Buddhists believe Gautama Buddha was the first to achieve enlightenment in this Buddha era and is therefore credited with the establishment of Buddhism. A Buddha era is the stretch of history during which people remember and practice the teachings of the earliest known Buddha. This Buddha era will end when all the knowledge, evidence and teachings of Gautama Buddha have vanished. This belief therefore maintains that many Buddha eras have started and ended throughout the course of human existence.[web 15][web 16] The Gautama Buddha, therefore, is the Buddha of this era, who taught directly or indirectly to all other Buddhas in it (see types of Buddhas).

Who is believed to have achieved enlightenment first?

Gautama Buddha

What is the term for the stretch of history during which people rmember and practice the teachings of the earliest known buddha?

A Buddha era

Who is the Buddha of this Buddha era?

Gautama Buddha

Who taught directly or indirectly to all other Buddhas?

Gautama Buddha


In addition, Mahayana Buddhists believe there are innumerable other Buddhas in other universes. A Theravada commentary says that Buddhas arise one at a time in this world element, and not at all in others. The understandings of this matter reflect widely differing interpretations of basic terms, such as "world realm", between the various schools of Buddhism.

Who believes there are innumerable other Buddhas in other universes?

Mahayana Buddhists

What buddhist belief says that Buddhas come one at a time and not within other eras?

Theravada


The idea of the decline and gradual disappearance of the teaching has been influential in East Asian Buddhism. Pure Land Buddhism holds that it has declined to the point where few are capable of following the path, so it may be best to rely on the power of Amitābha.

What form of Buddhism has declined to the point where few are capable of following the path?

Pure Land


Bodhisattva means "enlightenment being", and generally refers to one who is on the path to buddhahood. Traditionally, a bodhisattva is anyone who, motivated by great compassion, has generated bodhicitta, which is a spontaneous wish to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. Theravada Buddhism primarily uses the term in relation to Gautama Buddha's previous existences, but has traditionally acknowledged and respected the bodhisattva path as well.[web 17]

What does Bodhisattva mean?

enlightenment being

What is the term for the spontaneous wish to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all beings?

bodhicitta


According to Jan Nattier, the term Mahāyāna "Great Vehicle" was originally even an honorary synonym for Bodhisattvayāna "Bodhisattva Vehicle." The Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, an early and important Mahayana text, contains a simple and brief definition for the term bodhisattva: "Because he has enlightenment as his aim, a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is so called."

What term means "great vehicle"?

Mahayana

What is an honorary synonym for Bodhisattvayana?

Mahayana

The Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sutra is an important text of what type?

Mahayana


Mahayana Buddhism encourages everyone to become bodhisattvas and to take the bodhisattva vow, where the practitioner promises to work for the complete enlightenment of all beings by practicing the six pāramitās. According to Mahayana teachings, these perfections are: dāna, śīla, kṣanti, vīrya, dhyāna, and prajñā.

What buddhism encourages everyone to become bodhisattvas?

Mahayana

What is the idea there the practitioner promises to work for the complete enlightenment of all beings by practicing the six paramitas?

bodhisattva vow

What are the six perfections under Mahayana teachings?

dāna, śīla, kṣanti, vīrya, dhyāna, and prajñā


A famous saying by the 8th-century Indian Buddhist scholar-saint Shantideva, which the 14th Dalai Lama often cites as his favourite verse, summarizes the Bodhisattva's intention (Bodhicitta) as follows: "For as long as space endures, and for as long as living beings remain, until then may I too abide to dispel the misery of the world."[citation needed]

Which Dalai Lama cites Shantideva's famous saying?

the 14th Dalai Lama


Devotion is an important part of the practice of most Buddhists. Devotional practices include bowing, offerings, pilgrimage, and chanting. In Pure Land Buddhism, devotion to the Buddha Amitabha is the main practice. In Nichiren Buddhism, devotion to the Lotus Sutra is the main practice.

Devotion is an important part of the practice of most what?

Buddhists

What are the devotional practices?

bowing, offerings, pilgrimage, and chanting


Buddhism traditionally incorporates states of meditative absorption (Pali: jhāna; Skt: dhyāna). The most ancient sustained expression of yogic ideas is found in the early sermons of the Buddha. One key innovative teaching of the Buddha was that meditative absorption must be combined with liberating cognition. The difference between the Buddha's teaching and the yoga presented in early Brahminic texts is striking. Meditative states alone are not an end, for according to the Buddha, even the highest meditative state is not liberating. Instead of attaining a complete cessation of thought, some sort of mental activity must take place: a liberating cognition, based on the practice of mindful awareness.

Buddhism traditionally incorporates states of what type of absorption?

meditative

The most acient yogic ideas is found in the early sermons of who?

the Buddha

The difference between the Buddha's teaching and the yoga presented in what what type of texts is significant?

Brahminic

According to the Buddha event he highest meditative state is not what?

liberating


Meditation was an aspect of the practice of the yogis in the centuries preceding the Buddha. The Buddha built upon the yogis' concern with introspection and developed their meditative techniques, but rejected their theories of liberation. In Buddhism, mindfulness and clear awareness are to be developed at all times; in pre-Buddhist yogic practices there is no such injunction. A yogi in the Brahmanical tradition is not to practice while defecating, for example, while a Buddhist monastic should do so.

Meditation was an aspect of the practice of who?

the yogis

In Buddhism, what must be developed at all times?

mindfulness and clear awareness


Religious knowledge or "vision" was indicated as a result of practice both within and outside of the Buddhist fold. According to the Samaññaphala Sutta, this sort of vision arose for the Buddhist adept as a result of the perfection of "meditation" coupled with the perfection of "discipline" (Pali sīla; Skt. śīla). Some of the Buddha's meditative techniques were shared with other traditions of his day, but the idea that ethics are causally related to the attainment of "transcendent wisdom" (Pali paññā; Skt. prajñā) was original.[web 18]

Religious knowledge is also known as what?

vision

What type of techniques were shared with other traditions of his day?

meditative

There is an idea where ethics are causally related to the attainment of what?

transcendent wisdom


The Buddhist texts are probably the earliest describing meditation techniques. They describe meditative practices and states that existed before the Buddha as well as those first developed within Buddhism. Two Upanishads written after the rise of Buddhism do contain full-fledged descriptions of yoga as a means to liberation.

What are probably the earliest texts describing meditation techniques?

Buddhist texts

What describes meditative states exising before the Buddha?

Buddhist texts

What two items were written after the rise of Buddhism?

Upanishads


While there is no convincing evidence for meditation in pre-Buddhist early Brahminic texts, Wynne argues that formless meditation originated in the Brahminic or Shramanic tradition, based on strong parallels between Upanishadic cosmological statements and the meditative goals of the two teachers of the Buddha as recorded in the early Buddhist texts. He mentions less likely possibilities as well. Having argued that the cosmological statements in the Upanishads also reflect a contemplative tradition, he argues that the Nasadiya Sukta contains evidence for a contemplative tradition, even as early as the late Rig Vedic period.

In pre-buddhist early Brahminic texts there is no evidence for what?

meditation

The upanishads statements reflect what type of tradition?

contemplative

What contains evidence for a contemplative tradition?

Nasadiya Sukta


Traditionally, the first step in most Buddhist schools requires taking refuge in the Three Jewels (Sanskrit: tri-ratna, Pāli: ti-ratana)[web 19] as the foundation of one's religious practice. The practice of taking refuge on behalf of young or even unborn children is mentioned in the Majjhima Nikaya, recognized by most scholars as an early text (cf. Infant baptism). Tibetan Buddhism sometimes adds a fourth refuge, in the lama. In Mahayana, the person who chooses the bodhisattva path makes a vow or pledge, considered the ultimate expression of compassion. In Mahayana, too, the Three Jewels are perceived as possessed of an eternal and unchanging essence and as having an irreversible effect: "The Three Jewels have the quality of excellence. Just as real jewels never change their faculty and goodness, whether praised or reviled, so are the Three Jewels (Refuges), because they have an eternal and immutable essence. These Three Jewels bring a fruition that is changeless, for once one has reached Buddhahood, there is no possibility of falling back to suffering.

What is the first step in a school of Buddhism?

the Three Jewels

What mentions taking refuge on behalf of young or unborn children?

Majjhima Nikaya

What type of Buddhism adds a fourth refuge?

Tibetan

The Three Jewels are preceived as possessed of an eternal and unchanging what?

essence.

What has an irreversable effect?

The Three Jewels


According to the scriptures, Gautama Buddha presented himself as a model. The Dharma offers a refuge by providing guidelines for the alleviation of suffering and the attainment of Nirvana. The Sangha is considered to provide a refuge by preserving the authentic teachings of the Buddha and providing further examples that the truth of the Buddha's teachings is attainable.

Who presented himself as a model?

Gautama Buddha

What offers a refuge by providing guidelines for the alleviation of suffering?

Dharma

What provides refuge by preserving the authentic teachings of the Buddha?

Sangha


Śīla (Sanskrit) or sīla (Pāli) is usually translated into English as "virtuous behavior", "morality", "moral discipline", "ethics" or "precept". It is an action committed through the body, speech, or mind, and involves an intentional effort. It is one of the three practices (sīla, samādhi, and paññā) and the second pāramitā. It refers to moral purity of thought, word, and deed. The four conditions of śīla are chastity, calmness, quiet, and extinguishment.

What is an action committed through the body and involves intentional effort?

Śīla

Sila is the second what?

pāramitā


Śīla is the foundation of Samādhi/Bhāvana (Meditative cultivation) or mind cultivation. Keeping the precepts promotes not only the peace of mind of the cultivator, which is internal, but also peace in the community, which is external. According to the Law of Karma, keeping the precepts is meritorious and it acts as causes that would bring about peaceful and happy effects. Keeping these precepts keeps the cultivator from rebirth in the four woeful realms of existence.

What keeps the cultivator from rebirth in the four realms of existance?

keeping the precepts

What is the foundation of Samadhi/Bhavana?

Śīla

What promotes not only the peace of mind but also peace in the community?

keeping the precepts


Śīla refers to overall principles of ethical behavior. There are several levels of sīla, which correspond to "basic morality" (five precepts), "basic morality with asceticism" (eight precepts), "novice monkhood" (ten precepts) and "monkhood" (Vinaya or Patimokkha). Lay people generally undertake to live by the five precepts, which are common to all Buddhist schools. If they wish, they can choose to undertake the eight precepts, which add basic asceticism.

