Grade 7 hindu religious education – Buddhist Practices Quiz
1. What is the main purpose of meditation in Buddhist practice?
Buddhist meditation trains attention and awareness so a person can see clearly and reduce suffering; it is not worship of a god or a memory trick.
2. Which of the following best describes the Five Precepts followed by many Buddhists?
The Five Precepts are simple ethical guidelines for lay Buddhists to avoid harm and live responsibly.
3. What does the term 'Sangha' refer to in Buddhism?
Sangha means the community of those who follow the Buddha's teachings, especially ordained monastics and supportive laypeople.
4. What is Vesak (Buddha Day) celebrated for?
Vesak (also called Buddha Day) commemorates three important events in the Buddha's life: his birth, his awakening, and his death (parinibbana).
5. What does 'dana' mean in Buddhist practice?
Dana is the practice of generosity; lay people give food, money or support to monastics and the community as a way to practise kindness and detach from greed.
6. Why do Buddhists make a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya?
Bodh Gaya in India is the site where Siddhartha Gautama meditated under the Bodhi tree and became the Buddha; it is a major pilgrimage site.
7. What does the Pali word 'metta' mean in Buddhist practice?
Metta is a meditation practice cultivating unconditional friendliness and compassion toward oneself and others.
8. What is a stupa in Buddhism?
Stupas are sacred structures that remind people of the Buddha and his teachings; they often hold relics and are places for pilgrimage and meditation.
9. What are mala beads used for in Buddhist practice?
Mala beads help practitioners keep track of how many times they have recited a mantra or focused on the breath without losing concentration.
10. What does 'Right Speech' from the Noble Eightfold Path ask Buddhists to do?
Right Speech encourages honest, gentle and helpful communication, avoiding lies, slander, harsh words and gossip.
11. Why do some Buddhists keep a small shrine or image of the Buddha at home?
Home shrines remind practitioners of the Buddha's teachings and provide a focus for meditation, offerings and moral reflection.
12. Which meditation is most associated with insight into the nature of mind and reality in Theravada practice?
Vipassana is a core Theravada practice that develops clear seeing into how thoughts, feelings and sensations arise and pass away, leading to wisdom.
13. What do Buddhist monks usually wear to show they have left ordinary life?
Monastic robes are plain and modest to show renunciation of luxury and to identify the wearer as a member of the Sangha.
14. What is a prostration in Buddhist practice?
Prostrations are physical gestures of reverence and humility performed before images, teachers or sacred objects.
15. What does the 'Middle Way' teach Buddhists to avoid?
The Middle Way is the Buddha's teaching to avoid extremes of luxury and harsh asceticism and follow a balanced path toward awakening.
16. Why do Buddhists chant sutras and mantras during practice?
Chanting is a practical method to steady attention, internalise teachings and create a respectful atmosphere for practice.
17. What is 'mindfulness' in Buddhist practice?
Mindfulness means noticing thoughts, feelings and sensations as they arise and pass, helping reduce distraction and suffering.
18. Why are flowers and incense offered at Buddhist shrines?
Offerings express reverence and the beauty and short-lived nature of flowers remind practitioners of impermanence.
19. Who is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism?
A bodhisattva vows to stay in the cycle of rebirth to assist all beings until everyone attains awakening.
20. What is 'paritta' chanting commonly used for?
Paritta are suttas or verses chanted to bring protection, comfort and blessing to people and places.
21. What are Uposatha days in Buddhism?
Uposatha are regular days when Buddhists gather to renew ethical commitments, meditate and study the Dhamma more intensively.
22. What is the purpose of the daily alms round (pindapata) for monks?
Alms rounds create a mutual relationship: monks accept simple offerings to live on, and lay people express generosity and earn merit.
23. Where would Kenyan Buddhists most likely gather for communal practice?
Buddhists meet in temples or community centres (viharas) for meditation, teaching and ceremonies; these places are found in many countries including Kenya.
24. What is the Vinaya in Buddhism?
The Vinaya contains codes of conduct for ordained monastics to help them live a disciplined and ethical life.
25. What does 'Nirvana' mean in Buddhist teaching?
Nirvana is the goal of Buddhist practice: the extinguishing of greed, hatred and delusion and the end of rebirth and suffering.
