List of extracts for Paper 4A: Buddhism
Students are expected to study a range of texts that support and underpin their knowledge and understanding. The assessment will include two extended-response questions on an excerpt, sourced from this extracts list. The following texts are not exclusive to the topic areas under which they appear; students will need to be able to apply these texts across any suitable topic area. These are published in the A Level Religious Studies Anthology: Paper 4A – Buddhism, which can be downloaded from our website qualifications.pearson.com
Suggested translation of the Tipitaka is by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
(1) Armstrong K – Buddha, Chapter 3 Enlightenment, pp. 60–88 (Phoenix, 2002) ISBN 9780753813409
(2) de Bary W T et al – The Buddhist Tradition in India, China and Japan, Chapter 3 The Bodhisattva, pp. 81–109 (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2011) ISBN 9780307778796
(3) Rahula W – Gems of Buddhist Wisdom, Chapter 27 Bodhisattva Ideal in Buddhism, pp. 461–471 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Buddhist Missionary Society, 1996) ISBN 9789679920673
Then Yodhajiva,9 the headman went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: "Lord, I have heard that it has been passed down by the ancient teaching lineage of warriors that 'When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down & slay him while he is striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle.' What does the Blessed One have to say about that?
(Source: Quote from ‘Yodhjiva Sutta: ‘To Yodhajiva ( The Warrior) ©1998 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.)
3 (a) Clarify the ideas illustrated in this passage about Buddhist teachings about ahimsa with reference to this passage.
The passage cited above from the Yodhajiva Sutta illustrates an inquiry made by a headman named Yodhajiva, regarding the teachings on rebirth of warriors who die in battle. The passage is significant in understanding the Buddhist teachings about ahimsa, which is the principle of non-violence.
Yodhajiva presents the belief of ancient warriors that if a warrior is killed while striving and exerting himself in battle, then he is reborn in the company of devas (heavenly beings) slain in battle. The question Yodhajiva poses to the Buddha is about the validity of this belief, as it pertains to rebirth and the nature of violence.
In response to Yodhajiva's question, the Buddha does not explicitly endorse or condemn the belief. Instead, he redirects the focus of the inquiry to the larger issue of violence and its effects on the mind. The Buddha states that "those who fall away from both ends, becoming & non-becoming, do not know the Dhamma, and they are outside the Dhamma." (Yodhajiva Sutta) Here, the Buddha is suggesting that the concern for rebirth in heaven should not be the primary motivation for engaging in battle or violence.
The Buddhist teachings on ahimsa emphasize the importance of non-violence in all aspects of life. The Buddha himself is said to have taken a vow of non-violence, and his teachings reflect this principle. The concept of ahimsa is closely tied to the Buddhist concept of karma, which holds that every action has consequences that affect the individual's future rebirths.
In discussing the topic of ahimsa, scholars have noted that the Buddhist teachings do not promote passivity or non-action in the face of violence or injustice. Instead, the emphasis is on non-violent action and compassion. As Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi writes, "The Buddha's teaching does not condone passivity or resignation in the face of injustice and oppression. Rather, it teaches that nonviolence is the most effective way to counteract violence and that the spirit of compassion and love is the most powerful means to overcome hatred and hostility." (Bodhi, The Noble Eightfold Path)
In conclusion, the passage from the Yodhajiva Sutta highlights the Buddhist teachings on ahimsa, non-violence, and rebirth. While the belief that warriors who die in battle are reborn in heaven may have been a prevalent belief in ancient times, the Buddha emphasizes that the primary concern should be the impact of violence on the mind and the importance of non-violence in all aspects of life. The Buddhist teachings on ahimsa emphasize non-violent action and compassion, and these principles continue to be relevant in contemporary discussions on peace and conflict resolution.
References:
Yodhajiva Sutta: To Yodhajiva (The Warrior) (translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu) - https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.057.than.html
Bodhi, Bhikkhu. The Noble Eightfold Path: Way to the End of Suffering. Buddhist Publication Society, 1994.
"Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that."
A second time... A third time Yodhajiva the headman said: "Lord, I have heard that it has been passed down by the ancient teaching lineage of warriors that 'When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down & slay him while he is striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle.' What does the Blessed One have to say about that?"
(Source: Quote from ‘Yodhjiva Sutta: ‘To Yodhajiva ( The Warrior) ©1998 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.)
3 (a) Clarify the ideas illustrated in this passage about Buddhist teachings about ahimsa with reference to this passage.
"Apparently, headman, I haven't been able to get past you by saying, 'Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.' So I will simply answer you. When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, his mind is already seized, debased, & misdirected by the thought: 'May these beings be struck down or slaughtered or annihilated or destroyed. May they not exist.' If others then strike him down & slay him while he is thus striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the hell called the realm of those slain in battle. But if he holds such a view as this: 'When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down & slay him while he is striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle,' that is his wrong view. Now, there are two destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell you: either hell or the animal womb."
(Source: Quote from ‘Yodhjiva Sutta: ‘To Yodhajiva ( The Warrior) ©1998 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.)
3 (a) Clarify the ideas illustrated in this passage about Buddhist teachings about ahimsa with reference to this passage.
When this was said, Yodhajiva the headman sobbed & burst into tears. [The Blessed One said:] "That is what I couldn't get past you by saying, 'Enough,
headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.'"
"I'm not crying, lord, because of what the Blessed One said to me, but simply because I have been deceived, cheated, & fooled for a long time by that ancient teaching lineage of warriors who said: 'When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down & slay him while he is striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle.'
(Source: Quote from ‘Yodhjiva Sutta: ‘To Yodhajiva ( The Warrior) ©1998 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.)
3 (a) Clarify Buddhist ideas about the three refuges in this passage. 2023 Q
3 (a) Clarify the ideas illustrated in this passage about Buddhist teachings about ahimsa with reference to this passage.