Buddhism

Question 1

3 marks of existence

Answer 1

Anitya (everything is impermanent/constantly changing)
Anatman (no permanent soul or self)
Dukkha (suffering) - Dukkha-dukkha (ordinary physical suffering), Viparinama-dukkha (suffering due to the ordinary process of change), Sankhara-dukkha (suffering due to attachment to people or things)

Question 2

3 poisons

Answer 2

Loba (greed) - wanting to possess things and have more and more of them (includes desire and lust)
Dosa (hatred) - rejection of things we don’t like and doesn’t bring us pleasure
Moha (ignorance) - the delusion that we are permanent and that we can find pleasure through self-centred activities involving greed and hatred

Question 3

3 refuges/jewels

Answer 3

Dharma - the Buddha’s teachings which provide guidance on how to live a good Buddhist life and knowledge on the truth of the world around us
Sangha - this encompasses both the Lei and Monastic sangha
Buddha - the historical Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) and the potential for Buddhahood in each person

Question 4

3 baskets/Tripitaka

Answer 4

Sutrapitaka (basket of discourses) - contains the Dhammapada and the Jataka Tales which tells stories of the Buddha’s life and teachings.
Vinyapitaka (basket of disciplinary texts) - gives 227 rules for bhikkhus and 311 for bhikkhunis
Abhidharmapitaka (basket of ‘higher dharma’ or ‘treatises’) - gives a systematic philosophical description of the nature of mind, matter, and time.

Question 5

3 forms of the Buddha/Trikaya

Answer 5

The ‘created body’ - the actual physical body of Buddha Gautama that was eventually cremated
The ‘enjoyment body’ - usually depicted via Buddha statues. Combines human and superhuman qualities that symbolises the superior nature of the enlightened ones and the advanced states of meditation
The ‘reality body’ - an abstract and absolute principle beyond any historical or trans-historical figure - the dharma or Buddha - truth

Question 6

4 noble truths

Answer 6

Dukkha - suffering exists
Samudaya - there is a cause of suffering (tanha)
Nirodha - there is a cure to suffering
Magga - the cure to suffering (8-fold path)

Question 7

Eightfold Path

Answer 7

Right view - understanding and accepting the Buddha’s teaching on Karma
Right intention - the intention on renunciation, good will, and harmlessness
Right speech - speaking truthfully and refraining from gossip
Right action - refraining from stealing, killing, and sexual misconduct
Right livelihood - avoiding earning money in ways that are dishonest (e.g. exploitation, killing animals, selling weapons)
Right effort - cultivating and sustaining wholesome states of mind
Right mindfulness - mindful contemplation of the body, feelings, and states of mind and phenomena
Right concentration - developing the ability to concentrate

Question 8

5 precepts

Answer 8

To avoid taking the life of beings (to act with loving kindness)
To avoid taking things not given (to act with generosity)
To avoid sexual misconduct (to live simply with contentment)
To refrain from false speech (to speak truthfully)
To abstain from substances which cause intoxication and heedlessness (to live mindfully)

Question 9

5 skandhas

Answer 9

Rupa (form)
Vedana (sensation)
Samjna (perception)
Samskara (mental formations)
Vijnana (consciousness)

Question 10

6 perfections

Answer 10

Dana (generosity)
Sila (virtue)
Ksanti (patience)
Virya (energy/effort)
Dhyana (concentration)
Prajna (wisdom)

Question 11

Story of Buddha’s birth and its significance for Buddhists today

Answer 11

Queen Maya had a dream that a white elephant carrying a white lotus with its trunk came and entered her womb. The Queen later gave birth to Siddhartha painlessly out of her side. The baby immediately could walk and talk. `

The Buddha’s extraordinary nature shown by his ability to walk and talk from birth may encourage Buddhists to believe his teachings.
The Buddha’s birth may encourage Buddhists to engage in Buddhist practise during festivals and pilgrimages which celebrate his birth.

Question 12

Story of the Buddha’s childhood and its significance for Buddhists today

Answer 12

Upon Siddhartha’s birth brahmin specialists decided that the baby would either become a great king or a buddha. His father decided that he should become a king. To ensure this, he sheltered Siddhartha from the unpleasant things in life, such as age, sickness, and death. This life of luxury was an attempt to prevent Siddhartha from renouncing his home life.

The Buddha’s luxurious early life may encourage Buddhists to follow his example and choose the ‘Middle Way’ which develops Right Action and Right Mind.

Question 13

The 4 sights/signs/portents and their significance for Buddhists today

Answer 13

As Siddhartha left his luxurious palace, he encounters suffering for the first time. He sees an old man, a sick man, and a corpse. He also meets a religious mendicant who provided him with the hope of freedom of mind.