What does sila refer to?

overall principles of ethical behavior

Lay people tend to live by the five what?

precepts

Schools can undertake eight precepts, which add basic what?

asceticism.


The precepts are not formulated as imperatives, but as training rules that laypeople undertake voluntarily to facilitate practice. In Buddhist thought, the cultivation of dana and ethical conduct themselves refine consciousness to such a level that rebirth in one of the lower heavens is likely, even if there is no further Buddhist practice. There is nothing improper or un-Buddhist about limiting one's aims to this level of attainment.

Precepts are not created as imperatives, but as what?

training rules

The cultivation of dana and what kind of conduct refine consciousness?

ethical

Even if there is no further Buddhist practice, what heavens is still likely?

lower


In the eight precepts, the third precept on sexual misconduct is made more strict, and becomes a precept of celibacy. The three additional precepts are:

Of the eight precepts which one is on sexual misconduct?

third

What is the third strict precept on sexual misconduct?

a precept of celibacy


The complete list of ten precepts may be observed by laypeople for short periods. For the complete list, the seventh precept is partitioned into two, and a tenth added:

How many precepts are on the list?

ten

In the complete list of precepts, which one is partitioned into two?

seventh


Vinaya is the specific moral code for monks and nuns. It includes the Patimokkha, a set of 227 rules for monks in the Theravadin recension. The precise content of the vinayapitaka (scriptures on Vinaya) differs slightly according to different schools, and different schools or subschools set different standards for the degree of adherence to Vinaya. Novice-monks use the ten precepts, which are the basic precepts for monastics.

How many basic precepts are there for monastics?

the ten precepts

What is the specific moral code for monks and nuns?

vinaya

How many rules dows the patimokkha have?

What are the scriptures on vinaya called?

vinayapitaka


Regarding the monastic rules, the Buddha constantly reminds his hearers that it is the spirit that counts. On the other hand, the rules themselves are designed to assure a satisfying life, and provide a perfect springboard for the higher attainments. Monastics are instructed by the Buddha to live as "islands unto themselves". In this sense, living life as the vinaya prescribes it is, as one scholar puts it: "more than merely a means to an end: it is very nearly the end in itself."

Regarding the monastic rules, the Buddha reminds his hearers that it is the spirit that what?

counts

The rules themselves are designed to assure a satisfying what?

life

The rules are a perfect springboard for what?

higher attainments

Monastics are instructed by the Buddha to live as what?

islands unto themselves


In Eastern Buddhism, there is also a distinctive Vinaya and ethics contained within the Mahayana Brahmajala Sutra (not to be confused with the Pali text of that name) for Bodhisattvas, where, for example, the eating of meat is frowned upon and vegetarianism is actively encouraged (see vegetarianism in Buddhism). In Japan, this has almost completely displaced the monastic vinaya, and allows clergy to marry.

Distinctive Vinaya and ethics are contained within what sutra?

Mahayana Brahmajala

Bodhisattvas are not encouraged to eat what?

meat

Where is the monastic vinaya displaced and clergy is allowed to marry?

Japan


Buddhist meditation is fundamentally concerned with two themes: transforming the mind and using it to explore itself and other phenomena. According to Theravada Buddhism the Buddha taught two types of meditation, samatha meditation (Sanskrit: śamatha) and vipassanā meditation (Sanskrit: vipaśyanā). In Chinese Buddhism, these exist (translated chih kuan), but Chán (Zen) meditation is more popular. According to Peter Harvey, whenever Buddhism has been healthy, not only monks, nuns, and married lamas, but also more committed lay people have practiced meditation. According to Routledge's Encyclopedia of Buddhism, in contrast, throughout most of Buddhist history before modern times, serious meditation by lay people has been unusual. The evidence of the early texts suggests that at the time of the Buddha, many male and female lay practitioners did practice meditation, some even to the point of proficiency in all eight jhānas (see the next section regarding these).[note 11]

In Chinese Buddhism what meditation is more popular?

Zen

Evidence has shown some lay people got to proficiency in all eight what?

jhānas


In the language of the Noble Eightfold Path, samyaksamādhi is "right concentration". The primary means of cultivating samādhi is meditation. Upon development of samādhi, one's mind becomes purified of defilement, calm, tranquil, and luminous.

What does the word samyaksamadhi mean?

right concentration

Meditation is the primary means of cultivating what?

samādhi

Upon development of samadhi, a person gets rid of what?

defilement, calm, tranquil, and luminous


Once the meditator achieves a strong and powerful concentration (jhāna, Sanskrit ध्यान dhyāna), his mind is ready to penetrate and gain insight (vipassanā) into the ultimate nature of reality, eventually obtaining release from all suffering. The cultivation of mindfulness is essential to mental concentration, which is needed to achieve insight.

What is powerful concentration called?

jhāna

What is the term when the mind is ready to penetrate and gain insight?

vipassanā

Mindfulness is essential to concentration, which is neede to achieve what?

insight


Samatha meditation starts from being mindful of an object or idea, which is expanded to one's body, mind and entire surroundings, leading to a state of total concentration and tranquility (jhāna). There are many variations in the style of meditation, from sitting cross-legged or kneeling to chanting or walking. The most common method of meditation is to concentrate on one's breath (anapanasati), because this practice can lead to both samatha and vipassana'.

Samatha meditation starts from being mindful of an object or what?

idea

What is the term for tranquility?

jhāna


In Buddhist practice, it is said that while samatha meditation can calm the mind, only vipassanā meditation can reveal how the mind was disturbed to start with, which is what leads to insight knowledge (jñāna; Pāli ñāṇa) and understanding (prajñā Pāli paññā), and thus can lead to nirvāṇa (Pāli nibbāna). When one is in jhana, all defilements are suppressed temporarily. Only understanding (prajñā or vipassana) eradicates the defilements completely. Jhanas are also states that Arahants abide in order to rest.

In Buddhism, samatha meditation can calm the what?

mind

Vipassana meditation can reveal how the mind was what?

disturbed

What is the term for insight knowledge?

jñāna

What is the term for understanding?

prajñā

What eradicates the defilements completely?

understanding


In Theravāda Buddhism, the cause of human existence and suffering is identified as craving, which carries with it the various defilements. These various defilements are traditionally summed up as greed, hatred and delusion. These are believed deeply rooted afflictions of the mind that create suffering and stress. To be free from suffering and stress, these defilements must be permanently uprooted through internal investigation, analyzing, experiencing, and understanding of the true nature of those defilements by using jhāna, a technique of the Noble Eightfold Path. It then leads the meditator to realize the Four Noble Truths, Enlightenment and Nibbāna. Nibbāna is the ultimate goal of Theravadins.

In Theravada Buddhism, what is the cause of human existence and suffering?

craving

What does craving carry with it?

defilements

Deeply rooted afflictions of the mind create what?

suffering and stress

What is the ultimate goal for Theravadins?

Nibbāna


Prajñā (Sanskrit) or paññā (Pāli) means wisdom that is based on a realization of dependent origination, The Four Noble Truths and the three marks of existence. Prajñā is the wisdom that is able to extinguish afflictions and bring about bodhi. It is spoken of as the principal means of attaining nirvāṇa, through its revelation of the true nature of all things as dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), anicca (impermanence) and anatta (not-self). Prajñā is also listed as the sixth of the six pāramitās of the Mahayana.

How many Noble Truths are there?

Four

Prajna is the wisom that is able to extinguish afflictions and bring about what?

bodhi

What is listed as the sixth of the six paramitas of the mahayana?

Prajñā


Initially, prajñā is attained at a conceptual level by means of listening to sermons (dharma talks), reading, studying, and sometimes reciting Buddhist texts and engaging in discourse. Once the conceptual understanding is attained, it is applied to daily life so that each Buddhist can verify the truth of the Buddha's teaching at a practical level. Notably, one could in theory attain Nirvana at any point of practice, whether deep in meditation, listening to a sermon, conducting the business of one's daily life, or any other activity.

Initially prajna is attained at a conceptual level by means of listening to what?

sermons

In theory when can one attain Nirvana during practice?

at any point

What can be applied to daily life once it is attained?

conceptual understanding


Zen Buddhism (禅), pronounced Chán in Chinese, seon in Korean or zen in Japanese (derived from the Sanskrit term dhyāna, meaning "meditation") is a form of Buddhism that became popular in China, Korea and Japan and that lays special emphasis on meditation.[note 12] Zen places less emphasis on scriptures than some other forms of Buddhism and prefers to focus on direct spiritual breakthroughs to truth.

Zen Buddhism is known as what in Korea?

seon

What form of buddhism lays special emphasis on meditation?

Zen

What form of Buddhism places less emphasis on scriptures?

Zen

Zen focuses on what type of breakthroughs?

spiritual


Zen Buddhism is divided into two main schools: Rinzai (臨済宗) and Sōtō (曹洞宗), the former greatly favouring the use in meditation on the koan (公案, a meditative riddle or puzzle) as a device for spiritual break-through, and the latter (while certainly employing koans) focusing more on shikantaza or "just sitting".[note 13]

Zen Buddhism is divided into how many main schools?

two

Which schools of Zen likes the use of meditation on the koan for spiritual breakthroughs?

Rinzai


Zen Buddhist teaching is often full of paradox, in order to loosen the grip of the ego and to facilitate the penetration into the realm of the True Self or Formless Self, which is equated with the Buddha himself.[note 14] According to Zen master Kosho Uchiyama, when thoughts and fixation on the little "I" are transcended, an Awakening to a universal, non-dual Self occurs: "When we let go of thoughts and wake up to the reality of life that is working beyond them, we discover the Self that is living universal non-dual life (before the separation into two) that pervades all living creatures and all existence." Thinking and thought must therefore not be allowed to confine and bind one.

What Buddhist teachings are often full of paradox?

Zen

What type of self is equated with the Buddha?

True Self

What is not allowed to confine and bind oneself?

Thinking and thought


Though based upon Mahayana, Tibeto-Mongolian Buddhism is one of the schools that practice Vajrayana or "Diamond Vehicle" (also referred to as Mantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Tantric Buddhism, or esoteric Buddhism). It accepts all the basic concepts of Mahāyāna, but also includes a vast array of spiritual and physical techniques designed to enhance Buddhist practice. Tantric Buddhism is largely concerned with ritual and meditative practices. One component of the Vajrayāna is harnessing psycho-physical energy through ritual, visualization, physical exercises, and meditation as a means of developing the mind. Using these techniques, it is claimed that a practitioner can achieve Buddhahood in one lifetime, or even as little as three years. In the Tibetan tradition, these practices can include sexual yoga, though only for some very advanced practitioners.

