Deck 9: The Good Life

Question 1

Who is Arjuna? Who is Krishna? What is the problem about which Arjuna receives counsel from Krishna? What advise does Krishna give to Arjuna?

Answer 1

No Answer

Question 2

What is the path of Karma? Why does Krishna instruct Arjuna to take this path? Do you think this is good advice?

Answer 2

No Answer

Question 3

What do you take to be the significance of the following quote said by Krishna: "I am time, the destroyer of all; I have come to consume the world"?

Answer 3

No Answer

Question 4

Krishna emphasizes the importance of selfless actions.

Question 5

Krishna emphasizes the duty to refrain from acting.

Question 6

Krishna is an incarnation of the god Vishnu.

Question 7

Initially, Arjuna lamented the thought of the suffering that would follow the great battle.

Question 8

Krishna claims that the self is eternal.

Question 9

Jnana yoga is the active path of selfless service.

Question 10

Krishna instructs Arjuna to work for his own profit.

Question 11

Krishna claims that the wise work for the welfare of the world.

Question 12

Krishna claims to be the destroyer of all.

Question 13

Krishna instructs Arjuna to conquer his enemies.

Question 14

Krishna initially counsels Arjuna that he should not grieve the death of men because the self is

A) finite.
B) mortal.
C) eternal.
D) Both a and b

Question 15

Krishna emphasizes the importance of acting

A) selflessly.
B) selfishly.
C) for profit.
D) Both b and c

Question 16

The active path of selfless service is

A) jnana yoga.
B) karma.
C) dharma.
D) Both a and b

Question 17

According to Krishna, the wise work for

A) themselves.
B) profit.
C) the welfare of the world.
D) Both a and b

Question 18

After assuming his lordly form, Krishna instructs Arjuna to

A) put an end to the battle.
B) conquer his enemies.
C) take the contemplative path of spiritual wisdom.
D) Both a and c

Question 19

Who is Krishna?

A) an incarnation of Vishnu.
B) an incarnation of Arjuna.
C) a mortal man.
D) None of the above

Question 20

Who is Vishnu?

A) a god who is incarnated as Krishna.
B) a god who is incarnated at Arjuna.
C) a god who descends on Arjuna unexpectedly.
D) a mere charioteer for Arjuna.

Question 21

What troubles Arjuna at the beginning of the passage?

A) his own mortality.
B) the destruction that would follow a great battle.
C) the presence of the supreme god Vishnu.
D) All of the above

Question 22

The Bhagavad Gita is a classic work of __________ thought.

A) African
B) Hindu
C) Jain
D) Islamic

Question 23

The word "Bhagavadgita" means

A) "Song of the Lord."
B) "Forest of Men."
C) "Wings of the Bird."
D) "Hope and Change."

Question 24

What does Xunzi mean when he says that "Heaven's way is constant"? Does that conflict with his claim that if you "[r]espond to it with good government, good fortune will result [and if you] respond to it with disorder, misfortune will result"? Why or why not?

Question 25

What role do the orderly and disorderly reigns of the sage-king Yu and the tyrant Jie play in Xunzi's argument?

Question 26

What, according to Xunzi, should rulers pay attention to in predicting the future of their society? Why? What shouldn't they pay attention to, and why shouldn't they pay attention to it?

Question 27

Xunzi believes that Heaven controls everything that happens on Earth.

Question 28

Xunzi thinks that good governments can always protect their people from bad luck.

Question 29

Xunzi says that rulers should not regard natural events as good or bad omens.

Question 30

Xunzi argues that the main difference between the successful person and the unsuccessful person is that the successful person focuses only on what is in his or her power.

Question 31

Xunzi believes that eclipses, shooting stars, etc. have no effect on earthly events.

Question 32

Xunzi believes that religious rituals have no effect on heavenly events.

Question 33

Xunzi's primary goal in this chapter is to

A) contrast the reign of the sage-king Yu with that of the tyrant Jie to show the beneficial effects that good government has on society.
B) show that the gods are indifferent to what happens among mortals, regardless of what rituals people perform.
C) convince people to stop worrying about luck and heavenly favor and start focusing on managing their own affairs better.
D) argue that, since society's well-being depends primarily on natural events like floods and droughts, society must resign itself to Heaven's will.

Question 34

With which of the following statements would Xunzi be most likely to agree?

A) Society's well-being depends mostly on how good its government is, not how good its luck is.
B) Society can prosper only if it has good government, good land, and good luck.
C) Only rulers who understand the causes behind natural processes can guide society to prosperity.
D) What most people perceive as good luck is really the favor of Heaven, which good rulers must cultivate.

Question 35

Xunzi claims that if rulers govern their society well, then

A) Heaven cannot bring society to ruin.
B) Heaven still determines whether society prospers.
C) Heaven will reward the ruler with good luck.
D) Heaven will make society rich.

Question 36

Xunzi compares the reign of the sage-king Yu with the reign of the evil tyrant Jie in order to

A) show that only good rulers can retain the Mandate of Heaven.
B) argue that governance, not fortune, determines the fate of society.
C) give examples of Heaven rewarding good rulers and punishing bad rulers.
D) explain how rulers can earn or lose the support of their people.

