Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B 1RB0
Catholic Christianity: Catholic BeliefsAny paper
Catholic Christianity: Living the Catholic LifeAny paper
Catholic Christianity: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1
Catholic Christianity: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1
Catholic Christianity: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2
Catholic Christianity: Peace and ConflictPaper 2
Catholic Christianity: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3
Catholic Christianity: EqualityPaper 3
Christianity: Christian BeliefsAny paper
Christianity: Living the Christian LifeAny paper
Christianity: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1
Christianity: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1
Christianity: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2
Christianity: Peace and ConflictPaper 2
Christianity: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3
Christianity: EqualityPaper 3
Islam: Muslim BeliefsAny paper
Islam: Living the Muslim LifeAny paper
Islam: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1
Islam: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1
Islam: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2
Islam: Peace and ConflictPaper 2
Islam: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3
Islam: EqualityPaper 3
Buddhism: Buddhist BeliefsAny paper
Buddhism: Living the Buddhist LifeAny paper
Buddhism: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1
Buddhism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1
Buddhism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2
Buddhism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2
Buddhism: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3
Buddhism: EqualityPaper 3
Hinduism: Hindu BeliefsAny paper
Hinduism: Living the Hindu LifeAny paper
Hinduism: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1
Hinduism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1
Hinduism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2
Hinduism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2
Hinduism: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3
Hinduism: EqualityPaper 3
Judaism: Jewish BeliefsAny paper
Judaism: Living the Jewish LifeAny paper
Judaism: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1
Judaism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1
Judaism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2
Judaism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2
Judaism: Religious ExperiencePaper 3
Judaism: EqualityPaper 3
Sikhism: Sikh BeliefsAny paper
Sikhism: Living the Sikh LifeAny paper
Sikhism: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1
Sikhism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1
Sikhism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2
Sikhism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2
Sikhism: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3
Sikhism: EqualityPaper 3
Buddhism: Crime and Punishment
- 8 subtopics
- 24 things to know
- Paper 2
- Paper 2, Religion, Peace and Conflict, for the religion studied in this area. Two of the three areas are taken, each through a different religion
What Buddhism: Crime and Punishment covers
Buddhism: Crime and Punishment is examined in Paper 2, Area of Study 2: Religion, Peace and Conflict, if Buddhism is the religion studied for that area. It covers Buddhist attitudes to justice, Buddhist attitudes to crime and its causes, Buddhist teaching on good, evil and suffering, Buddhist attitudes to punishment, Buddhism and the aims of punishment, Buddhist teaching on forgiveness and restorative justice, Buddhist teaching on the treatment of criminals and Buddhist attitudes to the death penalty.
Where it is assessed
Paper 2
Area of Study 2, Religion, Peace and Conflict, if this is the religion studied for that area.
Check the Pearson Edexcel specification ↗The 8 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Buddhist attitudes to justiceDhammapada 256 and 257 on the just person and the just judge, kamma and human justice, what justice does for a victim's anger, Humanist and atheist views, and why justice is not revenge.Open →
- Buddhist attitudes to crime and its causesThe root causes of crime, Dhammapada 160 to 165 on responsibility and purity, the Cakkavatti Sihanada Sutta on poverty, Fleet Maull and the Prison Dharma Network, and the Angulimala prison chaplaincy.Open →
- Buddhist teaching on good, evil and sufferingSkilful and unskilful rather than good and evil, how good actions are rewarded, why the problem of evil is not the theist's problem, the Dalai Lama's 1989 Nobel speech, and whether religion causes suffering.Open →
- Buddhist attitudes to punishmentWhen punishment counts as justice, Dhammapada 201 on victory and defeat, 202 on hatred and 197 on living among the hostile, punishment without anger, the kinds Buddhists accept, and situation ethics.Open →
- Buddhism and the aims of punishmentWhich aim most Buddhists favour, their views on protection, retribution and deterrence, the Bhaddali Sutta on admitting wrongdoing and taming a horse, and how Buddhist views on the aims differ in practice.Open →
- Buddhist teaching on forgiveness and restorative justiceDhammapada 3 and 4 on grudges and letting go, 9 and 10 on the monk's robe, Angulimala and how the community received him, forgiveness within the Sangha, and restorative justice for offenders.Open →
- Buddhist teaching on the treatment of criminalsDhammapada 133 to 140 on harsh words and harming the innocent, torture and the story of Palden Gyatso, human rights for criminals, the Vinaya's majority vote and a fair trial, and situation ethics.Open →
- Buddhist attitudes to the death penaltyThe Brahmajala Sutta on the Buddha's own conduct, Nagarjuna's advice to a king on serious criminals, Ashoka and the condemned, why a few Buddhists accept execution, and Humanist, atheist and situation-ethics arguments.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Why do Buddhists believe people suffer, and why do they not face the problem of evil?
