R.E | 4.The Buddha's Enlightenment

Question 1

1a.Which one of the following is the best meaning of the term ‘Enlightenment’?

(A) Wisdom or understanding enabling clarity of perception; this allows a Buddhist to be freed from the cycle of rebirth

(B)Seeing things clearly
The ‘penny dropping’

(C) Living a life free from worldly pleasures (especially sexual activity and consumption of alcohol), often with the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals.

1 mark

Answer 1

(A) Wisdom or understanding enabling clarity of perception; this allows a Buddhist to be freed from the cycle of rebirth

Question 2

2a. Give 2 tactics the demon Mara used to try to distract Siddhartha from his meditation.

2 marks

Answer 2

Sending his beautiful daughters to seduce Siddhartha - he remained focused

Sending his armies to throw arrows and other weapons at Siddhartha - the weapons turned to flowers

Question 3

2b. Give 2 of Siddhartha’s responses to Mara’s temptations

2 marks

Answer 3

Sending his beautiful daughters to seduce Siddhartha
Not swayed by the charms, continues meditating

Sending his armies to throw arrows and other weapons at Siddhartha
The arrows and other weapons turned to lotus flowers before touching him

Question 4

2c. Give 2 of the Three Watches of the Night (when Sid was Enlightened)

2 marks

Answer 4

First Watch: The Buddha gained all knowledge of his previous lives

Third watch: He understood that beings suffer because of desire and attachment

Question 5

3. Explain two ways Siddhartha’s Enlightenment influences Buddhists today.
   4 marks

Answer 5

The first way it affects Buddhists today is to give them the patience and determination to walk the Eightfold Path to achieve enlightenment. This is because the Buddha’s enlightenment reminds them that it takes many lifetimes to achieve enlightenment. So they focus on following the Dharma and are less discouraged when they “fail”.

Another way this affects Buddhists today is not to be discouraged when they are confused in meditation and to overcome these distractions. This is because even with great determination, one can become distracted and doubt. Because of this, Mara sends her special entertainments to Sid. However, Sid’s example of using self-discipline to overcome negative emotions such as fear, lust, and doubt encourages Buddhists today to focus on meditation. So Buddhists today are influenced to ignore or reject their distractions in meditation and not be discouraged because it is “normal”.

Question 6

4. Explain two reasons why Siddartha turned away from asceticism after 6 years.

5 marks

Answer 6

First, as a result of his ascetic practices, Siddartha became very thin and weak and did not meditate effectively. This meant that he could not progress in his journey to overcome his suffering. The ascetic life stopped him because of its physical effects. For example, The Jataka, vol. 1, page 67, it is written: “When the Great Being (Sid) performed six years of severe austerity, it was like a time for him when the heavens were knotted.” This is a metaphor for the inability to think clearly.

Second, when he was in a very weak state, he took rice and cow’s milk, which restored his health and strength enough to enable him to think clearly again. He reflected on this and his six years of asceticism and finally decided to abandon asceticism as ineffective in finding an answer to overcoming suffering. The Jataka tells how he then returned to everyday life to collect alms from the villagers. “Implementation of such austerity measures was not the way to enlightenment, he went to villages and towns to collect alms.” (Kataka, vol. 1, p. 67)

Question 7

5. ‘‘The Buddha’s Enlightenment can be best described as a state of knowledge”

12 marks