Chapter 4 Theravada Buddhism--The Middle Way Exam Questions

Chapter Four: Theravada Buddhism--The Middle Way

In this test bank for World Religions, Fourth Edition, there is a new system for identifying the difficulty of the questions. Questions are now tagged according to four levels of learning. Think of these four levels as moving from lower-level to higher-level cognitive reasoning. The four levels are:

REMEMBER: A question involving recall of key terms or factual material.

UNDERSTAND: A question testing comprehension of more complex ideas.

APPLY: A question applying anthropological knowledge to some new situation.

ANALYZE: A question requiring identifying elements of an argument and their interrelationship.

Types of Questions

Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Buddhism is a rich religious tradition with three main strands, Hinayana or __________, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
   1. Brahmin
   2. Kshatriya
   3. Sakyamuni
   4. Theravada
   5. Vaisnavaya

(REMEMBER; p. 88)

1. Siddartha Gautama became the Buddha when he __________.
   1. awakened
   2. died
   3. gave up his attachment to all material things, including food
   4. placed his faith in the love of the Supreme Lord
   5. realized that he was one with Brahman

(UNDERSTAND;  p. 89)

1. Which of these “four passing sights” showed Siddartha Gautama a potential way to escape the suffering of existence?
   1. a dead man
   2. a man racked by illness
   3. a monk
   4. a pregnant young woman
   5. a sorrowful old man

(UNDERSTAND;  p. 89)

1. The Deer Park Sermon was the Buddha’s first public proclamation of the __________.
   1. Three Jewels
   2. Four Noble Truths
   3. Eight Beatitudes
   4. Ten Commandments
   5. Twelve Disciples

(UNDERSTAND;  p. 90)

1. The name for the community of those who follow the teachings of the Buddha is the __________.
   1. Ananda
   2. Church
   3. Masjid
   4. Sangha
   5. Synagogue

(REMEMBER; p. 91)

1. Which of the following Theravada Buddhist precepts is required for monks and nuns but not for lay people.
   1. Refrain from taking life (ahimsa)
   2. Do not take what is not given
   3. Do not lie or deceive
   4. Do not take intoxicants
   5. Do not ornament your body

(UNDERSTAND;  p. 91)

1. Among the Ten Precepts is the prohibition “Do not gaze upon spectacles such as __________.
   1. dancing and singing
   2. educational Internet sites
   3. newspapers
   4. religious rituals
   5. video games

(APPLY; p. 91)

1. The Pali Canon includes the __________.
   1. Brahmin
   2. Kundalini
   3. Maitreya
   4. Tripitaka
   5. Vinadana

(REMEMBER; p. 92)

1. The spread of Buddhism beyond India began when King __________ sent missionaries to carry the Buddha’s teachings to Sri Lanka, Greece, and even Egypt.
   1. Arjuna
   2. Ashoka
   3. Devi
   4. Maurya
   5. Sariputta

(REMEMBER;  p. 91)

1. According to Theravada Buddhist teaching, what appear to be our separate identities really are__________.
   1. extensions of the Buddha
   2. the moment-by-moment coming together of five forces, brought together by karma
   3. our eternal souls
   4. particles of the Supreme Lord
   5. totally inexplicable anomalies

(UNDERSTAND;  p. 94)

1. The Second Noble Truth states __________.
   1. craving leads back to birth
   2. desire for existence to end will make it happen
   3. don’t care about anyone but yourself
   4. go for the gusto
   5. none of the above

(REMEMBER; p. 95)

1. Theravadans believe that desire for spiritual ends leads to __________.
   1. attachment
   2. help from the Gods
   3. liberation
   4. love
   5. spirituality

(UNDERSTAND; p. 96)

1. The “Parable of the Arrow” teaches the Buddhist to __________.
   1. avoid speculation on esoteric questions
   2. avoid warfare
   3. love is an emotion to overcome
   4. no one can shoot straight if their vision is off-kilter
   5. wear spiritual armor against “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune”

(UNDERSTAND; p. 96)

1. Nirvana literally means __________.
   1. blowing out
   2. heaven
   3. love
   4. oneness
   5. the top of the universe

(REMEMBER;  p. 97)

1. Buddhism teaches the “middle way” between self-denial and __________.
2. self-criticism
3. self-fulfillment
4. self-indulgence
5. self-loathing
6. self-reflection

(UNDERSTAND;  p. 98)

1. The “Middle Way” is defined by the __________.
   1. First Noble Truth
   2. Noble Eightfold Path
   3. Oracle of Delphi
   4. Three Jewels
   5. Tripitaka

(UNDERSTAND; p. 98)

1. The Noble Eightfold Path has three sets of guidelines dealing with morality, concentration, and __________.
   1. asceticism
   2. atheism
   3. economics
   4. ethics
   5. wisdom

(REMEMBER; p. 99)

1. The “morality” section of the Noble Eightfold Path includes right speech, right action, and right __________.
   1. attitudes
   2. beliefs
   3. ethics
   4. livelihood
   5. service

(REMEMBER; p. 99)

1. The “concentration” section of the Noble Eightfold Path includes right effort, right __________, and meditation.
2. character
3. ethics
4. mindfulness
5. service
6. worship

(REMEMBER; p. 99)

1. The “prajna” section of the Noble Eightfold Path includes right belief and right __________.
2. aspiration
3. ethics
4. mindfulness
5. service
6. worship

(REMEMBER; p. 99)

1. After the age of destruction in the current cosmic cycle, according to Theravada teaching, a new Buddha, known as __________, will usher in a new age of cosmic harmony.
2. Arjuna
3. Ashoka the Great
4. Mahatma
5. Maitreya
6. Prajapati

(REMEMBER; p. 101)

1. According to Theravada Buddhist teaching, all reality is __________.
2. alive
3. created
4. illusiory
5. impermanent
6. One

(REMEMBER;  p. 101)

1. In its teaching about the sacred, Theravada Buddhism is __________.
2. atheistic
3. monistic
4. monotheistic
5. pantheistic
6. polytheistic

(UNDERSTAND;  p. 101)

1. After the age of destruction in the current cosmic cycle, Buddhists believe that __________ will usher in a new age of cosmic harmony.
2. Ashoka
3. Jesus Christ
4. Kisa Gotami
5. Maitreya
6. Siddartha

(REMEMBER;  p. 101)

1. In the twenty-first century Theravada Buddhism has begun to revive in __________, where it had almost vanished.
2. Bangladesh
3. India
4. Pakistan
5. Sri Lanka
6. Thailand

(REMEMBER;  p. 102)

Essay Questions

1. Describe the three major turning points in the life of Siddhartha Gautama (according to the religious biography accepted by his followers).
   (ANALYZE)
2. Outline Theravada Buddhist tradition using the “framework for understanding” developed in Chapter 1. Then write a letter to a friend who wants to understand this worldview, explaining why it makes sense in the twenty-first century.
   (APPLY)
3. Compare and contrast the Theravada Buddhist and Hindu teachings, using the “framework for understanding” developed in Chapter 1. Which religious worldview do you prefer? Why?
   (APPLY)
4. Draw on the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths to explain the distinctive teachings of Theravada Buddhism.
   (APPLY)
5. Evaluate the following assertion: Siddartha Gautama’s “great renunciation” involved a callous abandonment of his wife and child. He shirked his duty to them to pursue his own selfish desire for spiritual enlightenment. On these grounds alone, we should reject the teachings he left behind.
   (ANALYZE)
6. What is your assessment of the Theravada Buddhist idea that, when it comes to finding spiritual truth, we are on our own?
   (ANALYZE)
7. Explain and defend the following claim: Theravada Buddhism is “atheistic,” but not in the sense this term is commonly understood.
   (ANALYZE)
8. The Buddha taught that “all is impermanent.” Human biologists tell us that all the cells in our bodies are replaced every six months. Physical chemistry shows that every “solid” object really is a conglomeration of constantly moving atoms in the gravitational pull of a constantly moving planet, which is orbiting a moving Sun in a continuously moving galaxy. Are scientists saying essentially the same thing as the Buddha? How would you evaluate the commonalities and differences between contemporary science and the teaching of the Buddha.
   (ANALYZE)
9. Summarize the Buddha’s “Parable of the Mustard Seed” and discuss how it expresses the heart of the Four Noble Truths.
   (APPLY)
10. Discuss this assertion: Since Buddhism teaches that “all is suffering,” it provides no incentive to work for justice in this world.
    (APPLY)
11. Why is it wrong to speak of nirvana as a “Buddhist heaven”?
    (APPLY)