Buddha's life

Question 1

Name the six most important events in the Buddha’s life

Answer 1

Birth, Princely life, Four sights, Living as an ascetic, Enlightenment, and the founding of the Sangha

Question 2

Outline three events in the Buddha’s life

Answer 2

-Enlightenment: escaped the wheel of Samsara
-Life as an ascetic: lived simply
-Founding of the Sangha: shared Buddhism with ascetics

Question 3

Explain two reasons why the Buddha’s life is important to Buddhists today

Answer 3

-Founded the Sangha: Buddhists can learns the teachings of the Buddha and achieve enlightenment
-Teaches Buddhists how to overcome suffering: taught that the Middle Way was the key to overcome suffering

Question 4

Explain the importance of the First Noble Truth to Buddhists (include quotation/ source of authority)

Answer 4

-Teaches them that suffering exists: suffering is inevitable (Kisa Gotami)
-Teaches them that the problem in the world is Dukkha: Buddha often referred to as a doctor

Question 5

Why is the analogy of a doctor used to understand the Noble Truths?

Answer 5

-Diagnosis (suffering)
-Identification (causes)
-Presentation (treatment plan)

Question 6

What does the story about Kisa Gotami teach Buddhists

Answer 6

Everybody experiences suffering and there’s nothing you can do about it