LAM RIM CHENMO EXAM QUESTIONS - set by Geshe Tenzin Zopa

Transcription

1 LAM RIM CHENMO EXAM QUESTIONS - set by Geshe Tenzin Zopa Please write your student registration number on the answer sheet provided and hand it to the person in charge at the end of the exam. You may retain the question sheet. The full mark is 100. The passing mark is The kindness of a teacher/guru is greater than that of the Buddhas. Why is it stated as such? a. He is kinder than the other Buddhas because he is still with us, guiding us along the Path. b. He is kinder than Shakyamuni Buddha by remaining to teach the Dharma c. He presents the teachings to us without requiring us to undergo hardship to receive the teachings d. He brings us into his circle through material gifts and thus leads us to the Dharma e. All of the above. 2. What are the benefits of relying on a Guru? Which are NOT amongst the benefits? i. You will not need a guru from the next life onwards ii. No fresh positive qualities will arise and existing ones will degenerate iii. You are able to progress towards Buddhahood iv. You will please the Conquerors v. You will not be lacking Teacher in future times vi. You will not fall into the lower realms vii. Neither negativities or afflictions will overpower you viii. Your good qualities will constantly increase ix. You will attain all temporary and final goals x. You will accomplish your own and others welfare xi. You will complete the collections of merits and wisdom xii. You will become the object of refuge a. i, vii, xi b. i, ii, xii c. ii, v, xi d. ii, xi, xii 3. In order to prevent oneself from falling into the extreme of cyclic existence (samsara), one needs to practice.

2 a. Wisdom realizing selflessness (emptiness) b. Bodhicitta c. Loving kindness d. Individual liberation e. All of the above f. None of the above g. Answers b and c only 4. In order to prevent oneself from falling into the extreme of peace (nirvana), one needs to practice. a. Wisdom realizing emptiness b. Bodhicitta c. Individual liberation d. Loving kindness e. All of the above f. None of the above g. b and c only 5. What is the correct answer for morality within the 6 Perfection teachings? a. Morality of integrating bodhicitta into daily life b. Morality of integrating renunciation into daily life c. Morality of working for the welfare of other sentient beings d. Morality of abstention from worldly activities e. Morality of integrating only Dharma f. Morality of abstention from the 6 root delusions g. All of the above 6. What is the spirit of enlightenment as stated in the Lam Rim Chenmo? a. Love b. Great compassion c. Renunciation d. Emptiness e. Bodhicitta f. All of the above g. None of the above 7. Choose the correct answer a. The wisdom realizing emptiness is the sole mother of Hinayana disciples

3 b. The wisdom realizing emptiness is the sole mother of Mahayana disciples c. The wisdom realizing emptiness is neither the mother of Hinayana nor Mahayana disciples d. The wisdom realizing emptiness is the sole mother of Tantric disciples e. The wisdom realizing emptiness is the mother of both Hinayana and Mahayana disciples f. None of the above g. b and d 8. How does one distinguish Hinayana practice from Mahayana practice? a. By the wisdom that knows emptiness b. By the spirit of enlightenment and the greatly effective bodhisattva deeds c. By the Guru s lineage d. By the sole inspiration of one s own liberation e. By the practice of single pointed meditation f. By the practice of the 4 Noble Truths g. By the practice of Lam Rim 9. We need to develop the spirit of enlightenment through specific causes. Choose the correct answer. a. A perfect lineage b. Being sustained by a teacher c. Compassion towards living beings d. Not being disheartened by the difficulties of cyclic existence e. Thoroughly practice in the tantric path f. a,c,d and e g. a,b,c and d 10. What is the training in the spirit of enlightenment which falls under the lineage of the great Lama Atisha s personal instruction? a. Six cause and 1 effect (7-fold cause & effect) b. Exchanging of self and others c. Mind and logic d. Tantric grounds and path e. 8 Verses of Thought Transformation f. 7 Point Mind Training g. All of the above

4 11. What is the training in the spirit of enlightenment which falls under the lineage of the great Conqueror s Child, Shantideva s personal instruction? a. 6 cause and 1 effect (7 fold cause & effect) b. Exchanging of self and others c. Mind and logic d. Tantric ground and path e. 8 Verses of Thought Transformation f. 7 Point Mind Training g. all of the above 12. At what stage does the consciousness actually leave the body during the death process? a. When one cannot open nor close one s eyes b. When one is no longer mindful of the feelings accompanying the mental consciousness c. When one no longer hear external nor internal sounds d. When on no longer remembers the names of close persons e. When one is no longer mindful of external worldly activities f. When the external sign or pus or blood emerging from the nose and sexual organ occurs g. All of the above 13. What is it that only goes along with the consciousness after death? a. The imprints of virtue and imprints of negative karma b. The possession during lifetime c. Total darkness d. Total brightness e. Discontinuation of consciousness f. All of the above g. None of the above 14. What is the longest period that an intermediate being (bardo being) can remain in that intermediate state? a. 7 days b. 14 days c. 21 days d. 49 days e. 100 days f. 1 year or more g. 3 years

