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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. What is NOT one of the five aggregates named by The Buddha when he first split the self into five aggregates?

2. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with what element?

3. What is the title of Chapter 2 of Buddhism is True?

4. According to Buddhist scripture, what is the name of the braggart who challenged The Buddha's notions of not-self?

5. Western Buddhism eliminates all but which of the following traditional Buddhist traditions?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author use the discussion of pain to illustrate his points about not-self?

2. What is the author's view of the phenomenon of human feelings?

3. Discuss the tendency of humans to engage in self-inflation.

4. How does the author use the example of the scar experiment?

5. How does the author go about trying to depict the bliss he feels as a result of meditation?

6. To whom does the author recommend a meditation practice?

7. What are the differences between concentration meditation and mindfulness meditation?

8. What is the nature of the author's characterization of a meditation retreat?

9. What effect is the author's choice of the word "delusions" intended to have on the reader?

10. How does the author use the example of bodily fluids in order to demonstrate the differences between Western Buddhism and Traditional Buddhism?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose a symbolic object from Robert Wright's book Buddhism is True, such as the chocolate bar, the lizard, or some other symbolic object and discuss its overall meaning and its connection to themes within the text.

Essay Topic 2

Examine how Robert Wright's book Buddhism is True invites readers to learn particular lessons from the author's own experiences and to apply those lessons to their own lives. How does the author accomplish this goal and how does this goal relate to the overarching themes of the text?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the motif of sound within Robert Wright's book Buddhism is True.

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