Test Bank Chapter.8 Mahayana & Vajrayana Buddhism 4e

Chapter Eight: Mahayana Buddhism (the Great Vehicle) and Vajrayana Buddhism (the Thunderbolt Vehicle)

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. The story of the origins of the Japanese islands is recounted in the __________.
   1. Book of the Dead
   2. Diamond Sutra
   3. Lotus Sutra
   4. Platform Sutra
   5. Shinto Myth

(REMEMBER; p. 147)

1. The most popular Mahayana text is __________, which contains the supposed sayings of the Buddha, delivered on Vulture Peak (near Bodh Gaya) in India.
   1. Book of the Dead
   2. Diamond Sutra
   3. Lotus Sutra
   4. Platform Sutra
   5. Shinto Myth

(REMEMBER; p. 149)

1. According to Japanese legend, the Mongol fleet of Kublai Khan that threatened Japan in 1281 was destroyed by __________.
   1. Bonsai warriors
   2. Buddhist monks led by Nichiren
   3. the first Japanese emperor and his fleet
   4. the kamikaze
   5. the prayers of women

(REMEMBER; p. 147)

1. Buddhism entered Japan from ________­­__ in the sixth century C.E.
   1. China
   2. Guam
   3. India
   4. Korea
   5. Malaysia

(REMEMBER; p. 149)

1. According to Theravada Buddhism, there is only one Buddha in each age, enlightened beings who have traversed the __________ on their own.
   1. cycle of samsara
   2. ego and self
   3. ordinary knowing
   4. path to Nirvana
   5. the trikaya

(REMEMBER; p. 150)

1. A being who postpones final enlightenment in order to help others in their spiritual quests is known as a __________.
   1. bodhisattva
   2. heavenly Buddha
   3. kami
   4. lama
   5. miko

(REMEMBER; p. 150)

1. Unlike Theravada Buddhism, Mahayan Buddhism teaches that there are three separate bodies or natures of the Buddha, the earthly body, the heavenly body, and the __________ or nature of the Buddha, who is present in all reality.
   1. astral
   2. corporeal
   3. cosmic
   4. ethereal
   5. yingling

(UNDERSTAND; p. 150)

1. In Theravada Buddhism, a/an __________ is a “Buddha in the making.”
   1. bodhisattva
   2. cosmic Buddha
   3. earthly Buddha
   4. koan
   5. lama

(REMEMBER; p. 150)

1. According to Pure Land Buddhism, anyone can attain rebirth in the Western Paradise and eventually Buddhahood through __________.
   1. believing in the truth of the Lotus Sutra
   2. faith in Amitabha (Amida) Buddha
   3. good works
   4. the martial arts
   5. silent meditation

(REMEMBER; p. 152)

1. The Pure Land School of Mahayana Buddhism is based on a Sanskrit text that tells the story of the heavenly Buddha __________ , who resides in a celestial region known as the Pure Land or Western Paradise.
   1. Amitabha
   2. Bodhidharma
   3. Guanyin
   4. Maitreya
   5. Sakyamuni

(REMEMBER; p. 152)

1. The Buddhist Churches of America are associated with which the __________ school of Mahayana Buddhism.
   1. Nichiren
   2. Pure Land
   3. Tendai
   4. Tibetan
   5. Zen

(UNDERSTAND; p. 153)

1. In the __________ school of Mahayana Buddhism, a teacher might say, “If you meet the Buddha, kill him!”
   1. Nichiren
   2. Pure Land
   3. Tendai
   4. Tibetan
   5. Zen

(UNDERSTAND; p. 154)

1. According to Zen tradition, the Buddha once held a lotus before his disciples, smiled, and said ___________.
   1. if you meet the Buddha, kill him
   2. know yourself
   3. nothing
   4. place your faith in me
   5. what is the sound of one hand clapping?