How do Buddhist attitudes to torture compare with a situation ethics view?
What do Buddhists mean by justice?
Why do Buddhists accept that punishment may be needed in society?
Which aim of punishment do most Buddhists favour?
Why is forgiveness important in Buddhism?
What is capital punishment, and what is it meant to achieve?
What does Dhammapada 256 teach about being just?
What do Buddhists see as the root causes of crime?
What makes an action good in Buddhism?
When can punishment be regarded as justice by Buddhists?
What is the Buddhist attitude to protection as an aim of punishment?
What does Dhammapada 3 teach about holding grudges?
How do Buddhists believe criminals should be treated?
Why do most Buddhists oppose the death penalty?
What does Dhammapada 257 teach about a just judge?
What does Dhammapada 160 teach about responsibility?
How are good actions rewarded in Buddhism?
What does Dhammapada 201 teach about victory and defeat?
What is the Buddhist attitude to retribution?
What does Dhammapada 4 teach about letting go?
What do Dhammapada 133–134 teach about harsh words?
What does the Brahmajala Sutta say about the Buddha's own conduct?
Take Buddhism: Crime and Punishment further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
Retribution vs Reformation
Retribution: making an offender suffer in return for the harm done. Reformation: helping an offender change so they no longer commit crime.
Deterrence vs Protection
Deterrence: putting others off crime through fear of the consequences. Protection: keeping society safe by removing dangerous offenders.
Justice vs Revenge
Justice: fair treatment that gives each person what is right. Revenge: harming someone in return, driven by hatred.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What do Buddhists mean by justice?
Model answer
For Buddhists, justice means treating people fairly and giving each person what is right. Justice in society reflects the natural fairness of kamma.
- 2
What does Dhammapada 256 teach about being just?
Model answer
Dhammapada 256 says a person is not just who judges hastily or by force. A wise person investigates both right and wrong before judging.
- 3
What does Dhammapada 257 teach about a just judge?
Model answer
Dhammapada 257 says the just person judges others impartially and according to the truth. The Dhammapada calls that person a guardian of the Dhamma.
- 4
Why is justice important for Buddhists?
Model answer
Justice protects people from harm and lets them live in peace. A just society makes it easier for everyone to practise the Dhamma.
- 5
How does kamma relate to human justice?
Model answer
Kamma ensures that every intentional action brings a fitting result in time. Buddhists still believe human justice is needed to protect society now.
- 6
Why is justice important for the victim of a crime?
Model answer
Justice recognises the harm done to the victim and helps them feel safe again. Buddhists believe victims deserve compassion and practical support.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Buddhism: Crime and Punishment revision questions
- What does Buddhism: Crime and Punishment cover in Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B?
- 8 subtopics: buddhist attitudes to justice, buddhist attitudes to crime and its causes, buddhist teaching on good, evil and suffering, buddhist attitudes to punishment, buddhism and the aims of punishment, buddhist teaching on forgiveness and restorative justice, buddhist teaching on the treatment of criminals and buddhist attitudes to the death penalty. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Buddhism: Crime and Punishment organised?
- By the Edexcel 1RB0 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Buddhism: Crime and Punishment, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
Or £46 a year, about £3.83 a month. Cancel anytime.