26. What name is given to the teachings of the Buddha that guide Buddhists on how to live?
Dharma (also spelled Dhamma) refers to the Buddha's teachings about how to understand life and avoid suffering; it is different from scriptures of other religions.
27. What is the common Buddhist practice of sitting quietly to train the mind called?
Meditation helps Buddhists develop concentration and awareness; many Kenyan students might learn simple breathing meditation to calm the mind.
28. Which festival marks the birth, enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha?
Vesak is the main Buddhist festival celebrating these three important events in the Buddha's life; other choices are festivals from other faiths.
29. Which of these is part of the 'Triple Gem' (the three refuges) that Buddhists take refuge in?
The Triple Gem consists of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha; Sangha means the community that preserves and teaches the Buddhist way.
30. What do Buddhists often place before a statue of the Buddha as a sign of respect?
Flowers and incense are common offerings showing respect and reminding people of impermanence; they are simple items used in many Buddhist homes and temples.
31. What is the Pali word for the practice of giving food and gifts to monks and nuns?
Dana is the practice of generosity, giving food or gifts to the monastic community; it is important for lay Buddhists to support monks and practice kindness.
32. Which of the following is one of the Five Precepts commonly followed by lay Buddhists?
One of the Five Precepts is to abstain from taking life; these precepts are moral guidelines for everyday behaviour.
33. What is a stupa in Buddhist practice?
Stupas are sacred structures built to honour the Buddha or other holy persons and are places for meditation and pilgrimage.
34. What does the word 'Sangha' mean in Buddhism?
Sangha refers to the group of people who practise and preserve the Buddhist teachings together; it is one of the Triple Gem refuges.
35. What name is often used for a Buddhist monk in the Pali tradition?
Bhikkhu is the Pali term for a Buddhist monk; other terms belong to leaders in other religions.
36. Why do Buddhists chant parts of the scriptures?
Chanting helps students of the Dhamma remember important teachings and brings calm and concentration during practice.
37. Which Tibetan Buddhist practice involves making a colourful picture from grains of sand and then sweeping it away?
The sand mandala is created carefully and then removed to teach that all things are temporary, an important Buddhist lesson.
38. What is the main purpose of meditation in Buddhist practice?
Meditation trains the mind to be aware and calm, helping people see clearly and reduce suffering in their lives.
39. Which of these is a major collection of early Buddhist scriptures?
The Tipitaka, also called the Pali Canon, contains important early Buddhist teachings; the other texts belong to other faiths.
40. What does the Eightfold Path help a Buddhist to achieve?
The Eightfold Path is a practical guide of ethical conduct, mental discipline and wisdom leading away from suffering toward liberation.
41. In Buddhism, what is 'karma' best described as?
Karma teaches that good or bad actions lead to corresponding results, so people try to act kindly and responsibly.
42. Why might Buddhists visit places like Bodh Gaya or other holy sites?
Pilgrimages to important sites help Buddhists feel connected to the Buddha's life and encourage reflection and practice.
43. What does 'puja' usually mean in Buddhist practice?
Puja is a devotional practice involving offerings, bowing or chanting to show respect and remind oneself of the teachings.
44. What does mindfulness mean in Buddhist teaching?
Mindfulness means paying attention to what is happening now, which helps reduce worry and improves learning and behaviour.
45. The Five Precepts in Buddhism are best understood as what kind of rules?
The Five Precepts are simple ethical promises like not harming others and not stealing; they help people live kindly.
46. How do Buddhists commonly show respect to elders and teachers?
Bowing and giving simple offerings are common ways to show honour to elders and teachers in many Buddhist communities.
47. On special Buddhist days, what do lay Buddhists often do at a temple?
Lay Buddhists often go to temples to practise, hear talks, and give dana (gifts) to support monks and the community.
48. What is the purpose of spinning a prayer wheel in Tibetan Buddhism?
Prayer wheels contain mantras; spinning them is believed to have the same effect as reciting the mantras and creates merit.
49. What does the Buddhist goal 'Nirvana' mean?
Nirvana is the state of ending suffering and escaping the repeated cycle of birth and death, which is the aim of Buddhist practice.
50. How do Buddhists often keep the Buddha's teachings alive in daily life?
Regular practice—meditation, following precepts and learning the teachings—helps Buddhists apply the Dharma in everyday life.