama, Lord
of Death is holding the wheel.
In the centre of the wheel are the Three Root Poisons: greed, hatred and
ignorance, represented by a pig, a snake, and a rooster. These are in the
centre of the wheel, as they are what cause bad kamma, which locks people
in samsara.
Buddhists try to escape samsara by achieving good kamma until they
become Enlightened. This is represented by the Buddha standing outside
of the wheel, pointing to the moon.
Question 3
“Samsara is caused by the Three Root
Poisons” How far do your agree? Give
reasons for your answer.
• Use “Some” “Others” “I”.
• Write in full sentences.
• Include at least 8 points.
Question 3
“Samsara is caused by the Three Root
Poisons” How far do your agree? Give
reasons for your answer.
Agree:
• The Three Poisons are greed, ignorance and hatred
• Greed causes us to grasp and desire things for ourselves and this
leads to bad kamma
• Hatred leads us to create bad kamma which also keeps us in
samsara
• Ignorance leads us to crave for things to stay the same, which
creates bad kamma and therefore samsara.
Question 3
“Samsara is caused by the Three Root
Poisons” How far do your agree? Give
reasons for your answer.
Disagree:
• Not everyone is greedy, ignorant and hateful, but are still in
samsara - there must be more to it than that
• Samsara is caused by our impermanence. Attachment to
family/friends might be a good thing (not one of the Three Poisons),
but still locks us in samsara
• Some Buddhist’s stay in samsara to help others reach nibbana
• Compassion can keep you in samsara.
3. “Samsara is caused by the Three Root
SomePoisons”
people think...
How far do your agree? Give
reasons for your answer.
3. “Samsara is caused by the Three Root Poisons” How far do your agree? Give reasons for your
answer.
Other people think...
I think...