Buddhist beliefs

Question 1

Give 4 features of the Buddha’s early life

Answer 1

• the Buddha lived in Nepal and was born in Lumbini
• Siddhartha’s mum dreamed than an elephant, of wisdom, entered her womb just before he was born
• took 7 steps
• son of King Suddhodana and was brought up being shielded from the suffering of the world
• lived in luxury in a royal palace until the age of 29
• married Yashodhara and had a son Rahula

Question 2

What were the 4 sights

Answer 2

• old age
• sickness
• death
• holy man

Question 3

4 features of the Buddha’s renunciation

Answer 3

• he left the palace with his charioteer Channa
• he swapped his royal clothes for simple clothes
• crossed the river into the forest
• joined a group of Holy hindu men

Question 4

5 features of the Buddha’s time as an ascetic

Answer 4

• starved himself
• slept on a bed of thorns
• slept in the forest where it was cold at night and there were wild animals
• he learnt the art of meditation
• gave up when a milk maid offered him milk and rice

Question 5

Give 4 ways in which the 4 sights and his early life led to Siddhartha’s enlightenment

Answer 5

1. the 4 sights made him want to search for the answer to suffering and why people change (anatta and suffering)
2. He realised that old age, sickness and death were inescapable
3. the holy man made him realise that his happiness is not linked to material goods
4. he meditated as a boy and this helped him to find peace. He knew this would help him to be enlightened

Question 6

4 features of the Buddha’s enlightenment

Answer 6

1. tempted by Mara’s daughters who represented greed, hatred and ignorance
2. he saw all his past lives - rebirths
3. thrown into doubt by Mara who tried to take his spot
4. liberated at the end and found peace. He saw the world as it really is and achieved Nirvana - no suffering

Question 7

What are the 3 Lakshanas?

Answer 7

• dukkha
• anatta
• anicca

Question 8

Why are the 3 lakshanas important?

Answer 8

1. Helps Buddhists to see the world as it really is - changing and unsatisfactory
2. Helps them to realise that they are not fixed and suffering will pass
3. Helps them to realise that all life is unsatisfactory. They are not alone in suffering

Question 9

What are the 4 Noble truths?

Answer 9

Buddha used the analogy of a patient and doctor
1. Dukkha (illness)
2. Samudaya - dukkha is caused by tanha (attachment)
3. Nirodha - suffering can end
4. Magga - suffering can end by following the middle way, 8 Fold Path

Question 10

What are the 8 fold path?

Answer 10

Wisdom:
Right Understanding
Right Thought

Morality:
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood

Meditation:
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration

Question 11

Give 3 reasons why the 4 Noble Truths are important to Buddhists

Answer 11

1. help Buddhists to see the world as it really is - dukkha and its causes
2. help Buddhists to achieve enlightenment - they know the cause of suffering and how to overcome it
3. help Buddhists to behave morally - morality part of the 8 Fold Path

Question 12

What is pratitya (conditionality)?

Answer 12

the law of conditionality is that for every event there is a cause

a law so it works for anywhere in the universe and for all time

web of conditionality so one event can send a rippling effect across the whole of nature

Question 13

Why is it important for Buddhists to understand pratitya?

Answer 13

• they will follow the dharma
• helps Buddhists to realise that all their actions have long lasting impact
• “If a man speaks or acts with an impure mind, suffering follows”
• “all conditioned things are impermanent, when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering”

Question 14

Give 2 points about samsara

Answer 14

• samsara is the world we live in. It is an impermanent world
• Buddhists aim to break out of this world of Samsara because it is unsatisfactory and can only do this with good karma

Question 15

Give 2 points about karma

Answer 15

• karma means actions
• the law of karma is that for every skilful action, there will be good consequences, for every unskilful action, there will be bad consequences which may be felt in this life or in the next rebith
• skilful karma is driven by the 4 sublime states - Metta, karuna, Upekha (peace), mudita (joy)

Question 16

What are the 4 sublime states

Answer 16

• metta
• karuna
• upekha (peache)
• mudita (joy)

Question 17

Give 2 points about rebirth

Answer 17

• Need to carry out skilful karma to break out of samsara
• skilful karma would be following the Buddha’s teachings such as the 8FP and 5 Precepts

Question 18

Give 6 points about Nirvana.

