Buddhist Beliefs

Question 1

When was siddartha born

Answer 1

About 2500 years ago

Question 2

Why did siddartha lead a life of luxury

Answer 2

He was prophesied by a holy man that he will either be king or a holy man if he witnessed suffering. Therefore his father protected him from disappointment and suffering to ensure he took over the thrown.

Question 3

What were the 4 sights

Answer 3

Old man, sick man, dead man, holy man.

Question 4

Where did siddartha turn to after his life of luxury

Answer 4

Asceticism - giving up all luxuries

Question 5

What is Mara

Answer 5

The demon of temptation

Question 6

What did Mara try to do as siddartha was trying to reach enlightenment

Answer 6

Tempt and distract him with fear, lust and offering him control of his kingdom

Question 7

What happened when Mara told the Buddha that no one would believe him

Answer 7

Siddartha touched the earth, calling on it to bear witness, and it shook

Question 8

What were the three watches of the night

Answer 8

Knowledge of his previous lives, things were reborn depending on their karma, he understood the causes of suffering and how to overcome it

Question 9

How might the Buddhas life influence Buddhists today negatively

Answer 9

Some may argue that the Buddha lived in a very different time and his life experiences have no equivalency to todays society

Question 10

How might the Buddhas life influence Buddhists today positively (3)

Answer 10

1: we still experience the 4 sights in modern day society
2: Buddha himself not find it easy and this comforts Buddhists that even he struggled
3: he managed to find the middle way with no guidance. Analogy of the lute; loose string, tight string, perfect string makes a pure note

Question 11

What are the 4 noble truths ( one of the three watches of the night)

Answer 11

1: everybody suffers
2: there is a cause to suffering
3: there is an end to suffering
4: there is a way to overcome suffering (eightfold path)

Question 12

Explain the first noble truth

Answer 12

The existence of suffering is to accept that it is unavoidable. There are 4 types of physical suffering (Dukkha): birth, old age, sickness, death.

Question 13

Explain the second noble truth

Answer 13

The cause of suffering is craving (Tanha). We must accept that temporary pleasures cannot make us happy forever but they can make us greedy, hatful and ignorant. We must avoid these 3 poisons.

Question 14

Explain the third noble truth

Answer 14

There is an end to suffering. This teaches we shouldn’t have to avoid cravings, but we should be able to accept that we cannot always have these desires and we should enjoy them while they last.

Question 15

Explain the forth noble truth

Answer 15

The cure to suffering. This teaches that if you follow the eightfold path, you detach yourself from desires and therefore suffering becomes bearable/not there.

Question 16

The eightfold path is split into three sections (threefold way). What are these sections

Answer 16

Ethics
Meditation
Wisdom

Question 17

What are the parts of ethics (eightfold path)

Answer 17

Right speech, right action, right livelihood.

Question 18

What are the parts of meditation (eightfold path)

Answer 18

Right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration

Question 19

What are the parts of wisdom (eightfold path)

Answer 19

Right understanding, right intention.

Question 20

What is the dhamma

Answer 20

‘Truth’, dhamma solves the problem of suffering. It includes the 4 noble truths and the three marks of existence, Also a refuge.

Question 21

What are the three marks of existence

Answer 21

Dukkha, Anicca and Anatta

Question 22

What are the three refuges

Answer 22

Buddha, dhamma, sangha.

Question 23

Explain the three refuges.

Answer 23

People take comfort in following ‘BUDDHAS’ example. ‘SANGHA’ is the whole Buddhist community and those also seeking enlightenment. The ‘DHAMMA’ teaches that all other kinds of refuge simply must mask the pain (impermanent) opposed to completely solving suffering through the eightfold path.

Question 24

What is dependent arising (paticcasamupada)

Answer 24

The concept that nothing exists/ happens on its own - it is dependent on a whole network of other things. Karma is an example of dependent arising that out actions create the conditions for happiness and suffering later in our lives.

Question 25

What is samsara

Answer 25

Birth, life, death, rebirth. It is the ultimate aim to break free from samsara and it happens once we break the habit and detach ourselves from craving. Then we will no longer to be reborn and we will reach Nibbana.

Question 26

What are the two different ways of Nibbana

Answer 26

Extinguish the ‘self’ by practicing meditation and the eightfold path and we can achieve this in earthly life.
Extinguishing self by no longer requiring reincarnation into another physical body after death.

Question 27

What are the three marks of existence

Answer 27

Dukkha (suffering), Anicca (impermanence) and Anatta (no fixed self)

Question 28

What is Anicca

Answer 28

The idea that everything is constantly changing. We suffer (Dukkha) due to wanting things to remain the same and hold onto good times. By accepting change, we can suffer less.

Question 29

What is Anatta, five aggregates and an analogy to help this concept

Answer 29

Means that our self is not fixed/ permanent due to change. Buddha taught that people are made of 5 aggregates: form (body), sensation (feelings, eg happy), perception (our views), mental formation (thoughts) and consciousness ( awareness of the world). These all constantly change: Nagasenas analogy of the chariot.

Question 30

What is Theravada Buddhism

Answer 30

‘The school of elders’ - oldest and most traditional form of Buddhism

Question 31

Explain Theravada Buddhism

Answer 31

For them the Buddha is one of the three refuges and is a guide for us to follow as he was only a human being also. They devote their whole lives to enlightenment and focus highly on meditation and the eightfold path. They must achieve Nibbana on earthly life to become an arhat and escape samsara. They often become monks

Question 32

What is Mahayana Buddhism

Answer 32

The belief that the Buddha is still watching over us. It’s a mixture of Mahayana, zen and Tibetan Buddhists

Question 33

Explain Mahayana Buddhism

Answer 33

They believe that everybody has the Buddha nature and us enlightened however it his hidden. Once we truly understand Buddhas teachings we experience this nature. Their aim is to not escape samsara but to become a bodhisatva to help others. Your soul will either return to earth to help those on earth OR you become a spiritual being between earth and nibanna (transcendent)

Question 34

What is pure land Buddhism

Answer 34

Based on the faith in Amithaba who renounced his thrown to become a monk and created a pure land (sukhavati) once he became enlightened for all beings.

Question 35

Explain the pure land

Answer 35

Here there is no suffering and no problems that prevent people from enlightenment. They will be taught by amitabha himself so it will be easier. You reach the pure land by meditating on amitabha, worshipping and chanting his name. Therevada Buddhists believe this is too easy and means that anyone can become enlightened and go to the pure land.