The Buddha
What does the title "Buddha" mean?
The Awakened One (Enlightened One)
This foundational set of teachings of Buddhism begins with the recognition that life involves suffering and outlines a path to end that suffering.
The Four Noble Truths
This law of cause and effect, or action and reaction, is what determines a being's future rebirth in Buddhism.
Karma
What is the term for the spiritual community in Buddhism? It includes the monks, nuns, and laypeople that supports and practices the teachings of the Buddha?
Sangha
Known as "Dukkha" in Pali, this reality is at the core of Buddhism. It is understood to be the result of the impermanence of things, and also the attachment to objects, people and the things you do in life.
Suffering
What is the name of the tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment?
Bodhi Tree
What do the “Three Jewels” refer to in reference to the person, the teaching, and the community central to Buddhism?
The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha
In Buddhism, this term means "the teachings."
Dharma
Which branch of Buddhism known as the "Great Vehicle" is the main form in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan and the most popular school of Buddhism in the world today?
Mahayana Buddhism
Meaning "extinguishment" or "blowing out," this is the ultimate goal of Buddhism, beyond life, death, and good karma.
Nirvana
What was the Buddha's real name?
Siddhartha Gautama
In Buddhism, what is the name of the set of guidelines and practices that outline the right way to live in order to overcome suffering and achieve enlightenment? The practices are divided between those related to wisdom, ethics, and meditation.
The Eightfold Path
How do Buddhists refer to the three root causes of suffering— greed, hatred, and ignorance?
The Three Poisons
Known as the "Way of the Elders," this is the name of the oldest form of Buddhism, which is practiced most in the majority-Buddhist countries of Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Therevada Buddhism
Who is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, believed to be the reincarnation of a bodhisattva and often seen as a symbol of compassion and wisdom?
Dalai Lama
According to tradition, the Buddha was born in in or near the town Lumbini, which is in modern day ______________
Nepal
What is the name of the basic ethical guidelines that Buddhists commit to following, which include refraining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, wrong speech, and intoxicants?
The Five Precepts
The Buddha, in his pursuit of enlightenment, discovered the importance of avoiding the extremes of both self-indulgence and self-affliction (asceticism). What did he call the approach of avoiding those extremes?
The Middle Way
As the most famous example of Vajrayana Buddhism this group developed in the Himalayan region and is known for its use of tantric rituals and the leadership of the Dalai Lama.
Tibetan Buddhism
What is the name of the ancient language in which many of the earliest Buddhist scriptures were written, especially those of the Theravada tradition (Tripitaka)?
Pali
According to Buddhist tradition, what key experience led the Buddha to leave his luxurious life as a young man in search of enlightenment, after he encountered an elderly man, a sick person, a corpse, and a wandering ascetic?
The Four Passing Sights
In Buddhism, what is the name of the components—form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness—that make up a person and explain the illusion of a permanent self?
The Five Skandhas (or The Five Aggregates)
What Buddhist concept teaches that there is no permanent, unchanging self (i.e. there is no soul)?
Anatman
According to Mahayana belief, this is the name of a being who delays nirvana to help others achieve Buddhahood.
Bodhisattva
What is the name given to the most important collection of ancient Buddhist scriptures from the Pali canon? The name refers to the fact that they that are broken into three sections: rules for monks, teachings of the Buddha, and scholastic philosophy.
Three Baskets (Tripitaka)