Recently I was helping clear out the classroom at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church and came across a stack of books entitled The Buddha and His Teaching by Ernest K. Shinkaku Hunt. The book was published by Aoyama Shoin Inc., Tokyo, in April 1962. These were used as textbooks for the church’s Sunday School.

This is not a text specific to Nichiren Buddhism but rather a generic teaching. To that end, the book finishes with:

A Catechism for Sunday School

1. Of what religion are you?

I am a Buddhist.

2. What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is the Teaching of the Buddha Sakyamuni.

3. What does the word Buddha mean?

The word Buddha means “The Enlightened One.”

4. When did the Buddha Sakyamuni live?

About two thousands five hundred years ago.

5. Where was he born?

He was born in India, in Lumbini’s garden.

6. When was he born?

623 BCE

7.What was his family name?

His family name was Gotama and his given name, Siddhartha.

8.Who were his parents?

King Sudhodana and Queen Maya.

9. What did the wise hermit Asita say about him when he was born?

The wise hermit Asita said, “Truly this child will become either a king of kings or a Buddha.”

10. What did the king do to try and stop the prince from becoming a Buddha and why?

The king built beautiful palaces and gardens for the prince and tried to keep all knowledge of old age, sickness, and death from him. The king wanted him to become a great king.

11. Did this plan of the king succeed?

No, when the prince passed along the street of the city he met an old man, a sick man, and the funeral of a dead man.

12. What did the prince think when he became aware of these things?

“How can I save all men from suffering and sorrow.”

13. What did the prince decide to do?

To leave his home to go out in search of the Truth.

14. Was it hard for him to leave his home?

Yes, because he had a wife and dear little boy.

15. How old was he when he left his home?

Twenty Nine years.

16. Where did he go after leaving his home?

To the forest, to visit wise hermits and learn from them.

17. Was he satisfied with their teaching?

No, he was not, and practiced himself a severe asceticism.

18. How long did he continue to practice asceticism?

For nearly six years till he almost died of weakness and pain.

19. Did he find the Truth?

No, he realized that asceticism was not the right way to find the truth.

20. What did he decide to do then?

He stopped his practice of asceticism, and left the forest.

21. What did he do then?

He sat under the Bodhi Tree, and decided never to leave there until he attained to Enlightenment.

22. Did he succeed this time?

Yes, while sitting under the Bodhi Tree he suddenly saw the face of Truth and the reason for sorrow, and the way to a better life. He became a Buddha.

23. How can we express the teaching of the Buddha in a few words?

The teaching of the Buddha leads us from suffering, through love, to peace.

24. Why do we mention suffering first?

Because suffering is the fundamental fact in nature and life.

25. Why do we bring love next?

Because love shows us the way from suffering to peace.

26. Why do we mention peace last?

Because peace is our goal or last aim.

27. What did he teach in his first sermon?

He taught the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-fold Path.

28. What are the Four Noble Truths?

1. That life as we live it, is full of ill-faring (suffering and sorrow)
2. That there is a cause for this ill-faring.
3. That this ill-faring may be alleviated.
4. The way by which this may be done and finally brought to an end.

29. What does the statement “Life is full of suffering” mean?

It means that life is full of discord, jealousy and angry contention.

30. What is the cause of this suffering?

Ignorance, desire, thinking of ourselves apart from other forms of life.

31. Can this suffering be cured?

Yes, this may be done by following the way the Buddha taught.

32. What is the name of that way?

The name of the way is the Eightfold Path.

33. What is the Eight-fold Path?

The Eight-fold Path consists of eight rules. They are Right Understanding, Right Purpose, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Endeavor, Right Thought, and Right Meditation.

34. What do we mean by Right Understanding?

Right Understanding means that we should try to learn and understand the Teaching of our Buddha Sakyamuni.

35. What do we mean by Right Purpose?

Right Purpose means that we should try always to do what is right.

36. What do we mean by Right Speech?

Right Speech means that we should be Truthful and kind in all we say.

37. What do we mean by Right Conduct?

Right Conduct means that we should behave ourselves at all times.

38. What do we mean by Right Livelihood?

Right Livelihood means that we should earn our living in a way which will not harm anyone.

39. What do we mean by Right Endeavor?

Right Endeavor means that we should try constantly to become better.

40. What do we mean by Right Thought?

Right Thought means that we should cherish our thoughts because our words and our actions arise from our thoughts.

41. What do we mean by Right Meditation?

Right Meditation means that we should think often of the Buddha and repeat His Name.

42. What is Karma?

Karma means that what we sow we shall reap. If we live in the way the Buddha shows us, we shall reap happiness. If not, we shall reap unhappiness.

43. What are the Three Guides which a Buddhist should take refuge in?

The Buddha, The Dharma, and The Sangha. The Buddha is the great teacher. The Dharma is the teaching. The Sangha is the brotherhood.

44. What are the Three Signs of Buddhism?

Change (Anicca), Suffering (Dukkha) and None-self (Anatta) are called “Three Signs.”

45. What are the Five Precepts?

1. The precept to abstain from taking life unnecessarily.
2. The precept to abstain from taking things not given.
3. The precept to abstain from immoral actions.
4. The precept to abstain from false speech.
5. The precept to abstain from intoxicating liquors and drugs.

46. What does the lotus stand for?

The lotus is a symbol of purity.

47. How about images of the Buddha?

Images of the Buddha remind us of our gentle Lord with His sweet smile, and are a silent sermon, teaching us to become like our Buddha—gentle, compassionate and loving-kind.

48. How did The Buddha Sakyamuni console his disciples just before his death?

He said “His spirit would still be with them and lead them to peace and happiness.”