Deck 1: The Asian Sages: Lao-Tzu, Confucius, and Buddha

Question 1

Lao-tzu advocated doing nothing to accomplish great deeds.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Buddha claimed that the elimination of analytic thinking was the way to truth.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

"Wu wei" means "to act."

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Heraclitus said that all things are static.

Question 5

Confucius held high political office.

Question 6

"Dao" can be precisely defined.

Question 7

We should prefer Yin to Yang

Question 8

Lao-tzu asks us to put aside our intuitions.

Question 9

Lao-tzu writes of "the Undivided."

Question 10

Lao-tzu preached a doctrine without words.

Question 11

Traditional Chinese history holds that the Period of the Warring States began in 453 B.C.E.

Question 12

Confucius wrote, "He who thinks but does not learn is in danger."

Question 13

Epictetus was a Stoic.

Question 14

According to Confucius, only the stupid do not change.

Question 15

"Tao" means "thought."

Question 16

Heraclitus was a Chinese sage.

Question 17

Lao-tzu was known only by his nickname.

Question 18

The true sage, according to Lao-tzu, holds that nothing is permanent.

Question 19

"Yin" is positive.

Question 20

The Tao te Ching has the most number of English translations available of any book.

Question 21

The Analects is an important Indian text.

Question 22

For Confucius, hypocrites were thieves of

A) silence
B) ease
C) work
D) virtue

Question 23

Lao-tzu held that the more laws there are, the more criminals there are.

Question 24

The Tao refers to

A) moral truth
B) a system
C) a way of life
D) a path of righteousness

Question 25

According to tradition, how long did the Period of the Warring States last?

A) 100 years
B) 30 years
C) 550 years
D) 300 years

Question 26

Confucius held that hypocrites were rice-bags.

Question 27

"Chun-tzu" literally means

A) The lord's son
B) The son of God
C) Weakness
D) Virtue

Question 28

Confucius characterized the Tao as a moral Mean.

Question 29

Tao is also known as

A) Tan
B) Top
C) Dan
D) Dao

Question 30

According to Confucius, we should avoid seeking equilibrium on the individual level.

Question 31

"Te" means virtue.

Question 32

The traditional rules of conduct in war are termed the

A) lo
B) li
C) dao
D) do

Question 33

For Confucius, virtue is potent.

Question 34

What must we pass over in silence, according to Wittgenstein?

A) Love
B) Death
C) What we cannot speak of
D) What we most despise

Question 35

According to legend, how old was Lao-tzu when he resigned his position?

A) 120
B) 90
C) 160
D) 100

Question 36

According to Chuang-tzu, what are all things longing for?

A) Peace
B) Prosperity
C) Life
D) Love

Question 37

According to some, the Way is constantly

A) changing
B) sought
C) unknown
D) nameless

Question 38

Confucius held that the people should be regulated by punishment.

Question 39

Confucius saw himself as a creator of something new.

Question 40

The ancient sages were humanists.

Question 41

Who opened Siddhartha's eyes?

A) Seneca
B) Channa
C) Aristotle
D) Confucius

Question 42

How many "baskets" of Buddhist teachings are there?

A) 3
B) 4
C) 6
D) 9

Question 43

Why do we suffer, according to Buddha?

A) Because we Are
B) Because we are partial to ourselves
C) Because we are partial to others
D) Because we are sinful beings

Question 44

Siddhartha Gautama was born in

A) India
B) Nepal
C) Iran
D) Sierre Leone

Question 45

Nirvana is the annihilation of

A) the Other
B) the id
C) the ego
D) Society

Question 46

Do you think that it is possible to lead a fulfilling human life while being completely selfish? Explain your view, and show how it connects to the thought of Confucius.

Question 47

Do you believe that there are important elements of human experience that cannot be articulated in words? If so, do you think that such a failure would undermine any attempt to understand them? If not, why do you think that so many philosophers have believed that this is the case?

Question 48

What is meant by the Buddhist claim that "to exist is to suffer"? Do you believe that this is necessarily true? Why, or why not?

Question 49

"Shu" is

A) Altruism
B) Selfishness
C) Courage
D) Dishonesty

Question 50

Do you believe that material comfort and wisdom are necessarily opposed to each other? Explain your answer, and illustrate it by referring to the views of both Confucius and the Buddha.

Question 51

A "hsiao-jen" is a

A) vulgar man
B) great man
C) virtuous man
D) well-mannered man

Question 52

What is love of learning akin to, according to Confucius?

A) Love of self
B) Wisdom
C) Altruism
D) Sobriety

Question 53

Who was Buddha's closest disciple?

A) A blacksmith
B) Channa
C) Ananda
D) Seneca

Question 54

Do you believe that people can only flourish in society? Why do you believe as you do? How do your views connect to the Chinese concept of li ?

Question 55

A person who turns away from pleasure to find peace of mind is

A) a martyr
B) confused
C) an ascetic
D) a mediator

Question 56

How many Noble Truths are there?

A) 3
B) 4
C) 6
D) 9

Question 57

The original meaning of "the Buddha" is

A) The Enlightened One
B) The Old One
C) The Peaceful One
D) The Fat One

Question 58

What is the law of moral causation called, for a Buddhist?

A) Dogma
B) Li
C) Vinya
D) Karma

Question 59

Which set of Buddhist teachings is for monks?

A) Sutta Pitaka
B) Vinya Hesh
C) Vinaya Pitaka
D) Abhidhamma Pitaka

Question 60

The tree under which Buddha sat is known as the

A) Bondi Tree
B) Tree of Knowledge
C) Bodhi Tree
D) Tree of Life

Question 61

Which should we prefer, Yin or Yang, and why?

Question 62

Do you think that Lao-tzu was correct when he said that the more laws that we have the more criminals we will have? What do you think he meant here? How does this connect to his views of the Way?

Question 63

In what ways can naming something be important? Can naming something alter how we think about it? Or does the name that we give to something only communicate what we already think of it? Explain your answer, giving both concrete examples to illustrate your points and linking your answer to the thought of Lao-tzu.