Question 1

Maitreyi is the __________ of Yajnavalkya.
A) mother
B) sister
C) wife
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Maitreyi is the wife of Yajnavalkya.

Question 2

Janaka is a
A) king.
B) sage.
C) cow.
D) spirit.

Accepted Answer

Janaka is commonly known as King Janaka, a ruler in the ancient kingdom of Videha.

Question 3

In the text, Gargi challenges
A) Janaka.
B) Yajnavalkya.
C) Maitreyi.
D) the disciple of Yajnavalkya.

Accepted Answer

Gargi Vachaknavi was an ancient Indian philosopher who is mentioned in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of the Vedic tradition. She is known for her profound questions about the nature of reality and the ultimate essence of the universe. In a famous dialogue, Gargi challenges the sage Yajnavalkya with penetrating philosophical questions during a courtly assembly organized by King Janaka. Her questions were aimed at understanding the fundamental basis of all existence, which in the Upanishadic context is referred to as the "unseen seer" or the "knower of the field." Yajnavalkya's responses to Gargi's questions are considered to be significant philosophical contributions to the concepts of Brahman and Atman in Indian philosophy.

Question 4

Explain how Buddhists can deny that there is a permanent "true self" behind experiences without denying that the self exists at all.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain how Buddhists can deny that there...

Question 5

The Hindu concept of ātman entails that each of us is actually just an aspect of Brahman, the unified divine reality. Does the Buddhist doctrine of anātman also entail that we are all just part of the same underlying reality? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Hindu concept of ātman entails that...

Question 6

What are the key differences between Hindu and Buddhist thought that lead Buddhists to accept the doctrine of anātman?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the key differences between Hindu...

Question 7

Buddhism developed as a type of Hinduism.

Accepted Answer

While Buddhism shares some similarities with Hinduism, it emerged as a distinct religion with unique teachings and practices, rather than simply being a type of Hinduism.

Question 8

Kasulis claims that the doctrine of anātman entails that there is no afterlife.

Accepted Answer

Kasulis does not explicitly claim that the doctrine of anātman entails that there is no afterlife. While anātman rejects the idea of a permanent, unchanging self or soul, it does not necessarily preclude the possibility of an afterlife or rebirth. Some interpretations of Buddhism, which embraces the concept of anātman, do include beliefs in reincarnation or rebirth.

Question 9

According to Kasulis, Buddhist philosophy developed as a way to make sense of Buddhist practice.

Accepted Answer

According to Kasulis, Buddhist philosophy arose as a way to explain and understand the practices and experiences of Buddhist practitioners, such as meditation and the pursuit of enlightenment.

Question 10

Kasulis claims that the differences between Indian and Western conceptions of the self arise because most Indian philosophers classified introspection as a "sixth sense."

Accepted Answer

The answer of Kasulis claims that the differences between Indian...

Question 11

The difference between Buddhist and Hindu concepts of the self arises partly because Buddhists believe that there can be perceptions without a perceiver.

Accepted Answer

According to Buddhist philosophy, perceptions can exist without a self or perceiver, while Hinduism believes in the existence of a self or soul as an eternal, unchanging entity.

Question 12

According to Kasulis, Buddhists believe that the "self" does not exist.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Kasulis, Buddhists believe that the...

Question 13

Buddha accepted the possibility of a trance in which all introspective awareness disappears, but disagreed with Hindus about the meaning of such a trance.

Accepted Answer

Buddha accepted the possibility of a trance with no introspective awareness, but did not agree with the Hindu idea of it being a state of ultimate consciousness or union with Brahman. Instead, he saw it as a temporary state devoid of insight and not an ultimate goal of the spiritual path.

Question 14

Buddhists believe that underneath the constantly changing processes of perception, thought, and feeling is an eternal, transcendent self.

Accepted Answer

Buddhists believe in the concept of anatta or non-self, which states that there is no fixed or eternal self underlying our changing experiences. Instead, the self is understood to be a constantly changing process of interdependent factors.

Question 15

Kasulis's primary goal in this chapter is to
A) explain the Buddhist doctrine of anātman by contrasting it with the Hindu concept of ātman.
B) show the philosophical superiority of the doctrine of anātman over the concept of ātman.
C) prove that Buddhist philosophy was parasitic on early Hindu philosophy.
D) argue that the Buddhist doctrine of anātman rests on direct experiential knowledge.

Accepted Answer

Kasulis aims to explain the Buddhist doctrine of anātman by contrasting it with the Hindu concept of ātman, highlighting the differences in understanding self and identity.

Question 16

The Buddhist doctrine of anātman could be most closely summarized as the claim that
A) the self is the unperceived, unchanging thing behind our sensations, thoughts, and feelings.
B) there is no such thing as the self.
C) it is impossible to perceive the true self because that would involve an infinite regress.
D) the self is nothing more than an interrelated set of processes, such as bodily processes and sensations.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Buddhist doctrine of anātman could be...

Question 17

In addition to the five senses recognized in Western philosophy (sight, hearing, etc.), Buddhists recognize which of the following as a "sixth sense"?
A) memory
B) introspection
C) meditation
D) proprioception

Accepted Answer

The sixth sense recognized in Buddhism is introspection, which refers to the ability to observe and be aware of one's own thoughts and mental states. This is considered important in Buddhist practice as a means of developing mindfulness and understanding the nature of the mind. Memory, meditation, and proprioception are not recognized as separate senses in Buddhism but may be considered aspects of the five senses or mental states.

Question 18

According to Kasulis, one key reason that Hindu philosophers disagreed with the Buddhist doctrine of anātman is that
A) Hindu insight meditation enabled Hindu philosophers to perceive a reality that Buddhist philosophers could not.
B) Buddhists, unlike Hindus, believed that perceiving requires a perceiver.
C) Hindus, unlike Buddhists, believed that perceiving requires a perceiver.
D) Buddha's ability to remember past lives enabled him to see that the self changes over time.

Accepted Answer

According to Kasulis, Hindu philosophers believed that perceiving requires a perceiver, which contradicts the Buddhist doctrine of anātman (no-self). Buddhists believed that there is no permanent self, while Hindus believed that there is an eternal self or soul (ātman) that is the perceiver of experiences. This fundamental difference in belief led to disagreements between the two traditions.

Question 19

Kasulis compares the self to a river in order to
A) emphasize that the self is constantly changing, which Hindu philosophers denied.
B) give an example of something that is nothing more than a series of interrelated processes.
C) highlight the widespread use of water-related metaphors in ancient Indian philosophy.
D) offer an analogy for the constant flow of experience in our stream of consciousness.

Accepted Answer

Kasulis uses the river analogy to illustrate the concept of the self as a series of interrelated processes, emphasizing its dynamic and interconnected nature.

Question 20

Which of the following most accurately describes the Buddhist view about whether the self undergoes change?
A) The true self never changes, although its superficial characteristics appear to change.
B) The self undergoes constant change as a result of bodily and sensory processes.
C) The true self never changes, and we recognize this if we introspect closely.
D) The self consists of constantly changing processes, but there is no independent self that "undergoes" those changes.

Accepted Answer

According to Buddhist philosophy, the self is not a permanent entity but rather consists of constantly changing processes. However, there is no independent self that "undergoes" those changes, as the self arises from the interdependence of these processes. Therefore, option D is the most accurate description of the Buddhist view on whether the self undergoes change.

Quiz 4: Reality

Maitreyi is the __________ of Yajnavalkya.

Janaka is a

In the text, Gargi challenges

Explain how Buddhists can deny that there is a permanent "true self" behind experiences without denying that the self exists at all.

The Hindu concept of ātman entails that each of us is actually just an aspect of Brahman, the unified divine reality. Does the Buddhist doctrine of anātman also entail that we are all just part of the same underlying reality? Why or why not?

What are the key differences between Hindu and Buddhist thought that lead Buddhists to accept the doctrine of anātman?

Buddhism developed as a type of Hinduism.

Kasulis claims that the doctrine of anātman entails that there is no afterlife.

According to Kasulis, Buddhist philosophy developed as a way to make sense of Buddhist practice.

Kasulis claims that the differences between Indian and Western conceptions of the self arise because most Indian philosophers classified introspection as a "sixth sense."

The difference between Buddhist and Hindu concepts of the self arises partly because Buddhists believe that there can be perceptions without a perceiver.

According to Kasulis, Buddhists believe that the "self" does not exist.

Buddha accepted the possibility of a trance in which all introspective awareness disappears, but disagreed with Hindus about the meaning of such a trance.

Buddhists believe that underneath the constantly changing processes of perception, thought, and feeling is an eternal, transcendent self.

Kasulis's primary goal in this chapter is to

The Buddhist doctrine of anātman could be most closely summarized as the claim that

In addition to the five senses recognized in Western philosophy (sight, hearing, etc.) , Buddhists recognize which of the following as a "sixth sense"?

According to Kasulis, one key reason that Hindu philosophers disagreed with the Buddhist doctrine of anātman is that

Kasulis compares the self to a river in order to

Which of the following most accurately describes the Buddhist view about whether the self undergoes change?