What type of Buddhism is Tibeto-Mongolian based on?

Mahayana

What is the English term for Vajrayana?

Diamond Vehicle

What type of Buddhism is concerned with ritual and meditative practices?

Tantric

Psycho-physical energy is harnessed through what?

ritual


Historically, the roots of Buddhism lie in the religious thought of ancient India during the second half of the first millennium BCE. That was a period of social and religious turmoil, as there was significant discontent with the sacrifices and rituals of Vedic Brahmanism.[note 15] It was challenged by numerous new ascetic religious and philosophical groups and teachings that broke with the Brahmanic tradition and rejected the authority of the Vedas and the Brahmans.[note 16] These groups, whose members were known as shramanas, were a continuation of a non-Vedic strand of Indian thought distinct from Indo-Aryan Brahmanism.[note 17] Scholars have reasons to believe that ideas such as samsara, karma (in the sense of the influence of morality on rebirth), and moksha originated in the shramanas, and were later adopted by Brahmin orthodoxy.[note 18][note 19][note 20][note 21][note 22][note 23]

What time period was the beginning of Buddhism?

second half of the first millennium BCE

Scholars believe that karma originated in what?

the shramanas

What groups broke with Brahmanic tradition?

shramanas

Shramanas were a continuation of what type of trand of Indian thought?

non-Vedic


This view is supported by a study of the region where these notions originated. Buddhism arose in Greater Magadha, which stretched from Sravasti, the capital of Kosala in the north-west, to Rajagrha in the south east. This land, to the east of aryavarta, the land of the Aryas, was recognized as non-Vedic. Other Vedic texts reveal a dislike of the people of Magadha, in all probability because the Magadhas at this time were not Brahmanised.[page needed] It was not until the 2nd or 3rd centuries BCE that the eastward spread of Brahmanism into Greater Magadha became significant. Ideas that developed in Greater Magadha prior to this were not subject to Vedic influence. These include rebirth and karmic retribution that appear in a number of movements in Greater Magadha, including Buddhism. These movements inherited notions of rebirth and karmic retribution from an earlier culture[page needed]

Buddhism arose in what area?

Greater Magadha

Greater magadha stretched from Sravasti in the north-west to what area in the south-east?

Rajagrha

What time period did the eastward spread of Brahmanism start?

2nd or 3rd centuries


At the same time, these movements were influenced by, and in some respects continued, philosophical thought within the Vedic tradition as reflected e.g. in the Upanishads. These movements included, besides Buddhism, various skeptics (such as Sanjaya Belatthiputta), atomists (such as Pakudha Kaccayana), materialists (such as Ajita Kesakambali), antinomians (such as Purana Kassapa); the most important ones in the 5th century BCE were the Ajivikas, who emphasized the rule of fate, the Lokayata (materialists), the Ajnanas (agnostics) and the Jains, who stressed that the soul must be freed from matter. Many of these new movements shared the same conceptual vocabulary—atman ("Self"), buddha ("awakened one"), dhamma ("rule" or "law"), karma ("action"), nirvana ("extinguishing"), samsara ("eternal recurrence") and yoga ("spiritual practice").[note 24] The shramanas rejected the Veda, and the authority of the brahmans, who claimed they possessed revealed truths not knowable by any ordinary human means. Moreover, they declared that the entire Brahmanical system was fraudulent: a conspiracy of the brahmans to enrich themselves by charging exorbitant fees to perform bogus rites and give useless advice.

Movements were influenced by philosophical thought within the Vedic tradition such as what?

in the Upanishads

The movement included atomists such as what?

Pakudha Kaccayana

What is the term for agnostics?

Ajnanas

What movement focused on the idea that the sould must be freed from matter?

Jains


A particular criticism of the Buddha was Vedic animal sacrifice.[web 18] He also mocked the Vedic "hymn of the cosmic man". However, the Buddha was not anti-Vedic, and declared that the Veda in its true form was declared by "Kashyapa" to certain rishis, who by severe penances had acquired the power to see by divine eyes. He names the Vedic rishis, and declared that the original Veda of the rishis[note 25] was altered by a few Brahmins who introduced animal sacrifices. The Buddha says that it was on this alteration of the true Veda that he refused to pay respect to the Vedas of his time. However, he did not denounce the union with Brahman,[note 26] or the idea of the self uniting with the Self. At the same time, the traditional Hindu itself gradually underwent profound changes, transforming it into what is recognized as early Hinduism.

A criticism the Buddha gave dealing with animals was?

Vedic animal sacrifice

The Buddha mocked what hymn of the Vedic?

hymn of the cosmic man

The original Veda of the rishis was altered by a few Brahmins who introduced what?

animal sacrifices

The Buddha refused to pay respect to who, during their time of animal sacrifice?

Vedas


Information of the oldest teachings may be obtained by analysis of the oldest texts. One method to obtain information on the oldest core of Buddhism is to compare the oldest extant versions of the Theravadin Pali Canon and other texts.[note 27] The reliability of these sources, and the possibility to draw out a core of oldest teachings, is a matter of dispute.[page needed][page needed][page needed][page needed] According to Vetter, inconsistencies remain, and other methods must be applied to resolve those inconsistencies.[note 28]

What is in dispute regarding the research into the core of the teachings?

The reliability


A core problem in the study of early Buddhism is the relation between dhyana and insight. Schmithausen, in his often-cited article On some Aspects of Descriptions or Theories of 'Liberating Insight' and 'Enlightenment' in Early Buddhism notes that the mention of the four noble truths as constituting "liberating insight", which is attained after mastering the Rupa Jhanas, is a later addition to texts such as Majjhima Nikaya 36.[page needed]

A large problem in the study of early Buddhism is the relationship of dhyana and what else?

insight

Liberating insight is attained after mastering what?

Rupa Jhanas

Later edition of texts such as what has the Rupa Jhanas?

Majjhima Nikaya


Bruce Matthews notes that there is no cohesive presentation of karma in the Sutta Pitaka, which may mean that the doctrine was incidental to the main perspective of early Buddhist soteriology. Schmithausen is a notable scholar who has questioned whether karma already played a role in the theory of rebirth of earliest Buddhism.[page needed][note 32] According to Vetter, "the Buddha at first sought "the deathless" (amata/amrta), which is concerned with the here and now. According to Vetter, only after this realization did he become acquainted with the doctrine of rebirth." Bronkhorst disagrees, and concludes that the Buddha "introduced a concept of karma that differed considerably from the commonly held views of his time." According to Bronkhorst, not physical and mental activities as such were seen as responsible for rebirth, but intentions and desire.

According the Bronkhorst, intentions and desire are responsible for what?

rebirth

Bronkhurst says that Buddha had a view of 'what' much different then current day?

karma


According to Tilmann Vetter, the core of earliest Buddhism is the practice of dhyāna. Bronkhorst agrees that dhyana was a Buddhist invention, whereas Norman notes that "the Buddha's way to release [...] was by means of meditative practices." Discriminating insight into transiency as a separate path to liberation was a later development.

What was the earliest Buddhism type?

dhyana

Buddha's way to release was by means of what type of practices?

meditative


According to the Mahāsaccakasutta,[note 33] from the fourth jhana the Buddha gained bodhi. Yet, it is not clear what he was awakened to.[page needed] "Liberating insight" is a later addition to this text, and reflects a later development and understanding in early Buddhism.[page needed][page needed] The mentioning of the four truths as constituting "liberating insight" introduces a logical problem, since the four truths depict a linear path of practice, the knowledge of which is in itself not depicted as being liberating.[note 34]

From which jhana did Buddha gain bodhi?

fourth

A logic problem arises when noting that the four truths constitute what?

liberating insight

The four truths depict what type of path of practice?

linear


Although "Nibbāna" (Sanskrit: Nirvāna) is the common term for the desired goal of this practice, many other terms can be found throughout the Nikayas, which are not specified.[note 35]

What is the Sanskrit form of Nibbana?

Nirvāna

Many terms for Nibbana can be found throughout the what?

Nikayas

The desired goal for buddhism is what?

Nirvāna


According to Vetter, the description of the Buddhist path may initially have been as simple as the term "the middle way". In time, this short description was elaborated, resulting in the description of the eightfold path.

A description of the Buddhist path may have been as simplistic as what term?

the middle way

The description of buddhism was broadened resulting in what path?

eightfold


According to both Bronkhorst and Anderson, the four truths became a substitution for prajna, or "liberating insight", in the suttas in those texts where "liberating insight" was preceded by the four jhanas. According to Bronkhorst, the four truths may not have been formulated in earliest Buddhism, and did not serve in earliest Buddhism as a description of "liberating insight". Gotama's teachings may have been personal, "adjusted to the need of each person."

Authors Bronkhorst and Anderson claim the four truths bacame a substitution for what?

prajna

What is prajna called in english?

liberating insight

Gotamas teachings may have been personal and adjusted to the need of each what?

person


The three marks of existence may reflect Upanishadic or other influences. K.R. Norman supposes that the these terms were already in use at the Buddha's time, and were familiair to his hearers.

How many marks of existence reflect Upanishadic influences?

three


The history of Indian Buddhism may be divided into five periods: Early Buddhism (occasionally called Pre-sectarian Buddhism), Nikaya Buddhism or Sectarian Buddhism: The period of the Early Buddhist schools, Early Mahayana Buddhism, Later Mahayana Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism (also called Vajrayana Buddhism).

The periods of Buddhisma in India is divided into how many periods?

five

What is the first period of Buddhism called?

Early Buddhism

What is another name for Nikaya buddhism?

Sectarian

What is the last period of Buddhism?

Esoteric Buddhism

What is Esoteric Buddhism also called?

Vajrayana


Pre-sectarian Buddhism is the earliest phase of Buddhism, recognized by nearly all scholars. Its main scriptures are the Vinaya Pitaka and the four principal Nikayas or Agamas. Certain basic teachings appear in many places throughout the early texts, so most scholars conclude that Gautama Buddha must have taught something similar to the Three marks of existence, the Five Aggregates, dependent origination, karma and rebirth, the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and nirvana. Some scholars disagree, and have proposed many other theories.

Was is the earliest phase of buddhism?

Pre-sectarian

Gautama Buddha most likely taught the idea of Karma and what?

rebirth

Gautama buddha taught what Path concept?

