Buddhism Carousel

The Fourth Moral Precept

-abstain from false speech

Give beliefs about the Dukkha

-suffering or unsatisfactoriness

-unavoidable in samsara

-the first noble truth

-escaping suffering is the purpose of Buddhism

-related to anatta and anicca

The Five Moral Precpts

Abstain from…

1. harmng living beings

2. taking what is not freely given

3. sexual misconduct

4. false speech

5. intoxicants

Which three parts of the Eightfold Path make up the Way of Morality

right speech, right action, right livelihood

Give reasons why the Eightfold Path is important for Buddhists

-how Buddhists reach nirvana

-Way of Wisdom helps Buddhists to see the world the right way

-Way of Ethics influences Buddhist attitudes to moral issues

-Way of Ethics helps in earning good karma

-Way of Meditation helps Buddhists train their mind to avoid negative thoughts

-important as taught by the Buddha himself

Beliefs about anatta

-No self - no unchanging self or soul within human beings

-Only a bundle of ever-changing parts - skandhas

-School analogy

-Ego is an illusion, once we see through it, we no longer suffer

-Links to anicca - anatta is anicca applied to human nature

-Freedom - we achieve this once we detach ourselves from our self

define anicca

Impermanence. The Buddha’s teachings that everything is constantly changing

Define anatta

No self. The Buddha’s teaching tha we have no permanent self or soul

Define Dukkha

Suffering. The Buddh’a teaching that all life involves suffering.

Define Skandha

Aggregrate. The five impermanent parts which all beings are made of.

Define samatha

a form of meditation that aims to develop calmness

Define pratityasamutpada

Dependent origination. The Buddha’s teaching that all things are interdependent.

Define Metta Bhavana

Meditation focused on developing loving kindness

Define vipassana

A form of meditation that aims to develop insight

Give reasons why nirvana is important for Buddhists

-goal of Buddhism

-other Buddhist teachings point the way to it

-Buddhist practics aim at attaining it eg. meditation

-shows that liberation from suffering is possible

Give reasons why temples are important in Thailand

-way to earn metir for lay Buddhists eg. by supporting monks

-focus for celebration of festivals

-place for rites of passage eg. weddings

-place for children to learn about Buddhism

-in non-Buddhist countries - to promote cultural/religious identity

What are the positive forms of the Five Moral Precepts?

1. act with loving kindness

2. act with generosity

3. act with simplicity and contentment

4. act with truthful communication

5. act with mindfulness

Which two parts of the Eightfold Path make up the Way of Wisdom

-Right View

-Right Intention

Give points against the statement ‘Anatta is the most important Buddhist teaching’

-Some feel that it contradicts belief in rebirth

-Some believe that the Buddha did not teach that the self did not exist, he was simply trying to stop people arguing about the nature of the self

-Descartes believed it was impossible to doubt the existence of the self - cogito ergo sum

-other teachings more important eg. dukkha is the starting point of the Buddhist religion

In Buddhism, what are the three types of suffering

-Dukkha-dukkha - obvious physical and mental pain

-Viparinama-dukkha - the suffering of change

-Sankhara-dukkha - the suffering of conditioned existence

Give points against the statement ‘ Buddhist teachings of anicca are pessimistic

-realistic not pessimistic

-stops us taking eg. our health for granted

-helps us cherish loved ones as we know they are impermanent

-helps us remember that even sadness, grief etc are only temporary

Give reasons why the Buddha;s enlightenment is important for Buddhists

-it is the source of all the Buddha’s teachings - the Dharma

-gives the Buddha’s teachings authority

-reminder that the path to enlightenment is difficult

-encourages Buddhists to meditate, as this is how the Buddha attained enlightenment

Buddhist beliefs about Nirvana - BLOWING

-Buddha achieved it

-Liberation from three poisons and samsara

-Other perspectives - some Mahayana belief we already live in nirvana and can see it through windows in our life

-Work - attaining Nirvana can take many lifetimes of hard work

-In this life - 1st stage is a psychological transformation while the person is stil alive

