Buddhist Flashcards
What great king converted to Buddhism and helped spread it throughout India?
Ashoka
What does the Tripitaka or Pali Canon consist of?
Discourses on dharma, monastic rules, and systematic treatises
Which of the following was NOT a Japanese form of Buddhism?
Hwaom
By what title was Siddartha Gautama first known?
Shakyamuni
What is the traditional place of the Buddha’s enlightenment, now a major pilgrimage sight?
Bodh Gaya
What title, meaning ‘thus-gone one’, does the Buddha most often use to refer to himself?
Tathagata
What is the gongan (‘koan’ in Japanese)?
A paradoxical thought exercise designed to defy rational understanding and propel the student toward enlightenment
The collection of ‘birth stories’, or tales of the Buddha’s previous lives, are called:
Jataka
According to many accounts, approximately when did Siddartha Gautama live?
Fifth to sixth century BCE
Which of the following is NOT a form of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism?
Nichiren
The Madhyamika (‘Middle Way’) school was founded by:
Nagarjuna
Vajrayana is also known as
Tantric Buddhism and The ‘third turning of the wheel of dharma
‘Hinayana’, which Theravada is sometimes called, means:
Little Vehicle
The term ‘Buddha’ literally means:
Fully Enlightened One
What were the four sights that, according to tradition, Siddartha Gautama saw that caused him to leave his home and become an ascetic?
A sick man, an old man, a dead man, and a monk
What simple form of meditation, meaning ‘insight’ or ‘mindfulness’, is practiced by Theravada Buddhists?
Vipassana
The sacred geometric design used in Vajrayana Buddhist practice is called a:
Mandala
The term anatman means:
“No-Self” or “No-Soul”
Which of the following is NOT a common mudra or hand gesture found in depictions of the Buddha?
‘Strength’: Right hand tightened into a fist, representing the strength of wisdom
The term ‘nirvana’, in Buddhism, refers to:
The State of Enlightenment
Colorful strips of cloth often found in temples, which often have symbols, mantras, and prayers printed on the, are called:
Prayer Flags
What are the ‘three bodies’ (trikaya) of buddhahood, according to Mahayana teaching?
The appearance of body, body of bliss, and dharma body
What are the three main traditions or ‘vehicles’ of Buddhism?
Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana
Which of the following is NOT one of the Four Noble Truths?
The cosmos have no beginning, middle, or end
What vow were Mahayana Buddhists, both lay and monastic, encouraged to take?
Bodhisattva Vow
According to the traditional story of the Buddha, what did Brahmins predict about his future when he was an infant?
That he would become either a great emperor or a fully enlightened being
What Bodhisattva of compassion is sometimes referred to as the ‘Virgin Mary of East Asia’?
Guanyin
The Buddhist Monastic community consists or ordained men and women called:
Bhikshus and Bhikshunis
In the Buddhist tradition, the term ‘dharma’ means:
Teaching
Who is traditionally believed to have brought Buddhism to Tibet?
Padmasambhava
Who led the conversion of thousands of dalits (untouchables) in India to Buddhism, himself included, in 1956?
Dr. Bhimrao R. Ambedkar
Which of the following was NOT a disagreement between newer Mahayana and older Theravada forms of Buddhism?
The importance of meditation and scripture
What Buddhist practice did not originally sit well with the social system and values in China?
Monasticism
What are the two schools or sub-sects of Southern Chan Buddhism known as?
gradual and sudden
What are the ‘Three Jewels’ in Buddhism?
The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha
The term ‘arhat’ means:
Worthy One or Saint
A stupa is:
A mound or structure built over an important relic, which becomes a pilgrimage site
In Buddhist tradition, Mara is:
The Lord of Death
According to what Mahayana school can we pray to Amitabha Buddha to be reborn in his realm, and from there achieve enlightenment?
Pure Land
Chan was founded by:
Bodhidhamra
Who is the pot-bellied ‘Happy Buddha’ in Chinese culture, derived from the bodhisattva Maitreya?
Milo
To what does the Buddha’s parinirvana refer?
His death, and moment of final release from the cycle of rebirth.
