a) The key events of his life, including birth, childhood, the four sights, life as an ascetic, search for Enlightenment, Enlightenment, founding of the sangha, preaching, his death and parinibbana.
b) Links with a range of religious groupings at this time, including their beliefs and practice.
c) Understanding and assessment of sacrifices, caste systems, social and economic groupings and changes; types of authority and kingship. With reference to the ideas of K Armstrong and N Bhikkhu.
1 Explore the key events in the life of the Buddha. (8) 2019 Paper Q , 2018 Paper Q
1 Explore Buddha Gautama’s links with the range of religious groupings during his life, including their beliefs and practice. (8)
2 Explore how the life and work of the Buddha reflects contextual features such as sacrifices, caste systems, social and economic groupings and changes; types of authority and kingship. (8)
1. Explore how the features of the religious context prior to the time of the Buddha had an influence of the on the life of the Buddha. (8)
1. Explore how Buddha accepted some and rejected other aspects of the Historical, Religious and Social contexts from the time prior to the Buddha. (8)
1. Explore the significant features of the conception and birth in the life of the Buddha. (8)
1. Explore why Siddhartha’s father kept him in a life of luxury. (8)
1. Explore the significant features of the period of luxury and asceticism in the life of the Buddha. (8)
1 Explore the impact of the episode of the Four Sights on the life of the Buddha . (8)
1. Explore the significant features of battle with mara and Enlightenement of Buddha Gautama’s in the life of the Buddha. (8)
1. Explore the events that led to the Buddha’s enlightenment. (8)
1. Explore the significant features of founding of the sangha, preaching of Buddha Gautama’s in the life of the Buddha. (8)
1. Explore the significant features of the death and parinibbana. of Buddha Gautama’s in the life of the Buddha. (8)
1 Explore the key features of Vedic religion and culture. (8)
2 Assess the view that knowing the historical Buddha Guatama's biography is essential to understanding Buddhism. (12)
2. Assess the claim that the story of the Buddha is not meant to be taken literally. (12)
2 Assess the important teachings that the Buddha Guatama life exemplifies. (12)
2 Assess the importance of the Four Sights in understanding Buddha Guatama. (12)
2 Assess this view the Buddha’s experience of the four sights is the most important event in Buddhism. (12)
2 Assess the importance of sacrifices, caste systems, social and economic groupings and changes, types of authority and kingship for the life of the Buddha Guatama. (12)
2 Assess the view that the features of the religious context prior to the time of the Buddha had a significant influence on the teachings of the Buddha Guatama. (12)
2 Assess the significance of the period of luxury and asceticism in the life of the Buddha Guatama for Buddhist beliefs. (12)
2 Assess this view the Buddha’s experience of the four sights is the most important event in Buddhism. (12)
2 Asess the importance of the four sights to the Buddha’s enlightenment. (12)
2 Assess the importance of Buddha Guatama's search for Enlightenment for contemporary Buddhist traditions. (12)
2 Assess the significance of the Buddha’s awakening for modern day Buddhists. (12)
2 Assess what considerations must be made in evaluating the importance of the teachings of the Buddha (12)
2 Assess the view the founding of the sangha was not as important as the Buddhas preaching and teaching. (12)
2 Assess the importance of theBuddha Guatama' death and parinibbana. (12)
3(b) Analyse the significance of the Buddha’s preaching of the dhamma. (20) 2019 Paper Q
3(b) Analyse the significance of the historical, religious and social context at the time to the life and message of the Buddha. (20) 2018 AS Paper Q
3 (b) Analyse the extent to which the search for Enlightenment is significant for Buddhists (20) 2018 Paper Q
3(b) Analyse the extent to which the life of the Buddha is actulally important to Buddhists? (20)
3b Analyse the strengths of the claim that the most important teachings that his life exemplifies are Mahayana not Theravada. (20)
3b Analyse the importance of Buddhas Birth in Buddhist traditions. (20)
3b Analyse the weakness of the claim that the childhood of teh Buddha is key to understanding his latter dharma or teaching. (20)
3b Analyse implications of the four sights in different Buddhist traditions. (20)
3b Analyse the success of the Buddhas life as an ascetic. (20)
3b Analyse the view that the example of the Buddhas search for Enlightenment is what all Buddhists should be imatating. (20)
3b Analyse the relevance of the founding of the sangha, and the Buddhas preaching. (20)
3b Analyse the view that the Buddhas death and parinibbana areessential to an understanding of Buddhism today. (20)
3(b) Analyse the significance of sacrifices, caste systems, social and economic groupings and changes; types of authority and kingship to understand the Buddha. (20)
4. Evaluate the meaning and significance of the social context of the Buddha to his life and work. (30) 2018 Paper Q
4 Evaluate the importance of the historical, religious and social context at the time to the life and message of the Buddha. (30)
4 Evaluate the debate about the significance of sacrifices, caste systems, social and economic groupings and changes; types of authority and kingship to understand the Buddha . (30)
4 Evaluate the status of Buddhas Birth as significant in Buddhist traditions. (30)
4 Evaluate the relative importance of the childhood of the Buddha as key to understanding different Buddhsist views about his latter dharma or teaching. (30)
4 Evaluate the claim that Buddha Gautama, did not need to be enlightened as the Buddha nature is in every person. (30)
4 Evaluate the significance of the four sights in different Buddhist traditions. (30)
4. Evaluate the meaning and significance of the Buddhas life as an ascetic. (30)
4 Evaluate the the view that the Buddha rejected many of the religious features in India, prior to the time of the Buddha, especially with regard to beliefs about liberation. (30)
4 Evaluate the ways in which the Buddha reacted to these influence of religious groups religious practices, and the social context on his life and teaching. (30)
4 Evaluate the claim it is easy for people to identify with the central experiences of the Buddha.’
4 Evaluate the opinion that the life of the Buddha is not actulally important to Buddhists. (30)
4 Evaluate the claim that the search for Enlightenment is not significant for Buddhists. (30)
4 Evaluate the claim that the example of the Buddhas search for Enlightenment is what all Buddhists should be imitating. (30)
4 Evaluate the claim that the life of the Buddha shows a way of liberation. (30)
4 Evaluate the relative importance of the founding of the sangha, and the Buddhas preaching. (30)
4. Evaluate the meaning and significance of the Buddha’s preaching of the dhamma. (30)
4 Evaluate the status of the Buddhas death and parinibbana as essential to an understanding of Buddhism today. (30)
4 Evaluate the strenghts and weaknesss of the claim that the most important teachings that his life exemplifies are Mahayana not Theravada. (30)