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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 notion of self is born of _____.

2. Abhidharma captures the very essence of dharma, which means that its sound can almost operate as a _____.

3. The Mahayana Lankavatara Sutra explicitly argues against _____.

4. Flowers, incense, and lamps are _____ in modern Buddhism.

5. One of the four elements in Buddhism is _____.

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the nature of bad action illustrated in Buddhism?

2. What did the Buddha do after performing the miracle after his awakening?

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

4. How is world contraction described according to the Abhidharma?

5. How is faith compared to a gem and a stream in Buddhism?

6. Why is stilling the mind an integral goal of Buddhist meditation?

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

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

9. What is dependent arising?

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

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

Describe the life of the Buddha. What sort of family did he come from? How did he become the Buddha?

(see the answer keys)

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