Buddhism Questions

1. The name of the man who later became the Buddha and founded the religion of Buddhism is Siddhartha Gautama.

2. The first of the Four Passing Sights was a decrepit old man. The significance of this was that Siddhartha realized all people will encounter old age. The second sight was a diseased man, where Siddhartha realizes that life can be threatened by diseases. The third sight was a corpse, where Siddhartha realizes that everyone must die. And the last sight was an ascetic man, where Siddharatha realizes that there is a way to salvation.

3. The doctrine of the Middle Way is a Buddhist teaching that rejects both pleasurable indulgences and self-denial of asceticism. It focuses on the practical approach to spiritual attachment.

4. The event of Guatama's attachment to enlightenment began while he was sitting under a fig tree for 40 days meditating. He refused to eat or move until he had reached enlightenment. The god of death tried to tempt him into leaving the tree, but he resisted. Once he defeated the god, he was enlightened.

5. The Sangha is the religious community that consist of nuns and monks.

6. The Three Jewels of Buddhism are the Buddha, Dharma, and the Sangha.

7. The features of Buddhist cosmology that are shared with Hinduism are that both religions regard time as cyclical and the earth is eternal.  They believe that the gods and goddess inhabit several heavens and demons inhabit several hells. They also believe in samsara and liberation, what Buddhism refers to as nirvana and Hinduism identifies as moksha.

8. The Buddha's reaction against early Hinduism was that he was disconnected with several other religions and didn't believe in the philosophical speculation regarding the nature of the world, human self, and the divine.

9. The Three Marks of Existence are Anatta, Anicca, and Dukkha. Anatta means no self within reality, Anicca means the constant change of existence, and Dukkha is suffering.

10. The doctrine of anatta states that there is no self in reality because we aren't attached to this world. This relates to the Hindu concept of Atman because life is always being changed when we're born.

11. According to the Buddhist doctrine of samsara, the eternal life is reborn. Karma is the nature of one's rebirth, which depends on the status of one's karma.

12. The Five Percepts that apply to all Buddhists are: 1) Do not take life. 2) Do not take what is not given. 3) Do not engage in sensuous misconduct. 4) Do not use false speech. 5) Do not drink intoxicants. The additional precepts that apply to monks and nuns are: 1) Do not eat after noon. 2) Do not watch dancing or shows. 3) Do not use garlands, perfumes, or ornaments. 4) Do not use a high or soft bed. 5) Do not accept gold or silver.

13. Some possible english translations for the term dukkha are suffering, frustration, dislocation, and discomfort. The meaning of dukkha is when something is off balance and can be fixed.

14. Tanha is desire and it relates to dukkha because suffering is caused by desire.

15. The steps of the Eightfold Path are: 1) Right views. 2) Right intentions. 3) Right speech. 4) Right conduct. 5) Right effort. 6) Right livelihood. 7) Right mindfulness. 8) Right meditation.

16. The difference between the Buddha and other humans who attained enlightenment is that the Buddha did not need to follow the teachings or a model to be awakened because Buddha's are able to reach enlightenment by themselves.

17. The character of an arhat is a person who has reached enlightenment, but did not get into nirvana.

18. The literal meaning of nirvana is blowing out. This helps to describe the meaning of nirvana because a person who reached nirvana has lost of their desire and suffering because it has been "blown out."

19. The three divisions of Buddhism are Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.

20. The main focus of Theravada Buddhism is the teachings of Buddhism.

21. The literal meaning of Mahayana is "way of the elders" because they follow the original teachings of Buddhism more seriously.

22. Vajrayana Buddhism "fights fire with fire" because it harnesses the energy of desire and uses it for good.

23. The Dalai Lama is the leader of Vajrayana Buddhism. They are chosen by successor of him and use spiritual and supernatural rituals to chose who the next lama will be.

24. The primary geographical regions of Theravada Buddhism are Cambodia, Burma, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The regions of Mahayana Buddhism are China, Japan, and Korea. The primary region for Vajrayana Buddhism is Tibet.