Module 3.2: Theravada Buddhism

Question 1

the name for the school of Buddhism that takes its scriptural inspiration from the Pali Canon, or Tripitaka, which is generally acknowledged as the oldest record of the Buddha’s teachings.

Answer 1

Theravada

Question 2

Where does the word Theravada come from?

Answer 2

from Pali words thera, meaning elders,
and veda, meaning ‘word’ or ‘doctrine’

Question 3

Theravada is at times recognized as ___________ to distinguish it from Mahayana (the ‘Greater Vehicle’)

Answer 3

Himayana (the ‘Lesser Vehicle’)

Question 4

Theravada is the leading religion of which countries?

Answer 4

• Sri Lanka
• Burma
• Thailand

Question 5

Who is the founder of Theravada Buddhism?

Answer 5

Siddhartha Gautama

Question 6

When and where was Siddhartha Gautama born?

Answer 6

Born in the sixth century B.C. in what is now modern Nepal.

Question 7

He was the ruler of the Sakya people, and Siddhartha’s father. Siddhartha grew up living the extravagant life of a young prince.

Answer 7

Suddhodana

Question 8

At what age did Siddharta Gautama marry?

Answer 8

16

Question 9

Who did Siddhartha Gautama marry at 16?

Answer 9

Yasodhara

Question 10

What age did Siddhartha Gautama leave his kingdom and newborn son to lead an ascetic life and identify a way to dismiss man’s suffering?

Answer 10

29

Question 11

How long did Siddhartha Gautama practice various methods of meditation with different religious teachers?

Answer 11

6 years

Question 12

A path of balance instead of extremism that Siddhartha Gautama encouraged people to follow.

Answer 12

“The Middle Way”

Question 13

What age did Siddhartha Gautama reach enlightenment?

Answer 13

35

Question 14

What title did Siddhartha Gautama earn at age 35?

Answer 14

the title “Buddha”, or “Enlightened One”

Question 15

one of the many epithets for Siddhartha.

Answer 15

Buddha

Question 16

What is Siddhartha commonly addressed as?

Answer 16

Bhagavat

Question 17

What does Siddhartha refer to himself as?

Answer 17

the Thagata

Question 18

• It is the earliest collection of Buddhist teachings and the only
  acknowledged as canonical by Theravada Buddhism
• It means “three baskets”
• “the text was written on a long narrow leaves, which were
  sewn at the edges then grouped into bunches and stored in
  baskets”

Answer 18

Tripitaka

Question 19

• It is also called a Pali Canon
• It is a massive collection of writings, comprising up to 50
  volumes.
• Its contents were communicated orally then written down in
  the third century B.C.E

Answer 19

Tripitaka

Question 20

• Vinaya Pitaka (Discipline Basket
• Earliest and smallest basket and provides the rules and regulations for the monastic community.
• 227 rules taken from Buddha’s responses to particular situations in the community

Answer 20

First Basket

Question 21

• Sutra Pitaka (Discourse Basket)
• Recited by Buddha’s cousin – Ananda – considered as his
  closest companion
• Largest basket
• Contains Buddha’s teachings on doctrine and behavior,
  focusing especially on meditation techniques

Answer 21

Second basket

Question 22

• Abhidharma Pitaka (Higher Knowledge or Special Teachings Basket)
• Recited by Mahakshyapa – Buddha’s successor
• It is essentially a collection of miscellaneous writings, including songs, poetry, and stories of the Buddha and his past lives.

Answer 22

Third Basket

Question 23

a contingency plan for dealing with the physical, mental and psychological sufferings humanity faces.

Answer 23

The Four Noble Truth

Question 24

What are 4 Noble Truths?

Answer 24

1. The truth of suffering
2. The truth of the cause of suffering
3. The truth of the end of suffering
4. The truth of the path leading to the end of Suffering

Question 25

the fourth of the Four Noble Truths. It is said that the term ‘path’ contextually means a process to help one remove or move beyond the conditioned responses that obscure his true nature.

