The Dhamma

Question 1

give two of the three marks of existence (2)

Answer 1

1) DUKKHA - suffering
2) ANNICA - impermanence, everything constantly changes

3) ANATTA - people do not have a fixed self
- person made up of the FIVE AGGREGATES (skandhas)
- five aggregates show how there is no unchanging self
- Nagasena & the chariot

Question 2

give two of the five aggregates (2)

Answer 2

1) form - our bodies
2) sensation - our feelings
3) perception - our ways of interpreting & understanding things
4) mental formations - our thoughts
5) consciousness - our general awareness of things

significance - these parts of a person are constantly changing, no fixed self

Question 3

give two aspects of the Buddha’s Dhamma (2)

Buddha’s teachings

Answer 3

1) the “truth” about the nature of existence as understand by Buddha when he became enlightened
2) the path to get closer to enlightenment that Buddha recommended

Question 4

explain human destiny in Buddhism

Answer 4

human destiny is about which path a Buddhist will take in order to reach enlightenment & understand the Buddha’s Dhamma

Question 5

Give two examples of human destiny in Buddhism (2)

Answer 5

1) Therevada Buddhists strive to become Arhats by overcoming 3 poisons. No longer reborn when reach enlightenment & free from the cycle of samsara forever
2) Mahayana Buddhists strive to become Bodhisattvas. Stay in the cycle of samsara even after enlightenment out of compassion for others

Question 6

Explain two teachings about Buddhahood in Pure Land. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Buddhist
belief and teaching in your answer. (5)

Answer 6

1) faith in Amitabha is the focus of practice and more important than a person’s actions or behavior
2) Anyone can reach the pure land as long as they follow the practices such as reciting Amitabha’s name and meditating on him and his paradise. ‘rich in a great variety”

Question 7

Explain two teachings about the Bodhisattva ideal. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Buddhist belief
and teaching in your answer. (5)

Answer 7

1) Bodhisattva will stay in the cycle of samsara even after enlightenment out of compassion for others
2) everyone has the Buddha-nature inside of them that is hidden by the three poisons. when a person understands Buddha’s teachings they experience Buddha nature

Question 8

Explain two teachings about the Five Aggregates. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Buddhist belief
and teaching in your answer. (5)

Answer 8

1) five aggregates describe the five parts that make up a person that is always changing
2) five aggregates aid the understanding of the processes that lead to people forming habits such as perception.
“what we call life is the combination of the five aggregates.”

Question 9

Explain two teachings about dukkha. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Buddhist belief and teaching
in your answer. (5)

Answer 9

1)

Question 10

Explain two teachings about anatta. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Buddhist belief and teaching
in your answer. (5)

Answer 10

1) The five aggregates make up a human which shows that these parts are constantly changing, the ‘self’ is also constantly changing. Eg. our perception and our form
2) the story of Nagasena and the chariot teaches that a chariot is made up of many parts just like the core of a person and each part works together and are not independent

Question 11

Explain two teachings about anicca. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Buddhist belief and teaching
in your answer. (5)

Answer 11

1)

Question 12

Explain teachings about the Three Marks of Existence. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Buddhist
belief and teaching in your answer. (5)

Answer 12

1) Dukkha teaches that suffering is an inevitable part of life. The Buddha taught that there are 7 states of suffering such as old age and sickness. “what I teach is suffering and the cessation of suffering.”
2) Anicca and Dukkha are related as when people become attached to something and it changes (anicca) people experience suffering (dukkha) as a result of attachment

Question 13

Explain two teachings about the concept of dependent arising. Refer to sacred writings or another source of
Buddhist belief and teaching in your answer. (5)

Answer 13

1) dependent arising is the idea that everything depends on supporting conditions. “every wave is related to every other wave.”
2) also means everything is in a constant process of change as everything depends on conditions that also change Kamma is an example as someone’s happiness depends on their previous actions.