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I'm a new member in here so I'm not quite good in critical thinking in Buddhism.
I hope all of you can help me to answer some questions that i have.
1- what can you say about the historical dates of the Buddha Siddhattha Gotama? why is it important to pay attention to it?
2- what can you tell about the cultural and religious context in which the Buddha lived?
3- what are the oldest sources that describe the life and teachings of the Buddha? how did these sources come into being?
4- what personal characteristics are attributed to the Buddha in these sources?
5- what is an arhat and arahat?
6- what was roughly the social position of women in the time of the Buddha?
7- what can you tell about women and the early Buddhist songho?
8- how would you assess the Buddha's attitude toward women?
9- who is Asoka? for what reasons is he important in Buddhism?
10- how would you explain the first noble truth of the Buddha?
11- why did the historical Buddha hold that ignorance is the core root of wrong-doing?
12- can you give some different explanations of conditioned arising or dependent origination?
13- how would you explain the doctrine of anatta?
14- why did the Buddha remain silent to the question of Vacchagotta and on other issues?
15- what are in general the meanings of Dhamma?
16- what is the meaning of nibbana?
17- Discuss whether nibbana is a state of being in this life or not?
18- in what way is kamma in Buddhism different from kamma in Brahmanism?
19- explain what it means that "kamma is an impersonal,natural law that operates in accordance with our action's?
20- what is a better image for kamma?
21- how do kamma and nibbana relate to each other?
22- how would you explain the main point of discussion between the monk Nagasena and king Milinda?
23- explain some distinction characteristics of Mahayana Buddhism?
24- the Buddha was, to say the least, not really interested in rituals. why?
Thank you for all your answer!
1- what can you say about the historical dates of the Buddha Siddhattha Gotama? why is it important to pay attention to it?
2- what can you tell about the cultural and religious context in which the Buddha lived?
3- what are the oldest sources that describe the life and teachings of the Buddha? how did these sources come into being?
4- what personal characteristics are attributed to the Buddha in these sources?
5- what is an arhat and arahat?
6- what was roughly the social position of women in the time of the Buddha?
7- what can you tell about women and the early Buddhist songho?
8- how would you assess the Buddha's attitude toward women?
9- who is Asoka? for what reasons is he important in Buddhism?
10- how would you explain the first noble truth of the Buddha?
11- why did the historical Buddha hold that ignorance is the core root of wrong-doing?
12- can you give some different explanations of conditioned arising or dependent origination?
13- how would you explain the doctrine of anatta?
14- why did the Buddha remain silent to the question of Vacchagotta and on other issues?
15- what are in general the meanings of Dhamma?
16- what is the meaning of nibbana?
17- Discuss whether nibbana is a state of being in this life or not?
18- in what way is kamma in Buddhism different from kamma in Brahmanism?
19- explain what it means that "kamma is an impersonal,natural law that operates in accordance with our action's?
20- what is a better image for kamma?
21- how do kamma and nibbana relate to each other?
22- how would you explain the main point of discussion between the monk Nagasena and king Milinda?
23- explain some distinction characteristics of Mahayana Buddhism?
24- the Buddha was, to say the least, not really interested in rituals. why?
Thank you for all your answer!
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This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Do some googling and do your own homework. If you have one question you really get stuck on, you can make a thread about it. Just don't post your entire list of questions here. Work for your A!
1- Well, they can be days of observance and celebration, just like Hanukkah or any other holiday.
2- He lived in India/Nepal, in a Hindu society.
3- Sutras? I guess monks wrote them down. I'm not too sure.
4- Hes pretty much a role model for everyone else...? I guess...
5- Don't know.
6- I think they weren't thought of highly. Though, Buddha allowed women to become his disciples.
7- Above. ^^
8- Saw no different than men.
9- Don't know.
10- In life everything is changing and impermanent, so life involves suffering.
11- Because it is. This is sort of self explanatory!
12- You. You are changing as we speak. Your skin cells are dying and being recreated. If your arm gets cut off, is that arm still you? If you get creamated and have your ashes spread into the dirt, are you the dirt? Are you worm food? Are you the nutrients going into the food? Where were you before you were born? Were you your mother? Etc etc. Hope that sort of answered your question.
13- Above?
14- Don't know...?
15- Teachings of the Buddha (or other Indian-esque religions such as Hinduism) I think.
16- State of enlightenment.
17- Depends if you believe in reincarnation. I do not. I believe it is a state of living.
18- Don't know. Don't think theres a difference.
19- Everything that happens has an equal and opposite reaction.
20- Don't know.
21- Even if you become enlightened, you are still subject to natural law.
22- Don't know.
23- Easily googled.
24- Not exactly sure. He just probably didn't feel the need for them.
Good Luck.
CoffeeBean
Might as well ask, "What is Buddhism?"