2007 Fo Guang University Buddhist Studies
Graduate Entrance Examination for the Concept of Buddhism
I. True and False (20%)
( ) 1. The Buddha is a fully enlightened sentient being.
( ) 2. Buddhism originated from India, was developed in China and then spread to
Korea, Japan, America, Europe and other parts of the world.
( ) 3. One will be rewarded with good retributions on earth or in heaven if one practices
the Ten Wholesome Conducts, and observes the Five Precepts.
( ) 4. The meaning of joining palms upon greeting among Buddhists has the same meaning as shaking hands upon meeting.
( ) 5. The precepts against killing, stealing and sexual misconduct are concerned with acts of the mind. (Acts of the body.)
( ) 6. Compassion is the force that moves bodhisattvas to practice the Buddha’s Way of benefiting self and others.
( ) 7. The Buddha was awakened to the universal truth of Dependent Origination while sitting on the diamond throne under a bodhi tree.
( ) 8. Proper cultivation of body, speech and mind will eradicate defilements caused by greed, anger and ignorance.
( ) 9. If one makes a mistake, there is no need to concern oneself about improvement because one can just go and chant a repentance scripture.
( ) 10. One can be a Buddhist just by burning incense and prostrating to the Buddhas.
( ) 11. The Three Dharma Seals are impermanence, selflessness and nirvana.
( ) 12. The mind that is pure and free of all defilements is the Buddha mind.
( ) 13. Meditation practice helps us to pacify our mind and to attain our concentration.
( ) 14. When practicing charity, one must not bear in one’s mind the notion of “I”, the donor, the receiver and the object donated.
( ) 15. Humans have three types of sickness; they are greed, hatred and ignorance.
( ) 16. The purpose of meditation in Buddhism is to obtain supernatural power.
( ) 17. The founder of Fo Guang University is Venerable Master Hsing Yun.
( ) 18. Buddhist cultivation is only comprised of chanting, practicing meditation and attending retreats.
( ) 19. The Buddha attained enlightenment on April 8th, which is also called the Dharma Day. (December 8th)
( ) 20. Buddhists with the right understanding of the Dharma will not practice fortune telling, horoscope reading, feng shui (an art of placement or arrangement), and hypnosis or psychic powers.
II. Multiple Choice (20%)
( ) 1. The main reason in promoting a vegetarian diet in Buddhism is to
A) improve health
B) improve facial complexion
C) nurture compassion
( ) 2. The Buddha preached to the five disciples in his first turning of the Dharma wheel
A) the Six Paramitas
B) the Five Precepts
C) the Four Noble Truths
( ) 3. When learning or listening to the Dharma, one should
A) contemplate accordingly
B) accept, believe and practice accordingly
C) examine the Buddhist principles deeply
D) all of the above
( ) 4. In the four elements, the properties of Earth are both hard and strong. Which of the following aspects of our physical body are associated with the hard and strong elements of the Earth?
A) Hairs, nails, teeth, muscles, skin, bones and tendons.
B) Excretions, blood, tears and wastes.
C) Warmth and breath.
( ) 5. Due to bad deeds and karma, one will fall into the three lower realms, which are
A) heaven, human, and asura
B) hell, ghost, and animal
C) sravaka, pratyeka, and Buddha
( ) 6. The propagation of Buddhism is the responsibility of
A) monastics
B) lay people
C) both monastics and lay people
( ) 7. The Buddhist calendar year commences from
A) the birthday of the Buddha
B) the enlightenment day of the Buddha
C) the day of nirvana of the Buddha
( ) 8. The Three Poisons are
A) greed, anger and ignorance
B) killing, stealing and sexual misconduct
C) three types of drugs
( ) 9. The Ten Wholesome Conducts can be classified into three types: the body, speech and mind. The mind also has three types of notion, which are
A) to rid of greed, hatred and ill view
B) not to kill, not to steal and no sexual misconduct
C) to avoid lying, indulging in frivolous speech or speaking harsh words
( ) 10. April 8th is the day of
A) Buddha’s nirvana
B) Buddha’s birthday
C) Buddha’s enlightenment
( ) 11. The one-day precept taken by a layperson in a temple is called the
A) Five Precepts
B) Bodhisattva Precepts
C) Eight Precepts
( ) 12. Fo Guang Shan propagates
A) Retreating Buddhism
B) Ascetic Buddhism
C) Humanistic Buddhism
( ) 13. The three unwholesome actions caused by the mind are
A) covetousness, resentment and envy
B) ill will, wrong view and jealousy
C) covetousness, ill will and wrong view
( ) 14. Mahayana means
A) to benefit oneself and others
B) to keep all benefits to oneself
C) to benefit others only
( ) 15. After a person passes away, he/she will be reborn according to his/her
A) soul
B) karmic force
C) God
( ) 16. The principle of non-killing is based on
A) considering others as ourselves
B) the respect of life
C) all of the above
( ) 17. The word “Namo” means
A) no Buddha in the south
B) to take refuge
C) a chanting sound
( ) 18. The advocator of Humanistic Buddhism in our era is
A) Master Hung Yee
B) Master Hsing Yun
C) Master Kung Hei
( ) 19. The Buddha told his disciples that after his nirvana, they should rely on the following as their teacher
A) asceticism
B) precepts
C) Maitreya Bodhisattva
( ) 20. The main cause of our suffering is
A) other people
B) our family
C) our own desires
III. Fill in the Blanks (35%)
1. The Triple Gem in Buddhism refers to ( ), ( ) and ( ).
2. The founder of Buddhism is ( ), whose name was ( ) before he was ordained.
3. The Four Noble Truths are ( ), ( ), ( )and the truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
4. The Six Perfections cultivated by a bodhisattva are the Perfection of ( ),
( ), ( ), ( ), ( ) and prajna/wisdom.
5. The three major basic afflictions in life are ( ), ( ) and ( ).
6. The truth realized by the Buddha upon his enlightenment is ( ).
7. The Three Realms of existence are the ( ), the ( ) and the
formless realms.
8. The Five Precepts are: ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ), and ( ).
9. According to the Buddha, all phenomena of existence are ( ).
10. The five skandhas are ( ), ( ), ( ),( ), and ( ).
11. The Noble Eightfold Path are: ( ), ( ), ( ), Right Action, Right Livelihood, ( ), Right Mindfulness and ( ).
IV. Questions: (25%)
1. What is “Humanistic Buddhism”?
2. What are the Four Reliances?
3. What are the Three Dharma seals? Please explain briefly.
4. Select one of the eight components within the Noble Eightfold Path that suits you the best and explain how you apply it in your daily life.
5. How do you look at cause and effect as a guide to your actions?
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