Buddhism

Question 1

What does Buddha mean?

Answer 1

One who is fully enlightened. Siddhartha Gautama was the first to reach enlightenment by getting rid of all craving, greed, anger and ignorance.

Question 2

What does Dhamma mean?

Answer 2

Teachings of the Buddha that should be followed to reach enlightenment. These include the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path and the Five Precepts.

Question 3

What is the Eightfold Path?

Answer 3

Eight steps towards overcoming suffering and desires, achieving Nirvana and freedom from Samsara. Living the middle way (Magga) is achieved by following this path.

Question 4

What does the Eightfold Path consist of?

Answer 4

1. Right action - behaving in a skilful way and not harming others
2. Right speech - speaking truthfully
3. Right livelihood - earning a living in a way that does not cause suffering to others
4. Right mindfulness - being aware of yourself and the emotions of others
5. Right effort - putting effort into meditation and positive emotions
6. Right concentration - developing focus so you are able to meditate
7. Right view - remembering that actions have consequences
8. Right intention - being clear about following the Buddhist path

Question 5

What are the three parts of the Eightfold Path, and which teachings do they consist of?

Answer 5

1. Ethics (Sila) - right action, right speech, right livelihood
2. Meditation (Samadhi) - right mindfulness, right effort, right concentration
3. Wisdom (Panna) - right view, right intention

Question 6

What are the Four Noble Truths?

Answer 6

The Buddha’s first teaching after reaching Nirvana. Considered by many Buddhists to be the most important teaching.

Question 7

What do the Four Noble Truths consist of?

Answer 7

1. Dukkha - suffering
   Suffering or unsatisfactoriness in life - the concept that life is suffering, and that all life is impermanent and imperfect. This suffering can take different forms, such as suffering from attachment or desire.
2. Tanha - the cause of suffering
   Suffering is due to craving or desire of possessions, people or permanence, and can be either physical or mental. These are linked to the three poisons.
3. Nirodha - ending suffering
   Understanding that we can end suffering if we detach ourselves from our cravings and desires.
4. Magga - the path to ending suffering
   The Buddha realised that we must live the middle way to reach enlightenment and Nirvana. The way we achieve this is by following the Eightfold Path.

Question 8

What are the Three Poisons?

Answer 8

Greed, ignorance and hatred. These are often represented by a rooster, a pig and a snake. All suffering is ultimately caused by these.

Question 9

What are the three types of suffering?

Answer 9

1. Kama-tanha is craving and pleasure of the senses, wealth or power.
2. Bhava-tanha is craving for a fixed identity or existence and not accepting that life is impermanent.
3. Vibhava-tanha is craving to avoid pain and suffering, or to avoid the reality of rebirth.

Question 10

What are the Five Precepts?

Answer 10

The Five Precepts link to the ethics section of the Eightfold Path. Buddhists can follow them to ensure they live a morally good life. they are as follows:
1. do not harm living things
2. do not take what is not given
3. do not engage in harmful sexual activity
4. do not lie or gossip
5. do not take intoxicating substances

Question 11

Describe the birth of the Buddha

Answer 11

Before he was born, his mother Queen Maya had a dream in which a white elephant came down from heaven and entered her womb. When he was born, he was born out of Queen Maya’s side, and he took seven steps. With each step bloomed a lotus flower from beneath his feet. He then stopped and said “No further rebirths have I to endure for this is my last body”.

Question 12

Describe Buddha’s early life

Answer 12

Shortly after he was born, his mother died, and a prophecy was made that he would either become a great king or a holy man if he saw suffering. His father wanted him to become a king, so he was kept in the palace for 16 years, completely sheltered from suffering. Siddartha was supplied with everything he could ever want so that he would not want to ever leave the palace.

Question 13

What are the four sights?

Answer 13

After being sheltered in the palace for 16 years, Siddartha was granted the chance to leave the palace.

The first sight was old age. Siddartha had never seen an old person before, and asked his charioteer what was wrong with the old man. He said that everyone will become old, and that no one can escape it. Siddartha thought deeply about this.

The second sight was sickness. Siddartha saw a person suffering from disease for the first time. His charioteer explained again that everyone can become sick. Siddartha became more disturbed than before.

The third sight was death. Siddartha saw a dead man and he did not need his charioteer to explain to him this time that death happens to everyone. Siddartha had lost his taste for life after seeing these sights and could not enjoy his luxourious life knowing that we all suffer from old age, sickness and death.

The fourth sight was a holy man. He had given up his worldly possessions and devoted his life to a spiritual path. Siddartha was deeply affected by this sight and it set the course for the rest of his life.

Question 14

What is a Sadhu?

Answer 14

A holy person, someone who devotes their life to a spiritual path.

Question 15

What is an Ascetic?

Answer 15

A person who follows a life of strict discipline and denial of pleasure.

Question 16

What did Siddartha do after witnessing the four sights?

Answer 16

Siddhartha left the palace, leaving all his possessions behind and trading his palace clothes for simple ones. He then became a Sadhu for some years, and he learnt to meditate in an attempt to find out why we suffer. Although during this time he became very skilled at meditation and found peace in his mind, his big question was not answered
So, Siddhartha became an ascetic. For years he starved himself of food and life’s other basic needs. Despite living an extreme lifestyle, he still did not find the answer to his question. He came very close to death, and realised he would die if he continued this way. He was not happy in his life of luxury or discipline, which led him to figure out you need a balance in life, known as the Middle Way.

Question 17

What does it mean to become enlightened?

Answer 17

The realisation of the truth about life. In Buddhism it releases a person from the cycle of rebirth (Samsara).

Question 18

What is Nirvana?

Answer 18

When all desires are overcome, and death is no longer feared.

Question 19

What does Sangha mean?

Answer 19

The Sangha are the Buddhist community of people who practice the faith, usually used to mean the community of monks and nuns.

Question 20

How did Siddhartha become enlightened?

Answer 20

Siddhartha decided that he would meditate under the Bodhi tree and not move until he became enlightened. At first he suffered with temptation, which came in the form of a devil known as Mara. After 12 hours, he had finally reached enlightenment. He gained knowledge of his previous lives, and how his past relates to his present. He realised that all things come into and leave existence, all things are constantly changing, and that negative feelings and cravings make people grasp at life. In the morning, he experienced nirvana.

Question 21

What happened after Siddhartha became enlightened?

Answer 21

The Buddha spent days walking hundreds of miles until he reached the Deer Park, where he met a group of five monks that he had spent time with previously. He explained his new perspective of the world to them and taught them the Four Noble Truths. This was his first sermon. He began by saying “I teach one thing and one things only, suffering and the end of suffering”.

Question 22

What is the Buddhist festival Wesak?

Answer 22

Wesak is celebrated by Therevada Buddhists and takes place on the full moon during the Indian month of Veskha (usually May). It commemorates Buddha’s birth, his enlightenment and his death. Celebrators will light up their homes with candles and lamps, and paper lanterns are carried through the streets. This is because light symbolises the Buddha and his teachings which illuminate the darkness of Samsara and guide people to enlightenment and liberation. Buddhist centres invite local people to share their understanding of life, and children’s activities are offered (e.g. puppet shows). Lay Buddhists make offerings to the monks, and take on 5 extra precepts that normally only monks keep (e.g. not singing or dancing). Celebrators will also attend temple sermons, chant from religious texts and meditate.

Question 23

What is the Buddhist festival Paranirvana Day?

Answer 23

Paranirvana day is celebrated by Mahayana Buddhists on February 15th. It commemorates the Buddha’s passing into final and complete nibbana when he becomes free from the cycle of Samsara. Celebrators will reflect on their own death and that of family members, and read the Mahaparanirvana sutra, which describes the Buddha’s last days when he reflected on impermanence. Furthermore, they will go on a pilgrimage to the place where Buddha died, Kushinagar. In monasteries, Paranirvana day is treated as a social occasion where people will prepare food and give gifts of money and clothes.

Question 24

What is the Buddhist festival of Kathina?

Answer 24

Kathina is celebrated in the four weeks after the end of Vassa in Ocober/November. Lay Buddhists and monks come together in a festival of unity. After 30 monks travelled through the rains to the Buddha, their robes were destroyed, so the Buddha felt compassion for these monks and gave them cloth. This established the tradition of Lay Buddhists giving cloth, robes and other essentials to monasteries. The ‘kathina’ is the frame on which cloth was spread to make the robes. The robe symbolises firm commitment to the Buddhist path. Some families who have sent their sons to be temporary monks welcome them home, as it is believed to give the whole family good karma. The Lay community provide meals for the monks in the morning, and robes in the afternoon.