The ‘Buddhist Circuit’ includes which of the following major sites?
The ‘Buddhist Circuit’ includes which of the following major sites?
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With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements: [2023] 1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist ...Read more
With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements: [2023]
1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.
2. Stupa was, generally, a repository of relics.
3. Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition.
Let's review the statements: The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin – This statement is incorrect. The tradition of building funerary mounds existed before Buddhism, though stupas became closely associated with Buddhist architecture and practices. Stupa was, generally, a repository of relics – TRead more
Let’s review the statements:
Corrected Answer:
Only two statements are correct.
See lessWhat is the significance of meditation in Zen Buddhism?
What is the significance of meditation in Zen Buddhism?
Read less1. Zazen: The Heart of Zen Practice In Zen Buddhism, zazen (seated meditation) is not merely a technique — it is the practice. The word “Zen” itself comes from the Sanskrit dhyāna, which means meditation. Zazen is not a means to an end. It is the end. Key Features of Zazen: Practiced with eyes open,Read more
In Zen Buddhism, zazen (seated meditation) is not merely a technique — it is the practice. The word “Zen” itself comes from the Sanskrit dhyāna, which means meditation.
Zazen is not a means to an end. It is the end.
Practiced with eyes open, facing a wall or natural space.
Focuses on posture, breath, and presence.
Letting thoughts arise and pass without attachment.
No mantra, visualization, or goal.
This style reflects the Zen ideal: radical simplicity, direct experience, and being fully present.
Zen does not teach enlightenment through study or belief. Instead, it emphasizes sudden insight (satori) — a flash of understanding or awakening — often cultivated during deep meditation.
Satori is not mystical escapism; it’s a direct perception of reality without filters.
Zazen creates the stillness and awareness necessary for such moments to occur.
As Zen Master Dōgen said:
“To study the Buddha Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self.”
This forgetting of the self often happens in the stillness of zazen.
Zazen reveals the illusion of a fixed, separate self — the very source of suffering in Buddhist thought. Through quiet sitting:
The ego’s chatter quiets.
One witnesses impermanence and interconnectedness.
The mind stops grasping, labeling, and resisting.
This leads to non-dual awareness — a key theme in Zen — where distinctions between self and other dissolve.
In Zen, meditation isn’t confined to the cushion. It extends to every act — walking, eating, cleaning, speaking.
This reflects the idea of “everyday mind is the Way.”
When washing dishes, just wash dishes.
When walking, just walk.
This is meditation in action — a seamless life of mindfulness.
Thus, meditation trains the mind to be fully present in the ordinary, turning the mundane into the sacred.
Zen is known for its “direct transmission outside the scriptures.”
While traditional Buddhism reveres texts, Zen favors experiential wisdom.
Zazen becomes a silent teacher — one that leads to self-realization beyond words.
As a famous Zen saying goes:
“Don’t seek the truth. Just drop your opinions.”
Meditation is the act of dropping those opinions — layer by layer.
Meditation in Zen is also practiced in structured environments, like sesshin (intensive retreats) and daily zazen in Zen monasteries.
These sessions emphasize:
Routine and discipline
Group energy (sangha)
Ritual simplicity
Even in strict form, Zen meditation remains profoundly personal.
Zen meditation is not about achieving something. It’s about being with what is. It’s the practice of:
Observing reality directly,
Letting go of concepts,
Experiencing truth without filters.
It’s not about escaping life — but waking up to life in its raw, unfiltered form.
In Zen, meditation is the gate. But it is also the path, and ultimately, it becomes the destination itself.
See lessWhat are the main festivals celebrated in Buddhism?
What are the main festivals celebrated in Buddhism?
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The Buddha's teachings are primarily related to practice and sanctity of conduct (moral and ethical living). His philosophy emphasizes right conduct, mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion as the path to enlightenment. Why Practice and Sanctity of Conduct? The Buddha taught the Noble Eightfold Path, whRead more
The Buddha’s teachings are primarily related to practice and sanctity of conduct (moral and ethical living). His philosophy emphasizes right conduct, mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion as the path to enlightenment.
Why Practice and Sanctity of Conduct?
The Buddha taught the Noble Eightfold Path, which includes right speech, right action, and right livelihood— all focusing on ethical and moral behavior.
His teachings emphasize Sīla (moral discipline), which is the foundation for spiritual progress.
The Five Precepts (not killing, not stealing, not lying, not indulging in sexual misconduct, and not consuming intoxicants) highlight the importance of purity in conduct.
Why Not the Other Options?
Self-relating dispute: While Buddhist philosophy addresses conflict resolution through mindfulness and compassion, it does not focus on “self-relating disputes” as a core teaching.
Brahmachari (Celibacy): Though Buddhist monks follow celibacy, lay followers are not required to, making it just one aspect of the monastic path, not the essence of Buddhism.
Religious rituals or practices: Buddhism de-emphasizes rituals, focusing more on wisdom and self-realization rather than external ceremonies.
Conclusion
The Buddha’s teachings primarily focus on the peactice and sanctity of conduct, encouraging ethical living, compassion, and wisdom as the means to liberation.
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