Noble Eightfold


According to the scriptures, soon after the parinirvāṇa (from Sanskrit: "highest extinguishment") of Gautama Buddha, the first Buddhist council was held. As with any ancient Indian tradition, transmission of teaching was done orally. The primary purpose of the assembly was to collectively recite the teachings to ensure that no errors occurred in oral transmission. In the first council, Ānanda, a cousin of the Buddha and his personal attendant, was called upon to recite the discourses (sūtras, Pāli suttas) of the Buddha, and, according to some sources, the abhidhamma. Upāli, another disciple, recited the monastic rules (vinaya). Most scholars regard the traditional accounts of the council as greatly exaggerated if not entirely fictitious.[note 36]Richard Gombrich noted Sariputta led communal recitations of the Buddha's teaching for preservation in the Buddha's lifetime in Sangiti Sutta (Digha Nikaya #33), and something similar to the First Council must have taken place to compose Buddhist scriptures.

Soon after the parinirvana of Gautama Buddha, what type of council was held?

Buddhist

Who was cousin of the Buddha?

Ānanda

What are the discourses of the Buddha called?

sūtras

Some sources say that discourse of who else were recited along with Buddha's?

abhidhamma


According to most scholars, at some period after the Second Council the Sangha began to break into separate factions.[note 37] The various accounts differ as to when the actual schisms occurred. According to the Dipavamsa of the Pāli tradition, they started immediately after the Second Council, the Puggalavada tradition places it in 137 AN, the Sarvastivada tradition of Vasumitra says it was in the time of Ashoka and the Mahasanghika tradition places it much later, nearly 100 BCE.

The Sangha began to break into separte factions after what council?

the Second

According to the Dipavamsa they started immediately after what council?

the Second Council

The Mahasanghika places the breakup at what time?

100 BCE


The root schism was between the Sthaviras and the Mahāsāṅghikas. The fortunate survival of accounts from both sides of the dispute reveals disparate traditions. The Sthavira group offers two quite distinct reasons for the schism. The Dipavamsa of the Theravāda says that the losing party in the Second Council dispute broke away in protest and formed the Mahasanghika. This contradicts the Mahasanghikas' own vinaya, which shows them as on the same, winning side. The Mahāsāṅghikas argued that the Sthaviras were trying to expand the vinaya and may also have challenged what they perceived were excessive claims or inhumanly high criteria for arhatship. Both parties, therefore, appealed to tradition.

The major schism was between the Sthaviras and what other group?

Mahasanghikas

The Dipavamsa says that the losing party broke away in protest and formed what?

Mahasanghika

The Mahasanghikas argued that the Sthaviras were trying to expand what?

the vinaya


The Sthaviras gave rise to several schools, one of which was the Theravāda school. Originally, these schisms were caused by disputes over vinaya, and monks following different schools of thought seem to have lived happily together in the same monasteries, but eventually, by about 100 CE if not earlier, schisms were being caused by doctrinal disagreements too.

Who gave rise to the Theravada school?

Sthaviras

Monks following different schools of thought seem to have lived happily together in the same what?

monasteries

By the latest at around 100 CE, schisms were being caused by what type of desagreements?

doctrinal


Following (or leading up to) the schisms, each Saṅgha started to accumulate an Abhidharma, a detailed scholastic reworking of doctrinal material appearing in the Suttas, according to schematic classifications. These Abhidharma texts do not contain systematic philosophical treatises, but summaries or numerical lists. Scholars generally date these texts to around the 3rd century BCE, 100 to 200 years after the death of the Buddha. Therefore the seven Abhidharma works are generally claimed not to represent the words of the Buddha himself, but those of disciples and great scholars.[note 38] Every school had its own version of the Abhidharma, with different theories and different texts. The different Abhidharmas of the various schools did not agree with each other. Scholars disagree on whether the Mahasanghika school had an Abhidhamma Pitaka or not.[note 38]

What is a detailed scholastic reworking of doctrinal material called?

Abhidharma

The abhidharma texts do not contain treatises, but what?

summaries or numerical lists

The Abhidharma texts are from what time?

3rd century BCE

There is a disagreement on whether a school had an Abhidhamma or not, which school is it?

Mahasanghika


Several scholars have suggested that the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, which are among the earliest Mahāyāna sūtras, developed among the Mahāsāṃghika along the Kṛṣṇa River in the Āndhra region of South India.

Which sutras are among the earliest Mahayana sutras?

Prajñāpāramitā

The Prajnaparamita sutras were developed along the krsna river in what region of South India?

Āndhra


The earliest Mahāyāna sūtras to include the very first versions of the Prajñāpāramitā genre, along with texts concerning Akṣobhya Buddha, which were probably written down in the 1st century BCE in the south of India. Guang Xing states, "Several scholars have suggested that the Prajñāpāramitā probably developed among the Mahāsāṃghikas in southern India, in the Āndhra country, on the Kṛṣṇa River." A.K. Warder believes that "the Mahāyāna originated in the south of India and almost certainly in the Āndhra country."

The earliest Mahayana sutra include the very first version of what genre?

Prajñāpāramitā

Texts concerning Aksobhya Buddha were written down in what century?

1st century BCE

Author Warder believes that the Mahayana originated in the south of India in what area?

Āndhra


Anthony Barber and Sree Padma note that "historians of Buddhist thought have been aware for quite some time that such pivotally important Mahayana Buddhist thinkers as Nāgārjuna, Dignaga, Candrakīrti, Āryadeva, and Bhavaviveka, among many others, formulated their theories while living in Buddhist communities in Āndhra." They note that the ancient Buddhist sites in the lower Kṛṣṇa Valley, including Amaravati, Nāgārjunakoṇḍā and Jaggayyapeṭa "can be traced to at least the third century BCE, if not earlier." Akira Hirakawa notes the "evidence suggests that many Early Mahayana scriptures originated in South India."

The ancient buddhist site  in the lower Krsna Valley can be traced to at least what century BCE?

third

Evidence suggests that many Early mahayana scriptures originated in what part of India?

South


There is no evidence that Mahāyāna ever referred to a separate formal school or sect of Buddhism, but rather that it existed as a certain set of ideals, and later doctrines, for bodhisattvas. Initially it was known as Bodhisattvayāna (the "Vehicle of the Bodhisattvas"). Paul Williams has also noted that the Mahāyāna never had nor ever attempted to have a separate Vinaya or ordination lineage from the early schools of Buddhism, and therefore each bhikṣu or bhikṣuṇī adhering to the Mahāyāna formally belonged to an early school. This continues today with the Dharmaguptaka ordination lineage in East Asia, and the Mūlasarvāstivāda ordination lineage in Tibetan Buddhism. Therefore Mahāyāna was never a separate rival sect of the early schools. From Chinese monks visiting India, we now know that both Mahāyāna and non-Mahāyāna monks in India often lived in the same monasteries side by side.

There is no evidence that Mahayana ever referred to a separate school of what?

Buddhism

The mahayana never tried to have separte what?

Vinaya

We know that both Mahayana and non Mahayana monks live in the same what?

monasteries


Much of the early extant evidence for the origins of Mahāyāna comes from early Chinese translations of Mahāyāna texts. These Mahāyāna teachings were first propagated into China by Lokakṣema, the first translator of Mahāyāna sūtras into Chinese during the 2nd century CE.[note 39] Some scholars have traditionally considered the earliest Mahāyāna sūtras to include the very first versions of the Prajñāpāramitā series, along with texts concerning Akṣobhya Buddha, which were probably composed in the 1st century BCE in the south of India.[note 40]

Most of the early extant evidence for the origins of Mhayana comes from what type of translations?

Chinese

The Mahayana teachings were first propagated into China by who?

Lokakṣema

The earliest Mahayana sutras included the very first versions of what series?

Prajñāpāramitā

Texts concerning Aksobhya Buddha were probably composed in what century BCE?


During the period of Late Mahayana Buddhism, four major types of thought developed: Madhyamaka, Yogacara, Tathagatagarbha, and Buddhist Logic as the last and most recent. In India, the two main philosophical schools of the Mahayana were the Madhyamaka and the later Yogacara. According to Dan Lusthaus, Madhyamaka and Yogacara have a great deal in common, and the commonality stems from early Buddhism. There were no great Indian teachers associated with tathagatagarbha thought.

What four types of thought developed during the period of late mahayna buddhism?

Madhyamaka, Yogacara, Tathagatagarbha, and Buddhist Logic

What was the latest thought type?

Buddhist Logic

In India the two main philosophical schools of the Mahayana were Madhyamaka and what else?

Yogacara


Buddhism may have spread only slowly in India until the time of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, who was a public supporter of the religion. The support of Aśoka and his descendants led to the construction of more stūpas (Buddhist religious memorials) and to efforts to spread Buddhism throughout the enlarged Maurya empire and even into neighboring lands—particularly to the Iranian-speaking regions of Afghanistan and Central Asia, beyond the Mauryas' northwest border, and to the island of Sri Lanka south of India. These two missions, in opposite directions, would ultimately lead, in the first case to the spread of Buddhism into China, and in the second case, to the emergence of Theravāda Buddhism and its spread from Sri Lanka to the coastal lands of Southeast Asia.

Buddhism may have spread quickly because of what Mauryan emperor?

Ashoka

The support of Asoka and his descendants led to what being built more?

stūpas

What does stupas mean in English?

Buddhist religious memorials


This period marks the first known spread of Buddhism beyond India. According to the edicts of Aśoka, emissaries were sent to various countries west of India to spread Buddhism (Dharma), particularly in eastern provinces of the neighboring Seleucid Empire, and even farther to Hellenistic kingdoms of the Mediterranean. It is a matter of disagreement among scholars whether or not these emissaries were accompanied by Buddhist missionaries.

Emissaries were sent to various countries to what direct from India?

west

Scholars disagree on whether emissaries were accompanied by Buddhist what?

missionaries

What were the emissaries used for?

to spread Buddhism


The gradual spread of Buddhism into adjacent areas meant that it came into contact with new ethnical groups. During this period Buddhism was exposed to a variety of influences, from Persian and Greek civilization, to changing trends in non-Buddhist Indian religions—themselves influenced by Buddhism. Striking examples of this syncretistic development can be seen in the emergence of Greek-speaking Buddhist monarchs in the Indo-Greek Kingdom, and in the development of the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhāra. A Greek king, Menander, has even been immortalized in the Buddhist canon.

The gradual spread of Buddhism exposed it to a variety of influences including what civilization?

