Buddhism: Questions for Reflection

Questions for Reflection
Buddhism

Religion: Buddhism

Purpose: to encourage students to think more deeply and creatively regarding issues related to the religion in question and to think about how these issues relate to the real world and even to the student's own life.

Cognitive Skills: application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation

Learning Styles: active (if discussed with classmates), reflective, sensing, intuitive, global

Intelligences: intrapersonal, interpersonal (when discussed with others), logical-mathematical

Use: in classroom, at home, on-line discussion board

For: individual, pairs, small groups

Estimated time: 2 - 5 minutes (or more when done as journaling at home)

Materials needed: none (other than pen and paper)

The Activity: several options for use

In the classroom: These questions may be presented in class for students to think-write-pair-share
At home: Questions may also be suggested to students for personal reflection and written response as a journaling exercise (which may be a graded assignment)
On line: Questions such as these would make for ideal on-line discussions for distance learning classes

The Questions: These are just some suggestions. Teachers may feel free to modify these or use additional questions they may think of themselves

Buddha and Christ
In what ways do you see a parallel between the life story of the Buddha and that of Jesus? How are their life stories different? See if you are able to locate and read on the internet (or elsewhere) some stories of the life of Buddha in order to see even greater parallels in their stories as told by their followers. Why do you think there are these similarities? What might it mean (symbolically or otherwise)?

Web resources:

Stories of the Life of Buddha: in pictures, in text

Books discussing the similarities between Buddha and Christ

The Four Noble Truths
In what ways do we suffer in life; what things in life do you find "unsatisfactory"?
Do you agree with the Buddha that the cause of suffering is selfish desire and craving; what else might be the cause?
Do you think we can benefit from eliminating our cravings?
How would you suggest we go about solving the problem of suffering?
Right livelihood
Look for examples of right and wrong livelihood.
Compile a list of examples for each.
Examples may come from everyday, contemporary life in our own culture, including portrayals on TV and in movies (since these often reflect real life).

For an online discussion or sharing in class: Review each others' lists:

Do you agree with your classmates' evaluation? What would you question?
Do any of the livelihoods listed as "right" involve committing "wrong" actions or "wrong" speech (by Buddhist standards)?

Everything is impermanent
Do you agree with the Buddha that everything in life and this world is impermanent? Would you see this as a problem? Why or why not?
No Soul???
What do you think of the Buddhist understanding of the nature of the self - the suggestion that there is no eternal, unchanging soul?
The chain of "Dependent Origination"
Also referred to as "dependent arising", take a look at the 12 stages in this chain (outlined in lecture notes) and think about the various spiritual paths of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Where, on this chain of cause and effect, does each path try to break the chain and how does it go about doing this (remember, Hinduism offers more than one path)? Which approach seems to be most reasonable to you?
Buddhist schools
Given the great diversity of sects that Buddhism has developed into over the centuries and millennia since the Buddha taught, how would you reconcile these later teachings with the original teachings of the Buddha? Do you think these later Buddhist teachers have deviated from the original teachings or further enhanced them?
Theravada vs. Mahayana
What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses of the Theravada and Mahayana schools of Buddhism?
"Self-Power" vs. "Other-Power"
Contrasting Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, we see that the older school teaches that we are each responsible for our own salvation. Mahayana teaches that there are countless heavenly "helpers" for us to turn to. What is your feeling on this issue: when it comes to success on the spiritual path, do you think we need to turn to some other (higher?) power to assist us or is our enlightenment up to us to pursue? (this debate is also found in Christianity: the issue of works righteousness vs. faith righteousness, deed vs. creed, are we "saved by our works" or "saved by [the grace of] God"?)
Buddha or Bodhisattva?
Which would be your spiritual goal: to become a Buddha or a Bodhisattva? Which do you see as the greater goal? why?
Seeking Emptiness
Does the Zen search for sunyata (emptiness) make sense to you? Why or why not?
Mahayana sects
Which of the many Mahayana sects of Buddhism most appeals to you and why?
In what ways are these forms of Buddhism similar to various forms of Christian religion? What form of Christianity is most like the "way of faith" found in Pure Land Buddhism? What form is most like the "way of reason" of T’ien-T’ai or the "way of symbol and ritual" of Shingon? Are there Christian equivalents of Nichiren or Zen? Discuss the similarities.
Buddhism in the Movies
There have been a number of feature films based on Buddhism: Little Buddha, Kundun, Seven Years in Tibet (all seem to deal with Tibetan Buddhism).
Have you seen any of these films (you may care to rent and view one or more of them in the context of this class)? What do you think of the way Buddhism is presented in these movies? Did you find them to be informative about the religion? Were some of them better than others as a learning experience?

Alternative possibilities: Reflective questions can be a developed for any course. The main point is to design questions that elicit creative, original thinking and encourage students to relate what they are learning to the real world and to their own life - to see and make connections.