The Relationship between Buddhism and Society: Pluralism and Diversity

Question 1

AO3: What are senior Bhikkhus seen as?

Answer 1

The keepers of the orthodox way of living.

Question 2

AO3: What is the vihara seen as doing?

Answer 2

Aimed at unifying the monastic community under its authority.

Question 3

AO3: What is the hierarchical structure of Buddhism in Thailand?

Answer 3

In the modern era the Sangha Supreme Council is ultimate authority.

Question 4

AO3: Who is the supreme patriarch of Buddhism in Thailand?

Answer 4

Somdet Phra Sanghraja - Head of all members of the sangha.

Question 5

AO3: Who has power within Tibetan Buddhism?

Answer 5

The lama who instructs those who wish to achieve empowerment.

Question 6

AO3: What does Tulku Rinpoche say about those who pass on Buddhism?

Answer 6

Founded the Samye Ling monastery in Scotland and outlined taking refuge in the Buddha, Sangha, Dhamma and the lama who had opened the door for them.
It can be traced ‘right back to the Lord Buddha himself’.

Question 7

AO3: What does the Dalai Lama say about looking to the tradition of the lama?

Answer 7

He advised Western Buddhism, quoting a Tibetan proverb - ‘A disciple must not throw himself upon a spiritual master as a dog throws itself upon a piece of a meat’, echoing the Kalama clan.

Question 8

AO3: For Therevada what is knowledge based off of?

Answer 8

Sacred texts which have been transmitted via oral tradition and then written into the Pali Canon.

Question 9

AO3: How should texts be viewed?

Answer 9

Not with amulika saddha (blind faith) but akaravati saddha (confidence based on reason and experience).

Question 10

AO3: What does the Buddha liken sacred texts to?

Answer 10

A finger pointing to the moon, they point to the truth but they are not the truth in themselves.

Question 11

AO3: What does Nhat Hanh link the finger pointing to the moon analogy with?

Answer 11

The parable of the raft - ‘The teaching is merely a vehicle to describe the truth’.

Question 12

AO3: What takes over importance of sacred texts?

Answer 12

Ones own personal reason - particularly for Western Buddhists.
Dhammapada - ‘Oneself is ones own refuge’.

Question 13

AO3: How does the Lotus Sutra dismiss ones own refuge?

Answer 13

People who question its authority will suffer in the hell and animal realm.

Question 14

AO3: What allows the boundaries of Buddhism to be porous?

Answer 14

The parable of the Raft and the Finger Pointing at the moon analogy - gives it provisional boundaries.

Question 15

AO3: Who were Blavatsky and Olcott?

Answer 15

Brought hinduism and Buddhism to the west and helped oppose Christian missionaries in Sri Lanka.

Question 16

AO3: What did Blavatsky and Olcott combine Buddhism with?

Answer 16

Theosophy which believes a universal ancient wisdom underlies and unites all religions.

Question 17

AO3: What does Bhikhu Bodhi say Buddhism is another example of?

Answer 17

The Buddha Dhamma is one more variant on the ‘perennial philosophy’ underlying mans spiritual quest.

Question 18

AO3: What does TNH detail in ‘Living Buddha, Living Christ’ which can be seen as shocking?

Answer 18

On his altar in France he has images of Buddha and Jesus - he touches them both ‘as my spiritual ancestors’.
He also participated in the Eucharist at a conference.

Question 19

AO3: What does TNH say about being open?

Answer 19

‘In a true dialogue, both sides are willing to change’.

Question 20

AO3: Who does Nhat Hanh criticise?

Answer 20

Pope John Paul II for insisting Jesus is the only son of God.
Says it fosters religious intolerance.

Question 21

AO3: What does the Dalai Lama say about pluralism?

Answer 21

He uses the analogy of medicine - you would not prescribe one medicine to all.

Question 22

AO3: What feature of Buddhism promotes religious pluralism?

Answer 22

Upaya - the Buddha gave contradictory teachings based off of the capacity of the disciples.

Question 23

AO3: What might Buddhism’s openness be argued as?

Answer 23

Recognition of good within all religions and its respect towards them having never prevented its separate identity.

Question 24

Teachings of staying true to experience:

Answer 24

One emphasis within Buddhism is on the individual testing the teachings and staying true to experience because ultimately oneself is one’s own refuge.

Question 25

Importance of experience according to the Buddha:

Answer 25

The Buddha himself discovered the Middle Way through testing the ascetic path and being true to his experience by rejecting it; the Kalamas are told to judge religious teaching but what they know for themselves after testing it.

Question 26

Example of Upaya in Buddhism:

Answer 26

A key example of upaya (skilful means) in Buddhism is in one of the suttas where the Buddha compares people to the wide variety of lotuses in a pond, each different and each needing the teaching of the dhamma suitable to them in their situation.

Question 27

Looking at upaya in regards to the Alagaddupama:

Answer 27

Another way of looking at upaya is in the Alagaddupama Sutta: the Buddha compares the dhamma to a raft - once the far shore is reached then a person can be free of it since it has accomplished its purpose.

Question 28

Mahayana teachings to upaya:

Answer 28

Mahayana Buddhism appears to teach that all Buddhist teaching and practice are upaya – they are provisional and are only set up by the Buddha to achieve the goal. This is the teaching of the Buddha in the Lotus Sutra – that he and all Buddhas have perfect mastery of upaya

Question 29

The parable of the burning house:

Answer 29

In the Parable of the Burning House, the father lies to his children to save their lives: the Buddha asks Sariputra if the father deceived the children and Sariputra replies that they were not deceived but saved by upaya. The Buddha replies that it is great mercy and compassion which justifies upaya.

Question 30

The conversation of Upali:

Answer 30

In the conversion of Upali, the Buddha tells Upali that even though he has now become a Buddhist, he should still give alms to the Jain ascetics.

Question 31

How can seeing the good in all religions be seen in real life:

Answer 31

Seeing the good in all religions can also be seen, for example, in how Thich Nhat Hanh speaks of Rev. Dr Martin Luther King as being a bodhisattva and of how the Tibetan Prime Minister called the Catholic Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the incarnation of immeasurable compassion.