Persian and Greek

Who was the Greek king immortalized in Buddhist canon?

Menander


The Theravada school spread south from India in the 3rd century BCE, to Sri Lanka and Thailand and Burma and later also Indonesia. The Dharmagupta school spread (also in 3rd century BCE) north to Kashmir, Gandhara and Bactria (Afghanistan).

The Theravada school spread south from india in what century BCE?

3rd century

The Dharmagupta schol spread in what century to Kashmir?

3rd century


The Silk Road transmission of Buddhism to China is most commonly thought to have started in the late 2nd or the 1st century CE, though the literary sources are all open to question.[note 41] The first documented translation efforts by foreign Buddhist monks in China were in the 2nd century CE, probably as a consequence of the expansion of the Kushan Empire into the Chinese territory of the Tarim Basin.

When was the first documented translation efforts by foreign Buddhist monks in China?

2nd century CE


In the 2nd century CE, Mahayana Sutras spread to China, and then to Korea and Japan, and were translated into Chinese. During the Indian period of Esoteric Buddhism (from the 8th century onwards), Buddhism spread from India to Tibet and Mongolia.

Mahayana Sutras spread to China during what century?

2nd century CE

What two countries after China was the Mahayana sutras spread?

Korea and Japan

When did Buddhism apread from India to Tibet?

8th century onwards


By the late Middle Ages, Buddhism had become virtually extinct in India, although it continued to exist in surrounding countries. It is now again gaining strength worldwide. China and India are now starting to fund Buddhist shrines in various Asian countries as they compete for influence in the region.[web 20]

China and India are now starting to fund what type of shrines in various Asian countries?

Buddhist


Formal membership varies between communities, but basic lay adherence is often defined in terms of a traditional formula in which the practitioner takes refuge in The Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma (the teachings of the Buddha), and the Sangha (the Buddhist community). At the present time, the teachings of all three branches of Buddhism have spread throughout the world, and Buddhist texts are increasingly translated into local languages. While in the West Buddhism is often seen as exotic and progressive, in the East it is regarded as familiar and traditional. Buddhists in Asia are frequently well organized and well funded. In countries such as Cambodia and Bhutan, it is recognized as the state religion and receives government support. Modern influences increasingly lead to new forms of Buddhism that significantly depart from traditional beliefs and practices.

What is the Dharma?

the teachings of the Buddha

What is the Sangha?

the Buddhist community

West Buddhism is often seen as exotic and what?

progressive

New forms of Buddhism are created because of what reason?

Modern influences


A number of modern movements or tendencies in Buddhism emerged during the second half of the 20th Century, including the Dalit Buddhist movement (also sometimes called 'neo-Buddhism'), Engaged Buddhism, and the further development of various Western Buddhist traditions.

When did a number of modern movement in Buddhism emerge?

second half of the 20th Century

What is the Dalit buddhist movement sometimes called?

neo-Buddhism


In the second half of the 20th Century a modern movement in Nichiren Buddhism: Soka Gakkai (Value Creation Society) emerged in Japan and spread further to other countries. Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is a lay Buddhist movement linking more than 12 million people around the world, and is currently described as "the most diverse" and "the largest lay Buddhist movement in the world".[web 21]

What Buddhism emerged in the second half of the 20th century in Japan?

Nichiren Buddhism: Soka Gakkai

What does Soka Gakkai mean in English?

Value Creation Society

What Buddhist movement has linked more than 12 million people?

Soka Gakkai International

What is the largest Buddhist movement in the world?

SGI


Buddhism is practiced by an estimated 488 million,[web 1] 495 million, or 535 million people as of the 2010s, representing 7% to 8% of the world's total population.

What religion is practiced by an estimated 488 to 535 million people?

Buddhism


China is the country with the largest population of Buddhists, approximately 244 million or 18.2% of its total population.[web 1] They are mostly followers of Chinese schools of Mahayana, making this the largest body of Buddhist traditions. Mahayana, also practiced in broader East Asia, is followed by over half of world Buddhists.[web 1]

What country has the largest population of Buddhists?

China

How many Buddhists are in China?

244 million


According to a demographic analysis reported by Peter Harvey (2013): Mahayana has 360 million adherents; Theravada has 150 million adherents; and Vajrayana has 18,2 million adherents. Seven million additional Buddhists are found outside of Asia.

How may adherents does Mahayana have?

360 million

How many adherents does Thervada have?

150 million

How many Buddists are outside of Asia?

Seven million


According to Johnson and Grim (2013), Buddhism has grown from a total of 138 million adherents in 1910, of which 137 million were in Asia, to 495 million in 2010, of which 487 million are in Asia. According to them, there was a fast annual growth of Buddhism in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and several Western European countries (1910–2010). More recently (2000–2010), the countries with highest growth rates are Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and some African countries.

How many Buddhists were there in 1910?

138 million

How many Buddhists are there in 2010?

495 million

How many buddhists are in Asia?

487 million


Some scholars[note 44] use other schemes. Buddhists themselves have a variety of other schemes. Hinayana (literally "lesser vehicle") is used by Mahayana followers to name the family of early philosophical schools and traditions from which contemporary Theravada emerged, but as this term is rooted in the Mahayana viewpoint and can be considered derogatory, a variety of other terms are increasingly used instead, including Śrāvakayāna, Nikaya Buddhism, early Buddhist schools, sectarian Buddhism, conservative Buddhism, mainstream Buddhism and non-Mahayana Buddhism.

What does Hinayana mean in English?

lesser vehicle

What is used by Mahayana followers to name the early schools?

Hinayana


Not all traditions of Buddhism share the same philosophical outlook, or treat the same concepts as central. Each tradition, however, does have its own core concepts, and some comparisons can be drawn between them. For example, according to one Buddhist ecumenical organization,[web 23] several concepts common to both major Buddhist branches:

Each tradition has its own core what?

concepts

there are common concepts to both major buddhist branches according to what organization?

Buddhist ecumenical organization


Theravada ("Doctrine of the Elders", or "Ancient Doctrine") is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It is relatively conservative, and generally closest to early Buddhism. The name Theravāda comes from the ancestral Sthāvirīya, one of the early Buddhist schools, from which the Theravadins claim descent. After unsuccessfully trying to modify the Vinaya, a small group of "elderly members", i.e. sthaviras, broke away from the majority Mahāsāṃghika during the Second Buddhist council, giving rise to the Sthavira sect. Sinhalese Buddhist reformers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries portrayed the Pali Canon as the original version of scripture. They also emphasized Theravada being rational and scientific.

What is the oldest surviving Buddhist school?

Theravada

Where does the name theravada come from?

ancestral Sthāvirīya

Sinhalese buddhist reformer portrayed what Canon as the original version of scripture?

Pali Canon


Theravāda is primarily practiced today in Sri Lanka, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia as well as small portions of China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bangladesh. It has a growing presence in the west.

Where is there a growing presence of Theravada?

the west


Theravadin Buddhists believe that personal effort is required to realize rebirth. Monks follow the vinaya: meditating, teaching and serving their lay communities. Laypersons can perform good actions, producing merit.

What type of Buddhists believe that personal effort is required to realize rebirth?

Theravadin

Laypersons can perform good actions, producing what?

merit


Mahayana Buddhism flourished in India from the 5th century CE onwards, during the dynasty of the Guptas. Mahāyāna centres of learning were established, the most important one being the Nālandā University in north-eastern India.

What was the most important Mahayana centre of learning?

Nālandā University


Mahayana schools recognize all or part of the Mahayana Sutras. Some of these sutras became for Mahayanists a manifestation of the Buddha himself, and faith in and veneration of those texts are stated in some sutras (e.g. the Lotus Sutra and the Mahaparinirvana Sutra) to lay the foundations for the later attainment of Buddhahood itself.

Mahayana schools recognize all or part of what?

Mahayana Sutras

A few of the sutras for Mahayanists became a manifestation of who?

the Buddha

Faith in and veneration of Mahayana are stated in what sutras?

Lotus Sutra and the Mahaparinirvana Sutra


Native Mahayana Buddhism is practiced today in China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, parts of Russia and most of Vietnam (also commonly referred to as "Eastern Buddhism"). The Buddhism practiced in Tibet, the Himalayan regions, and Mongolia is also Mahayana in origin, but is discussed below under the heading of Vajrayana (also commonly referred to as "Northern Buddhism"). There are a variety of strands in Eastern Buddhism, of which "the Pure Land school of Mahayana is the most widely practised today.". In most of this area however, they are fused into a single unified form of Buddhism. In Japan in particular, they form separate denominations with the five major ones being: Nichiren, peculiar to Japan; Pure Land; Shingon, a form of Vajrayana; Tendai, and Zen. In Korea, nearly all Buddhists belong to the Chogye school, which is officially Son (Zen), but with substantial elements from other traditions.

Native Mahayana buddhism is also called what?

Eastern Buddhism

The Buddhism practiced in Tibet, the Himalayan regions and Mongolia are often referred to as?

Northern Buddhism

What is the most widely practised Eastern Buddhism?

the Pure Land school of Mahayana


Various classes of Vajrayana literature developed as a result of royal courts sponsoring both Buddhism and Saivism. The Mañjusrimulakalpa, which later came to classified under Kriyatantra, states that mantras taught in the Saiva, Garuda and Vaisnava tantras will be effective if applied by Buddhists since they were all taught originally by Manjushri. The Guhyasiddhi of Padmavajra, a work associated with the Guhyasamaja tradition, prescribes acting as a Saiva guru and initiating members into Saiva Siddhanta scriptures and mandalas. The Samvara tantra texts adopted the pitha list from the Saiva text Tantrasadbhava, introducing a copying error where a deity was mistaken for a place.

The royal courts sponsored both Buddhism and what?

Saivism

Mantras taught in the Saiva, Garuda, and Vaisnava tantra will be effective if applied by who?

Buddhists

What work is associated with Guhyasamaja tradition?

The Guhyasiddhi of Padmavajra


Buddhist scriptures and other texts exist in great variety. Different schools of Buddhism place varying levels of value on learning the various texts. Some schools venerate certain texts as religious objects in themselves, while others take a more scholastic approach. Buddhist scriptures are mainly written in Pāli, Tibetan, Mongolian, and Chinese. Some texts still exist in Sanskrit and Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit.

There is a great variety of what type of scripture?

