GCSE Religious Studies — Buddhism: Beliefs, Teachings, and Practices

Led by The Buddha (Pali Canon) Simulacrum

One of the five religions of OCR GCSE Religious Studies — Buddhism studied in both halves the exam requires, Theravada and Mahayana, hosted by the voice of the earliest teaching, the suttas of the Pali Canon.

1. Module 1

   Buddhism: Beliefs and Teachings

   Led by The Buddha (Pali Canon) Simulacrum

   The question

   What did the Buddha teach about suffering and the way beyond it? You will study his life and Enlightenment, the Dhamma and the Three Marks of Existence (dukkha, anicca, anatta), the Four Noble Truths with the Eightfold Path and Threefold Way, the analysis of the person (the khandas in Theravada; sunyata and buddha-nature in Mahayana), human destiny (arhat, bodhisattva, Buddha, Pure Land), and Buddhist ethics — kamma, compassion, the Precepts, and the Middle Way.

   Outcome

   You can explain Buddhist beliefs and support them from the suttas, accounting for both Theravada and Mahayana positions and the divergence between the arhat and bodhisattva ideals.

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 1.1 The Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Three Marks of Existence Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 1.2 The Four Noble Truths and the Path Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   3. ○ 1.3 The Human Personality and Human Destiny Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   4. ○ 1.4 Ethics and the Middle Way Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Begin the course → Print certificate of completion
2. Module 2

   Buddhism: Practices

   Led by The Buddha (Pali Canon) Simulacrum

   The question

   How is the path walked in daily life? You will study worship and the types of meditation (samatha, vipassana, metta bhavana, zazen, mindfulness), the sacred places and pilgrimage sites (Bodh Gaya, Sarnath) and the meaning of the Buddha images and mudras, the monastic and lay Sangha and the Ten Precepts, the festivals (Wesak, Vassa, Uposatha, Parinirvana Day, Lama Tsong Khapa Day), and attitudes to death across the Theravada, Tibetan, and Japanese traditions.

   Outcome

   You can explain Buddhist practices and their relationship to the teaching, and account for the divergences between Buddhist groups in worship, the life of the Sangha, and the rituals of death.

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 2.1 Worship and Meditation Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 2.2 Sacred Places and the Sangha Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   3. ○ 2.3 Festivals and Death Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion