Buddhist Practices

Question 1

Give four features of a Buddhist temple and why they are important.

Answer 1

1. The Stupa-symbolises five elements of
   the earth and the stages to enlightenment top represents wisdom. It also contains
   relics of the Buddha.
2. The Shrine room/prayer hall-holds the
   shrine which reminds Buddhists of the
   dharma and where offerings are made.
   Meditation and mantras take place here.
3. Statues of the Buddha/Bodhisattvas reminder of their qualities.
4. Study room-to study the dharma.

Question 2

Give two similarities and two differences
between a Mahayana temple and a
Theravadan temple.

Answer 2

1. Both have a prayer hall/ shrine room.
2. Both have study rooms.
3. Both have a stupa/pagoda-houses relics of
   the Buddha/Bodhisattvas.
4. Mayahana temples have a three Buddha
   hall and have statues of Bodhisattvas.
5. Theravada-have a Bo tree outside reminder of enlightenment.

Question 3

What is a pagoda? What is a stupa? Why is
each important?

Answer 3

1. Pagoda and stupa are on top of the
   temple. Stupa is a pointed tower where
   as a pagodas have squared storeys with
   curved roofs.
2. Both contain relics.
3. Stupa can be seen to represent the
   elements earth, water fire, air, wisdom. It
   can also be seen to represent a human bodily desires at the bottom, emotions in
   the middle and the head for
   enlightenment at the top.

Question 3

Give two advantages and two disadvantages of
having a converted town house as a Buddhist
temple

Answer 3

1. Disadvantage-may not have a stupa or
   pagoda on the outside so not clear it is a
   temple. New Buddhists to the area may
   not know where it is.
2. Disadvantage -May not be big enough
   to house both a shrine room and study
   rooms. Might have to sacrifice elements
   of a typical temple lack of space.
3. Advantage-Not building a new temple
   using up land-supports second precept of
4. Advantage - Buddhists can easily access it if it is in a town

Question 4

Give five features of a shrine and what they represent

Answer 4

1. Candle → Enlightenment
2. Incense → Darhma spreading through the world
3. Bell → law of Karma
4. Water → Respect for life (because it is essential for life)
5. Statue of the Buddha → Reminder of his qualities
6. Flowers → show impermanence (they die yet eternity as seeds will grow again)
7. Fruit → everything depends upon everything else to survive.

Question 5

Three things that are offered at the shrine

Answer 5

1. Food
2. Flowers
3. Candles
4. Incense

Question 6

Give two reasons why Puja (offering to the shrine) is important

Answer 6

1. Reminder of the Dharma as objects on the shrine will remind people of it
2. Reminder of the Buddha and what he did
3. Brings the Sangha together (Meditate together, chant together, make offerings in the monks alms bowls)
4. Helps Buddhists to achieve enlightenment
5. Makes good Karma

Question 7

Give four facts about Samatha meditation

Answer 7

1. Calms the mind
2. Focuses the mind
3. Focuses on one things (breathing, walking)
4. Use of Kasinas (things to focus on during meditation)
5. May focus on a brahma viharas. Metta (love), Karuna (compassion), Mudita (Joy) and Upekkha (Peace)
6. Used before vipassana meditation
7. Done in the Lotus position
8. Done in front of a shrine
9. Turns negative energy into positive energy

Question 8

Give three facts about Metta Bhavana meditation

Answer 8

1. Loving kindness meditation to develop the Brahama Vihara of Metta to help achieve enlightenment
2. The chant ‘‘May i be free of danger, May i be healthy, May i be happy, May i live with peace and loving kindness’’
3. Is said for yourself, someone you love, someone you don’t know, someone you don’t like and all living beings
4. Done in the Lotus position
5. Usually not in a group

Question 9

Give four Facts about vipassana meditation

Answer 9

1. Insight meditation
2. Helps Buddhists see the world how it really is
3. Happens after Samatha meditation
4. Helps Buddhists to reflect on personal situations and apply the three marks of existance
5. Helps them develop the brahma viharas
6. Done in Lotus position

Question 10

Give two analogies the Buddha used to show the importance of meditation

Answer 10

1. A handkerchief with knots in it → Our mind is like the handkerchief meditation unties these knots
2. Monkeys swinging from tree to tree → Our minds are always jumping from thought to thought and with meditation our mind can stay calm and composed

Question 11

Give 3 reasons why is meditation important for Buddhists

Answer 11

It reminds them of the dharma e.g. reflect
on this in vipassana meditation. Essential
part of the 8 fold path-right concentration
and mindfulness.