Buddhist

Some schools venerate certain texts as religious what?

objects


Unlike many religions, Buddhism has no single central text that is universally referred to by all traditions. However, some scholars have referred to the Vinaya Pitaka and the first four Nikayas of the Sutta Pitaka as the common core of all Buddhist traditions.[page needed] This could be considered misleading, as Mahāyāna considers these merely a preliminary, and not a core, teaching. The Tibetan Buddhists have not even translated most of the āgamas (though theoretically they recognize them) and they play no part in the religious life of either clergy or laity in China and Japan. Other scholars say there is no universally accepted common core. The size and complexity of the Buddhist canons have been seen by some (including Buddhist social reformer Babasaheb Ambedkar) as presenting barriers to the wider understanding of Buddhist philosophy.

Unlike most religions, Buddhism has no single central what?

text

Tibetan Buddhists have not even translated most of the what?

āgamas

Some scholars say there is no universally accepted common what?

core

What has been seen by some as a hinderance to understanding Buddhist philosophy?

size and complexity of the Buddhist canons


Over the years, various attempts have been made to synthesize a single Buddhist text that can encompass all of the major principles of Buddhism. In the Theravada tradition, condensed 'study texts' were created that combined popular or influential scriptures into single volumes that could be studied by novice monks. Later in Sri Lanka, the Dhammapada was championed as a unifying scripture.

In Sri Lanka, what was determined to be the best unifying scripture?

Dhammapada

There have been attempts to create a single text with all the main ideas of what religion?

Buddhism

condensed study texts where created in what tradition?

Theravada


Dwight Goddard collected a sample of Buddhist scriptures, with the emphasis on Zen, along with other classics of Eastern philosophy, such as the Tao Te Ching, into his 'Buddhist Bible' in the 1920s. More recently, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar attempted to create a single, combined document of Buddhist principles in "The Buddha and His Dhamma". Other such efforts have persisted to present day, but currently there is no single text that represents all Buddhist traditions.

Goddard collected mainly what type of Buddhist scripture?

Zen

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar attempted to create a single combined document with all Buddhist principles and called it?

The Buddha and His Dhamma


The Pāli Tipitaka, which means "three baskets", refers to the Vinaya Pitaka, the Sutta Pitaka, and the Abhidhamma Pitaka. The Vinaya Pitaka contains disciplinary rules for the Buddhist monks and nuns, as well as explanations of why and how these rules were instituted, supporting material, and doctrinal clarification. The Sutta Pitaka contains discourses ascribed to Gautama Buddha. The Abhidhamma Pitaka contains material often described as systematic expositions of the Gautama Buddha's teachings.

What means "three baskets"?

Pāli Tipitaka

What does the "three baskets" refer to?

the Vinaya Pitaka, the Sutta Pitaka, and the Abhidhamma Pitaka

What contains disciplinary rules for Buddhist Monks and nuns?

Vinaya Pitaka

What contains discourses ascribed to Gautama Buddha?

the Sutta Pitaka

What contains material ofen described as systematic expositions of the Gautama Buddha teachings?

Abhidhamma Pitaka


The Pāli Tipitaka is the only early Tipitaka (Sanskrit: Tripiṭaka) to survive intact in its original language, but a number of early schools had their own recensions of the Tipitaka featuring much of the same material. We have portions of the Tipitakas of the Sārvāstivāda, Dharmaguptaka, Sammitya, Mahāsaṅghika, Kāśyapīya, and Mahīśāsaka schools, most of which survive in Chinese translation only. According to some sources, some early schools of Buddhism had five or seven pitakas.

What is the only Tipitaka to survive intact in its original language?

Pāli Tipitaka

Is is said that some early schools of buddhism had how many pitakas?

five or seven


According to the scriptures, soon after the death of the Buddha, the first Buddhist council was held; a monk named Mahākāśyapa (Pāli: Mahākassapa) presided. The goal of the council was to record the Buddha's teachings. Upāli recited the vinaya. Ānanda, the Buddha's personal attendant, was called upon to recite the dhamma. These became the basis of the Tripitaka. However, this record was initially transmitted orally in form of chanting, and was committed to text in the last century BCE. Both the sūtras and the vinaya of every Buddhist school contain a wide variety of elements including discourses on the Dharma, commentaries on other teachings, cosmological and cosmogonical texts, stories of the Gautama Buddha's previous lives, and various other subjects.

Which monk presided after the death of the Buddha?

Mahākāśyapa

What was the goal of the council?

to record the Buddha's teachings

the vinaya was recited by?

Upāli

Who was the Buddha's personal attendant?

Ānanda

Ananda was called upon to recite what?

dhamma


Much of the material in the Canon is not specifically "Theravadin", but is instead the collection of teachings that this school preserved from the early, non-sectarian body of teachings. According to Peter Harvey, it contains material at odds with later Theravadin orthodoxy. He states: "The Theravadins, then, may have added texts to the Canon for some time, but they do not appear to have tampered with what they already had from an earlier period."

Much of the material in the Canon is not specifically what?

Theravadin

Who may have added texts to the Canon for some time?

The Theravadins


The Mahayana sutras are a very broad genre of Buddhist scriptures that the Mahayana Buddhist tradition holds are original teachings of the Buddha. Some adherents of Mahayana accept both the early teachings (including in this the Sarvastivada Abhidharma, which was criticized by Nagarjuna and is in fact opposed to early Buddhist thought) and the Mahayana sutras as authentic teachings of Gautama Buddha, and claim they were designed for different types of persons and different levels of spiritual understanding.

What are considered the original teachings of the Buddha?

Mahayana sutras

What is a very broad genre of Buddhist scripture?

Mahayana sutras

What teaching was criticized by Nagarjuna?

Sarvastivada Abhidharma


The Mahayana sutras often claim to articulate the Buddha's deeper, more advanced doctrines, reserved for those who follow the bodhisattva path. That path is explained as being built upon the motivation to liberate all living beings from unhappiness. Hence the name Mahāyāna (lit., the Great Vehicle).

What sutras are reserved for those who follow the bodhisattva path?

Mahayana

What does Mahayana mean?

the Great Vehicle

What path is described as being built upon the motivation to liberate all living beings?

bodhisattva path


According to Mahayana tradition, the Mahayana sutras were transmitted in secret, came from other Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, or were preserved in non-human worlds because human beings at the time could not understand them:

What sutras were transmitted in secret?

Mahayana

What sutras could have been preserved in non-human worlds?

Mahayana

What tradition says that sutras might have come from other Buddhas or Bodhisattvas?

Mahayana tradition


Approximately six hundred Mahayana sutras have survived in Sanskrit or in Chinese or Tibetan translations. In addition, East Asian Buddhism recognizes some sutras regarded by scholars as of Chinese rather than Indian origin.

How many Mahayana sutras have survivied in Sanskrit or in Chinese or Tibetan translations?

six hundred

What buddhism recognizes sutras of Chinese origin?

East Asian Buddhism


Generally, scholars conclude that the Mahayana scriptures were composed from the 1st century CE onwards: "Large numbers of Mahayana sutras were being composed in the period between the beginning of the common era and the fifth century", five centuries after the historical Gautama Buddha. Some of these had their roots in other scriptures composed in the 1st century BCE. It was not until after the 5th century CE that the Mahayana sutras started to influence the behavior of mainstream Buddhists in India: "But outside of texts, at least in India, at exactly the same period, very different—in fact seemingly older—ideas and aspirations appear to be motivating actual behavior, and old and established Hinnayana groups appear to be the only ones that are patronized and supported." These texts were apparently not universally accepted among Indian Buddhists when they appeared; the pejorative label Hinayana was applied by Mahayana supporters to those who rejected the Mahayana sutras.

When did Mahayana sutras start to influence the behavior of mainstream buddhists in India?

after the 5th century CE

What was the pejorative label for those that rejected Mahayana sutras?

Hinayana


Only the Theravada school does not include the Mahayana scriptures in its canon. As the modern Theravada school is descended from a branch of Buddhism that diverged and established itself in Sri Lanka prior to the emergence of the Mahayana texts, debate exists as to whether the Theravada were historically included in the hinayana designation; in the modern era, this label is seen as derogatory, and is generally avoided.

What school does not include the Mahayava scriptures in its canon?

the Theravada

The modern Theravada school stablished itself in what country?

Sri Lanka

What Mahayana related label is considered derogatory?

hinayana


Scholar Isabelle Onians asserts that although "the Mahāyāna ... very occasionally referred contemptuously to earlier Buddhism as the Hinayāna, the Inferior Way," "the preponderance of this name in the secondary literature is far out of proportion to occurrences in the Indian texts." She notes that the term Śrāvakayāna was "the more politically correct and much more usual" term used by Mahāyānists. Jonathan Silk has argued that the term "Hinayana" was used to refer to whomever one wanted to criticize on any given occasion, and did not refer to any definite grouping of Buddhists.

The mahayana occasionally referred to early Buddhism as what?

Hinayana

What term was more politically correct term for the word Hinayana?

Śrāvakayāna


Buddhism provides many opportunities for comparative study with a diverse range of subjects. For example, Buddhism's emphasis on the Middle way not only provides a unique guideline for ethics but has also allowed Buddhism to peacefully coexist with various differing beliefs, customs and institutions in countries where it has resided throughout its history. Also, its moral and spiritual parallels with other systems of thought—for example, with various tenets of Christianity—have been subjects of close study. In addition, the Buddhist concept of dependent origination has been compared to modern scientific thought, as well as Western metaphysics.

What provides chances for comparative study with a large range of subjects?

Buddhism

Buddhism's emphasis on the Middle Way provides a guideline for what?

ethics

Buddism has what kind of parallels withother systems of thought?

moral and spiritual

Buddhism had similiar tenets to what other common religion?

Christianity

Buddhist concept of dependent origination has been compared to what modern thought?

scientific


There are differences of opinion on the question of whether or not Buddhism should be considered a religion. Many sources commonly refer to Buddhism as a religion. For example:

What school of thought is questioned on whether or not it is a religion?

Buddhism

What is often referred to as a religion by many sources?

Buddhism


American Idol is an American singing competition series created by Simon Fuller and produced by 19 Entertainment, and is distributed by FremantleMedia North America. It began airing on Fox on June 11, 2002, as an addition to the Idols format based on the British series Pop Idol and has since become one of the most successful shows in the history of American television. The concept of the series is to find new solo recording artists, with the winner being determined by the viewers in America. Winners chosen by viewers through telephone, Internet, and SMS text voting were Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, David Cook, Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze, Scotty McCreery, Phillip Phillips, Candice Glover, Caleb Johnson, and Nick Fradiani.

