Deck 7: Buddhism: Paths Toward Nirvana

Question 1

The word "samsara" refers to

A) "To cool by blowing."
B) The five aggregates.
C) Awakening.
D) The world of rebirth and suffering.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which one of the following is NOT one of the Three Refuges?

A) The Buddha.
B) The Dharma.
C) The sangha.
D) The prajna.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

According to Buddhist doctrine, a human being is a continuously changing, interdependent relationship between how many skandhas (aggregates)?

A) Two.
B) Three.
C) Five.
D) Twelve.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The "four passing sights" did NOT include

A) A sick man.
B) An old man.
C) A hungry child.
D) A dead man.

Question 5

The stories used for teaching that tell of the Buddha's previous lives are called

A) Arhats.
B) Stupas.
C) Prajnas.
D) Jatakas.

Question 6

The Dhammakaya in Thailand are an example of

A) A Buddhist reform group.
B) Buddhist traditionalists.
C) Buddhist fundamentalists.
D) All of the above.

Question 7

The most desirable effect of meditating on the three characteristics of existential reality is to

A) Achieve a holy union.
B) Accumulate merit.
C) Become more moral and ethical.
D) Still desire and dispel ignorance.

Question 8

According to Buddhist doctrine, the core causes of suffering include

A) Ignorance and hedonism.
B) Craving and ignorance.
C) Meditating improperly and earning demerits.
D) Randomness and materialism.

Question 9

The first two main divisions of Buddhism were

A) Mahayana and Vajrayana.
B) Theravada and Mahayana.
C) Theravada and Vajrayana.
D) Mahayana and tantra.

Question 10

The root meaning of the term "Buddha" comes from

A) Siddhartha's past lives.
B) Overcoming temptation.
C) Having superhuman abilities.
D) "Waking up" to reality.

Question 11

Theravadins and Mahayanists can be compared to

A) Literalists and liberals.
B) Ulamas and Sufis.
C) The Vatican and gnostics.
D) All of the above.

Question 12

An important source of global revival for Buddhism in the twenty-first century is

A) New Colonialism.
B) The global migration of Asian Buddhists.
C) Shrine resurgence.
D) The greater enlightenment of Asian Buddhists.

Question 13

After World War II Buddhism in Japan

A) Was made the official state religion.
B) Died out as a religious practice.
C) Experienced a renewal.
D) Was blended with Christianity to form a new state religion.

Question 14

The word "prajna" refers to

A) The five aggregates.
B) Insight/wisdom.
C) Being moral.
D) Fasting after noon.

Question 15

The new institution that the Buddha created in India was the

A) Arhat.
B) Dharma.
C) Sangha.
D) Stupa.

Question 16

You would find masters giving their disciples koans to solve in which form of Buddhism?

A) Zen.
B) Theravada.
C) The Thunderbolt Vehicle.
D) Pure Land.

Question 17

The most popular reason why Buddhists wish to earn merit is

A) To make them better meditators.
B) To not become a hungry ghost.
C) To be reborn in heaven.
D) To join their ancestors.

Question 18

Today the majority of Buddhists are

A) Mahayanists.
B) Theravadins.
C) Tantrics.
D) Vajrayanists.

Question 19

The conversion of _______ in the third century bce made Buddhism a broader-based religion that reached beyond the ascetics to the householder majority population. (Ashoka)

A) Meng.
B) Ashoka.
C) The Dalai Lama.
D) None of the above.

Question 20

Siddhartha was born into the

A) Merchant caste.
B) Brahmin caste.
C) Warrior caste.
D) Untouchable caste.

Question 21

The Bodhidharma is the religious ideal as set forth in which form of Buddhism?

A) Zen.
B) Theravada.
C) Tantra.
D) None of the above.

Question 22

The state a Buddha or an arhat, a fully enlightened follower, achieves at death is referred to as

A) Nirvana.
B) Parinirvana.
C) Samsara.
D) All of the above.

Question 23

Buddhists have a history of using the legend of which king to define their exemplary relationship with rulers as protectors and patrons?

A) Emperor Wu.
B) Solomon.
C) Ashoka.
D) Nichiren.

Question 24

The most active and effective organizations in adapting Buddhist teachings and practices to the world today have been

A) The traditional sanghas.
B) Those led by laypersons.
C) Buddhist-ruled nations.
D) None has been effective.

Question 25

Which of the following can be associated with Mahayana Buddhism?

A) The Lotus Sutra.
B) The elder traditionalists.
C) The Lesser Vehicle.
D) All of the above.

Question 26

The one enduring Buddhist ritual service that is most evident in all modern Asian nations is the

A) Death ritual service.
B) Birth ritual service.
C) Marriage ritual service.
D) Stupa ritual service.

Question 27

In the holy land of South Asia where the Buddha was born, was enlightened, and died, in which country has Buddhism remained strong?

A) Sri Lanka.
B) India.
C) Bhutan.
D) Bangladesh.

Question 28

For how long did the Buddha teach after he discovered nirvana?

A) About 40 years.
B) About 10 years.
C) About 60 years.
D) About 5 years.

Question 29

How does Buddhism compare to the other missionary religions?

A) It is the youngest.
B) It is the oldest.
C) It is the second youngest.
D) It is the second oldest.

Question 30

The name most associated with "engaged Buddhism" is

A) King Ashoka.
B) Siddhartha Gautama.
C) Ram Dass.
D) Thich Nhat Hanh.

Question 31

The Buddhist doctrine that views reality as an ongoing, impermanent, and interdependent flux in the form of a circle is called

A) Independent origination.
B) Shramana.
C) Dependent origination.
D) Sambodhi.

