1.3 The Three Refuges - concepts

Question 1

the historical Buddha

Answer 1

physical individual who lived in certain time and space

Question 2

the symbolic Buddha

Answer 2

timeless figure that represents the potentiality in us all to achieve enlightenment

Question 3

the Yogacara School

Answer 3

Buddhist philosophical school which took an idealist view that reality was mind-only

Question 4

Dhammapada: difference between ‘a refuge’ and ‘the refuge’

Answer 4

‘a refuge’ may be a place, eg mountains, a shrine, people go when threatened, but the ‘secure refuge, the highest refuge … having gone to which, you gain release from all suffering and stress’ is the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha

Question 5

the trikaya

Answer 5

a Mahayana doctrine describing the Buddha as having three bodies, or levels of manifestation

Question 6

why Buddhist wisdom holds the concept of divinity is not viable

Answer 6

there is no empirical evidence for the existence of a god in either the world or through meditation

Question 7

what do the Jataka Tales tell us about the Buddha / history of the Buddha

Answer 7

Buddhas take rebirth repeatedly just as we do, experiencing many life forms

Question 8

what enlightenment is ultimately dependent on

Answer 8

our own efforts, not any external force or circumstances beyond our control

Question 9

technicality vs reality of whether enlightenment is possible for everyone

Answer 9

technically yes, but realistically not currently thought many can due to negative emotions being so wild

Question 10

how Buddhists may explain miraculous events associated with the Buddha: enlightenment

Answer 10

enlightenment is a transcendental state beyond natural limitations of humanity and the physical world, so enlightened being is not subject to physical laws of nature

Question 11

how Buddhists may explain miraculous events associated with the Buddha: non-literal interpretation

Answer 11

acknowledge certain events may have been added or exaggerated as literary vehicles to highlight important teachings and episodes

Question 12

Theravadin belief on when each new Buddha arises

Answer 12

once the Dhamma has died out and is no longer known by humans

Question 13

what grants Gautama Buddha his authority, and why

Answer 13

the fact he attained enlightenment - bestows him supreme wisdom, compassion, love, and the power to free beings from suffering

Question 14

the two main ways in which the life of Gautama Buddha is still imapactful

Answer 14

• story of his life offers model for Buddhists to follow, making the Buddhist path accessible and relatable to humans
• without him, there would be no knowledge of the existence of the Dhamma at all

Question 15

possible evidence of truth to the Buddha’s ‘supernatural’ abilities

Answer 15

scientific observation has found the minds of highly practiced meditators can work in surprising ways eg highly experienced practisers of Tibetan Buddhist ‘tummo’ can increase their own body temperatures