Who is the creator of American Idol?

Simon Fuller

What company produces American idol?

19 Entertainment

What year did American Idol begin airing?

What British show is American Idols format based on?

Pop Idol

What television network does American Idol air on?

Fox

What company produces American Idol?

19 Entertainment

What British series is American Idols format based on?

Pop Idol

Who created American Idol?

Simon Fuller

Who produced American Idol?

19 Entertainment

When did American Idol first air on TV?

June 11, 2002

What British show was American Idol based on?

Pop Idol


American Idol employs a panel of judges who critique the contestants' performances. The original judges were record producer and music manager Randy Jackson, pop singer and choreographer Paula Abdul and music executive and manager Simon Cowell. The judging panel for the most recent season consisted of country singer Keith Urban, singer and actress Jennifer Lopez, and jazz singer Harry Connick, Jr. The show was originally hosted by radio personality Ryan Seacrest and comedian Brian Dunkleman, with Seacrest continuing on for the rest of the seasons.

What record producer was an original judge on American Idol?

Randy Jackson

What comedian was an original host on American Idol?

Brian Dunkleman

What actress is a judge on the most current season of American Idol?

Jennifer Lopez

Who was a host on all seasons of American Idol?

Ryan Seacrest

What comedian was an original host on American Idol?

Brian Dunkleman

What pop singer was an original judge on American Idol?

Paula Abdul

What actress is a judge on the most current season of American Idol?

Jennifer Lopez

Which original judge was a record producer and music manager?

Randy Jackson

Which original judge was a choreographer?

Paula Abdul

Which original judge was a music executive?

Simon Cowell

Which judge is a country music singer?

Keith Urban

Which judge is a jazz singer?

Harry Connick, Jr.


The success of American Idol has been described as "unparalleled in broadcasting history". The series was also said by a rival TV executive to be "the most impactful show in the history of television". It has become a recognized springboard for launching the career of many artists as bona fide stars. According to Billboard magazine, in its first ten years, "Idol has spawned 345 Billboard chart-toppers and a platoon of pop idols, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, Jennifer Hudson, Clay Aiken, Adam Lambert and Jordin Sparks while remaining a TV ratings juggernaut."

How many Billboard hits did American Idol produce in its first ten years?

Who called American Idol "the most impactful show in the history of television"?

a rival TV executive

Who was a pop idol that started on American Idol?

Fantasia

How many Billboard chart toppers did American Idol contestants have within the first ten seasons?

Who said that American Idol is "the most impactful show in the history of televsion?

a rival TV executive


For an unprecedented eight consecutive years, from the 2003–04 television season through the 2010–11 season, either its performance or result show had been ranked number one in U.S. television ratings. The popularity of American Idol however declined, and on May 11, 2015, Fox announced that the series would conclude its run in its fifteenth season.

What year did FOX announce that American Idol was cancelled?

What year did FOX announce the cancellation of American Idol?

For how many seasons did American Idol air?

How many consecutive years did American Idol been ranked number one in ratings?

eight

When did Fox announce that American Idol is ending?

May 11, 2015


American Idol was based on the British show Pop Idol created by Simon Fuller, which was in turn inspired by the New Zealand television singing competition Popstars. Television producer Nigel Lythgoe saw it in Australia and helped bring it over to Britain. Fuller was inspired by the idea from Popstars of employing a panel of judges to select singers in audition. He then added other elements, such as telephone voting by the viewing public (which at the time was already in use in shows such as the Eurovision Song Contest), the drama of backstories and real-life soap opera unfolding in real time. The show debuted in 2001 in Britain with Lythgoe as showrunner—the executive producer and production leader—and Simon Cowell as one of the judges, and was a big success with the viewing public.

What show in New Zealand was the inspiration for the British Series Pop Idol?

Popstars

Who was the creator of British Series Pop Idol?

Simon Fuller

What year did Pop Idol make its television debut?

Who was a judge on the British series Pop Idol in 2001?

Simon Cowell

Wha was the executive producer of Pop Idol in 2001?

Nigel Lythgoe

What show was Pop Idols based on?

Popstars

Who saw Popstars while in Australia and wanted Britain to have the same thing?

Nigel Lythgoe

In addition to back stories and drama, what did Fuller add to the show?

telephone voting

When did Pop Idol premiere in Britain?

Who was the executive producer of Pop Idol?

Lythgoe


In 2001, Fuller, Cowell, and TV producer Simon Jones attempted to sell the Pop Idol format to the United States, but the idea was met with poor response from United States television networks. However, Rupert Murdoch, head of Fox's parent company, was persuaded to buy the show by his daughter Elisabeth, who was a fan of the British show. The show was renamed American Idol: The Search for a Superstar and debuted in the summer of 2002. Cowell was initially offered the job as showrunner but refused; Lythgoe then took over that position. Much to Cowell's surprise, it became one of the hit shows for the summer that year. The show, with the personal engagement of the viewers with the contestants through voting, and the presence of the acid-tongued Cowell as a judge, grew into a phenomenon. By 2004, it had become the most-watched show in the U.S., a position it then held on for seven consecutive seasons.

For how many seasons was American Idol the most watched show in the US?

seven

What year did American Idol first air on FOX?

What year did producers attempt to sell the Pop Idol format in the United States?

Who talked Rupert Murdoch into buying American Idol for FOX?

his daughter Elisabeth

Who is the head of Fox's parent company?

Rupert Murdoch

What was Pop Idol renamed to for its American debut?

American Idol: The Search for a Superstar


The show had originally planned on having four judges following the Pop Idol format; however, only three judges had been found by the time of the audition round in the first season, namely Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell. A fourth judge, radio DJ Stryker, was originally chosen but he dropped out citing "image concerns". In the second season, New York radio personality Angie Martinez had been hired as a fourth judge but withdrew only after a few days of auditions due to not being comfortable with giving out criticism. The show decided to continue with the three judges format until season eight. All three original judges stayed on the judging panel for eight seasons.

For how many seasons were the three original judges on American Idol?

eight

How many judges were originally planned for American Idol?

four

What New York radio personalty was hired as a judge for American Idol in season two but declined?

Angie Martinez

What radio DJ was originally hired as a judge in season one but declined?

Stryker

How many judges were originally intended for the show?

four

Which judge quit before the premiere, citing image concerns?

DJ Stryker

During Season two, which judge quit after a few days?

Angie Martinez

When did American Idol change to a four-judge panel?

season eight


In season eight, Latin Grammy Award-nominated singer–songwriter and record producer Kara DioGuardi was added as a fourth judge. She stayed for two seasons and left the show before season ten. Paula Abdul left the show before season nine after failing to agree terms with the show producers. Emmy Award-winning talk show host Ellen DeGeneres replaced Paula Abdul for that season, but left after just one season. On January 11, 2010, Simon Cowell announced that he was leaving the show to pursue introducing the American version of his show The X Factor to the USA for 2011. Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler joined the judging panel in season ten, but both left after two seasons. They were replaced by three new judges, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban, who joined Randy Jackson in season 12. However both Carey and Minaj left after one season, and Randy Jackson also announced that he would depart the show after twelve seasons as a judge but would return as a mentor. Urban is the only judge from season 12 to return in season 13. He was joined by previous judge Jennifer Lopez and former mentor Harry Connick, Jr.. Lopez, Urban and Connick, Jr. all returned as judges for the show's fourteenth and fifteenth seasons.

Who was added as a fourth judge in the eighth season of American Idol?

Kara DioGuardi

Who replaced Paula Abdul as a judge in season nine of American Idol?

Ellen DeGeneres

For how many seasons was Steven Tyler a judge on American Idol?

two

What year did Simon Cowell announce that he was leaving American Idol?

What show did Simon Cowell launch in 2011 after leaving American Idol?

The X Factor

Who was added as a fourth judge for the eighth season?

Kara DioGuardi

When did Paula Abdul quit as a judge?

before season nine

When did Simon Cowell announce he was no longer going to be a judge?

January 11, 2010

Which talk show host replaced Paula Abdul?

Ellen DeGeneres

When did Steven Tyler become a judge?

season ten


Guest judges may occasionally be introduced. In season two, guest judges such as Lionel Richie and Robin Gibb were used, and in season three Donna Summer, Quentin Tarantino and some of the mentors also joined as judges to critique the performances in the final rounds. Guest judges were used in the audition rounds for seasons four, six, nine, and fourteen such as Gene Simmons and LL Cool J in season four, Jewel and Olivia Newton-John in season six, Shania Twain in season eight, Neil Patrick Harris, Avril Lavigne and Katy Perry in season nine, and season eight runner-up, Adam Lambert, in season fourteen.

In what season was Lionel Richie a guest judge on American Idol?

season two

Which season eight contestant was a guest judge in season fourteen?

Adam Lambert

In what season was Donna Summer a guest judge on American Idol?

season three

In which season was Shania Twain a guest judge on American Idol?

season six

Which season of American Idol featured Katy Perry as a guest judge?

season nine

Who were the guest judges in season two?

Lionel Richie and Robin Gibb

When was Shania Twain a guest judge for auditions?

season eight

When did Donna Summer help the contestants during the final rounds?

season three


The first season was co-hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman. Dunkleman quit thereafter, making Seacrest the sole emcee of the show starting with season two.

Who was the only host of American Idol after season one?

Ryan Seacrest

Which host quit after the first season?

Brian Dunkleman


Beginning in the tenth season[citation needed], permanent mentors were brought in during the live shows to help guide the contestants with their song choice and performance. Jimmy Iovine was the mentor in the tenth through twelfth seasons, former judge Randy Jackson was the mentor for the thirteenth season and Scott Borchetta was the mentor for the fourteenth and fifteenth season. The mentors regularly bring in guest mentors to aid them, including Akon, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, and current judge Harry Connick, Jr..

Who was a mentor to the contestants on American Idol in its thirteenth season?

Randy Jackson

Who mentored contestants in the fourteenth and fifteenth seasons of American Idol?

Scott Borchetta

What two things did the mentors help the contestants with?

song choice and performance

Who was the mentor for seasons 10 - 12?

Jimmy Iovine

Who was the mentor for season 13?

Randy Jackson

Who was the mentor for seasons 14 and 15?

