Hinduism/ Buddhism Quiz

What are the Sacred Hindu texts called?

The Vedas

What language are the Sacred Hindu texts written in?

Sanskrit

The _____ is a piece of the universe inside you

Atman

______ is the point in the cycle at which the atman breaks free and rejoins the universe

Moksha

_____________ is when the atman is reborn into a new body

Reincarnation

_______ is the cycle of birth death and rebirth (cycle of suffering)

Samsara

______ is how to act and behave; what duties you have to do in life

Dharma

_____ is the good and bad deeds that are done in life

Karma

What are the 4 noble truths?

1. Life is suffering

2. Suffering is caused by desires

3. There is a way out of suffering

4. The way to enlightenment is to follow the 8-fold path

What are the pieces of the 8 fold path?

1. Right view

2. Right intention

3. Right speech

4. Right action

5. Right livelihood

6. Right effort

7. Right concentration

8. Right mindfulness

What happens in the Student/education stage?

They go to school from 5 to 25 and they are expected to gain practical and spiritual knowledge

What happens in the householder stage?

From the age of 25 to 50 they are expected to get married and work hard to make their marriage work. They are also supposed to provide for their family. 

What happens in the retirement stage?

Expected to retire from his social and professional life and to withdraw from the pleasures of life to take a more spiritual side

What happens in the wandering ascetic stage?

Gives up all possessions and gains food and water from people in exchange for spiritual advice

What is Brahma’s role?

He is the god of creation

How can you identify Brahma?

He has 4 heads facing in every direction and sits on a lotus flower.

What is Vishnu’s role?

He is the god of preservation

How can you identify Vishnu?

He holds a large scepter and has blue skin

What is Shiva’s role?

He is the god of destruction

How can you identify Shiva?

He holds a trident and has a snake wrapped around his body. He is also sitting down.

What are some meanings on Buddhist statues?

• Sitting down = Suggest non-action

• Neck folds = Sign of spiritual age

• Elongated ear lobes = Symbol of the Buddha’s renunciation of worldly possesions

• Forehead marking = sign of wisdom

• on a lotus flower = represents nirvana and purity

What is a community of Buddhist monks called?

a Sangha

What are ways Hinduism and Buddhism are similar?

• Both believe the samsara cycle as suffering + reincarnation

• Both believe there is a breakout point (Moksha/Nirvana)

• Both believe in Brahman, the universe as a force

• Both believe in Dharma, a set of rules to follow to help break the cycle

What are ways Hinduism and Buddhism are different?

• Anyone can reach nirvana, equality among believers. No Caste System

• Bad karma in Buddhism is built up only if one intends to do harm

• No creator god in Buddhism

• Taught in language that ordinary people could understand. Vedas, written in Sanskrit, interpreted by priests only

Who was Ashoka?

The emperor of the Mauryan Empire

Why did Ashoka convert to Buddhism?

Because after one of his very vicious battles, when he walked through the battlefield, he saw many people crying over the loss of their loved ones. At this point he felt remorse and decided to join Buddhism.

What were the Edicts and Pillars of Ashoka?

They were pillars he put up all around his empire to show off all of the good things he’d done.

• Hospitals

  • Open to all people

  • Paid for them himself

• Herb gardens

  • Plants for any kind of illness

• Improves roads and infrastructure 

  • Helps with trade and economy

  • Plants lots of shady trees along the road

• Build irrigation canals for food

• Univerities

• Bans capital punishment 

  • The state executing/ killing you

• Animals:

  • Bans hunting

  • Bans animal sacrifice

  • Builds animal hospitals

They would also work as a way to convert people to Buddhism.

What do the Pillars tell us about Ashoka as a significant source of information?

• Shows the extent of the size of the empire. They were found as far away as Pakistan, South of India, etc.

• Tells us about Ashoka’s personal beliefs, achievements, buildings, etc.

• Tells us about the art of the Mauryan empire, and that they were very good stone masons and engineers.

• Shows that there was a high literacy rate because there were lots of words on the pillars.