Deck 2: The Asian Sages: Lao-Tzu, Confucius, and Buddha

Question 1

Tao means thought .

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Heraclitus was a Chinese sage.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Epictetus was a Stoic.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Buddha claimed that the elimination of analytic thinking was the way to truth.

Question 5

Lao-tzu asks us to put aside our intuitions.

Question 6

Wu wei means to act .

Question 7

According to Confucius, only the stupid do not change.

Question 8

The true sage, according to Lao-tzu, holds that nothing is permanent.

Question 9

Traditionally, the Period of the Warring States began in 453 B.C.E.

Question 10

Lao-tzu was known only by his nickname.

Question 11

Lao-tzu advocated doing nothing to accomplish greatness.

Question 12

Yin is positive.

Question 13

Dao can be precisely defined.

Question 14

Heraclitus said that all things are static.

Question 15

Lao-tzu preached a doctrine without words.

Question 16

Confucius held high political office.

Question 17

We should prefer Yin to Yang

Question 18

Lao-tzu writes of the Undivided .

Question 19

The Tao te Ching has the most number of English translations available of any book.

Question 20

Confucius wrote he who thinks but does not learn is in danger .

Question 21

According to tradition, how long did the Period of the Warring States last?

A) 100 years
B) 30 years
C) 550 years
D) 300 years

Question 22

The Tao refers to

A) moral truth
B) a system
C) a way of life
D) a path of righteousness

Question 23

The ancient sages were humanists.

Question 24

The Book of Kells in an important Chinese text.

Question 25

The traditional rules of conduct in war are termed the

A) lo
B) li
C) dao
D) do

Question 26

Confucius said that the intelligent go beyond the Way.

Question 27

The Way is constantly

A) changing
B) sought
C) unknown
D) nameless

Question 28

Confucius saw himself as a creator of something new.

Question 29

The Analects is an important Indian text.

Question 30

What must we pass over in silence, according to Wittgenstein?

A) Love
B) Death
C) What we cannot speak of
D) What we most despise

Question 31

For Confucius a Great Man is always

A) striving
B) on edge
C) working
D) at ease

Question 32

Chun-tzu literally means

A) The lord s son
B) The son of God
C) Weakness
D) Virtue

Question 33

Tao is also known as

A) Tan
B) Top
C) Dan
D) Dao

Question 34

Lao-tzu held that the more laws there are, the more criminals there are.

Question 35

According to Chuang-tzu, what are all things longing for?

A) Peace
B) Prosperity
C) Life
D) Love

Question 36

For Confucius, virtue is potent.

Question 37

According to Confucius, the Way is far off.

Question 38

Confucius held that hypocrites were rice-bags.

Question 39

According to legend, how old was Lao-tzu when he resigned his position?

A) 120
B) 90
C) 160
D) 100

Question 40

Te means virtue.

Question 41

The original meaning of the Buddha is

A) The Enlightened One
B) The Old One
C) The Peaceful One
D) The Fat One

Question 42

What is the law of moral causation called, for a Buddhist?

A) Dogma
B) Li
C) Vinya
D) Karma

Question 43

Shu is

A) Altruism
B) Selfishness
C) Courage
D) Dishonesty

Question 44

Why do we suffer, according to Buddha?

A) Because we Are
B) Because we are partial to ourselves
C) Because we are partial to others
D) Because we are sinful beings

Question 45

A hsiao-jen is a

A) vulgar man
B) great man
C) virtuous man
D) well-mannered man

Question 46

Siddhartha Gautama was born in

A) India
B) Nepal
C) Iran
D) Sierre Leone

Question 47

A person who turns away from pleasure to find peace of mind is

A) a martyr
B) confused
C) an ascetic
D) a mediator

Question 48

Who was Buddha s closest disciple?

A) A blacksmith
B) Channa
C) Ananda
D) Seneca

Question 49

Do you believe that material comfort and wisdom are necessarily opposed to each other? Explain your answer, and illustrate it by referring to the views of both Confucius and the Buddha.

Question 50

What is love of learning akin to, according to Confucius?

A) Love of self
B) Wisdom
C) Altruism
D) Sobriety

Question 51

Nirvana is the annihilation of

A) the Other
B) the id
C) the ego
D) Society

Question 52

Which set of Buddhist teachings is for monks?

A) Sutta Pitaka
B) Vinya Hesh
C) Vinaya Pitaka
D) Abhidhamma Pitaka

Question 53

Do you believe that there are important elements of human experience that cannot be articulated in words? If so, do you think that such a failure would undermine any attempt to understand them? If not, why do you think that so many philosophers have believed that this is the case?

Question 54

The tree under which Buddha sat is known as the

A) Bondi Tree
B) Tree of Knowledge
C) Bodhi Tree
D) Tree of Life

Question 55

How many Noble Truths are there?

A) 3
B) 4
C) 6
D) 9

Question 56

How many baskets of Buddhist teachings are there?

A) 3
B) 4
C) 6
D) 9

Question 57

Who opened Siddhartha s eyes?

A) Seneca
B) Channa
C) Aristotle
D) Confucius

Question 58

What is meant by the Buddhist claim that to exist is to suffer ? Do you believe that this is necessarily true? Why, or why not?

Question 59

Do you think that it is possible to lead a fulfilling human life while being completely selfish? Explain your view, and show how it connects to the thought of Confucius.

Question 60

Do you believe that people can only flourish in society? Why do you believe as you do? How do your views connect to the Chinese concept of li ?

Question 61

Do you think that Lao-tzu is correct when he said that the more laws that we have the more criminals we will have? What do you think he meant here? How does this connect to his views of the Way?

Question 62

In what ways can naming something be important? Can naming something alter how we think about it? Or does the name that we give to something only communicate what we already think of it? Explain your answer, giving both concrete examples to illustrate your points and linking your answer to the thought of Lao-tzu.

Question 63

Which should we prefer, Yin or Yang, and why?