View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How can one find peace and love when feeling angry?

2. In the story "Look into Your Hand", who told the young man to look at his hand?

3. What is the result of compassion towards another who is suffering?

4. What does Hanh view as the best investment one can make?

5. What gift does holding a grandchild give to the grandparent?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "The Sun is My Heart", Hanh intertwines interbeing with the universe. Explain the title's metaphor.

2. What effect does conscious breathing have on a hug? Why?

3. What two types of seeds does consciousness include? Explain the relationship between the two. Why is it important to plant positive seeds?

4. Explain the Buddhist concept of non-duality. Give an example.

5. After calming an unpleasant feeling, what two additional steps should be taken to insure that the negative emotion is eradicated completely?

6. In "Understanding" Hanh explains that understanding and love are one thing. Why can the two not be separated?

7. Why is it impossible to drop all of one's identity from the parents?

8. Hanh resurrects the concept of interbeing in "Healing the Wounds of War". What role does interbeing play in a veteran's life? Why?

9. Why is Hanh surprised to find that the Charles River is not a safe place to wash one's face? According to Hanh, how can dead rivers be resurrected?

10. Why should one meditate on an individual who has caused personal pain?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Hanh's anecdote about Buddha and the flower, only one monk had the courage to be himself. He was the only one who experienced the simple beauty of the flower and Buddha's smile. Discuss how being someone other than your true self can rob you of joy.

Essay Topic 2

Hanh remarks that even the wealthiest can die of suffering. Apply his words to a wealthy country. How could the country cease to exist even though it had tremendous resources?

Essay Topic 3

Arnold Kotler, the editor of "Peace is Every Step", begins his introduction with a personal experience about living mindfully. Explore the impact Kotler's anecdote might have on a reader. Does Kotler's admission give more credibility to Hanh's teachings? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 938 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample