A BUDDHIST CATECHISM

　　Ques. 1 What is your religion?

　　Ans.    I am a Buddhist.

　　Ques. 2 What is Buddhism?

　　Ans.    Buddhism is the teaching of all the Buddhas.

　　Ques. 3 What is a Buddha?

　　Ans.    A Buddha is a very wise man who has freed himself from all ignorance.

　　Ques. 4 Is Buddha a God?

　　Ans.    No, He is far greater than any God or ordinary man.

　　Ques. 5 Why is He greater than any God or ordinary man?

　　Ans.    Because of His own efforts He found the Truth.

　　Ques. 6 Is the word Buddha a proper name ?

　　Ans.    No, the word Buddha is not a proper name; it is a title.

　　Ques. 7 What does the word Buddha mean?

　　Ans.    The word Buddha means "The Enlightened One."

　　Ques. 8 Have there been more than one Buddha?

　　Ans.    Yes, there have been many Buddhas.

　　Ques. 9 When did the Buddha live?

　　Ans.    He lived more than 2,500 years ago.

　　Ques. 10 What was he called?

　　Ans.    He was called Shakyamuni.

　　Ques. 11 What does Shakyamuni mean?

　　Ans.    Shakyamuni means " Wise man of the Shakyas."

　　Ques. 12 What was Shakyamuni's real name?

　　Ans.    Siddhartha Gautama.

　　Ques. 13 Who were his parents?

　　Ans.    King Suddhodana and Queen Maya.

　　Ques. 14 Who did King Suddhodana rule over?

　　Ans.    He ruled a tribe in India called Shakya.

　　Ques. 15 Where was Prince Siddhattha born?

　　Ans.    In Lumbini's garden

　　Ques. 16 When was he born?

　　Ans.    623 B.C. (approximately).

　　Ques. 17 What happened when he was born?

　　Ans.    Wisemen foretold that he would either become a great king or a greater teacher.

　　Ques. 18 What did the wise hermit Asita say about the child?

　　Ans.    "Verily, this child will become a supreme Buddha, and will show all men the path to Salvation."

　　Ques. 19 Why did Asita weep after saying this?

　　Ans.    Because he would not live to see the glory of the child.

　　Ques. 20 Was the King glad to hear what the wise men said about his son?

　　Ans.    No, the King did not want his son to become a great Teacher; he wanted him to become a great King.

　　Ques. 21 What did the King do to prevent the prince from becoming a Buddha?

　　Ans.    He made him beautiful palaces, and tried to keep away all knowledge of old age, sickness and death from him.

　　Ques. 22 Did this plan of the King succeed?

　　Ans.    No, when the prince was passing along the streets of the city, he met an old man, a sick man and a funeral.

　　Ques. 23 What did he think when he became aware of these things?

　　Ans.    How can I find a way to save all men from such suffering?

　　Ques. 24 What did the prince decide to do?

　　Ans.    To leave his home and go out and search for the way.

　　Ques. 25 .Was it hard for him to leave his home?

　　Ans.    Yes, because he had a beautiful wife and a dear little baby boy.

　　Ques. 26 Did his wife try to stop his going?

　　Ans.    No, because he left in the middle of the night without telling her anything.

　　Ques. 27 How old was he when he left home?

　　Ans.    Twenty-nine years old.

　　Ques. 28 Where did he go first?

　　Ans.    To a place named Rajagriha.

　　Ques. 29 Who visited him there?

　　Ans.    King Bimbisara and his court.

　　Ques. 30 Where did the prince go then?

　　Ans.    To the forests where there were wise men, whose disciple he became.

　　Ques. 31 What did these wise men teach?

　　Ans.    They taught that by prayer and by suffering the way of truth could be found.

　　Ques. 32 Did the prince find the truth in this way?

　　Ans.    No.

　　Ques. 33 What did he do then?

　　Ans.    He went to the forest and tortured his body, and ate very little food.

　　Ques. 34 Who joined him there?