The 4 sights may help a Buddhist fully understand the Buddha’s later doctrines and teachings.

Question 14

Siddhartha’s experience as an ascetic and its significance for Buddhists today

Answer 14

Siddhartha joined a group of ascetics who practised non-breathing meditations with him. These gave him fierce headaches, stomach pains, and burning heat all over his body. His food intake was reduced to a few drops of bean soup a day and he soon reached the brink of death.

Siddhartha’s experiences of asceticism show Buddhists clearly that living in deprivation as well as excess will not lead to enlightenment. This encourages them to follow the ‘Middle Way’.

Question 15

Siddhartha’s enlightenment and its significance for Buddhists today

Answer 15

Siddhartha was abandoned by his ascetic companions after they saw him eating. He then sat underneath the ‘Bodhi-tree’ and began to meditate. Mara (the demon of temptation) approached Siddhartha, accompanied with his armies in order to break him from his meditation. Mara tried to tempt him with his beautiful daughters and promises of great power but Siddhartha was unmoved. He touched the ground, calling on the earth as his witness, as a symbol of the defeat of Mara. Siddhartha deepened his meditation and then witnessed all of his past lives and finally fully understood the root of all suffering and how to end it. He then became known as the Buddha. (the enlightened/awakened one)

The Buddha’s enlightenment may encourage Buddhists to engage in Buddhist practise by following the Dhamma closely and meditating in order to try and achieve enlightenment.
It also encourages them to go on pilgrimage to visit the descendant of the Bodhi-tree and engage in Buddhist practise there.

Question 16

What did the Buddha do in the 45 years between his enlightenment and his death?

Answer 16

established specific rules for the monastic Sangha of monks and nuns,
established a lay community which supported the monastic Sangha’s material needs (food, clothing, shelter, etc.) and the Sangha in turn supported the lay community’s spiritual needs
gave teachings on the nature of suffering (dukkha), how it arises (tanha), and that it can be overcome (nirodha), and the path to doing so (magga). These were remembered, passed on orally, and, in time, recorded in what became the Pali Canon

Question 17

The Buddha’s death and its significance for Buddhists today

Answer 17

The Buddha died when he was 80 from illness and gave his last teachings (described in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta) before passing away on a couch between 2 trees. He told his followers that the Sangha had his teachings and no longer needed him to guide them. His followers cremated his remains and split them up into 10 to send them to important places in the Buddha’s life, and stupas were built over them.

The Buddha’s death reminds Buddhist’s today that everything is impermanent, even the Buddha himself.
It also encourages Buddhists to engage in Buddhist practise in pilgrimages to his place of death.

Question 18

The different types of Bodhisattvas

Answer 18

Avalokitesvara - represents great compassion. He has a thousand arms; each one to help someone. The Dalai Lama is believed to be his reincarnation
Manjusri - represents great wisdom. He is often depicted with a sword which represents cutting through ignorance
Ksitigarbha - best embodies the Bodhisattva vow. He lives in hell realms, trying to save the hell beings.
Samantabhadra - represents practice and meditation. He is the patron of the Lotus Sutra.

Question 19

The example of the Buddha’s life gives all the guidance a Buddhist needs

Answer 19

The Buddha lived a life that exemplified the Middle Way. This shows Buddhists simply how living to excess will never lead to enlightenment.

The Buddha devoted his life following his enlightenment to teaching others, which is an act of great generosity (dana). This makes him a great role model and shows the importance of dana to Buddhists, as they wouldn’t have the Dhamma without it.

Question 20

The example of the Buddha’s life doesn’t give all the guidance a Buddhist needs

Answer 20

The Buddha’s dying message in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta was an instruction to forget the example of the Buddha.
‘Be islands unto yourselves’

The Dharma and Sangha are more important because without them, we wouldn’t be able to learn and study all of the Buddha’s discoveries in depth or seek guidance from the monastic Sangha.

Question 21

The contribution of other significant Buddhists

Answer 21

The 14th Dalai Lama persuaded the UN General Assembly to adopt resolutions calling for the protection of the Tibetan people. This protection of the Tibetan people helps protect Tibetan Buddhist identity

The 14th Dalai Lama travelled the world promoting and explaining Tibetan Buddhism, focusing on the Middle Way, compassion, and humanity.

Question 22

Contributions of other Buddhists are just as important as the Buddha’s

Answer 22

The Buddha’s first sermon is also known as the Dharmacakkapavattana sutta which means ‘setting the dharma wheel in motion’ or ‘the first turning of the wheel’. This emphasises how the Buddha started turning the wheel but subsequent Buddhists keep it in motion.

