Deck 15: Eastern Influences

Question 1

According to Hui Neng, which of the following is true about the ultimate reality or truth?

A) It remains hidden to many because of their focus on false attachments and selfish interests.
B) It is divided into good and evil.
C) It is a state that both comes and goes, increases and decreases, and both lives and dies.
D) In principle, it is not accessible to anyone.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

All Hindus accept the essential identity of Brahman and Atman.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The Upanishads are best known for their theories concerning:

A) the world and the body.
B) the Carvaka way of life.
C) the identity of Vishnu and Siva.
D) the Brahman and the Atman.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Identify the Mahayana Buddhist view that was contradicted by Murasaki Shikibu?

A) Enlightenment requires religious contemplation and study of the sutras.
B) Confucian virtues of filial piety, veneration of ancestors, and respect for rank and position are important.
C) The Mikado is the greatest earthly kami.
D) Women must wait for reincarnation as a male before they can achieve enlightenment.

Question 5

Traditional Buddhism in Japan viewed women and men as having equal moral worth.

Question 6

Buddha set out to solve the problem of human suffering.

Question 7

Hui Neng believed that reality exists prior to the categories that human consciousness uses to describe the world.

Question 8

According to Confucius, which of the following principles governs both the well-ordered family and the well-ordered state?

A) the principle of yin/yang
B) the principle of the Mean
C) the principle of the equality of opposites
D) the principle of the parental mind

Question 9

What do samurai warriors believe in?

A) winning beforehand
B) being a complete man, both scholar and warrior
C) being self-reliant and prepared for anything
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 10

To acquire Dogen's perspective of the universal Self, one must make continuous effort to do all things:

A) with a parental mind.
B) contradictory to Chuang Tzu.
C) to seek profit and praise.
D) to become closer to the Mikado.

Question 11

According to Lao Tzu, which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the Tao?

A) It is the natural order of things.
B) Man can improve it.
C) It is one and eternal.
D) It gives order and substance to all things.

Question 12

Dogen believed in helping others without any thought of reward or praise.

Question 13

According to Buddha, suffering is caused entirely by karma.

Question 14

According to Siddhartha Gautama, what is an immediate cause of human suffering?

A) the uncertainty of the world
B) ignorance
C) bad karma
D) sinful human nature

Question 15

According to Lao Tzu, the Taoist sage actively engages in solving the problems of the world.

Question 16

For Mencius, the pathway to the upright life must include self-suffering.

Question 17

In the context of the philosophy of Mencius, which of the following is considered true happiness?

A) ruling an empire for the sake of power
B) being a Mikado
C) seeing parents and family alive and free from anxiety
D) being detached from one's intuition and conscience

Question 18

What is NOT true of Hinduism?

A) It has no known founder.
B) It has no single religious body to interpret orthodoxy.
C) It has no scriptures or holy writings.
D) It has no unified set of doctrines.

Question 19

For Confucius, there is only one Way of nature (Tao) and nature cannot be improved by man.