Higher Buddhism – 20 mark questions
Looking over papers from the last few years, a lot of the content has already been asked. So I’ve been thinking about either what hasn’t come up recently – or what hasn’t come up at all. In terms of 20 mark questions – samsara and nibbana (which could both individually appear) are both on my radar.
So, the advice that I would always give is structure: start with knowledge, move on to analysis (the consequences of those beliefs), and then evaluate using the language of the question.
Evaluate the impact of beliefs about samsara.
Paragraph 1: I’m looking for 10 facts about samsara or closely linked to samsara.
Samsara is the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth that Buddhists believe all beings are trapped in until they reach enlightenment. (KU) Buddhist rebirth doesn’t involve a permanent soul — instead, karma from one life shapes the next, more like energy being passed on than a person moving from body to body. (KU) The concept of samsara is often shown as a ‘wheel of life’ being held by ‘Yama’ who is the lord of death. (KU) The cycle is kept going by the Three Poisons — greed, hatred, and ignorance — which cause people to act in unskilful ways and create more suffering. (KU) Buddhists also believe in six realms of rebirth where beings can be reborn based on their kamma (KU): gods, humans, jealous gods, hungry ghosts, animals, and hell beings. (KU) Human life is considered the best chance to achieve enlightenment because it allows people to make choices that lead them out of samsara. (KU) Everything in samsara is connected, so every action, thought, and decision can have consequences beyond this life. (KU) When a person reaches nibbana, they are no longer reborn and break free from the cycle of samara. (KU) Buddhists believe that you can only escape samsara by getting rid of ignorance and design and by practising compassion. (KU)
Paragraph 2: Analysis can go anywhere on a question like this so I’m looking for the consequences or implications of these beliefs.
Believing in samsara affects how Buddhists live. Firstly, it encourages them to act ethically and follow the Eightfold Path to build good karma, which shapes their future lives. (A) Secondly, it also motivates people to be mindful, compassionate, and disciplined, helping to reduce suffering for themselves and others. (A) Thirdly, socially, samsara encourages responsibility and kindness because all beings are caught in the same cycle of suffering. (A) Fourthly, it also gives life meaning — struggles and challenges are seen as part of the process, (A) and finally the ultimate goal of escaping the cycle gives people a reason to focus on spiritual development. (A)
Paragraph 3: A question in the world religion section could ask about impact, significance, or relevance… so I’m looking for candidates to use whatever word is in the question in their evaluation section. I want to see supported judgements.
I think that beliefs about samsara do have an impact because they really shape how Buddhists live their lives every single day. They encourage people to act ethically, be mindful of their actions, and try to reduce suffering for themselves and others all the time so this has a huge impact. (E) Samsara also gives meaning to life and death, helping Buddhists stay patient and focused on long-term goals like enlightenment. This proves that it impacts people’s mindsets and not just their actions. (E) In today’s world, where people often focus on instant satisfaction, samsara reminds Buddhists to think about the bigger picture and the consequences of their choices, making it a belief that genuinely affects both personal behaviour and how they relate to others. (E) But on the other hand, I don’t think that beliefs about samsara have an impact because those beliefs mean nothing if you don’t know how to get good kamma and so beliefs about existence are more useful. (E) But ultimately, I think these beliefs can change someone’s reason for living and make Buddhism the religion that it is so are ultimately impactful. (E)