Mahayana tradition continued to develop the Buddha’s early teachings. They made new discoveries such as the existence of Bodhisattvas, multiple Buddhas, and expanded transcendent destinations. These are all key to a true Mahayananian understanding.

Question 23

Contributions of other Buddhists are not as important as the Buddha’s

Answer 23

The Buddha disclosed the dharma which includes the key tenets of the religion. The 4 Noble Truths, the 8-fold Path, the 3 Marks of Existence are all essential to achieving enlightenment.

The Buddha led an exemplary life which is inspirational to all Buddhists. (e.g. renouncing the luxuries of his palace life, the rejection of Mara’s temptations, etc,)

Question 24

The importance of the dharma

Answer 24

Reading the texts helps gain prajna (wisdom) which provides a grounding for the development of mental attention and concentration, which is crucial for samatha (meditative calmness) and enlightenment.

Question 25

The importance of Paritta (chanting)

Answer 25

Chanting aids accurate memory of the dharma as it has rhythm which encourages the mind to flow on from word to word.

Question 26

The significance of the sangha

Answer 26

Provides moral and spiritual guidance to the lay community as well as generating good karma
Preserves the Buddha’s original teachings and helps the lay community to understand them
Performs ceremonies for the local community

Question 27

Arguments for the sangha’s insignificance compared to the other refuges

Answer 27

It would not exist without the historical Buddha who established it
The historical Buddha is the primary figure that people look to for guidance
The Sangha would not have anything to keep and pass on
without the dharma
The need to preserve texts has been made redundant by the creation of digitalised information, rendering one of the Sangha’s main purposes useless

Question 28

Things that monks cannot do

Answer 28

handle money,
eat food that he has not received from someone else,
dig the ground or have it dug (farming),
store food unless he is sick, and then only for 7 days
cook

Question 29

The relationship between the bhikkhus/bhikkhunis and the lay people

Answer 29

The lay community is responsible for the production of goods and services in society as well as the production and raising of children (lay followers can reach enlightenment but it is more difficult as they have to focus on money, jobs, and family alongside their spiritual practise). The lay sangha provide basic goods for the monastic sangha and receive spiritual guidance in return as well as good karmic merit for their charitable acts.

Question 30

What is the celebration of Wesak

Answer 30

Wesak day commemorates the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death. It reminds Buddhists of the importance of the life of the Buddha. It is a time to celebrate the Buddha’s life and reflect on his teachings.

Question 31

How do Buddhists celebrate Wesak?

Answer 31

In Sri Lanka, houses are decorated with garlands and paper lanterns and Wesak cards, that depict key moments from the Buddha’s life, are exchanged,
In Myanmar, Bodhi-trees are watered with scented water,
Buddhists decorate monasteries with flags, lanterns, and flowers,
Some Buddhists donate blood to hospitals

Question 32

What is the celebration of Nirvana Day?

Answer 32

Nirvana Day marks the death of the Buddha and is celebrated on February 15th. It is a solemn occasion that is used to as an opportunity to reflect on the fact of one’s own future death and on friends and relatives who have passed.

Question 33

How do Buddhists celebrate Nirvana Day?

Answer 33

Buddhists may celebrate Nirvana day by meditating or going to temples or monasteries.
The Mahaparinirvana Sutra often read out.
In monasteries, food is prepared and people bring presents, such as money. household goods or clothes.

Question 34

What is the celebration of Ulambana?

Answer 34

Ulambana or the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts is a period of time where it is believed that deceased people are released and are free to wander the earth for 15 days in search of food. This reflects the Buddhist belief that the actions of the living can benefit the dead.

Question 35

How do Buddhists celebrate Ulambana?

Answer 35

Buddhists pay their respects to the dead by visiting cemeteries and stupas and making small offerings of food. For many families, it is possible that their relatives are among the hungry ghosts and can help them alleviate their suffering and help them on their road to liberation.
In Japan, lanterns and candles are floated down rivers or out to sea to symbolise the return of the spirits to their proper abode.

Question 36

Places of pilgrimage

Answer 36

Lumbini (where Siddhartha was born),
Bodh Gaya (where He attained Supreme Enlightenment),
Deer Park in Sarnath (where He preached the First Sermon),
Kusinara (where he passed into Mahaparinibbana)

Question 37

The significance of Kapilavastu

Answer 37

It is where Siddhartha was born, raised, and witnessed the 4 sights. Kapilavastu was not one of the sights the Buddha instructed his followers to visit in Mahaparinibbana Sutta. The Eastern Gate (where Siddhartha had his renunciation) is an opportunity for adhisthana and the pilgrimage encourages reflection on the nature of dukkha which develops one’s prajna (wisdom). This supports a Buddhist on their eightfold path and developing the 6 perfections.