2. It brings the sangha together-monks help
   and guide lay people through meditation.
3. It is how the Buddha found
   enlightenment.
4. It helps them to be like the Buddha and
   develop the brahma viharas e.g. metta
   bhavana meditation.
5. It calms and controls the mind-important
   for right morality on the 8 fold path and
   for following the five precepts

Question 12

Give 3 examples of Mantras

Answer 12

1. Om-mani-padme-hum mantra (hail to the Jewel in the lotus) → Avalokiteshvera (Boddhisatva of compassion)
2. The three jewels mantra-I go to the
   Buddha for refuge, I go to the dharma for
   refuge, I go to the sangha for refuge. A
   reminder of where Buddhists can turn to
   overcome dukkha and find
   enlightenment.
3. Metta Bhavana mantra-helps Buddhists to
   reflect on this important sublime state and
   the first precept-Get the right frame of
   mind for enlightenment and overcoming
   the three poisons

Question 13

Why are Buddhists mantras important

Answer 13

1. reminder of the dharma
2. Reminder of where Buddhists can turn for help
3. Reminder of the qualities of the Buddha

Question 14

What is a mala

Answer 14

Mala is the prayer beads Buddhists use for counting mantras. There are 112 beads and three tassels on them which represent the three jewels (The Buddha, The Darhma, The Sangha)

Question 15

Why are Mala beads important

Answer 15

1. Help Buddhists to keep count of their mantras and each bead is a syllable of a mantra
2. Help to remind Buddhists of the dharma - they cross the beads to remind them of getting rid of worldly attachments
3. Helps to remind them of where they can go for help to find enlightenment

Question 16

What does Wesak celebrate

Answer 16

It is the Buddhist festival of Death and Enlightenment

Question 17

Give three ways Buddhists celebrate Wesak

Answer 17

1. Light Lanterns to show enlightenment
2. Pour water over the statue of the Buddha to show purity
3. Walk around lit stupas
4. Give to the monks for good karma
5. Spend time with the monks learning the Dharma
6. Some lay people take on 5 extra precepts

Question 18

What does Vassa celebrate

Answer 18

The time the Buddha gave his first sermon (religous talk) to five holy men. It is during the rainy season

Question 19

Give a way in which Vassa is celebrated

Answer 19

1. Monks and nuns stay in the Viharas and study and teach the dharma
2. Young boys may take monastic vows and stay with the monks and the nuns to study the Darhma

Question 20

What is the Kathina ceremony

Answer 20

Kathina is the end of Vassa
This remembers when the 30 monks were on their way to the Buddha, but got caught in the rainy season and arrived late. When they arrived the Buddha gave them cloth to make robes with

Question 21

Give three ways in which Kathina is celebrated

Answer 21

1. Young boys who has stayed at the Vihara during vassa are welcomed back
2. Lay people give the monks cloth
3. The monks stay up at night making cloth into robes
4. Lay people also give the monks other gifts to make good Karma
5. Lay people give up bad habits

Question 22

What is Pariniravana Day

Answer 22

It is a Mahayana festival
It remembers when the Buddha died and passed into Parinirvana

Question 23

Give a way in which Parinirvana day is celebrated

Answer 23

1. Pilgrimage to where the Buddha died (Kushinager)
2. The Buddhist community comes together to do Puja together
3. It is a solemn occasion and Buddhists retell the sutra which details the Budhha’s last days
4. Some Buddhists go on a retreat and meditate during this period

Question 24

Give four features of a Theravadan funeral

Answer 24

1. Buddhists in Theravada countries think that
   rebirth takes place immediately after death.
2. In Sri Lanka, a Theravada country, at the
   funeral the family will give cloth for making new robes to the monks to transfer good
   karma to the deceased person. (dharma)
3. They will set up a shrine to the deceased
   with their portrait with offerings to the
   Buddha of incense, candles and flowers.
   (dharma)
4. The funeral ceremony - includes chanting of
   verses about impermanence and there will be
   a procession behind the casket which family
   members will carry as a mark of respect.
   (sangha)
5. Cremation is more common and traditional
   than burial.
6. About a week after the person died, monks
   will come to the family home to deliver a
   sermon. (sangha)
7. Thereafter, at three months and one year,
   there will be special merit-making
   ceremonies for the benefit of the deceased
   person. (dharma

Question 25

Give five features of a Mahayana funeral

Answer 25

1. Whisper the name of the Buddha into
   the ear of the dying person
2. Put flower wreaths and candles
   around the coffin to show enlightenment and impermanence
3. Rebirth does not happen
   immediately. There are different
   bardo states. After death, the person
   becomes conscious and ready for the
   next rebirth-up to 49 days after death
4. In Tibet there are readings from the
   book of the dead to help influence the
   rebirth
5. In Tibet there are sky burials. The
   person’s body is left on the
   mountains for the vultures-a lesson
   in impermanence and good karma
6. In Japan, relatives pick out the bones
   with chop sticks from the ashes.
   These are kept for 49 days after death