Question 32

The religious ideal as set forth in the Lotus Sutra is the

A) Arhat.
B) Bodhisattva.
C) Prajna.
D) Householder.

Question 33

The two largest factions of Buddhists are

A) Stupa and Arhats.
B) Prajna and Dharma.
C) Nirvana and Shramanas.
D) Mahayana and Theravada.

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT a way in which Buddhism has benefited from the economic renewal under way in Asia since World War II?

A) Newly wealthy patrons have sponsored renewal initiatives.
B) Many Buddhist schools have made their teachings more esoteric.
C) Some Buddhist schools have transcribed their canons into electronic media format.
D) Buddhists have translated more sacred texts into English.

Question 35

It may be difficult for young monks in traditional Buddhist sanghas to be creative in adapting to the postcolonial world because

A) Buddhist doctrine discourages creativity.
B) They are being recruited for work outside the sangha.
C) Of the hierarchical nature of the modern sangha.
D) Monasteries in rural areas are overstaffed.

Question 36

Some "good" to come out of the exile and persecution of the Tibetan Buddhists by the Chinese government has been

A) That many Tibetan Buddhists have converted to other religions.
B) Increased wealth for Buddhists who remained in Tibet.
C) Increased practice of Buddhist rituals.
D) An extensive migration of Tibetan Buddhist teachers into almost every country in the world.

Question 37

The word "sangha" refers to

A) Monastic community.
B) Karma.
C) Donation.
D) A Buddhist shrine.

Question 38

The enlightened disciples of the Buddha in the Theravada tradition were called

A) Bodhidharmas.
B) Bodihisattvas.
C) Arhats.
D) Householders.

Question 39

The reformist movement among global Buddhists seeking to relate the teachings to contemporary suffering is called what?

A) Engaged Buddhism.
B) Theravada Buddhism.
C) Mahayana Buddhism
D) Monastic Buddhism.

Question 40

Some Buddhists responded to colonial-era challenges by

A) Converting to Christianity.
B) Engaging in dialogue with science and Christianity.
C) Sermonizing in public.
D) All of the above.

Question 41

The Buddha remained under the bodhi tree for 40 years experiencing nirvana.

Question 42

The first members of the sangha were the five ascetics who once disdained the Buddha for rejecting their lifestyle.

Question 43

Today 62 percent of Buddhists follow Mahayana teachings and 38 percent follow Theravada teachings.

Question 44

One weakness of the Buddha's teaching style was not understanding that different audiences required the message to be delivered differently.

Question 45

The development of Buddhist social activism has been largely responsible for making the tradition more attractive to many Westerners.

Question 46

Buddhism is the oldest of the world's missionary religions.

Question 47

Siddhartha was born into the brahmin caste.

Question 48

Siddhartha discovered the "Middle Way" immediately after leaving his life at the palace where he grew up.

Question 49

Tantric traditions emphasized realizing salvation slowly over many lifetimes.

Question 50

Gautama Buddha refers to the Buddha's son.

Question 51

Engaged Buddhists typically focus their energies on the practice of meditation.

Question 52

Rulers across Asia were drawn to support Buddhism because of its indifference to individual morality.

Question 53

When the Buddha died at age 80, his body was buried in India.

Question 54

The Buddha's enlightened disciples were called arhats.

Question 55

Prajna means to acquire knowledge through the study of scripture.

Question 56

The first Noble Truth suggests that only some people will suffer in this life.

Question 57

After the Buddha's death, his designated successor became the authoritative voice of Buddhism.

Question 58

Shifting the focus from wandering to settled communal existence actually strengthened support for the sangha.

Question 59

The Three Marks of Existence describe physical characteristics of those who are enlightened.

Question 60

Buddhism's concept of anatman was a rejection of a basic Hindu teaching.

Question 61

The early Buddhists specified that fasting is the first and necessary foundation for moving further on the path toward nirvana.

Question 62

When Buddhism was expanding in the first two centuries after the Buddha's death, the support from the householders ensured the viability of the monastic institution.

Question 63

The Buddha-nature school of thought influenced the Buddhist practice of yoga.

Question 64

The early sangha admitted new members without regard for their caste.

Question 65

Pure Land Buddhism devotees were taught that their own self-power was insufficient to reach nirvana.

Question 66

The Lotus Sutra is a popular Theravadin Buddhist scripture.

Question 67

In Buddhist history, there is no record of a relationship between the institutional religion and political power.

Question 68

The Buddha himself provided a model of the engaged Buddhist.

Question 69

The only complete version of the Buddha's teachings is known as the Pali Canon.

Question 70

The merit system, called punya, is only offered to monks and nuns.

Question 71

Buddhism's great time of revival was in the modern era.

Question 72

European colonialism had no visible impact on Theravada Buddhism.

Question 73

Zen Buddhism was especially attractive to some bohemians and intellectuals in Western society.

Question 74

Samsara is the world of rebirth and suffering.

Question 75

Organizations led by laypeople have done the most in adapting Buddhist teachings and practices to the world today.

Question 76

The problem with extreme asceticism in the Buddha's view is that it weakens the body.

Question 77

The unique Buddhist concept of anatman says that there is no essential, unchanging interior entity at the center of a person.

Question 78

Buddhist meditation has always been a popular practice for monastics and lay people alike.

Question 79

Nagarjuna was a great Indian philosopher who promoted Theravadin Buddhism.

Question 80

Making donations for spiritual purposes and making time for moral observances have always been the foundation for householder practice.