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Flashcards in Buddhist Deck (42)
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1
Q

What great king converted to Buddhism and helped spread it throughout India?

A

Ashoka

2
Q

What does the Tripitaka or Pali Canon consist of?

A

Discourses on dharma, monastic rules, and systematic treatises

3
Q

Which of the following was NOT a Japanese form of Buddhism?

A

Hwaom

4
Q

By what title was Siddartha Gautama first known?

A

Shakyamuni

5
Q

What is the traditional place of the Buddha’s enlightenment, now a major pilgrimage sight?

A

Bodh Gaya

6
Q

What title, meaning ‘thus-gone one’, does the Buddha most often use to refer to himself?

A

Tathagata

7
Q

What is the gongan (‘koan’ in Japanese)?

A

A paradoxical thought exercise designed to defy rational understanding and propel the student toward enlightenment

8
Q

The collection of ‘birth stories’, or tales of the Buddha’s previous lives, are called:

A

Jataka

9
Q

According to many accounts, approximately when did Siddartha Gautama live?

A

Fifth to sixth century BCE

10
Q

Which of the following is NOT a form of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism?

A

Nichiren

11
Q

The Madhyamika (‘Middle Way’) school was founded by:

A

Nagarjuna

12
Q

Vajrayana is also known as

A

Tantric Buddhism and The ‘third turning of the wheel of dharma

13
Q

‘Hinayana’, which Theravada is sometimes called, means:

A

Little Vehicle

14
Q

The term ‘Buddha’ literally means:

A

Fully Enlightened One

15
Q

What were the four sights that, according to tradition, Siddartha Gautama saw that caused him to leave his home and become an ascetic?

A

A sick man, an old man, a dead man, and a monk

16
Q

What simple form of meditation, meaning ‘insight’ or ‘mindfulness’, is practiced by Theravada Buddhists?

A

Vipassana

17
Q

The sacred geometric design used in Vajrayana Buddhist practice is called a:

A

Mandala

18
Q

The term anatman means:

A

“No-Self” or “No-Soul”

19
Q

Which of the following is NOT a common mudra or hand gesture found in depictions of the Buddha?

A

‘Strength’: Right hand tightened into a fist, representing the strength of wisdom

20
Q

The term ‘nirvana’, in Buddhism, refers to:

A

The State of Enlightenment

21
Q

Colorful strips of cloth often found in temples, which often have symbols, mantras, and prayers printed on the, are called:

A

Prayer Flags

22
Q

What are the ‘three bodies’ (trikaya) of buddhahood, according to Mahayana teaching?

A

The appearance of body, body of bliss, and dharma body

23
Q

What are the three main traditions or ‘vehicles’ of Buddhism?

A

Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana

24
Q

Which of the following is NOT one of the Four Noble Truths?

A

The cosmos have no beginning, middle, or end

25
Q

What vow were Mahayana Buddhists, both lay and monastic, encouraged to take?

A

Bodhisattva Vow

26
Q

According to the traditional story of the Buddha, what did Brahmins predict about his future when he was an infant?

A

That he would become either a great emperor or a fully enlightened being

27
Q

What Bodhisattva of compassion is sometimes referred to as the ‘Virgin Mary of East Asia’?

A

Guanyin

28
Q

The Buddhist Monastic community consists or ordained men and women called:

A

Bhikshus and Bhikshunis

29
Q

In the Buddhist tradition, the term ‘dharma’ means:

A

Teaching

30
Q

Who is traditionally believed to have brought Buddhism to Tibet?

A

Padmasambhava

31
Q

Who led the conversion of thousands of dalits (untouchables) in India to Buddhism, himself included, in 1956?

A

Dr. Bhimrao R. Ambedkar

32
Q

Which of the following was NOT a disagreement between newer Mahayana and older Theravada forms of Buddhism?

A

The importance of meditation and scripture

33
Q

What Buddhist practice did not originally sit well with the social system and values in China?

A

Monasticism

34
Q

What are the two schools or sub-sects of Southern Chan Buddhism known as?

A

gradual and sudden

35
Q

What are the ‘Three Jewels’ in Buddhism?

A

The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha

36
Q

The term ‘arhat’ means:

A

Worthy One or Saint

37
Q

A stupa is:

A

A mound or structure built over an important relic, which becomes a pilgrimage site

38
Q

In Buddhist tradition, Mara is:

A

The Lord of Death

39
Q

According to what Mahayana school can we pray to Amitabha Buddha to be reborn in his realm, and from there achieve enlightenment?

A

Pure Land

40
Q

Chan was founded by:

A

Bodhidhamra

41
Q

Who is the pot-bellied ‘Happy Buddha’ in Chinese culture, derived from the bodhisattva Maitreya?

A

Milo

42
Q

To what does the Buddha’s parinirvana refer?

A

His death, and moment of final release from the cycle of rebirth.