Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development and the attainment of a deep insight into the true nature of life. There are 376 million followers worldwide.
Buddhists seek to reach a state of nirvana, following the path of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who went on a quest for Enlightenment around the sixth century BC.
There is no belief in a personal god. Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent and that change is always possible. The path to Enlightenment is through the practice and development of morality, meditation and wisdom.
Although there are many schools of Buddhism, this quiz will only touch on basic Buddhist facts.
Quiz: Buddhism 101
- Question 1 of 10
1.
Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, was born a prince and lived a privileged but sheltered life. At the age of 29 he left his palace, wife and child after witnessing human suffering for the first time. Why did he abandon his life of luxury?
Correct
Wrong — Correct Answer – He wanted to understand the truth of life
Siddhartha Gautama’s inquiring and contemplative nature saw him become unhappy with his life and the inequality he saw on the streets. Penniless and homeless, he became a disciple of Brahman teachers and adopted the life of an ascetic. Eventually he became disillusioned with Hindu asceticism and the Indian caste system and left to seek answers on his own.
While meditating under a Bodhi tree 35-year-old Siddhartha Gautama fully realized the cause of suffering and the pathway to eliminate it. He attained Enlightenment, and thus Buddhism was born.
- Question 2 of 10
2.
In Buddhism the word Dharma is mentioned often and is symbolized by a wheel. What is the Dharma?
Correct
Wrong — Correct Answer – The collective teachings of the Buddha
The word Dharma has more than one meaning but in Buddhism it simply refers to the teachings of the Buddha.
One of the oldest known Buddhist symbols is the Dharma Wheel, or Dharmacakra. The eight spokes represent the Eightfold Path. The parts of the wheel symbolize various aspects of Buddhism; the hub represents discipline, the spokes represent wisdom and the rim represents concentration.
- Question 3 of 10
3.
The Buddha taught that everything in the physical world shares certain characteristics that he called the “Three Marks of Existence”. What are they?
Correct
Wrong — Correct Answer – Impermanence, suffering and egolessness
Only the understanding and mastery of impermanence, suffering and egolessness can bring peace and the end of suffering.
Impermanence refers to the fact that all conditional things are in a state of flux.
Suffering and dissatisfaction comes from craving pleasure or avoiding pain and from trying to cling to things that are impermanent.
Egolessness refers to the denial of a separate permanent “I”. Buddha reasoned that there was no permanent soul because all things that exist are subject to change.
- Question 4 of 10
4.
Do people worship Buddha or do Buddhists worship idols?
Correct
Wrong — Correct Answer – No
The Buddha was not a god, but a historical spiritual leader. Buddhists may pay respect to images of the Buddha, but Buddhism is a non-theist religion without acts of worship. Buddhists instead meditate or practice an inner reconditioning to awaken inner capacities of strength, compassion and wisdom.
- Question 5 of 10
5.
The Buddha taught about suffering, its origin, cessation and the path to end it. This foundation of Buddhism centres on what principle?
Correct
Wrong — Correct Answer – The Four Noble Truths
The Four Noble Truths are:
The truth of suffering
The truth of the cause of suffering
The truth of the cessation of suffering
The truth of the path to the cessation of sufferingbuddhanet.net explains the connection between a doctor and the Buddha with the following analogy:
”
A Doctor tells us / The Buddha tells us the truth aboutWhat is wrong with us / The presence of suffering
What is the cause of our illness / The cause of suffering
That there is a cure / The end of suffering
What we have to do to get well / The way to the end of suffering”
- Question 6 of 10
6.
Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration are qualities that are known as what?
Correct
Wrong — Correct Answer – The Eightfold Path
The Eightfold Path is a practical guide of interdependent principles that describe the way to end suffering and, together with the Four Noble Truths, form the core beliefs of Buddhism.
- Question 7 of 10
7.
If you are a practicing Buddhist you will most likely recite from the Dhammapada, or hear others do so. What is it?
Correct
Wrong — Correct Answer – A Buddhist book of proverbs
The Dhammapada is a Buddhist scripture containing 423 verses that deal mainly with ethics. It is one of the most well known and loved texts, and has been regarded as the most succinct expression of the Buddha’s teachings.
It is said that after the Buddha’s death a council of his disciples wrote these scriptures that were previously only known through oral lectures. The Dhammapada is part of the Khuddaka Nikaya collection of the Sutta Pitaka in the Theravada Pali Canon.
- Question 8 of 10
8.
Some people may define this word as “fate or destiny” but, in Buddhism it means “action”. It is also used to explain the cause for inequality that exists among humans. What is this word?
Correct
Wrong — Correct Answer – Karma
In Buddhism karma is understood to be a natural law, without judgment or divine intervention. It is intentional, conscious and willful action to which there are consequences. The effects of these actions may be seen presently, in the future of one’s lifetime, in the next lifetime or only after several lifetimes. Buddhists believe the retributive process of karma can span more than one lifetime.
As long as there is suffering (delusions, greed, aversion etc.), karma will be generated. Once the accumulated karma is realized (over many lifetimes), the cycle of rebirth can cease. A state of Enlightenment is reached and, hence, the end of suffering.
- Question 9 of 10
9.
In 1952 the World Buddhist Congress adopted the International Buddhist Flag. What do the colours of the stripes symbolize?
Correct
Wrong — Correct Answer – The colours of the aura that shone around the Buddha when he attained Enlightenment
The Buddhist flag, a symbol of faith and peace, was first hoisted in Sri Lanka in 1885. It was designed by J.R. de Silva and Colonel Henry S. Olcott. There are six vertical stripes of blue, yellow, red, white and orange. The last vertical section is composed of all five colours arranged in horizontal stripes.
The aura colours symbolize:
blue – universal compassion
yellow – the Middle Path
red – blessings
white – purity and liberation
orange – wisdomSome Buddhist sects replace the orange colour with pink or plum.
- Question 10 of 10
10.
The ultimate goal of Buddhists is to become free of all worldly concerns and attain Enlightenment. What is this state called?
Correct
Wrong — Correct Answer – Nirvana
Nirvana is freedom from the constant cravings that we experience in life, such as dissatisfaction, jealousy, greed, ignorance etc. The state of Nirvana settles all karmic debt thereby ending the cycle of birth and death.
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What is Buddhism?
Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true nature of reality. Buddhist practices like meditation are means of changing yourself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. The experience developed within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable resource for all those who wish to follow a path – a path which ultimately culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhahood. An enlightened being sees the nature of reality absolutely clearly, just as it is, and lives fully and naturally in accordance with that vision. This is the goal of the Buddhist spiritual life, representing the end of suffering for anyone who attains it.
Because Buddhism does not include the idea of worshiping a creator god, some people do not see it as a religion in the normal, Western sense. The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are straightforward and practical: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is possible. So Buddhism addresses itself to all people irrespective of race, nationality, caste, sexuality or gender. It teaches practical methods which enable people to realise and use its teachings in order to transform their experience, to be fully responsible for their lives.
There are around 350 million Buddhists and a growing number of them are Westerners. They follow many different forms of Buddhism, but all traditions are characterized by non-violence, lack of dogma, tolerance of differences, and, usually, by the practice of meditation.