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Quiz about Saints Courtesans Murderers and Madmen
Quiz about Saints Courtesans Murderers and Madmen

Saints, Courtesans, Murderers and Madmen Quiz


The world of Buddhist hagiography is filled with unlikely heroes and heroines. Identify some of India and Tibet's most infamous saints.

A multiple-choice quiz by gti mug pa. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
gti mug pa
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
153,478
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
662
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. This laymen's realization was said to have equaled that of the Buddha and yet, unlike the Buddha, "He engaged in all sorts of businesses, yet had no interest in profit or possessions. To train living beings, he would appear at crossroads and on street corners, and to protect them he participated in government. ...To develop children, he visited all the schools. To demonstrate the evils of desire, he even entered the brothels. To establish drunkards in correct mindfulness, he entered all the cabarets." Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. A prolific mass murderer, this fellow is said to have worn a garland of severed fingers and to have eradicated whole towns-that is, until he ran into the Buddha. Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. These two were masterful courtesan as their songs of realization in the Therigatha testify. Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. This most famous fellow was said to have been born from a lotus and, later on, was transformed into the syllable HUM by his guru who then ate and expelled him-a rather unusual ordination methinks. Anyway, he later went to Tibet... riding on a pregnant tigress (of course).

Answer: (Sanskrit one word, Tibetan two words)
Question 5 of 10
5. This wild man had a proclivity for drink and abusing his students. Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. According to tradition, this saint-king and his 'untouchable' consort are said to have immolated themselves when his subjects refused to forgo their mores and follow his transgressive example. They are often depicted as riding upon a tiger. Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. This yogini's image was tarnished after she transgressed her vows. However, she is now known for her seminal role in a meditation wherein one visualizes oneself being dismembered and devoured by demons in a charnel ground. Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. This preeminent disciple of the Buddha tells the following story.

"Coming down from my dwelling place,
I entered the city for alms,
stood courteously next to a leper
eating his meal."

"He, with his rotting hand,
tossed me a morsel of food,
and as the morsel was dropping,
a finger fell off
right there."

"Sitting next to a wall,
I ate that morsel of food,
and neither while eating it,
nor having eaten,
did I feel
any disgust."

In the East, there's another famous story about him and a flower...
Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Legend has it that this siddha and Kagyu guru started out as the preeminent scholar of the university at Nalanda until an encounter with a decrepit old woman. A later account describes him as "quite corpulent... being carried by four men and chewing betel-leaf." Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. This fellow is beloved as one of Tibet's greatest poets and yogis. He is often depicted as a green/grey due to his ascetic diet of nettle soup. In his meeting with this Tibetan murderer turned saint-songwriter, Machig Labdron's consort Padampa Sangye is reported to have said, "You are like a lunatic who neglects to cover up the place that should be covered." Our character responded-in song, per usual.

"Men say, [am I not] mad
I also think it may be so.
Now listen to my madness...."

Answer: (One Word)

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Most Recent Scores
Oct 07 2024 : Johnmcmanners: 10/10
Sep 26 2024 : Linda_Arizona: 7/10

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. This laymen's realization was said to have equaled that of the Buddha and yet, unlike the Buddha, "He engaged in all sorts of businesses, yet had no interest in profit or possessions. To train living beings, he would appear at crossroads and on street corners, and to protect them he participated in government. ...To develop children, he visited all the schools. To demonstrate the evils of desire, he even entered the brothels. To establish drunkards in correct mindfulness, he entered all the cabarets."

Answer: Vimalakirti

From the Vimalakirtinirdesa sutra translated by Robert Thurman.
2. A prolific mass murderer, this fellow is said to have worn a garland of severed fingers and to have eradicated whole towns-that is, until he ran into the Buddha.

Answer: Angulimala

Literally, 'garland of fingers.' From the Angulimala Sutta (MN 86) http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/majjhima/mn086.html
3. These two were masterful courtesan as their songs of realization in the Therigatha testify.

Answer: Vimala and Ambapali

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/khuddaka/therigatha/index.html
4. This most famous fellow was said to have been born from a lotus and, later on, was transformed into the syllable HUM by his guru who then ate and expelled him-a rather unusual ordination methinks. Anyway, he later went to Tibet... riding on a pregnant tigress (of course).

Answer: Padmasambhava

Padmasambhava famous for conquering the local deities of Tibet and, along with Santaraksita, with establishing Buddhism there.
5. This wild man had a proclivity for drink and abusing his students.

Answer: All of these

Marpa is credited with no lesser an heir than Milarepa (cf question 10).
6. According to tradition, this saint-king and his 'untouchable' consort are said to have immolated themselves when his subjects refused to forgo their mores and follow his transgressive example. They are often depicted as riding upon a tiger.

Answer: Dombi Heruka

Among the legendary 84 Mahasiddhas - a delightful example of Indian hagiography at is best.
7. This yogini's image was tarnished after she transgressed her vows. However, she is now known for her seminal role in a meditation wherein one visualizes oneself being dismembered and devoured by demons in a charnel ground.

Answer: Machig Labdron

This practice of self-sacrificial visualization is known as chöd.
8. This preeminent disciple of the Buddha tells the following story. "Coming down from my dwelling place, I entered the city for alms, stood courteously next to a leper eating his meal." "He, with his rotting hand, tossed me a morsel of food, and as the morsel was dropping, a finger fell off right there." "Sitting next to a wall, I ate that morsel of food, and neither while eating it, nor having eaten, did I feel any disgust." In the East, there's another famous story about him and a flower...

Answer: Maha Kassapa

Theragatha XVIII {vv. 1051-1090}
Translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Maha Kassapa (or Mahakashyapa in Sanskrit) represents, according to Chan/Zen Buddhism tradition, the origin of their distinctive tradition. He is said to have been enlightened when the Buddha silently held up a single flower to an assembly of monks. Mahakashyapa is said to have smiled.
9. Legend has it that this siddha and Kagyu guru started out as the preeminent scholar of the university at Nalanda until an encounter with a decrepit old woman. A later account describes him as "quite corpulent... being carried by four men and chewing betel-leaf."

Answer: Naropa

The eye-witness account is from Nagtso Lotsawa as cited in Ronald Davidson's "Indian Esoteric Buddhism."
10. This fellow is beloved as one of Tibet's greatest poets and yogis. He is often depicted as a green/grey due to his ascetic diet of nettle soup. In his meeting with this Tibetan murderer turned saint-songwriter, Machig Labdron's consort Padampa Sangye is reported to have said, "You are like a lunatic who neglects to cover up the place that should be covered." Our character responded-in song, per usual. "Men say, [am I not] mad I also think it may be so. Now listen to my madness...."

Answer: Milarepa

From "The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa." Milarepa is Tibet's most beloved yogi and most prolific songwriter (or psalm-writer).
Source: Author gti mug pa

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor trammgr before going online.
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