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REL 107 - Introduction to Religion

Week 10 - Buddhism

Textbook Readings

• Chapter 5, pages 162-197

InterNet Links for this assignment

• Go here for Links for this week
• Useful articles can be found by using the Topics as search words in Search Engines such as MSN, Dogpile, AltaVista, or Yahoo
• Remember - always cite your sources

This Week's Assignment : Twenty Questions

1. Who was the main founding figure for Buddhism, where and when did he live
2. What are the "Four Noble Truths" of Buddhism, and how do they relate to "Nirvana"
3. What is the "Noble Eight-fold Path" of Buddhism
4. What are the "Five Precepts" of Buddhism; what additional five precepts are observed by novice Therevada Buddhist monks; about how many extra precepts must be observed by ordained Theravada Buddhist monks
5. What is the "Wheel of Dharma". Describe the event which it commemorates
6. What is a bodhisattva
7. Who is/was Avalokiteshvara, and how is he related to the Dalai Lama
8. Give the names and attributes of three of the bodhisattvas or celestial buddhas
9. Why does Buddhism not have a unified canon of Scripture
10. What are the three fundamental prerequisites for the attianment of Nirvana
11. How and why does a Buddhist practise samadhi
12. What is a stupa and how might a Buddhist express devotion at a stupa
13. How is the Westen expression "Shangri-la" derived from Buddhism
14. How do Theravada Buddhists celebrate "Buddha's Day"
15. What were the "Four Sights" that led the Buddha to renounce his secular way of life
16. What is karma and how does it affect an individual's reincarnation
17. What sorts of people are reborn in the lowest parts of "Hell"
18. How did the Buddha view samsara, and what did he do about it. How did he attain nirvana
19. What is theTibetan "Book of the Dead" and how is it used
20. Describe the functions of monks and nuns, and of laypeople, in Buddhist society

Remember to cite your sources

Use MSWord or a text editor such as Notepad to prepare and save your work, then send it as an Attachment to, or pasted into, an email message to Dr. Rollinson at rel107@hellokitty.com, rel107@mail2world.com, and rel107@catholic.org.
Please use all 3 email addresses in case any of the mailboxes go down.

Copyright © 1999 Shirley J. Rollinson, all Rights Reserved

Dr. Rollinson

Department of Religion
ENMU
Portales, NM 88130

Last Updated: August 20, 2007

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