Buddhism: the Existence of Ultimate Reality | OCR GCSE Religious Studies (J625)
Buddhism: the Existence of Ultimate Reality
- 71 questions
- 6 subtopics
- Group 2 paper
- Group 2 paper
Buddhism: The Existence of Ultimate Reality is examined in Component Group 2, religion, philosophy and ethics in the modern world from a Buddhist perspective (J625/09), if this is the perspective studied.
That perspective must be one of the student's two Group 1 religions. It covers Buddhist understandings of Ultimate Reality without a creator God, Buddhist views on goodness, evil and suffering, Buddhist responses to design, first cause and the unanswered questions, the world as samsara: kamma, cycles and human rebirth, how Buddhists believe Ultimate Reality is revealed and Buddhist religious experience: refuge, jhanas, kensho and visions.
Sample questions from Buddhism: the Existence of Ultimate Reality
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Buddhist understandings of Ultimate Reality without a creator God
What are the three bodies (trikaya) of a Buddha?
Show the answer
The Nirmanakaya is the physical body seen on earth, like Gotama's. The Sambhogakaya is a heavenly bliss body, and the Dharmakaya is ultimate reality itself. -
Buddhist understandings of Ultimate Reality without a creator God
What does the Brahmajala Sutta say about the god Brahma's claim to be creator?
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The Brahmajala Sutta tells of Brahma, the first being to appear in a new world-cycle. Brahma wrongly believes he created the beings who appear after him. -
Buddhist views on goodness, evil and suffering
How might a Buddhist answer the claim that suffering disproves any Ultimate Reality?
Show the answer
Buddhists see suffering as the starting point of the Dhamma, not evidence against it. The Buddha taught the end of suffering, not a God who permits it. -
Buddhist views on goodness, evil and suffering
How do Buddhists understand goodness in the actions of arhats?
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An arhat acts from wisdom and compassion with no trace of selfish craving. An arhat's actions create no new kamma. -
Buddhist responses to design, first cause and the unanswered questions
How might a Buddhist agree with part of the cosmological argument?
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A Buddhist agrees that everything in the world has a cause. The Buddhist denies that the chain of causes must end in an uncaused God. -
Buddhist responses to design, first cause and the unanswered questions
Why did the Buddha tell the parable of the Poisoned Arrow to Malunkyaputta?
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Malunkyaputta threatened to leave unless the Buddha answered questions about the universe. The Buddha taught that curing suffering matters more than solving such puzzles. -
The world as samsara: kamma, cycles and human rebirth
What is the balance of pleasure and pain in the human realm?
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Humans experience a mixture of happiness and suffering. The mixture makes the human realm the best place to seek Enlightenment. -
The world as samsara: kamma, cycles and human rebirth
How do samsara and kamma answer questions of fairness?
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Buddhists say present inequalities reflect kamma from past lives as well as present conditions. Critics argue the idea can seem to blame people for their suffering.
The 6 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Buddhist understandings of Ultimate Reality without a creator God | Theravada and Mahayana understandings, the Dharmakaya and the trikaya, the two truths, the status of gods, the Brahmajala Sutta on Brahma's claim, Dhammapada 188, and Amida Buddha. | 12 |
| Buddhist views on goodness, evil and suffering | Why Buddhism lacks the theist's problem of evil, Mara, suffering and evil distinguished, the Sivaka Sutta on kamma, skilful action and nibbana, goodness in arhats, bodhisattvas and Buddhas, and natural disasters. | 12 |
| Buddhist responses to design, first cause and the unanswered questions | Buddhist replies to the design and first cause arguments, the beginning of samsara, partial agreement with the cosmological argument, Noble Silence, the Poisoned Arrow told to Malunkyaputta, and the first sermon. | 11 |
| The world as samsara: kamma, cycles and human rebirth | The cyclical world and dependent origination, why human rebirth is precious, pleasure and pain in the human realm, the blind turtle simile, fairness through kamma, Theravada and Mahayana cosmology, and heavenly realms. | 11 |
| How Buddhists believe Ultimate Reality is revealed | Inspirational people, scripture and the origin of Mahayana sutras, bodhisattvas, arhats and figures from Buddhist history, cetana, meditation and whether it matters most, miracles, and perceiving ultimate truth. | 13 |
| Buddhist religious experience: refuge, jhanas, kensho and visions | Taking the Three Refuges as conversion, the four form and four formless jhanas, the Ariyapariyesana Sutta, satori in Zen, detachment, puja as experience, and why Buddhist groups value different experiences. | 12 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
OCR GCSE Religious Studies Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,800 questions with their answers.