Ghost Quiz

1
Ghost Quiz
2
In the early Vedic system beings stayed in the
afterlife once dead

• True
• False

3
Wrong!

• In pre-Buddhist ancient India there was a
  progression of ideas concerning the afterlife and
  rebirth.
• One of the oldest ideas was alternating system
  between this world and an underworld. In the
  early Vedic period the afterlife was considered
  to be a dark and shadowy place. There was a
  desire to be reborn back into this world with
  ones family.
• Next Question

4
Correct!

• In pre-Buddhist ancient India there was a
  progression of ideas concerning the afterlife and
  rebirth.
• One of the oldest ideas was alternating system
  between this world and an underworld. In the
  early Vedic period the afterlife was considered
  to be a dark and shadowy place. There was a
  desire to be reborn back into this world with
  ones family.
• Next Question

5
Karma appeared in the later Vedic period, what
did it represent?

• A. Emotional Action
• B. Sacrificial Action
• C. Social Action

6
Wrong!

• Karma appeared in the later Vedic period as
  sacrificial acts which if correctly performed
  would enable a desired result to come into
  effect, if the sacrifice was performed
  incorrectly then there would not be a result.
• In texts such as the Upani?ads it was explained
  that actions performed on a small scale
  (microcosm) would have an effect on the cosmos as
  a whole (macrocosm).
• Next Question

7
Correct!

• Karma appeared in the later Vedic period as
  sacrificial acts which if correctly performed
  would enable a desired result to come into
  effect, if the sacrifice was performed
  incorrectly then there would not be a result.
• In texts such as the Upani?ads it was explained
  that actions performed on a small scale
  (microcosm) would have an effect on the cosmos as
  a whole (macrocosm).
• Next Question

8
Karma in Buddhism is the result of all
intentional actions

• True
• False

9
Wrong!

• Karma, within Buddhist thought, is a system of
  cause and effect. Rather than being linked to
  ritual actions karma is understood to concern all
  intentional thoughts and actions.
• What this means is that actions have a moral
  quality to them. Actions that are intentionally
  good and well meaning will have positive outcomes
  whereas actions that are intentionally selfish,
  discriminatory and hurtful will produce negative
  outcomes.
• Next Question

10
Correct!

• Karma, within Buddhist thought, is a system of
  cause and effect. Rather than being linked to
  ritual actions karma is understood to concern all
  intentional thoughts and actions.
• What this means is that actions have a moral
  quality to them. Actions that are intentionally
  good and well meaning will have positive outcomes
  whereas actions that are intentionally selfish,
  discriminatory and hurtful will produce negative
  outcomes.
• Next Question

11
How many levels of rebirth are there listed in
the Abhidharma?

• A. 8
• B. 31
• C. 108

12
Wrong!

• In the Abhidharma it is explained that there are
  thirty-one levels of existence. These levels are
  an expansion of the six gatis. These are as a god
  (deva), demi-god (or asura which do not feature
  in all lists), human, animal, ghost and hell
  being.
• Next Question

13
Correct!

• In the Abhidharma it is explained that there are
  thirty-one levels of existence. These levels are
  an expansion of the six gatis. These are as a god
  (deva), demi-god (or asura which do not feature
  in all lists), human, animal, ghost and hell
  being.
• Next Question

14
In Buddhist thought ghosts are only found in
hells?

• True
• False

15
Wrong!

• Within the frame work of Buddhist doctrine ghosts
  can be
• Hungry ghosts (peta) as one of the six forms of
  existence.
• Hell beings as one of the six forms of existence.
  
• Intermediate beings in between those six
  existences (Tibetan Buddhists for example teach
  that there is an in-between stage of up to 49
  days between death and rebirth).
• Next Question

16
Correct!

• Within the frame work of Buddhist doctrine ghosts
  can be
• Hungry ghosts (peta) as one of the six forms of
  existence.
• Hell beings as one of the six forms of existence.
  
• Intermediate beings in between those six
  existences (Tibetan Buddhists for example teach
  that there is an in-between stage of up to 49
  days between death and rebirth).
• Next Question

17
What are ghosts in Buddhist culture?

• A. The newly dead who linger near their body
• B. Ancestors
• C. Local spirits

18
Correct!

• All of the options were correct. Within the frame
  work of Buddhist practice ghosts can be
• Anyone (newly) dead who is still lingering near
  the corpse or his former home (preta).
• Ancestors (pit?) who look after family lineage
  and harvest
• local spirits, too came to be incorporated.
• Next Question

19
What can be given to ghosts to help them?

• A. Nothing, ghosts are beyond help
• B. Merit
• C. Stones

20
Wrong!

• Merit is given to ghosts and the deceased in
  order to provide them with a better rebirth.
  Merit can be given in a number of ways. Through
  chanting, offerings and there are even festivals
  in Laos and China that are dedicated to
  generating merit for ghosts.
• Next Question

21
Correct!

• Merit is given to ghosts and the deceased in
  order to provide them with a better rebirth.
  Merit can be given in a number of ways. Through
  chanting, offerings and there are even festivals
  in Laos and China that are dedicated to
  generating merit for ghosts.
• Next Question

22

• What is this?

23
What is in the previous picture?

• A. Paper money used as an offering in China to
  transfer merit to ghosts
• B. Paper money dying people give out to avoid
  becoming ghosts
• C. Paper money used as fuel for cremations

24
Wrong!

• In China there are a number of rituals that are
  performed in memory of the dead during the course
  of the Ghost Month. During this period the
  spirits of the dead are invited to the Buddhist
  monasteries to participate. At the end of the
  Ghost Month the paper money (as pictured) is
  burned as part of an offering to generate merit
  for ghosts.
• Next Question

25
Correct!

• In China there are a number of rituals that are
  performed in memory of the dead during the course
  of the Ghost Month. During this period the
  spirits of the dead are invited to the Buddhist
  monasteries to participate. At the end of the
  Ghost Month the paper money (as pictured) is
  burned as part of an offering to generate merit
  for ghosts.
• Next Question

26
Ghosts are seen as being dangerous?

• True
• False

27
Wrong!

• In some Buddhist cultures it is understood that
  one can become a ghost if they have a bad death.
  That is, if one dies in a violent or untimely
  manner.
• These ghosts are often seen as dangerous and
  there are rituals and festivals in which the
  living can placate ghosts by feeding and clothing
  them.

28
Correct!

• In some Buddhist cultures it is understood that
  one can become a ghost if they have a bad death.
  That is, if one dies in a violent or untimely
  manner.
• These ghosts are often seen as dangerous and
  there are rituals and festivals in which the
  living can placate ghosts by feeding and clothing
  them.

29
What is the collection of ghost stories in the
Pali Canon called?

• A. Jatakas
• B. Petavatthu
• C. Theragatha

30
Wrong!

• There is a canonical book, the Petavatthu, which
  is a collection of ghost stories. This is found
  within the Kuddhaka Nikaya.
• The Jatakas are a collection of stories about the
  previous lives of the Buddha. They are also found
  within the Kuddhaka Nikaya.
• The Theragatha is a collection of poetry that was
  recited by monks found within the Kuddhaka
  Nikaya.

31
Correct!