Buddhism: Paths Toward Nirvana Test Bank Docx Chapter 7

Test Bank

to accompany

World Religions Today, Seventh Edition

Esposito • Fasching • Lewis • Feldmeier

Chapter 7

Buddhism: Paths Toward Nirvana

NOTE: Questions marked with “(w)” also appear in the student review quizzes on Oxford Learning Link.

Multiple Choice

1. The word “samsara” refers to

a. “To cool by blowing.”

b. The five aggregates.

c. Awakening.

d. The world of rebirth and suffering.

2. (w) Which one of the following is NOT one of the Three Refuges?

a. The Buddha.

b. The Dharma.

c. The sangha.

d. The prajna.

3. (w) 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.

4. (w) The “four passing sights” did NOT include

a. A sick man.

b. An old man.

c. A hungry child.

d. A dead man.

5. (w) The stories used for teaching that tell of the Buddha’s previous lives are called

a. Arhats.

b. Stupas.

c. Prajnas.

d. Jatakas.

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.

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.

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.

9. (w) The first two main divisions of Buddhism were

a. Mahayana and Vajrayana.

b. Theravada and Mahayana.

c. Theravada and Vajrayana.

d. Mahayana and tantra.

10. (w) 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.

11. (w) 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.

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.

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.

14. The word “prajna” refers to

a. The five aggregates.

b. Insight/wisdom.

c. Being moral.

d. Fasting after noon.

15. (w) The new institution that the Buddha created in India was the

a. Arhat.

b. Dharma.

c. Sangha.

d. Stupa.

16. (w) 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.

17. (w) 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.

18. (w) Today the majority of Buddhists are

a. Mahayanists.

b. Theravadins.

c. Tantrics.

d. Vajrayanists.

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

a. Meng.

b. Ashoka.

c. The Dalai Lama.

d. None of the above.

20. (w) Siddhartha was born into the

a. Merchant caste.

b. Brahmin caste.

c. Warrior caste.

d. Untouchable caste.

21. (w) 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.

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.

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.

24. (w) 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.

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.

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.

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.

28. (w) 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.

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.

30. (w) The name most associated with “engaged Buddhism” is

a. King Ashoka.

b. Siddhartha Gautama.

c. Ram Dass.

d. Thich Nhat Hanh.

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.

32. (w) The religious ideal as set forth in the Lotus Sutra is the

a. Arhat.

b. Bodhisattva.

c. Prajna.

d. Householder.

33. The two largest factions of Buddhists are

a. Stupa and Arhats.

b. Prajna and Dharma.

c. Nirvana and Shramanas.

d. Mahayana and Theravada.

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.

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.

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.

37. The word “sangha” refers to

a. Monastic community.

b. Karma.

c. Donation.

d. A Buddhist shrine.

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

a. Bodhidharmas.

b. Bodihisattvas.

c. Arhats.

d. Householders.

39. (w) 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.

40. (w) 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.

True/False

1. (w) The Buddha remained under the bodhi tree for 40 years experiencing nirvana.

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

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

4. (w) One weakness of the Buddha’s teaching style was not understanding that different audiences required the message to be delivered differently.

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

6. Buddhism is the oldest of the world’s missionary religions.

7. (w) Siddhartha was born into the brahmin caste.

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

9. (w) Tantric traditions emphasized realizing salvation slowly over many lifetimes.

10. Gautama Buddha refers to the Buddha’s son.

11. (w) Engaged Buddhists typically focus their energies on the practice of meditation.

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

13. (w) When the Buddha died at age 80, his body was buried in India.

14. The Buddha’s enlightened disciples were called arhats.

15. Prajna means to acquire knowledge through the study of scripture.

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

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

18. (w) Shifting the focus from wandering to settled communal existence actually strengthened support for the sangha.

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

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

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

22. 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.

23. (w) The Buddha-nature school of thought influenced the Buddhist practice of yoga.

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

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

26. (w) The Lotus Sutra is a popular Theravadin Buddhist scripture.

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

28. (w) The Buddha himself provided a model of the engaged Buddhist.

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

30. (w) The merit system, called punya, is only offered to monks and nuns.

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

32. (w) European colonialism had no visible impact on Theravada Buddhism.

33. (w) Zen Buddhism was especially attractive to some bohemians and intellectuals in Western society.

34. Samsara is the world of rebirth and suffering.

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

36. (w) The problem with extreme asceticism in the Buddha’s view is that it weakens the body.

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

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

39. (w) Nagarjuna was a great Indian philosopher who promoted Theravadin Buddhism.

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

Fill in the Blank

1. The Buddhist official sacred scripture that has three divisions that total about twice the size of the Christian Bible is called the _______.

2. (w) The fourth _______ states that the way to remove desire, or craving, is to follow the Eightfold Path.