(REMEMBER; p. 154)

1. According to Zen tradition, the Indian monk __________ introduced the insights of Zen to China.
   1. Amida
   2. Bodhidharma
   3. Guan yin
   4. Hui neng
   5. Siddartha

(REMEMBER; p. 154)

1. The influence of Zen Buddhism on Japanese culture is evident in __________.
   1. bushido, the Samurai warrior’s code of behavior
   2. generic law codes
   3. the habitus of writing
   4. medicinal drinks
   5. the tang yin ceremony

(UNDERSTAND; p. 154)

1. According to the Zen worldview, every individual has __________.
   1. a Buddha-nature
   2. the potential to become materially rich
   3. a rational mind that will lead to the truth
   4. sinned
   5. an unchangeable soul

(UNDERSTAND; p. 155)

1. In Zen teaching, the unfocused, ordinary rational mind is called the __________ mind.
   1. eagle
   2. monkey
   3. non-dual
   4. pure
   5. tiger

(UNDERSTAND; p. 155)

1. According to the Zen worldview, we must all awaken to the calmness of the __________.
   1. dual mind
   2. eagle mind
   3. monkey mind
   4. pure mind
   5. rational mind

(REMEMBER; p. 155)

1. Which statement best expresses the goal/end in the Zen worldview?
   1. “Ask and you will find.”
   2. “Escape the world and you will find the truth.”
   3. “There is no ‘goal,’ you are already enlightened.”
   4. “You too can reborn in the Pure Land of the Western Paradise.”
   5. “Your soul will rise to the top of the universe.”

(UNDERSTAND; p. 156)

1. “What did your face look like before your parents were born?” is an example of a __________.
   1. bodhisattva
   2. haiku
   3. koan
   4. satori.
   5. sutra

(UNDERSTAND; p. 156)

1. In general, Zen teaches an enlightened person to __________.
   1. chant devotions day and night to the Buddha of Infinite Light
   2. commit ritual suicide
   3. go about your daily routine
   4. grab all you can get
   5. wander the world as a beggar

(REMEMBER; p. 157)

1. Namu myo-ho-renge-kyo (“Hail to the wonderful truth of the Lotus Sutra!”) is a chant taught by the __________ school of Buddhism.
   1. Nichiren
   2. Pure Land
   3. Tendai
   4. Vajrayana
   5. Zen

(REMEMBER; p. 157)

1. Who called Pure Land Buddhism “a hell” and Zen Buddhism “a devil”?
   1. Amaterasu
   2. Amitabha
   3. Bodhidharma
   4. Nichiren
   5. Siddartha Gautama

(REMEMBER; p. 158)

1. In which school of Buddhism are you most likely to find prayer wheels?
   1. Mantrayana
   2. Pure Land
   3. Tendai
   4. Vajrayana
   5. Zen

(UNDERSTAND; p. 159)

1. Practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism are taught to use visualization techniques to identify with various Buddhas and bodhisattvas pictured in __________.
   1. koans
   2. mandalas
   3. the monkey mind
   4. rock gardens
   5. the writings of the Dalai Lama

(REMEMBER; p. 160)

1. The most famous text in Tibetan Buddhism is the Bardo Thodol, known in the West as the __________.
   1. Book of the Dead
   2. Good Book
   3. Lotus of the Good Law
   4. Sayings of the Dalai Lama
   5. Tantric Bible

(REMEMBER; p. 161)

Essay Questions

1. Compare and contrast Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist teachings on the number and role(s) of Buddhas.
   (ANALYZE)
2. Describe the basic teachings of Zen Buddhism and suggest reasons why it is the most popular form of Buddhism in the West.
   (APPLY)
3. Describe the basic teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and suggest reasons why it is growing in popularity in the West.
   (APPLY)
4. Explain Nagarjuna’s understanding of sunyata in contrast to that of the Yogacara school.
   (ANALYZE)
5. Discuss the significance of the doctrine of sunyata with respect to contemporary science. What challenge(s) does it pose to the “scientific” world view? How might it be reconciled to the contemporary understanding of science?
   (ANALYZE)
6. Explain the concept of the “Buddha body” and discuss its significance in Mahayana Buddhism.
   (ANALYZE)
7. Using the framework outlined in chapter one, identify the key features of the Mahayana Buddhist worldview (the views of human nature; problem; cause; reality; goal; means; and sacred) and explain their interrelationships.
   (ANALYZE)
8. Using the “framework for understanding” religious worldviews developed in Chapter 1, compare the worldview of Pure Land Buddhism with that of Theravada Buddhism.
   (ANALYZE)
9. Using the “framework for understanding” religious worldviews developed in Chapter 1, compare the worldview of Pure Land Buddhism with that of Christianity.
   (ANALYZE)
10. Trace the spread of Buddhism to China, Japan, and Korea. What cultural factors caused some of the key differences in these various forms of Mahayana Buddhism?
    (ANALYZE)