5 15. What are the antidotes for laziness that are to be applied to eliminate the faults arising during calm abiding/single pointed meditation? a. Faith b. Aspiration c. Enthusiasm d. Perseverance e. Ecstacy f. Pliancy g. a, b and c h. All of the above i. a, b, d, f j. a, b, c, d 16. Which school of teaching has the practice of achieving enlightenment in one brief lifetime? a. Action tantra b. Highest Yoga tantra c. Performance tantra d. Yoga tantra e. All Mahayana teachings f. All Buddha s teachings g. None of the above 17. What is the most powerful purification practice for negative karma? a. By doing hundreds of thousands o prostrations b. BY praying to the debtors or ancestors c. By chanting mantras d. By doing pujas e. By applying the Four Opponent Powers f. By making offerings to Buddhas g. By reciting sutras 18. In Buddhism, what is meditation? a. Sitting in silence b. Single pointedly watching the mind c. Contemplating the sufferings of samsara d. Habituating the mind with a virtuous object e. Visualising a phenomena

6 19. What are the individual sufferings of the human realm? a. Suffering of change, samsara, poverty and death b. Suffering of birth, aging, sickness and death c. Suffering of birth, poverty, sickness and death d. Suffering of pain, poverty, sickness and death e. Suffering of samsara, poverty, sickness and death 20. Below are the 8 Leisures (Freedoms) of the Precious Human Rebirth which are being free from various conditions. Tick the WRONG answers: a. Being born in the hell realm b. Being born as a non believer of Buddha c. Being born in the animal realm d. Being born holding wrong views e. Being born in a place with no Dharma f. Being born with defective senses g. Being born as a long life god h. Being born not having committed any of the five heinous crimes i. Being born not having a Dharma teacher j. Being born as a hungry ghost k. Being born at a time when the founder Buddha has not appeared. 21. What is the obstruction to attaining nirvana? a. Self cherishing of phenomena b. Attachment c. Dissatisfaction d. Self grasping mind e. All of the above 22. What must be present to actualize complete karma/full karmic consequence of one s actions? a. Base, intention, action and completion b. Intention, action, recognition and completion c. Motivation, action, delusion and completion d. Intention, recognition, delusion and completion

7 Q23. The definition of liberation is : a. Freedom from rebirth in the lower realms b. Freedom from rebirth in the higher realms c. Freedom from aging and death d. Freedom from rebirth under the force of karma and delusion Q 24: These 12 factors of dependent arising show how we circle in samsara: 1. Ignorance 2. Compositional factors 3. Consciousness 4: Name & Form 5: Six Sources 6: Contact 7: Feeling 8: Craving 9: Grasping 10: Potential Existence 11. Rebirth 12: Aging & Death They are grouped into: projecting factors and actualising factors (which set into motion future results) ; and projected factors and actualised factors (results are experienced through these). Group the 12 components into the correct set of factors: a. Projecting factors are 1,2,3; Actualising factors are 8,9,10; projected factors are 4,5,6,7 and actualised factors are 11,12. b. Projecting factors are 1,3,10; Actualising factors are 8,9,11; projected factors are 4,5,6,7 and actualised factors are 11,12. c. Projecting factors are 1,7,8; Actualising factors are 2,9,10; projected factors are 4,5,6,12 and actualised factors are 3,12. d. Projecting factors are 1,2,3; Actualising factors are 4,5,6; projected factors are 7,8,9, 12 and actualised factors are 10,11. Q25: What are the six causes to attain the bodhicitta? i : Recognising all beings as having been one s mother ii : Living an ethical life iii: Meditating on emptiness iv : Remembering the kindness of mother v: Wishing to repay the kindness of mother vi: Unconditional love