Scott Borchetta


The eligible age-range for contestants is currently fifteen to twenty-eight years old. The initial age limit was sixteen to twenty-four in the first three seasons, but the upper limit was raised to twenty-eight in season four, and the lower limit was reduced to fifteen in season ten. The contestants must be legal U.S. residents, cannot have advanced to particular stages of the competition in previous seasons (varies depending on the season, currently by the semi-final stage until season thirteen), and must not hold any current recording or talent representation contract by the semi-final stage (in previous years by the audition stage).

What is the upper age limit for contestants on American Idol?

twenty-eight

When was the age limit increased to 28?

season four

Currently, contestants can not have a recording track by what stage of the competition?

semi-final stage


Contestants go through at least three sets of cuts. The first is a brief audition with a few other contestants in front of selectors which may include one of the show's producers. Although auditions can exceed 10,000 in each city, only a few hundred of these make it past the preliminary round of auditions. Successful contestants then sing in front of producers, where more may be cut. Only then can they proceed to audition in front of the judges, which is the only audition stage shown on television. Those selected by the judges are sent to Hollywood. Between 10–60 people in each city may make it to Hollywood[citation needed].

How many auditions are there before contestants audition for the judges?

at least three

Which audition stage is televised?

the judges

How many contestants make it through the initial auditions in each city?

a few hundred

What is the only televised portion of the preliminary audition rounds?

in front of the judges

How many rounds can a contestant make it through before Hollywood?

three

Who do contestants sing for in the second round of cuts during auditions?

producers

If contestants get approval from the judges, where do they go next?

Hollywood


Once in Hollywood, the contestants perform individually or in groups in a series of rounds. Until season ten, there were usually three rounds of eliminations in Hollywood. In the first round the contestants emerged in groups but performed individually. For the next round, the contestants put themselves in small groups and perform a song together. In the final round, the contestants perform solo with a song of their choice a cappella or accompanied by a band—depending on the season. In seasons two and three, contestants were also asked to write original lyrics or melody in an additional round after the first round. In season seven, the group round was eliminated and contestants may, after a first solo performance and on judges approval, skip a second solo round and move directly to the final Hollywood round. In season twelve, the executive producers split up the females and males and chose the members to form the groups in the group round.

Which season did not have a group round in Hollywood?

seven

In which seasons were contestants required to write original lyrics?

two and three

How many Hollywood rounds were there in the first nine seasons?

usually three

In which season were contestants separated by gender to form groups?

twelve

How many rounds of cuts were in the Hollywood stage until season ten?

three

What was eliminated from the Hollywood round in Season seven?

groups

Which seasons did contestants have to write an original lyric or melody?

seasons two and three


In seasons ten and eleven, a further round was added in Las Vegas, where the contestants perform in groups based on a theme, followed by one final solo round to determine the semi-finalists. At the end of this stage of the competition, 24 to 36 contestants are selected to move on to the semi-final stage. In season twelve the Las Vegas round became a Sudden Death round, where the judges had to choose five guys and five girls each night (four nights) to make the top twenty. In season thirteen, a new round called "Hollywood or Home" was added, where if the judges were uncertain about some contestants, those contestants were required to perform soon after landing in Los Angeles, and those who failed to impress were sent back home before they reached Hollywood.

In what city did contestants perform an additional round in seasons ten and eleven?

Las Vegas

What was the Las Vegas round called in season twelve?

Sudden Death

In which season was the "Hollywood or Home" round added to the competition?

twelve


From the semi-finals onwards, the fate of the contestants is decided by public vote. During the contestant's performance as well as the recap at the end, a toll-free telephone number for each contestant is displayed on the screen. For a two-hour period after the episode ends (up to four hours for the finale) in each US time zone, viewers may call or send a text message to their preferred contestant's telephone number, and each call or text message is registered as a vote for that contestant. Viewers are allowed to vote as many times as they can within the two-hour voting window. However, the show reserves the right to discard votes by power dialers. One or more of the least popular contestants may be eliminated in successive weeks until a winner emerges. Over 110 million votes were cast in the first season, and by season ten the seasonal total had increased to nearly 750 million. Voting via text messaging was made available in the second season when AT&T Wireless joined as a sponsor of the show, and 7.5 million text messages were sent to American Idol that season. The number of text messages rapidly increased, reaching 178 million texts by season eight. Online voting was offered for the first time in season ten. The votes are counted and verified by Telescope Inc.

How many text message votes were there in season eight?

178 million

In which season was online voting introduced?

ten

What company counts the votes on American Idol?

Telescope Inc

At what point does the public begin voting for contestants?

the semi-finals

How many votes were cast for contestants in the first season?

Over 110 million

How many votes were cast by season ten for all contestants?

nearly 750 million


In the first three seasons, the semi-finalists were split into different groups to perform individually in their respective night. In season one, there were three groups of ten, with the top three contestants from each group making the finals. In seasons two and three, there were four groups of eight, and the top two of each selected. These seasons also featured a wildcard round, where contestants who failed to qualify were given another chance. In season one, only one wildcard contestant was chosen by the judges, giving a total of ten finalists. In seasons two and three, each of the three judges championed one contestant with the public advancing a fourth into the finals, making 12 finalists in all.

How many finalists were there on the first season of American Idol?

ten

What is the name of the round that gives failed contestants another chance?

wildcard

How were the semi-finalists split up to perform in season one?

three groups of ten

How were the semi-finalists split up to perform in seasons two and three?

four groups of eight

When did the wildcard round become a factor?

season one

How many finalists were chosen for season one?

ten

How many finalists made it to the finals for seasons two and three?


From seasons four to seven and nine, the twenty-four semi-finalists were divided by gender in order to ensure an equal gender division in the top twelve. The men and women sang separately on consecutive nights, and the bottom two in each groups were eliminated each week until only six of each remained to form the top twelve.

How many semi-finalists were there in season 4?

twenty-four

How were the semi-finalists divided in season four?

by gender

How many men were in the top twelve on season five of American Idol?

six

How many women were in the top twelve on season nine of American Idol?

six

How many women were semi-finalists on season six of American Idol?

twelve


The wildcard round returned in season eight, wherein there were three groups of twelve, with three contestants moving forward – the highest male, the highest female, and the next highest-placed singer - for each night, and four wildcards were chosen by the judges to produce a final 13. Starting season ten, the girls and boys perform on separate nights. In seasons ten and eleven, five of each gender were chosen, and three wildcards were chosen by the judges to form a final 13. In season twelve, the top twenty semifinalists were split into gender groups, with five of each gender advancing to form the final 10. In season thirteen, there were thirty semifinalists, but only twenty semifinalists (ten for each gender) were chosen by the judges to perform on the live shows, with five in each gender and three wildcards chosen by the judges composing the final 13.

How many wildcards were chosen by the judges in season eight?

four

How many wildcard contestants were advanced in the competition in season ten?

three

How many women were in the top ten in season twelve?

five

How many finalists were there in season eight?

thirteen

What season saw the return of the Wild Card round?

season eight

How many contestants moved forward from each round?

three

How many wildcard contestants were chosen?

four

How many contestants were finalists for season 12?


The finals are broadcast in prime time from CBS Television City in Los Angeles, in front of a live studio audience. The finals lasted eight weeks in season one, eleven weeks in subsequent seasons until seasons ten and eleven which lasted twelve weeks except for season twelve, which lasted ten weeks, and season thirteen, which lasted for thirteen weeks. Each finalist performs songs based on a weekly theme which may be a musical genre such as Motown, disco, or big band, songs by artists such as Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley or The Beatles, or more general themes such as Billboard Number 1 hits or songs from the contestant's year of birth. Contestants usually work with a celebrity mentor related to the theme. In season ten, Jimmy Iovine was brought in as a mentor for the season. Initially the contestants sing one song each week, but this is increased to two songs from top four or five onwards, then three songs for the top two or three.

Where studio hosts the live final rounds on American Idol?

CBS Television City

Who was the mentor on season ten of American Idol?

Jimmy Iovine

How many weeks did the finals of season thirteen last?

thirteen

How many weeks did the finals last in the first season?

eight

Where are the finals broadcast from?

CBS Television City

Who was a mentor for the contestants in Season 10?

Jimmy Iovine

How many songs do contestants sing initially in the finals?

one

When do contestants start singing two songs?

top four or five


The most popular contestants are usually not revealed in the results show. Instead, typically the three contestants (two in later rounds) who received the lowest number of votes are called to the center of the stage. One of these three is usually sent to safety; however the two remaining are not necessarily the bottom two. The contestant with the fewest votes is then revealed and eliminated from the competition. A montage of the eliminated contestant's time on the show is played and they give their final performance. However, in season six, during the series' first ever Idol Gives Back episode, no contestant was eliminated, but on the following week, two were sent home. Moreover, starting in season eight, the judges may overturn viewers' decision with a "Judges' Save" if they unanimously agree to. "The save" can only be used once, and only up through the top five. In the eighth, ninth, tenth, and fourteenth seasons, a double elimination then took place in the week following the activation of the save, but in the eleventh and thirteenth seasons, a regular single elimination took place. The save was not activated in the twelfth season and consequently, a non-elimination took place in the week after its expiration with the votes then carrying over into the following week.

In what season was the "Judges Save" introduced to give contestants a second chance?

eight

How many time can the judges save be used each season?

once

When three are called, one is often sent to what?

safety

Which season was the Idol Gives Back episode?

season six


The "Fan Save" was introduced in the fourteenth season. During the finals, viewers are given a five-minute window to vote for the contestants in danger of elimination by using their Twitter account to decide which contestant will move on to the next show, starting with the Top 8.

In which season was the "Fan Save" first used?

fourteen

How do people vote using the fan save?

Twitter

What was introduced in season 14 to allow the fans to help save a contestant?

Fan Save

How do viewers vote for a contestant using Fan Save?

Twitter

When does the Fan Save start?

Top 8


The finale is the two-hour last episode of the season, culminating in revealing the winner. For seasons one, three through six, and fourteen, it was broadcast from the Dolby Theatre, which has an audience capacity of approximately 3,400. The finale for season two took place at the Gibson Amphitheatre, which has an audience capacity of over 6,000. In seasons seven through thirteen, the venue was at the Nokia Theatre, which holds an audience of over 7,000.

What venue was the American Idol season seven finale held at?

the Nokia Theatre

How many people can attend an American Idol finale at the Dolby Theatre?

In what episode is the winner of American Idol revealed?

The finale

Where was the season one finale broadcast from?

Dolby Theatre

How many audience members can fit in Dolby Theatre?

What is the capacity for Gibson Ampitheatre?

For seasons 7-13, the season finale was held where?

Nokia Theatre