3. (w) A more traditionalist Mahayana school that arose in response to the Pure Land school and shifted the concept of “other power” to self-power, or individual effort to reach nirvana, was called Ch’an in China and _______ in Japan.

4. The Tibetan school that is the youngest but the largest and most important, headed by the Dalai Lama, is called Gelug-pa, also known as the _______.

5. (w) The third large division of Buddhism that developed a few hundred years after the first two divisions is called _______.

6. (w) One of the most popular _______ Buddhist scriptures in East Asia and the one that shifts the religious ideal from the arhat to the bodhisattva is called the Lotus Sutra.

7. (w) By the year 100 ce, Buddhism had entered _______ through central Asia on the silk routes.

8. (w) The state of nirvana means freedom and existence in an eternal state beyond all _______ description.

9. (w) The monk Nagarjuna, in the second century ce, was writing in opposition to the _______ branch of Buddhism.

10. Chanting to Amitabha is a practice in _______ Buddhism.

11. (w) The Three Refuges include the Buddha, the Dharma, and the _______.

12. (w) The central institution that perpetuated the faith of Buddhism was the monastic community called the _______.

13. The branch of Buddhism that thrived under the rulers of Southeast Asia was _______.

14. The most popular ritual in Buddhist countries, even among people who are not observant Buddhists, is the _______ ritual.

15. (w) Buddhism goes beyond the Hindu practice of trance, or Samadhi, in teaching that _______ meditation, or vipashyana, is required to achieve nirvana realization.

16. (w) _______ are word chains known for their spiritual powers when recited or chanted.

17. (w) _______ is the world of suffering and rebirth.

18. In the Himalayan region, it was _______ Buddhism that found supremacy.

19. The roots of Buddhism’s decline in modern times are traced to an abrupt deprivation of _______ and withdrawal of political support.

20. The chief practice for the majority of Buddhists for accumulating merit, or punya, is the practice of _______.

21. (w) Unlike the philosophers and scholars of Buddhism, Buddhists-at-large still concentrate their devotional activities on rituals and accumulating _______.

22. Only the branch of _______ Buddhism flourished in China.

23. (w) _______ is the world’s only nation that has Tibetan Buddhism as its state religion.

24. (w) The most recognized Buddhist in the world today and a Nobel Peace Prize winner is the fourteenth _______.

25. The basic message of Buddhism, that is, that _______ and attachment undermine spiritual life.

26. The supernatural being that tempted _______ several times during his time under the bodhi tree was Mara.

27. The second Noble Truth states that “the cause of suffering is _______.”

28. Maitreya is the name of the next _______, as believed by some Buddhist traditions.

29. Avalokiteshvara was the most popular and universal celestial _______.

30. (w) A country that has remained one of the few refuges for Tibetan Buddhists, and until recently the world’s only Hindu kingdom, also one of the world’s poorest nations, is _______.

31. (w) The realization of enlightenment is called _______.

32. _______ are the famous paradoxical word problems developed by Ch’an Buddhism.

33. All the Buddhist schools have held that the full development of _______ is essential to salvation.

34. (w) Today the majority of Buddhists are of the _______ branch of Buddhism.

35. (w) Buddhism could not have existed and grown in society at large without the support of the _______.

36. _______ provided the ultimate model of the engaged Buddhist.

37. (w) The earliest and strongest Euro-American contact with Buddhism in the early twentieth century was with the _______ branch of Buddhism.

38. The Buddha believed the world is full of _______.

39. The ideology of merit and the subsequent merit-making system are rooted in Buddhism’s early emphasis on _______ or ethics.

40. The belief in “annihilation” as necessary to achieve nirvana was _______ by the Buddha.

Discussion

1. Describe some differences in Theravada Buddhism and the Mahayana school of Pure Land.

2. (w) Explain how Siddhartha arrived at the “Middle Way” as being the right path.

3. Explain the reasons for the decline in Buddhism in South Asia that started around the year 700.

4. (w) Explain what motivated Siddhartha to leave his family and riches behind to pursue spiritual fulfillment.

5. How did the movement referred to as “Protestant Buddhism” in the 1800s revitalize Buddhism?

6. Explain how colonialism impacted Buddhism.

7. Describe some of the ways Buddhism was reformed and revitalized in Japan after World War II.

8. (w) Discuss Buddhism’s key practice of mindfulness meditation and include how it differs from the Hindu meditation of trance.

9. Discuss the two major contributing factors to Buddhism’s inherent pluralism.

10. (w) What problems have women faced in becoming ordained monks in modern times, and how have they handled them?

11. (w) Explain the merit-making system, or punya, that is so popular with the majority of Buddhists.

12. (w) Discuss the impact of “engaged Buddhism” on the spread of Buddhism.