Answer 18

• Nirvana is when a Buddhist has broken out of Samsara and will have no more rebirths
• Therevada Buddhists believe that only monks and nuns can achieve Nirvana and when they achieve this, they are called an Arhat
• Mahayana Buddhists believe all Buddhists can achieve Nirvana
• Mahayana Buddhists believe that some Buddhists who have achieved Nirvana choose to come back into the world of Samsara to help others achieve enlightenment, out of compassion -> Bodhisattvas
• Mahayana Buddhists interpret Nirvana to be a state of suffering that can occur in moments in this life
• Therevadans believe Nirvana is a state after death of no more suffering

Question 19

How do Theravadan Buddhists believe a monk/nun can become and Arhant? 3 features

Answer 19

they must try to act skilfully and a skilful act is called a Punna

1. Dana which is giving
2. Meditation (Bhavana)
3. Moral conduct (Sila)

Question 20

How do Mahayana Buddhists believe a person can become a bodhisattva? 3 features

Answer 20

• unlock Buddha Nature by getting rid of the 3 Poisons and practising the 6 paramitas
• Intention, there must be the right intention to work for the enlightenment of others
• Vow as one must vow to attain that state of Buddhahood and find out the truth

Question 21

What are the 6 paramitas?

Answer 21

• giving (Dana)
• morality (Sila)
• patience
• energy
• wisdom (Prajna)
• meditation

Question 22

Give 3 features of rebirth

Answer 22

• Buddhists aim for no more rebirth. To achieve this, they must eliminate all bad karma through practising the 8 fold path and 5 precepts
• rebirth is in different realms and the human realm is the best realm as it is the only ream in where enlightenment can be achieved
• rebirth is often seen as one passing flame to another and its a person’s tendencies and habits which are passed on. Not a soul

Question 23

3 features of Buddha nature in Mahayana Buddhism

Answer 23

• tathagatagarbha and all humans have it
• essential to reach enlightenment and can be unlocked by getting rid of the 3 poisons, practising 8FP and 5 Precepts
• sometimes likened to bee (attachment) and honey (Buddha nature) and negative traits keep Buddha nature locked up

Question 24

3 features of Sunyata

Answer 24

• emptiness and refers to everything in the world and nothing is fixed
• nothing is fixed because it depends on everything else (conditionality - pratitya)
• nothing is fixed because it is made up of different parts which are always changing

Question 25

Why is sunyata and Buddha nature important?

Answer 25

- they can see the world as it really is - not fixed - helps them to achieve enlightenment - their suffering and cravings are not fixed and meditation can help end this - links to and reminds them of other important Buddhist teachings - anicca, anatta, pratitya, meditation, Nagaesena and the chariot

Question 26

Give 3 features of karuna

Answer 26

- to have compassion for people in their suffering - wisdom is needed to act with karuna - it is to realise that you can never be truly happy whilst others are suffering

Question 27

Give 3 features of metta

Answer 27

- to have loving kindness to everyone and links to 1st precept - it helps to get rid of 3 poisons - "let none by anger or hatred wish harm upon another"

Question 28

What are the 5 precepts?

Answer 28

1. avoid harming all living beings 2. avoid taking what is not given 3. avoid sexual misconduct 4. avoid wrong speech 5. avoid intoxicants

Question 29

What are the 5 aggregates/skandhas?

Answer 29

1. Form - physical part of us 2. Sensation - feel 3. Perception 4. Mental formations (thoughts and opinions) 5. Consciousness constantly changing and fall apart when

Question 30

Why is understanding the aggregates important for Buddhists? (6 features)

Answer 30

1. helps them understand what a person is made up of 2. reminds them of anatta 3. reminds Mahayana Buddhists of sunyata 4. it helps them realise that they are changing and so dukkha will not last 5. it helps them to see themselves and others as they really are which is part of enlightenment 6. it reminds them the importance of meditation as this helps them to change their mental formations which change their feelings

Question 31

What did Nagasena use to describe the aggregates?

Answer 31

Nagasena used the analogy of a chariot which is made up of different parts e.g wheels, yoke etc. and these parts are always changing. no fixed "chariot" like no human, no fixed soul

Question 32

7 important Buddha quotes

Answer 32

1. "I teach this and only this. Suffering and the end of suffering" 2. "The mind is everything. What you think you become" 3. "You are not punished for your anger but by your anger" 4. "If a man thinks or acts with an impure mind, suffering will follow" 5. "Let none by anger or hatred wish harm upon another" 6. "Only love can overcome hatred" 7. "Only 3 things are known - the sun, the moon and the Truth"