01 Buddhism - General

Question 1

What was the name of the original Buddha?

Answer 1

Siddartha Gautama

Question 2

What is the literal meaning of the word Bhudda?

Answer 2

Budh means “to awaken”. Bhudda means “Awakened One”

Question 3

What are the Three Marks of Existence (or Three Universal Truths)

Answer 3

The fundamental characteristics of life, to see things as they really are - Anicca, Anatta and Dukkha (Impermanence, Non-Self and Suffering)

Question 4

What is Anatta?

Answer 4

Insubstantiality, non-self, substanceless

Question 5

What is Anicca?

Answer 5

Impermanence

Question 6

What is Dukkha?

Answer 6

Suffering or being unsatisfied

Question 7

What is the Dharma?

Answer 7

The Buddha’s teachings

The word dharma comes from the Sanskrit root word dhri, which means “to hold,” “to maintain,” or “to preserve.” In the early Vedas and other ancient Hindu texts, dharma referred to the cosmic law that created the ordered universe from chaos

Question 8

What does Nirvana literally mean?

Answer 8

Blowing out

Question 9

What are the Four Noble Truths?

Answer 9

1) All life is suffering
2) The origin of suffering is craving
3) The cessation of suffering
4) The way that leads to the cessation of suffering (via the Noble Eightfold Path)

Question 10

What is The Middle Way?

Answer 10

A balanced life between indulgence and asceticism

Question 11

What are the Ten Acts of the Buddha?

Answer 11

1) Conception
2) Physical birth
3) Accomplishment in worldly skills
4) youth: pleasure and indulgence
5) Leaving the palace
6) Life as an ascetic
7) Victory over Mara
8) Enlightenment
9) Spreading the teaching
10) Death

Question 12

What did Siddhartha see on each of his four trips?

Answer 12

An old man, a sick man, a funeral procession and a wandering ascetic

Question 13

What did the Queen dream about before Siddhartha’s birth?

Answer 13

A white elephant came down and entered her womb

Question 14

What does ‘Siddhartha’ mean?

Answer 14

He who achieves his aim or he who has found meaning

Question 15

What did Siddhartha practice when he was an ascetic?

Answer 15

Yoga, meditation and mortification. Mortification involves fasting, holding your breath, staying out in the burning sun and holding your head in icy water.

Question 16

Why did Siddhartha abandon asceticism?

Answer 16

His mind and body grew weak and he realised only meditation would lead to enlightenment

Question 17

What type of tree did Siddhartha attain enlightenment under?

Answer 17

A Bodhi tree

Question 18

Why did Mara want to prevent Siddhartha’s enlightenment?

Answer 18

Enlightenment would free Siddhartha from samsara (death)

Question 19

What is Theravada Buddhism?

Answer 19

‘The way of the elders’, or ‘lesser vehicle’. The only school of Buddhism that uses only the Pali Canon.

Question 20

What is Nirvana/nibbana?

Answer 20

A condition where desires and cravings are extinguished

Question 21

What is monasticism?

Answer 21

Following a simple life dedicated to the Dharma and living in small groups (the Sangha)

Question 22

Why is it significant that the Buddha was a human and not a god?

Answer 22

It shows that anyone can achieve enlightenment with discipline and dedication

Question 23

What are the five main Precepts?

Answer 23

Not killing
Not stealing
Not misusing sex
Not lying
Not abusing intoxicants

Question 24

What are the Three Poisons?

Answer 24

Greed, Hatred and Ignorance (symbolised as Rooster, Snake and Pig)

Question 25

Three Poisons - What is Greed?

Answer 25

Attachment to things outside ourselves to gain happiness and our selfishness in grasping these things - we are never satisfied

Question 26

Three Poisons - Hatred

Answer 26

Avoidance of unpleasant people, experiences and feelings, and our refusal to confront and manage these things

Question 27

Three Poisons - Ignorance

Answer 27

Misunderstanding of the true nature of the world, our inability to understand to root causes of suffering and our insistence on seeking happiness

Question 28

What is Karma?

Answer 28

Actions have consequences. It is not a form of reward and punishment but simply the concept that certain types of thoughts and actions have inevitable consequences. 'Karma is often likened to a seed... and action is thus like a seed which will sooner or later, as part of the natural maturation process, result in certain fruits accruing to the doer of the action'

Question 29

What is a Bodhisattva?

Answer 29

A person who aims to reach enlightenment or Buddhahood in order to save all beings out of compassion (karuna)

Question 30

What is Mahayana Buddhism?

Answer 30

'The greater vehicle'. Common in China, Japan and Tibet. They believe in bodhisattvas rather than arhats and are less concerned with the exact teachings of the historical Buddha and more with the whole notion of enlightenment.

Question 31

What is the Noble Eightfold Path?

Answer 31

The Buddhist life is governed by a set of ethical and practical principles known as the Noble Eightfold Path. ``` Right understanding Right thought Right speech Right action Right livelihood Right effort Right mindfulness Right concentration ```

Question 32

Eightfold Path - Right action

Answer 32

Involves taking the precepts and attempting to live by then; closely linked to right thought. An action can only be right if it is intended to be right.

Question 33

Eightfold Path - Right concentration

Answer 33

Refers to proper use of meditation to gain insight into the nature of things

Question 34

Eightfold Path - Right effort

Answer 34

Great commitment and effort is required on the path to enlightenment. Greed, hatred and ignorance are very difficult to overcome.

Question 35

Eightfold Path - Right livelihood

Answer 35

There should be no occupation that brings harm to others. As well as avoiding certain types of work, Buddhists also try to set up businesses that work on ethical principles.

Question 36

Eightfold Path - Right mindfulness

Answer 36

Buddhists try to live in a state of mindfulness at all times. This means having an awareness of the consequences of thoughts, speech and actions, and to think, speak and act skillfully.

Question 37

Eightfold Path - Right speech

Answer 37

If our minds are pure our speech will be pure. Buddhists try to be very aware of the consequences of things they say because everything is connected and all actions have consequences.

Question 38

Eightfold Path - Right thought

Answer 38

In Buddhism, not only actions but also thinking has karmic results. If in our minds, we are hating or desiring, that will inevitably affect our actions in a negative way.

Question 39

Eightfold Path - Right understanding

Answer 39

Understanding the Buddhist doctrines of impermanence and no-self and understanding the truth about the way things really are. It may take lifetimes to perfect.

Question 40

Eightfold Path - The three sections of the Eightfold Path's aspects

Answer 40

Wisdom (panna), morality (sila) and meditation (samadhi)