Question 38

The significance of Bodh Gaya

Answer 38

This is the site where Siddhartha achieved enlightenment and it contains the Mahabodhi Temple which stores relics that are thought to be those of Siddhartha Gautama himself. It also houses a huge statue of the Buddha meditating and touching the earth with his right hand, symbolising his resistance to Mara’s temptations as well a descendant tree of the one that the Buddha became enlightened underneath. At Bodh Gaya, Buddhists meditate, chant, and worship, developing their prajna (wisdom) and gaining adhisthana.

Question 39

The significance of Sarnath

Answer 39

The Deer Park at Sarnath is the site of the Buddha’s First Sermon. It contains the Dharmekh Stupa, which is the exact spot where the Buddha gave his sermon, and the Mulgandakuti Vihara, which is a temple that marks the place where the Buddha spent his first rainy season as a monk. Sarnath helps Buddhists focus on the Buddha’s teachings and will often go to the site to chant, meditate, worship, and walk around the stupa as a sign of respect to the Buddha. This is one of the sites the Buddha instructed his followers to go to in the Mahaparinibbana Sutra.

Question 40

Why do Buddhists go on pilgrimage?

Answer 40

to strengthen spiritual aspirations,
to generate punya (karmic fruitfulness/merit),
to gain adhisthana from the proximity to relics,
to receive protection from deities at the sites,
to fulfil a vow that pilgrimage would be made if aid were received from a certain Bodhisattva

Question 41

Arguments against the importance of pilgrimages

Answer 41

the belief that pilgrimage locations are the very same historical locations of the Buddha’s life, violates anitya (impermanence) and this attachment to non-permanent places will lead to viparinama-dukkha
the benefits of pilgrimage (e.g. punya, adhisthana, etc.) can be achieved through other activities
the Buddha said in his Mahaparinibbana Sutta that his followers would need nothing other than the dharma on their path to enlightenment when he said ‘be islands onto yourselves’

Question 42

External features of a vihara

Answer 42

Tibet - prayer flags, prayer wheels, 5 layered stupas,
Japan - exquisitely manicured gardens of rocks, sand, and trees, Shinto shrine which is dedicated to the Shinto spirits,
Thailand - 8 stones surrounding the ordination hall, 5 layered stupas,

Question 43

Internal features of a vihara

Answer 43

a bell or drum near the entrance of the shrine hall,
images of the Buddha in the shrine halls,
depictions of esteemed Bodhisattvas in Mahayana shrine halls,
offerings such as incense and flowers placed before these images,
thangkas (special cloth paintings) that depict episodes from the Buddha’s life in Tibet

Question 44

Characteristics of a monastery

Answer 44

It contains a study hall, a library, and a guest area where laity are able to attend talks, sermons, and other forms of spiritual education. It also contains the bot (ordination hall) where monks convene to recite the rule and to ordain new monks. The bot is surrounded by eight stones (sima) that demarcate the area and provide spiritual protection.

Question 45

Characteristics of the shrine hall

Answer 45

The most central and publicly accessible section of a vihara and contains the main Buddha images to aid meditation and devotion by monk residents and lay visitors. Visitors must remove their footwear before entering and ensure that their feet soles never point to an image of the Buddha or a monk.

Question 46

Characteristics of a stupa

Answer 46

It stores the sacred relics and ashes of the deceased. A typical stupa consists of 5 layers, which stands for the 5 fundamental elements of the universe:
The entire structure rests on a square base with 4 sides facing the cardinal points - symbolising earth,
Above this, the original hemispherical dome houses relics and ashes of the death - symbolising water,
A stepped spire sits above the dome - symbolising fire,
Above this, lies a crescent moon/parasol - symbolising air,
At the apex, there is a jewel or pointed final - symbolising space/void

Question 47

How is a vihara used in the community?

Answer 47

monasteries contain a guest area where laity can attend talks, sermons, and other forms of spiritual education,
monasteries often contain libraries where Buddhists can read copies of their sacred texts,
couples, soon to be married, will visit monks for a blessing
shrine halls contain offerings, such as food or flowers, which are presented before the images of the Buddha which generates punya (karmic merit/fruitfulness),
Buddhists often meditate in the vihara as it is peaceful,
viharas allow Buddhists to come together and celebrate festivals together,
monks gather in the vihara to chant and pray, which provides an example for the laity

Question 48

The significance of images of the Buddha

Answer 48

They function as reminders of the spiritual qualities of holy beings (e.g. an image of the Buddha may remind a Buddhist of his struggle for awakening, his perfections, his teachings, and the ideal that he represents. This joyful recollection will help them develop a warm heart and a pure mind.)