Answer 25

Buddhism’s Eightfold Path

Question 26

What are the 8 steps of The Noble Eight-fold Path?

Answer 26

1. Right understanding - Samma-Ditthi 2. Right Thought - Samma-Sankappa 3. Right Speech - Samma-Vaca 4. Right Action - Samma-Kammanta 5. Right Livelihood - Samma-Ajiva 6. Right Effort - Samma-Vayama 7. Right Mindfulness - Samma-Sati 8. Right Concentration - Samma-Samadhi

Question 27

Complete or perfect vision. Vision of the nature of reality and the path of transformation.

Answer 27

Right understanding - Samma-Ditthi

Question 28

Perfected emotion or aspiration. Liberating emotional intelligence in your life and acting from love and compassion.

Answer 28

Right Thought - Samma-Sankappa

Question 29

Perfected of whole speech. Clear, truthful, uplifting, and non-harmful communication.

Answer 29

Right Speech - Samma-Vaca

Question 30

Integral action., an ethical foundation of life based on principal of non-exploitation of oneself and others.

Answer 30

Right Action - Samma-Kammanta

Question 31

Proper livelihood. Livelihood based on correct action the ethical principal of non- exploitation.

Answer 31

Right Livelihood - Samma-Ajiva

Question 32

Complete of full effort, energy or vitality. Consciously directing our life energy to the transformative path of creative and healing action that fosters wholeness.

Answer 32

Right Effort - Samma-Vayama

Question 33

Complete or through awareness. Developing awareness “if you hold yourself dear watch yourself well”. Levels of awareness and mindfulness - of things, oneself, feelings, thought, people and reality.

Answer 33

Right Mindfulness - Samma-Sati

Question 34

Full, integral, or holistic Samadhi. The first level of meaning is concentration when the mind is fixed on a single object. The second level of meaning goes further and represents the establishment, not just in mind, but also of the whole being in various levels or modes of consciousness and awareness. Samadhi is the sense of enlightenment or Buddhahood.

Answer 34

Right Concentration - Samma-Samadhi

Question 35

1-3 good moral conduct, 4-6 meditation and mental development and 7-8 is wisdom or insight.

Answer 35

The Noble Eight-fold Path

Question 36

Everything is interconnected; everything affects everything else; and everything that is, is because other things are (All in existence exists because other things exists.)

Answer 36

The Law of Dependent Origination

Question 37

involves the idea that nothing is absolute. No beings or phenomena exists autonomously of other beings and phenomena because all things are caused to exist by other things.

Answer 37

The Law of Dependent Origination

Question 38

Things are the way they are because they are conditioned by other things. The Buddha explained “when this is, that is. This arising, that arises. When this is not, that is not. This ceasing, that ceases.”

Answer 38

The Law of Dependent Origination

Question 39

describes a chain of causes that lead to other causes. It is vital to understand the links form a circle; there is no first link.

Answer 39

The 12 links

Question 40

Known in Buddhism as annica

Answer 40

The doctrine of impermanence

Question 41

impermanence is an irrefutable and inevitable fact of human existence and nothing in this world is ever free from it.

Answer 41

The Law of Impermanence of Things

Question 42

Buddhism holds that impermanence and change are the indisputable truths of our existence.

Answer 42

The Law of Impermanence of Things

Question 43

suffering is not inherent in the world if impermanence; suffering arises when people cling. So when clinging disappears, impermanence no longer gives rise to suffering. The answer to suffering then is to end clinging, not to try to escape form the transient world.

Answer 43

The Law of Impermanence of Things

Question 44

What is the answer to suffering according to Buddhism?

Answer 44

To end clinging

Question 45

"Buddhists are non-theistic." **True or False?**

Answer 45

True

Question 46

What is the origin of the idea of god according to Buddha?

Answer 46

Origin in fear

Question 47

What do Buddhists believe to be unnecessary?

Answer 47

To believe in god

Question 48

What is the issue in Buddhism?

Answer 48

Territory Conflict in Mainland Southeast Asia