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

Short Answer Questions

1. The three defilements are also known as _____.

2. One of a monk's four basic resources is a robe made of _____.

3. According the the author, what lies at the heart of Buddhism is _____.

4. The tradition of Mahayana Buddhism found in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam is called _____ Buddhism.

5. There is a Pali version of the Nikayama/Agama and a _____ translation contained in the Tripitaka.

Short Essay Questions

1. How is food addressed in the Vinaya?

2. What effect did the meeting of Buddha Dipamkara have on Sumedha?

3. Who are the four great authorities in Buddhism? Why would a monk go to them?

4. What is the precursor to the Indian caste system?

5. What are the Nikayas/Agamas?

6. Why was the oral tradition of communicating the concept of dharma considered to be more accurate than the written tradition by some people?

7. How does the author compare Buddha and the four truths to modern medicine?

8. How were the first Buddhist nuns acknowledged? What was the reaction of the Buddha to this?

9. What is a bhiksu and how is this different from an upasampada?

10. What does the author say about satya in relation to a Buddhist creed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the brahmanical tradition. Where did the people who founded this tradition in India come from? What effect did they have on Indian society?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism. How does it relate to the Theraveda tradition of Buddhism? How did it originate? Who practices this form of Buddhism?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the written tradition of Buddhism. How did it come about? Compare it to the oral tradition.

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