-No rebirth - the second stage is parinirvana, where a person is not reborn

-Goal - can be seen as the ultimate goal of Buddhism

What are the eight parts of the Eightfold Path

Right VIew, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration

List common features of Theravada Buddhist temples

-shrine room/hall

-accommodation for monks/nuns

-stupa

-Bodhi tree

-ordination hall

-function room

-library

-gardens

-ponds

Give things that Buddhists might do during Vassa

-monks meditate, study and teach, only leaving the monastery for short periods

-Lay Buddhists may meditate and attend temple more regularly

-Some Lay Buddhists avoid smoking, alcohol, and eating meat, and attending non-religious celebrations

-Some Lay Buddhists undergo a temporary ordination during Vassa

List the six paramitas

generosity (dana), morality (sila), patience (kshanti), energy (virya), meditation (samadhi), wisdom (prajna)

Give actions Buddhists might perform during Wesak (to create good karma)

-giving offerings at a temple shrine

providing alms to support monks

-charitable actions such as donating blood

-releasing captive animals

-taking the additional precepts followed by monks

‘Buddhists shoud visit a temple if they want to become enlightened’ Give three points against this statement

-impractical for Buddhists living in non-Buddhist counties

-can learn about Buddhism online or from books

-home shrine is the most important place of worship

-visiting a temple is not seen as a religious duty

Give the two ways that Buddhists might interpret stories of the Buddha’s life

-as literally true

-as parables/metaphors that convey the Buddha’s teachings

What is a stupa?

a monument containing the relics of a holy person eg. their ashes or personal belongings, which is used as a place of meditation

List features of a Mahayana temple

• hondo(main hall)

• kodo (lecture hall)

• pagoda

• bonsho (bell)

• accommodation for priests/pilgrims

• cemeteries

• gardens

What does atman mean

The Hindu word for the immortal, unchanging soul possessed by all beings, can be used against anatta

Give reasons why vaasa is important for Buddhists

• the Buddha recommended that monks avoid travelling during the monsoon period

• the monks retreat is believed to create merit for the whole community

Give reasons why Kathina us important for Buddhists

• Recalls the Buddha’s generosity in giving new robes to a group of monks

• allows lay Buddhists to earn merit by giving offerings to monks

• gives Lay Buddhists a chance to congratulate monks after their retreat

Which three parts of the Eightfold Path make up the way of Meditation

Right Mindfulness, Right Effort, Right Concentration

What is Vaasa

a three month annual retreat observed by Theravada Buddhists during the rainy season

List the Five Skandhas

form, perception, sensation, mental formation, consciousness

Give points about the role of Chanting (CHANT)

-Creates calm

-Helps remember key teachings

-Awareness of one’s progress

-Not prayer but internal transformation

-Triratna - chant to commit to the Buddhist path

What is a pagoda

in Japan, a monument which contains the relics of a holy person, equivalent to a Theravada stupa

What two things does light symbolise at Wesak

-enlightenment/nirvana

-the Buddha’s teachings illuminating the world

List objects commonly found on Buddhist shrines, and what they symbolise

Give actions that might be performed on Parinirvana Day

-giving gifts to monks of the poor

-preparing and sharing food

-meditating

-reading /hearing the Parinirvana Sutra

-thinking about their own mortality or progress to nirvana

-thinking about/praying for loved ones who have died recently

-undertaking a pilgrimage to Kushinagar

Give things Buddhists might recite while chanting

-parts of Buddhist sutras

-The Five Precepts

-The Three Jewels

-expressions of respect for the Buddha

Give things Buddhists do during Kathina

-lay Buddhists prepare a meal for monks

-Lay Buddhists present monks with gifts and cloth

-monks cut the cloth and make new robes

-in Myanmar, colourful ‘donation trees’ are taken to the monastery

List things commonly given as offerings on Buddhist shrines

flowers, candles, water, fruit, incense

How do rupas placed on Theravada shrines differ from those placed on Mahayana shrines

Theravada rupas usually contain only the Buddha, while Mahayana rupas usually depict the Buddha and bodhisattvas

What is a vihara

in Theravada Buddhism, the word for a temple-monastery

Describe the general belief surrounding death and mourning

• Death is not the end – it’s the transition to rebirth.

• There is no fixed self (anattā) that passes on, but rather a stream of consciousness shaped by karma.

• The aim is to either:

  • Escape the cycle of rebirth (nirvāṇa, in Theravāda).

    • Or postpone it to help others (bodhisattva ideal, in Mahāyāna).

Describe Theravada Buddhist funeral practices

⚰ Cremation:

• Common practice: body is cremated.

• Cremation symbolises detachment from the body and the impermanence of life (anicca).

• Monks may perform chanting or blessings to help transfer merit to the deceased.

🤲 Transference of Merit / Almsgiving:

• Family members perform dāna (acts of generosity) like offering food, robes, or donations to monks in memory of the dead.

• These acts are believed to transfer merit (puñña) to the deceased and improve their next rebirth.

• This reflects the interconnectedness of the Sangha and the value of karma.

Describe Mahayana Buddhist funeral practices (Japan)

🇯🇵 Japan (Zen & Pure Land Traditions): ⚱ Cremation & Burial:

• The body is cremated, and the ashes are buried (unlike in Theravāda, where ashes may be scattered).

• A Buddhist name is given posthumously by monks — this name reflects a spiritual identity and breaks the connection to ego or worldly identity.

Describe Mahayana Buddhist funeral practices (Tibetan)

🇹🇷 Tibet (Tibetan Buddhism): 📖 The Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol):

• Recited aloud to guide the consciousness through the Bardo — the intermediate state between death and rebirth.

• The text provides instructions to avoid lower rebirths and seek liberation or a higher rebirth.

🪶 Sky Burial:

• Traditional practice in remote Tibetan areas: the body is offered to vultures, symbolising generosity (dāna) and impermanence.

• Seen as a final act of compassion, feeding other beings.

🎶 Chanting & Offerings:

• Monks chant prayers and perform rituals to guide the consciousness and generate merit.

• Families may offer food or donations to monasteries, again to transfer merit.

Describe the role and significane of chanting, chanting the triratna, and dhammapada 190 (5 marker)

• Chanting helps Buddhists focus their mind in meditation or puja.

• The Three Jewels (Triratna) = The Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha.

• Chanting the Triratna shows commitment to the Buddhist path.

• Chanting is often based on scriptures like the Dhammapada.

• Dhammapada 190: “He who takes refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha sees the Four Noble Truths.”

Explain the importance of chanting (8 marker content)

• Chanting the Triratna reminds Buddhists of their spiritual goals (enlightenment).

• It is a form of puja (devotional practice) and expresses faith.

• The act of chanting is also a merit-generating action (especially in Mahayana).

• Chanting aloud can calm the mind and bring awareness to the present.

• In Theravada, chanting may recall the Buddha’s teachings (e.g., verses from the Dhammapada).

• In Mahayana, chanting may be more devotional and used to invoke Buddhas or bodhisattvas.

• Regular chanting builds mental discipline and expresses respect.

• Shows connection to the Three Jewels, which all Buddhists take refuge in.

Describe the use of malas (Japanese and Tibetan Buddhism)

• A mala is a string of 108 beads used in meditation.

• Used to count mantras or breaths.

• Keeps the practitioner focused and avoids distraction.

• Common in Japanese and Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism.

  • Helps Buddhists meditate for long periods without losing count.

Explain the use of malas (8 marker content)

• Malas are especially useful in repetitive practices like mantra recitation.

• Each bead marks a full repetition of a mantra (e.g., “Namu Amida Butsu” or “Om Mani Padme Hum”).

• Physically touching the beads supports mind-body concentration.

• Can be used in walking meditation or silent sitting meditation.

• Supports development of Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration (Eightfold Path).

• 108 beads represent the 108 worldly desires Buddhists aim to overcome.

• Malas are considered a practical spiritual tool, not just symbolic.

  • Used across traditions, especially in Pure Land and Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism.