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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. Where did the Buddha sit twenty-one days after his awakening?

2. The Mahayana Lankavatara Sutra explicitly argues against _____.

3. The great theme of the Perfection of Wisdom is _____.

4. The Buddha apparently approved of worship at _____.

5. In terms of karma, one's state of mind is important and constitutes a _____.

Short Essay Questions

1. How are the lower and higher realms of existence different from each other in Buddhism?

2. How are the thirty-one levels of existence classified? Who resides in these realms?

3. Why was vegetarianism not an explicit tenet of early Buddhism? What questions did this bring up?

4. What is causal connectedness?

5. What is the legend of Megha?

6. What is the Buddhist view of faith on the cognitive and effective modes?

7. What miracle did the Buddha perform after his awakening?

8. What is bhavanga?

9. What does Nagasena tell the king about the self?

10. What attitudes do the Mahayana sutras display toward the bodhisattva?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the ordination ceremony of the Sangha.

Essay Topic 2

Explain the relationship between the Sangha and the state. How did the Sangha relate to kings in history, particularly Asoka?

Essay Topic 3

Explain nirvana in Buddhism. What is this? How is it reached?

(see the answer keys)

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