Question 37

Xunzi contrasts eclipses and shooting stars with neglected crops and "men and women mingling wantonly" in order to

A) suggest a connection between bad omens in the heavens and bad behaviors on earth.
B) argue that because we cannot know the causes of heavenly events, we must stick to things we can understand.
C) argue that Heaven demonstrates its displeasure at human misbehavior by sending bad omens.
D) suggest that society's future depends on people's behavior, not on supernatural omens.

Question 38

Why does Epicurus claim that death is nothing to us? Do you agree? Explain.

Question 39

Do you agree with Epicurus that it is better to fail reasonably than to succeed by chance? Explain.

Question 40

Epicurus claims that there is no god.

Question 41

Epicurus values philosophy.

Question 42

Epicurus thinks that luxurious goods are part of the pleasurable life.

Question 43

What does Koheleth mean when he says that "all is futile and pursuit of wind"? Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Question 44

Koheleth claims that "[t]here is nothing worthwhile for a man but to eat and drink and afford himself enjoyment with his means." Do you think that this is the way to live a good life? Why or why not?

Question 45

What do you think Koheleth means when he says that "in respect of the fate of man and the fate of beast, they have one and the same fate: as the one dies so dies the other, and both have the same lifebreath; man has no superiority over beast, since both amount to nothing." Do you agree or disagree?

Question 46

When Koheleth claims that all efforts are pursuit of wind, he means that all efforts are worthwhile.

Question 47

Koheleth claims that all efforts are futile.

Question 48

According to the Ecclesiastes, the way to live well is to eat, drink, and find enjoyment.

Question 49

According to the Ecclesiastes, enjoyment is a gift of God.

Question 50

According to the Ecclesiastes, our lives are imbued with a much higher value than the lives of beasts.

Question 51

According to the Ecclesiastes, our fate depends on our righteousness.

Question 52

According to the Ecclesiastes, our fate depends on God.

Question 53

Koheleth claims that there is nothing new beneath the sun.

Question 54

Koheleth claims that thinking about death leads us to realize the inherent meaning in our efforts.

Question 55

Koheleth claims that by acquiring wealth he realized that his success was futile.

Question 56

According to the Ecclesiastes, all efforts are

A) futile.
B) meaningful.
C) worthwhile.
D) Both b and c

Question 57

According to the Ecclesiastes, the only worthwhile thing for us to do is to

A) eat, drink, and enjoy ourselves.
B) eat, drink, and amass a large fortune.
C) give away our wealth.
D) Both b and c

Question 58

According to the Ecclesiastes, whenever we eat and drink and get enjoyment it is a gift of

A) man.
B) God.
C) Vishnu.
D) None of the above

Question 59

According to the Ecclesiastes, man's fate depends on

A) his righteousness.
B) his wickedness.
C) God.
D) Both a and b

Question 60

The main point of the Ecclesiastes is that

A) our efforts are ultimately futile, so we should eat, drink, and enjoy what God gives us.
B) our efforts ultimately futile, so we should embrace nihilism.
C) our efforts are ultimately meaningful, so we should seek to impress God.
D) our efforts are ultimately meaningful, so we should work hard to amass large fortunes.

Question 61

Ecclesiastes is a book from the

A) Bible.
B) Tao Te Ching.
C) Upanishads.
D) Analects.

Question 62

Koheleth is presented as someone who has

A) riches.
B) authority.
C) prestige.
D) All of the above

Question 63

The text suggests that all of our actions are

A) determined by God.
B) righteous in the eyes of God.
C) the result of free will.
D) the result of total chaos.

Question 64

The text claims that men have engaged in too much

A) eating.
B) drinking.
C) reasoning.
D) Both a and b

Question 65

According to the text, if God gives a man riches and property

A) he is permitted to enjoy them and take his portion.
B) he is required to give it all to charity.
C) he will suffer eternal damnation.
D) None of the above

Question 66

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus offers up what has come to be known as the Golden Rule: "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you." Do you think that this is a good guideline for living an ethical life? Why or why not?

Question 67

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus has been interpreted as endorsing pacifism, saying, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Pacifism is the theory that peaceful rather than violent methods should be used to resolve disputes. Do you believe that we have a moral obligation to engage in pacifism? Why or why not?

Question 68

To what extent do you believe that contemporary culture is marked by the teachings of Jesus?

Question 69

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus says that the poor are cursed.

Question 70

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus says that the peacemakers are blessed.

Question 71

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus says that those who are persecuted are damned.

Question 72

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus tells his disciples to abide by "An eye for an eye."

Question 73

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus warns his disciples against practicing piety before others in order to be seen.

Question 74

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus tells his disciples that they should pray in public.

Question 75

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus tells his disciples not to judge so that they may not be judged.

Question 76

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus tells his disciples to "do to others as you would have them do to you."

Question 77

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus warns his disciples to beware of false profits.

Question 78

In the "Sermon on the Mount," Jesus tells his disciples to be courageous in battle.

Question 79

One of the first precepts offered by Jesus in "The Sermon on the Mount" is "Blessed are the __________ in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

A) hard-working
B) self-sufficient
C) wealthy
D) poor

Question 80

In "The Sermon on the Mount," Jesus declares the __________ will be called the children of God.

A) warmongers
B) peacemakers
C) authorities
D) None of the above