History of Buddhist Philosophy Mid Term Exam Review—1

KEY TERMS

1. buÏ Buddha Buddha

2. xmR Dharma Dharma

3. s~" saðgha Sangha

4. àtITysmuTpad pratétya samutpäda Pratitya Samutpada

5. AnaTmn! anätman Anatman

6. AinTy anitya Anitya

7. Ê>o duùkha Duhkha

8. t&:[a tåñëä Trishna

9. invaR[ nirväëa Nirvana History of Buddhist Philosophy Mid Term Exam Review—2

10. AhRt! arhat Arhat

11. à}a prajïä Prajna

12. ké[a karuëä Karuna

13. SkNx skandha Skandha

14. Xyan dhyäna dhyana

15. smaix samädhi Samadhi

16. baeixsÅv bodhisattva Bodhisattva

17. à}aparimta prajïäpäramitä Prajnaparamita

18. zUNyta çünyatä Shunyata

19. twta tathatä Tathata History of Buddhist Philosophy Mid Term Exam Review—3

20. inmaR[kay nirmäëakäya Nirmanakaya

21. s~Éaegkay saðbhogakäya Sambhogakaya

22. xmRkay dharmakäya Dharmakaya

23. iv}anvad vijïänaväda vijnanavada

24. m{fl maëòala mandala

25. v¿yan vajrayäna Vajrayana History of Buddhist Philosophy Mid Term Exam Review—4

QUESTIONS 1. How is it that the doctrine of Dependent Origination (pratétya samutpäda) can be said to be the central doctrine of Buddhism? How do the teachings of impermanence (anitya) and no-Self (anatm– an) follow from this central teaching?

2. What are the Four Noble Truths taught by the Buddha in his first sermon? How are they linked?

3. What are the components of the Noble Eightfold Path? How is it that the Eightfold Path can be said to boil down to the two basic teaching of prajna and karuna?

4. How does The Fire Sermon explain the Buddha’s central teaching concerning liberation?

5. If there is no Ätman, what is the self according to the Buddhist analysis? What are the five groups of processes that constitute the self from the Buddhist point of view?

6. What are the four characteristic notions associated with Mahäyäna Buddhism discussed in Mitchell’s text?

7. How did the notion of the Buddha change from the early Theraväda view to the later Mahäyäna view? What is the Trékäya doctrine that became the standard Mahäyäna view of the Buddha?

8. What is the “Perfection of Wisdom” taught in the Prajïäpäramitä Sütras?

9. How did Nägärjuna explain the Mädhyamika as the "Middle Path" and how did he explain the doctrine of çünyatä as following from the central doctrine of Buddhism and thus consistent with the middle path taught by the Buddha?

10. For Nägärjuna, what is the source of the mental defilements that lead to unwholesome thougts, words, and deeds? What strategy did he use in the Mülamädhyamaka Kärikäs to break down the misconceptions that lead to unwholesome thoughts, words, and deeds?

11. How is it that Nägärjuna argues that there is no difference between samsära and nirväëa? What did he mean by this and what are the implications of this view?

12. What, for Nägärjuna, is the distinction between the two levels of truth, the saàvåti-satya and paramärtha- satya?

13. What was the primary focus of the Yogäcära School and why was it also known as the Vijïänaväda school? What marks its departure from the Mädhyamika school?

14. What did the Yogäcära philosophers mean by the process of vijïaptimätra? What is the storehouse consciousness (älaya-vijïäna)? According to Yogäcära, how is enlightenment attained?

15. What is meant by Vajrayäna Buddhism? What are some of the Vajrayäna practices?