　　Ans.    Five Holy men.

　　Ques. 35 How long did the prince continue to do these things ?

　　Ans.    For nearly six years till he nearly died of weakness and pain.

　　Ques. 36 What did he do then?

　 　Ans.    He decided to eat enough to keep the strength in his body, and not torture himself any more, but to look for the Truth within his own mind.

　　Ques. 37 Did he succeed this time?

　　Ans.    Yes, while sitting beneath the Bodhi tree he suddenly saw all Truth, the reason of suffer-ing, birth and death, and the way to transcend them.

　　Ques. 38 What does transcend mean?

　　Ans.    Transcend means to rise above and go beyond.

　　Ques. 39 Would you call a person a Buddhist who had merely  been born of Buddhist parents?

　 　Ans.    Certainly not, a Buddhist is one who professes a belief in the Buddha as the noblest of teachers, and in the doctrine preached by Him.

　　Ques. 40 Sum up the teaching of the Buddha in one verse..

　　Ans.     To cease from all evil,
　　　　  To attain virtue,
　　　　  To cleanse one's own heart,
　　　　  This is the religion of the Buddhas.

　　Ques. 41 I notice you say, religion of the Buddhas; have there been many Buddhas?

　 　Ans.    Yes, Shakyamuni was the fourth Buddha in the present Kalpa. He is an historical personage and his name was Siddhartha Gautama.

　　Ques. 42 Who, and what, are the three guides that a Buddhist is supposed to follow?

　　Ans.    The three guides are Buddha, The Law and The Brotherhood.

　　Ques. 43 What do we mean by this?

　 　Ans.    We mean that we regard the Lord Buddha as our all-wise Teacher, that we believe his Law contains the principles of Truth and justice, and that the Brotherhood is the exponent of this Law.

　　Ques. 44 How does Buddhism compare with other religions regarding the number of its followers?

　　Ans.    The followers of Buddha outnumber those of

　　every other religious teacher.

　　Ques. 45 What is the estimated number?

　　Ans.    About 500,000,000—one-third the population of the world.

　　Ques. 46 Have wars been fought or human blood been spilled to spread Buddha's Law?

　　Ans.    So far as we know, it has not caused the spilling of a drop of blood.

　　Ques. 47 How then do you account for the wonderful way it has spread?

　　Ans.    Because founded on Truth, its moral teaching is sufficient for all needs.

　　Ques. 48 How did the Buddha spread his Dharma?

　 　Ans.    For 45 years the Buddha travelled widely in preaching the Law, and sent his wisest followers to do the same in other parts.

　　Ques. 49 Is Buddhism older than Christianity?

　　Ans.    Yes, about 500 years older.

　 Ques. 50 What are the signs by which we know that it is spreading?

　　Ans.    (a) Translations of Buddhist Literature are appearing in Magazines, Reviews and News-papers, as well as in book form.

　　　　(b) Buddhist and non-Buddhist lecturers are publicly speaking on Buddhism in western countries.

　　　　(c) Buddhist societies are to be found in almost every Western country.

　　Ques. 51 What do we mean when we say that the Buddha became Enlightened?

　　Ans.    We mean that he saw the absolute Truth,

　 　namely, "That all life is suffering," "The cause of suffering," " The ceasing of suffer-ing," " The path that led to the cessation of suffering."

　　Ques. 52 What are those four truths called?

　　Ans.    They are called " The Four Noble Truths."

　　Ques. 53 What did the Buddha mean by "All life is suffering? "

　　Ans.    He meant that the very fact of existence is suffering.

　　Ques. 54 What is the cause of suffering?

　　Ans.    Ignorance and desire.

　　Ques. 55 What does the "Cessation of suffering" mean?

　　Ans.    Nirvana.

　　Ques. 56 What is the path by which we attain Nirvana?

　　Ans.    The Noble Eight-fold Path.

　　Ques. 57 What is the Noble Eight-fold Path?

　 　Ans.    Highest Understanding, Highest Mindedness, Highest Speech, Highest Action, Highest Livelihood, Highest Endeavour, Highest Recollectedness, and Highest Concentration.

　　Ques. 58 Divide the Eight-fold Path into three divisions.

　　Ans.    1st. Knowledge or Mind Culture.

　　　　 2nd. Realization or Wisdom.

　　　　 3rd. Manifestation or Morality.

　　Ques. 59 Which belong to the knowledge division?

　　Ans.    Highest Endeavour, Highest Recollectedness, Highest Concentration.

　　Ques. 60. Which come under the heading of Realization ?

　　Ans.    Highest Understanding, Highest Mindedness.

　　Ques. 61 Which come under the heading of Mani-festation?

　　Ans.    Highest Speech, Highest Action and Highest Livelihood.

　　Ques. 62 What is Karma?

　　Ans.    Karma is the law of cause and effect. (All that we are is the result of what we have thought.)

　　Ques. 63 What is the meaning of Nirvana?

　　Ans.    Attainment of Truth.

　　Ques. 64 What is the ultimate goal towards which we are striving?

　　Ans.    We are striving to attain Salvation.

　　Ques. 65 What does Salvation mean?

　　Ans.    Freedom from ignorance, attainment of the Truth.

　　Ques. 66 Is knowledge sufficient without action, and inner realization of truth?

　　Ans.    No, knowledge must lead to correct action and inner realization.

　　Ques. 67 Has Buddhism any right to be considered a, scientific religion?

　 　Ans.    Yes, but Buddhism does not at all depend on science for its source of truth. We are glad that so many of our ancient teachings are now gaining scientific recognition as being proven facts.

　　Ques. 68 Is Buddhism a tolerant religion?

　　Ans.    Yes, it respects everyone's right to make his own decisions, in religion as in everything else.

　　Ques. 69 What is a good way to describe Buddhism in a few words?

　　Ans.    It is a plan for living in such a way as to derive highest benefit from life.

　 　Ques. 70. Is it likely that a person who really understands the Buddhist doctrines could ever sincerely adopt another religion?

　　Ans.    No, because the Buddha-dharma answers the deepest questions of our minds and meets the noblest needs of our emotions.

　　THE INVOCATION OF THE ETERNAL

　　" O, Thou Eternal One,
　　Thou Perfection of Time,
　　Thou Truest Truth,
　　Thou Immutable Essence of all Change,
　　Thou Most excellent Radiance of Mercy,
　　Thou Infinite Compassion,
　　Thou Pity, Thou Charity,
　　Thou who art called the Buddha,
　　We take refuge in Thee!"

　　(An invocation from Thailand—Revised.Translation)

　　With bad advisors forever left behind,
　　From paths of evil he departs for eternity,
　　Soon to see the Buddha of Limitless Light
　　And perfect Samantabhadra's Supreme Vows.

　　The supreme and endless blessings
　　of Samantabhadra's deeds,
　　I now universally transfer.
　　May every living being, drowning and adrift,
　　Soon return to the Pure Land of
　　Limitless Light!

　　-The Vows of Samantabhadra~

　　I vow that when my life approaches its end,
　　All obstructions will be swept away;
　　I will see Amitabha Buddha,
　　And be born in His Western Pure Land of
　　Ultimate Bliss and Peace.

　　When reborn in the Western Pure Land,
　　I will perfect and completely fulfill
　　Without exception these Great Vows,
　　To delight and benefit all beings.

　　-The Vows of Samantabhadra Avatamsaka Sutra—

　　DEDICATION OF MERIT

　　May the merit and virtue
　　accrued from this work
　　adorn Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land,
　　repay the four great kindnesses above,
　　and relieve the suffering of
　　those on the three paths below.
　　May those who see or hear of these efforts
　　generate Bodhi-mind,
　　spend their lives devoted to the Buddha Dharma,
　　and finally be reborn together in
　　the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
　　Homage to Amita Buddha!