Learning About World Religions: Buddhism

According to the passage, what does the word "Buddha" mean?

• Awakened One

• Enlightened Teacher

• Peaceful Mind

• Sacred Spirit

Based on the passage, why did Prince Siddhartha leave his royal life at the age of 29?

• To go in search of spiritual peace.

• To become the king of a neighboring kingdom.

• To escape from his enemies.

• To find hidden treasures.

Using evidence from the passage, the teachings of Buddhism were different from the social structure of ancient India because:

• Buddhism rejected the caste system and promoted equality among all people.

• Buddhism supported the strict hierarchy of the caste system.

• Buddhism encouraged discrimination based on birth and social status.

• Buddhism taught that only priests could achieve enlightenment.

Read the passage carefully. Who wanted Prince Siddhartha to be a great and powerful ruler?

• His father (the king)

• His mother

• His friends

• The people of the kingdom

Why did the king provide Siddhartha with only the finest gardens, houses, education, and food?

• To protect him from all of the horrors of the world.

• To prepare him for war.

• To make him a great merchant.

• To encourage him to travel widely.

Prince Siddhartha might have felt curious about the world outside the palace walls because he wanted to learn about life beyond his sheltered upbringing. Use evidence from the passage to support your answer.

• He wanted to learn about life beyond his sheltered upbringing.

• He was searching for new treasures to bring to the palace.

• He was planning to leave the palace forever.

• He was bored with his royal duties.

What three forms of suffering did Siddhartha encounter during his journeys outside the palace?

• Aging, sickness, and death.

• Poverty, hunger, and war.

• Loneliness, betrayal, and fear.

• Greed, anger, and jealousy.

On Siddhartha's first trip, what did his chariot driver say about the old man?

• The driver said that the man was old, and that everyone's body weakens with age.

• The driver said that the man was a wise sage who could grant wishes.

• The driver said that the man was a traveler from a distant land.

• The driver said that the man was pretending to be old for a festival.

Why did the sight of aging, sickness, and death trouble Siddhartha?

• Because he realized that everyone, including himself, would experience suffering through aging, sickness, and death.

• Because he thought these things only happened to poor people.

• Because he believed he could avoid them by meditating.

• Because he was told stories about them but never saw them before.

Read the passage carefully. Which of the following best describes the significance of Siddhartha's discoveries during his journeys?

• He learned about the pleasures of palace life.

• He realized that suffering is a universal part of human life.

• He decided to become a king.

• He ignored the suffering he saw.