EBPEXAMFORMODULE1:THEFOURNOBLETRUTHS
ANSWERKEY
Part1:True-FalseQuestions
PutanXintheappropriateboxtoindicateifthestatementistrueorfalse.
20points(2pointsperquestion)
QUESTION
TRUE FALSE
1.UnderstandingtheFourNobleTruthsgivesusaframeworkfor
X
understandingthewholeoftheBuddha’steachings.
2.Ingeneral,ordinaryunenlightenedbeingsseetheFourNoble
X
Truthscorrectly,justastheyare.
3.Birthinvolvessufferingbothforthemotherandthechild.
X
4.Thefirstofthethreetypesofsuffering,sufferingofsuffering,can
X
berecognizedonlybyhumanbeings.
5.AccordingtotheDalaiLama,thethirdtypeofsuffering
X
(pervasivesuffering)istheprincipalonethatweasBuddhists
shouldunderstandandstrivetofreeourselvesfrom.
6.AccordingtotheTibetantradition,themaincause/originof
X
sufferingisignorance.
7.Theoriginsofsufferingcanbeabandonedbydevelopingcalm
X
abiding/concentrationalone.
8.ThetemporarycessationofdesireforfoodwhilewatchingTVis
X
anexampleofatruecessation.
9.Whensomeonehasattainedthetruecessationofadelusion,itis
X
possibleforthatdelusiontoariseagainlater,whentherightcauses
andconditionscometogether.
10.Rightlivelihoodinthenobleeightfoldpathinvolveschoosinga
X
livelihoodthatisnon-harmful,ethical,andlegal.
Part2:Multiple-Choice—PutanXonthelinebesidethemostcorrectofthethree
points.(Note:insomecases,morethanoneofthethreepointsmaybecorrect,so
choosetheonethatisthemostaccurate/correct.Also,afewofthequestions
mention“theSutra”—thisreferstothefirstSutrataughtbytheBuddhaafterhis
enlightenment,inwhichheexplainedthefournobletruths.)
40points(2pointsperquestion)
1.ThenameofthefirstSutra(orSutta)taughtbytheBuddhais
___a.TheHeartSutra
Xb.TheSutra of Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma
___c.TheSutraofGoldenLight
2.ThefourNobleTruthsare
___a.suffering,impermanence,cessation,andemptiness
___b.suffering,origin,cessation,andnirvana
Xc.suffering,origin,cessation,andpath
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3.ThereasontheBuddhataughtsufferingfirstisbecause
___a.itoccursfirst,beforeitscauses
Xb.weneedtofirstrealizethatwearesufferingsothatwewillseekaway
tobecomefreefromit
___c.hehadapessimisticviewoftheworld
4.IntheSutra,whatdidtheBuddhasayneedstobedonewithrespecttosuffering?
Xa.itneedstobefullyunderstood,orknown
___b.itneedstobeabandoned
___c.itneedstobeignored
5.Whichofthefollowinggroupsofexperiencesareincludedintheeighttypesof
sufferingmentionedbytheBuddhainthefirstsutra?
___a.sickness,pain,depression
Xb.aging,death,separationfromthepleasant
___c.birth,loneliness,losingone’sjob
6.ThethreetypesofsufferingtaughtintheLamRimare:
Xa.sufferingofsuffering,sufferingofchange,pervasivesuffering
___b.sufferingofsuffering,mentalsuffering,sufferingofignorance
___c.sufferingofchange,sufferingoftakingrebirth,pervasivesuffering
7.Thefiveaggregatesare
___a.form,feelings,delusions,compositionalfactors,and
consciousness
___b.form,feelings,discriminations,intentions,andconsciousness
Xc.form,feelings,discriminations,compositionalfactors,and
consciousness
8.Ordinary,samsaricpleasuresareconsideredatypeofsufferingbecause
Xa.theyarenottruehappinessanddonotlast
___b.wealwaysgraspatthemwithattachment
___c.itiswrongtoexperiencepleasure
9.Whichofthefollowingisthebestdescriptionofpervasivesuffering?
___a.unpleasantexperiencesthatpervadetheentireworld
Xb.contaminatedaggregatesthatcomeintoexistenceduetodelusions
(afflictiveemotions)andkarma
___c.thefactthateverythingisimpermanent,changingallthetime
10.IntheSutra,whatdidtheBuddhasayneedstobedonewithrespecttotheorigin
ofsuffering?