Question 49

The significance of mandalas

Answer 49

A mandala is a symbolic picture of the universe that can be painted on a wall, created in coloured sands, or visualised in the mind. They help to transform ordinary minds into enlightened ones by transmitting positive energies and accumulating merit. The mandala is destroyed after it is completed as a reminder of impermanence.

Question 50

The significance of the wheel of life

Answer 50

The Bhavachakra (wheel of life/becoming) is a mandala representing samsara. It is divided into 5 or 6 realms into which a soul can be reborn and is held by a demon (usually Mara). The wheel also consists of a ring divided into light and dark halves which are interpreted into the path of bliss that leads to better rebirth and liberation, and the path of darkness, that leads to misfortune and rebirth in hells. A small circle in the centre is also included, which shows a bird, snake, and pig which represents the 3 poisons.

Question 51

The significance of prayer wheels

Answer 51

It is a device for the repetition of a mantra. It is a hollow cylinder filled with a long scroll of paper, on which a mantra has been printed thousands of times. Each turn of the wheel is considered the equivalent of one recitation of the mantra, multiplied by the number of times the mantra is printed on the scroll. When the wheel is spun, the person gains wisdom and destroys negative karma, helping them progress on the spiritual path. Illiterate Buddhists can spin the prayer wheel instead of reading the texts.

Question 52

How do Buddhists celebrate births?

Answer 52

Sri Lanka- milk is placed on the baby’s lips, the baby’s first solid meal and outing are celebrated, and the baby’s ears are pierced.
Tibet - a sacred syllable is painted on the baby’s tongue with saffron or butter in the hope that baby will grow up wise. The father prostrates before the lama and makes an offering of money wrapped in a special scarf. The lama accepts the gift, blesses the scarf, and returns it to the family. A month later, the baby is taken outside for the first time, and its nose is blackened with ash to ward off demons
Thailand - monks are invited to chant the 5 precepts (Pancasila) and are involved in the naming ceremony. The baby is either named by the father or the head monk. Thai monks also perform a head-shaving ceremony one month after birth, symbolically shaving off bad karma from former lives

The most common birth ritual performed by monks involves the pouring of water from one vessel to another, representing the transfer of positive karma from the holy monk to the baby.

Question 53

How do Buddhists celebrate coming of age?

Answer 53

Coming of age ceremonies aren’t too significant because the idea that the child has become an adult presupposes an idea of permanent self, which violates anatman (non-self). In addition to this, Buddhist children can become monks so their religious journey has already started before adulthood so the transition doesn’t mark any change in one’s relationship to the dharma.

Thailand - Buddhist boys aged 7-14 take part in an annual ceremony spanning 3 days, initiating them properly into the Buddhist community. One day before the ceremony begins, the boys’ heads are shaved by parents, relatives, and Buddhist monks. They dress in extravagant clothing and makeup and are carried by their older male relatives. This is intended to make them look like Siddhartha before he began his spiritual journey. On the last day of the festival, they shed their colourful garb in exchange for a humble monk’s robe, and they officially join the temple for minimum a week.
Sri Lanka - Once a girl reaches puberty, she is kept indoors and isolated from outsiders, and the males of her own family. This seclusion protects the girl against evil spirits, and during this time, she is prohibited from interacting with men/boys.

Question 54

How do Buddhists celebrate marriage?

Answer 54

Many couples will seek the blessing of monks before the wedding by visiting a vihara or inviting monks to their family home. This includes revering Buddha images, reciting mantras, and a short sermon by a monk. Sometimes, material gifts such as food or clothing is offered to the monks in return for the transfer of good karma.
However, wedding ceremonies aren’t regularly celebrated.

Question 55

How do Buddhists celebrate death?

Answer 55

Monks are very involved in death rituals by coming to the home to recite mantras and lead a session of meditation before the death of the individual. The corpse is bathed and dressed for the funeral which usually happens a few days later. Funerals are usually celebrated and grief is seldom shown as they are a reminder of impermanence.

Many Buddhist cultures - cremation
Sri Lanka - burial
Tibet - sky burials (corpse is cut up and left for vultures)

Question 56

What is samatha meditation?

Question 57

What is vipassana meditation?

Question 58

What is puja?