8 vii :Compassion viii: Whole hearted resolve (great compassion) ix : Bodhicitta a. i, ii, iii, vi, v, ix b. i, ii, iv, v, vi, viii c. ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii d. i, iv, v, vi, vii, viii e. ii, iii, vi, vii, viii, ix Q 26. What are the 6 Perfections? i. Generosity, ii. Respect, iii. Refuge, iv. Guru Devotion, v. ethical discipline, vi. patience, vii. joyous perseverance, viii. meditative stabilisation, ix. Wisdom a. i, ii, iii, iv, viii, ix b. ii, iii, v, vi, viii, ix c. i, v, vi, vii, viii, ix d. i, iii, vi, vii, viii, ix Q27. What is the detailed meaning of each of the 6 Perfections? Tick the correct answer from amongst (i), (ii), (iii) for each Perfection: a. Generosity is the intention accompanying the Bodhisattvas (i) compassion (ii) non-attachment (iii) realisation of emptiness to all their possessions/body and motivated by this, the physical and verbal actions of giving the things to be given. b. Ethical discipline is an attitude of (i) abstention (ii) determination (iii) perseverance that turns you mind away from harming others. c. Patience is (i) suppressing (ii) disregarding (iii) delaying reaction for harm done to you, accepting suffering arising and having conviction in the teachings d. Joyous perseverance is delighting in (i) refuge (ii) virtue (iii) enthusiasm. f. Meditative stabilisation (concentration) is a (i) unshakeable (ii) pliant (iii) virtuous, one-point state of mind that stays fixed on an object of meditation without distraction.

9 g. Ultimate wisdom is that which directly perceives emptiness, namely, the wisdom which realises that (i) that self and phenomena do not exist (ii) that self and phenomena independently exist (iii) that self and phenomena are a dependent-arising. Q28: What is the Madhyamika assertion on the meaning of dependent - arising? a. All things come about through causes and conditions b. All things are mental projections without any other factors c. All things depend on subject and object d. All things lack inherent existence e. All things are dependent on parts without any other factors Q29. What is the measure of achieving special insight? a. When the power of analytical meditation enables one to free oneself of thoughts b. When the power of analytical meditation itself is able to induce pliancy c. When the power of analytical meditation enables control over dullness d. When the power of analytical meditation enable control over excitement Q 30. What is the definition of Prasangika? a. One who by means of possessing a mere consequence known to others, does not accept true existence even nominally b. One who accepts true existence as being separate from inherent existence c. One who believes in the emptiness of self but not in the emptiness of phenomena d. One who believes in the selflessness of self but hold some objects to be substantially existent. Q31. What are the 4 schools of Buddhist philosophy? (i) Vaibashika, (ii) Samkya, (iii) Sautrantika, (iv) Nayayiga, (v) Cittamatra, (vi) Madhyamika a. i, ii, v, vi b. i, iii, iv, vi c. ii, iii, iv, v d. i, iii, v, vi Q32 What is the criteria of being a Buddhist? a. A person who accepts the 3 Jewels as the liberator from fear and poverty

10 b. A person who accepts the 3 Jewels as well as gods as the objects of refuge c. A person who accepts the 3 Jewels as the ultimate object of refuge and does not assert any other refuge d. A person who prays wholeheartedly and does meditation e. A person who believes in the law of cause and effect Q33 What are the antidotes to ignorance, anger and attachment? a. wisdom realising emptiness, neutrality and avoidance b. wisdom realising emptiness of self, equanimity and detachment/seeing the unattractive aspects of the object of attachment c. wisdom realising the emptiness of phenomena, forgiveness and detachment. d. Wisdom realising emptiness of self and phenomena, patience and detachment/seeing the unattractive aspects of the object of attachment POINTS THAT WERE REQUIRED FOR THE 2 ND AND 3 RD ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS 2 nd Essay assignment topics (1) The 3 Higher Trainings are the main practice to attain liberation from samsara Elaborate on this statement and describe each of the 3 training and how to train in them. Definition of the 3HT Discussion on the 3 capability-beings Renunciation Why is the 3HT the main practice for the middle capability being How to train in 3HT Types of Vows (2) What is meant by liberation from samsara and include in your answer, a discussion on delusions and antidotes Discussion on the 3 scope teachings + renunciation Definition of liberation, samsara 4 Noble Truths, 12 Links, 3 Higher trainings Types of suffering the 3, the 8, the 6 Delusions and antidotes

11 3 rd essay assignment topics (1) State and explain the 3 Principal Aspects of the Path and give an example of how you would apply each of the 3 Aspects in your life. State and define the 3 Principles Elaborate on each Principle (for renunciation, need to refer to nature of samsara, for Bodhicitta, must mention 2 methods to cultivate or the 6 Perfections, for emptiness needs to refer to emptiness of self and phenomena) 5 Paths Application in daily life (2) Explain what bodhicitta is and how to cultivate it Definition of bodhicitta Benefits of bodhicitta The 2 methods to cultivate it The 6 Perfections Discussion on Conventional and ultimate bodhicitta Bodhisattva Vows (3) The 6 Perfections Describe each of them and provide an example of how each Perfection can be applied in daily life Definition of each Perfection Discussion on how to train in each The fundamental aim of the 6 Perfections is renouncing samsara for oneself and all beings and attaining both types of bodhicitta Application in daily life