Xa.itneedstobeabandoned
___b.itneedstobedeveloped
___c.itneedstobeunderstood
11.IntheSutra,theBuddhasaidthattheoriginofsufferingis
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___a.anger
___b.thefiveaggregates
Xc.craving
12.ThetwomainkindsofignoranceexplainedinthecontextoftheFourNoble
Truthsare:
___a.ignoranceoftheDharmaandignoranceaboutreincarnation
___b.ignoranceaboutsamsaraandignoranceaboutnirvana
Xc.ignoranceofkarmaandignoranceofthetruenatureofthings
13.IntheSutra,whatdidtheBuddhasayneedstobedonewithrespecttothe
cessationofsuffering?
Xa.itneedstoberealized,orattained
___b.itneedstobeabandoned
___c.itneedstobeunderstood
14.Thetwotypesofcessation,ingeneral,are
___a.truecessationsandfalsecessations
Xb.analyticalcessationsandnon-analyticalcessations
___c.cessationsofdesireandcessationsofanger
15.AccordingtotheDalaiLama,thebestwaytobecomeconvincedthattrue
cessationispossibleisto
___a.believeitbecauseit’sexplainedintheBuddhistscriptures
___b.practicemindfulnessmeditation
Xc.recognizethatwesometimesexperienceatemporarycessationofa
delusionsuchasanger,theninferthatit’spossibletocompletely
ceasedelusions.
16.IntheSutra,whatdidtheBuddhasayneedstobedonewithrespecttothepath
leadingtothecessationofsuffering?
___a.itneedstobeabandoned
Xb.itneedstobedeveloped,orcultivated
___c.itneedstobeknown
17.IntheSutra,theBuddhasaidthattheway/pathleadingtothecessationof
sufferingis
___a.theMahayanapath
___b.thethreeprincipalaspectsofthepath
Xc.thenobleeightfoldpath
18.ThethreeHigherTrainingsare
Xa.ethics,concentration,andwisdom
___b.ethics,loving-kindness,andcompassion
___c.ethics,generosity,andconcentration
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19.Whichofthefollowingmembersofthenobleeightfoldpathareincludedinthe
HigherTrainingofethics?
___a.rightaction,righteffort,rightunderstanding
___b.rightspeech,rightthought,rightmeditation
Xc.rightspeech,rightaction,rightlivelihood
20.AmongthefivepathsexplainedintheMahayanatradition,thepathofseeingis
thepointatwhichoneattains
___a.calmabiding
Xb.adirectrealizationofemptiness
___c.renunciation
Part3:Matching–Belowisatablecontainingalistof10phrases,followedbya
listof10terms(A-J).Insertintheboxontherightthelettercorrespondingtothe
termthatbestmatchesthephrase.
20points(2pointsperquestion)
Forexample:
PHRASE
LETTER
1.XXXXXXXXXX
G
THETENPHRASES LETTER
1.Aneliminationofadelusionsuchthatitwillneverariseagain.
C
2.Consciouslyrefrainingfromlying,harshspeech,divisivespeech,and
I
gossip.
3.Thingsarisingfromcausesandconditionsandchangingevery
F
moment.
4.Birth,sickness,aging,anddeath.
A
5.Notunderstandingthetruenatureofthings.
G
6.Karmaanddelusions.
B
7.Formandfeelings.
H
8.HowtheBuddhaexplainedthepathtoliberationinhisfirstteaching.
E
9.Thewisdomdirectlyrealizingselflessness,oremptiness.
D
10.TheoriginofsufferingmentionedbytheBuddhainhisfirstteaching.
J
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THETENTERMS
A. Truesufferings
B. Trueorigins
C. Truecessation
D. Truepath
E. TheNobleEightfoldPath
F. Impermanence
G. Ignorance
H. Aggregates
I. RightSpeech
J. Craving
FEEDBACK
Iwouldliketohearfromyouaboutyourexperiencefollowingthismoduleand
doingthisexam,soIwouldappreciateitifyoucouldanswerafewquestions:
1)Writeafewsentencesexplainingwhat(ifany)benefits,youexperiencedin
followingthismoduleontheFourNobleTruths.
2)Doyouhaveanysuggestionsastohowthecoursecouldbeimproved?
3)Didyoufindthisexamdifficult?
4)Howlongdidittakeyoutocompleteit?
Thankyouandbestwishes!
SangyeKhadro
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