Buddhist Beliefs

Question 1

What word is used to describe an enlightened person who chooses to remain in samsara? (1)

Answer 1

Bodhisattva

Question 2

Which type of Buddhists attempt to become Bodhisattvas? (1)

Answer 2

Mahayana Buddhists

Question 3

What is dependent arising? (1)

Answer 3

Dependent arising is the idea that everything happens depending on certain conditions.

Question 4

What is Dhamma (Dharma)? (1)

Answer 4

Dhamma (Dharma) is the Buddhist doctrine that includes the teaching of the Buddha about the nature of existence

Question 5

What is anicca? (1)

Answer 5

Anicca means impermanence and encourages Buddhists to accept death and suffering as part of life. The cycle of birth, life death and rebirth is called samsara.


Question 6

Explain what is meant by Buddhahood (2)

Answer 6

Buddha-nature is the idea that everyone can attain Buddhahood. Mahayana Buddhists believe that everyone has the essence of a Buddha within them.

Question 7

What is samsara? (1)

Answer 7

Samsara is the Buddhist belief in the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth.

Question 8

Which word describes the Buddhist belief that the soul doesn’t have a physical existence? (1)

Answer 8

Anatta

Question 9

List three events that happen in the Buddhas life (3)

Answer 9

He grew up in a life of luxury as the son of a Queen.
• He was inspired to leave this life by the Four Sights.
• After this he lived an ascetic life of self-denial and pain but wasn’t able to become enlightened so left it for the Middle Way between pain and luxury.


Question 10

Give three of the four noble truths (3)

Answer 10

1. There is suffering&raquo_space; 2. Suffering has a cause&raquo_space; 3. Suffering can come to an end&raquo_space; 4. There is a way to end suffering.

Question 11

List the 3 poisons (3)

Answer 11

These are the three poisons, a pig, a snake and a cockerel, they represent ignorance, hatred and greed, Buddhists see these as the starting point of all human problems.


Question 12

List three aspects of the eightfold path (3)

Answer 12

Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness, Right concentration, Right understanding, Right intention

Question 13

List four of the sights Siddhartha saw on his trip outside the palace and what they represent. (4)

Answer 13

An old man – everyone ages;An ill man – everyone becomes ill;A dead man – all things die;A holy man – the only answer to these problems

Question 14

Define Anatta. (1)

Answer 14

The idea of no self. We don’t have a fixed soul – there is no unchanging essence to us.

Question 15

What is the term for the immaterial part of you that gets transferred from life to life. (1)

Answer 15

Atman