...bow their heads and put their hands together, and use a string of beads to pray with. The earthlings seem to practice sacrifice openly and variably. They are not, perhaps, killing a goat, burning it, and attempting to give it to the deity, but instead, people are sacrificing personal actions. The man who used to steal does not steal anymore, hoping this sacrifice will please his god. So it is with the woman who used foul words heavily in speech. She now, however, is trying to give up (sacrifice) her obscene language because she feels like she cannot reap the benefits of being a servant of her god if her language is not pure. She does not want to grieve her higher being, so she sacrificed her abhorrent language. Sacrifice occurs in Buddhism when practicing Sutra and one adopts the practice of abstaining from sensual enjoyments. People in different parts of the world seem to all carry the same book, but from one continent to another, the books differ. In the Middle East, they carry a Quran. In Asia, their book is the Tripitaka. In North America, the book they carry is called Holy Bible. Some read it every day, some read only on Sundays, some only...
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...As the main tenet of Buddhism is "suffering", "impermanence" and "no soul", many have the misconception that it has a pessimistic outlook and is devoid of any kind of aesthetic appreciation. Although this may at first appear to be very convincing, they are in fact far from the truth and are no more than mistaken generalizations. The primary aesthetic concept at the heart of Buddhist culture is the aspiration of leading a holy life. In Buddhism, beauty is not for beauty's sake. It has been viewed as an incentive for those who aspire to the holy life. The Buddhist concept of aesthetic is a beauty of things that are imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. The cultivation of the right attitude to aesthetic is very important. A beautiful object itself is not goodness or rightness per se. Buddhism advocates aesthetic experience to a higher mode of living; it should be instrumental for moral development. Thus it is the distortion of perception that has to be rid of by perceiving objects as impermanent, unsatisfactory, repulsive and non-substantial. The world is full of beauty in a very spiritual and an abstract sense, but it is the man himself who defiles and destroys that beauty by trying to possess it. Thus Buddha's advice is to get detached from the apparent beauty of the external world that pleases the physical eyes, and to cultivate non-attachment to them, which would result in man himself realizing the beauty within his own mind. This is the moral or spiritual and inward beauty...
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...Tamika Harrison Doug Dorman Comparative Religion March 20, 2013 Buddhism Buddhism, one of the fastest growing religions in the world, is also one of the oldest and has influenced many cultures of Asia and followers in the west (Alldritt 4). Buddhism is the fourth largest religion following Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism, and has over 376 million followers (Robinson). In Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan, Mongolia and Taiwan, Buddhism is the majority religion. China, which is primarily atheist, has many people that adhere to the Buddhist beliefs (Wangu, O’Brien, and Palmer 8). The percentage of Buddhism’s practice is quickly increasing in the United States population. Some estimate that up to 3 million are practicing in the US. But India, around 500 B.C.E., is where it all began and flourished (Alldritt 5). During this time, India was in a state of religious ferment which led people to experiment with meditation, deep breathing and to study with gurus (Molloy 125). Buddhism emphasizes on personal enlightenment as opposed to an eternal salvation from a higher being. The Buddha is not a god, but a human being that was acknowledged and respected for providing the knowledge on happiness within one self and concern for all living things (Robinson). In this report, I will discuss how Buddhism originated, its major forms, beliefs and teachings and the question of it being a true religion or philosophy of life. Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, or the awakened one,...
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...The Quality of Transcendence: The Stupa Reliquary, Pakistan, Gandharan Region, 2nd century CE (Word count 2062) The Stupa Reliquary currently housed in the Alsdorf Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago was produced around the second-century AD in the Gandharan region, of what is now Pakistan. Relatively small in size (30.5 cm X 19.7 cm X 19.1 cm) compared to the imposing pieces surrounding it in the gallery, the Stupa Reliquary has a magnitude and importance about it that immediately draws one’s attention to it. The piece is the embodiment of regality, nobility, and holiness. It represents a form of art that seeks to depict the dimension of the transcendent. In other words, the Stupa Reliquary represents a type of view, in which earthly and material remains are oriented towards a transcendent and vertical plane of existence. That is to say that the piece, as a reliquary, functions as a housing of the remains of religious figures, yet because of the nature of religion itself, the relics contained within bear a sacred or transcendent element. This is an interesting piece, but it is difficult to understand without considering the background of the piece. This research...
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...Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Book One: Understanding Mainstream and Organised Religion.............................................................. 5 Christianity ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Islam ...................................................................................................................................................... 9 Hinduism.............................................................................................................................................. 12 Buddhism ........................................................................................................................................... 155 Chinese traditional religions ................................................................................................................ 18 African traditional religions (& African diasporic religions) .............................................................. 21 Sikhism ................................................................................................................................................ 24...
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...practices in order to provide them with holistically appropriate care (Griffith, 2009). The purpose of this paper is to discuss three types of faiths, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islamic, as compare and contrast with Christianity, what their perspectives and components are on healing, and healthcare implications when providing care. Perspectives and Components on Healing Buddhism Buddhism originated from Asia. This is a philosophy based on Buddha’s life, “The Enlightened One” (SDH, n. d.). Buddha taught us that suffering arises from our craving and attachment, that we can free ourselves from these attachments through meditation, a path of wisdom, and morality (SDH, n. d.). According to the Buddhist philosophy, they believe in healing inwardly, that the individuals are responsible for their own wellbeing and the nature of living determines their health (Unknown, 2012). Suffering is optional. Health is an important aspect of Buddhism and they believe that the body is a temple, is sacred and should be well care for and respected. The body should be kept pure and should not have contaminations such as meat or alcohol in the system (Unknown, 2012). Buddhists believe the mind is the creator of health and sickness (Hawter, 1995). Their doctrine is based on purity and generosity with no selfishness of any kind. Selfishness, according to Buddhism, is the root of our problems and illness because it causes people to do negative things. Buddhists also believe in karma, actions...
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...Hinduism and Buddhism are two religions that both originated in Asia. Together they are the most popular religions across Asia (http://spiritualityinformation.in). Buddhism is thought to have developed based on Hinduism. It is said that the creator of Buddhism liked Hinduism Theology but found it lacking in some areas and therefore created Buddhism to fill those gaps (http://spiritualityinformation.in). Since Buddhism was founded on Hinduism there are many similarities, however since it was created on the basis that Hinduism was lacking some fundamental values there are also a wealth of differences. Buddhism originated in the 5th Century B.C.E in northern India. Most historians agree that Siddhartha Gautama was the founder and the original Buddha, which means the “awakened or enlightened one.” (http://www.patheos.com). Gautama started a journey to make life better when he observed so much suffering in the world. It has been said that he meditated and achieved a state of peace, therefore putting an end to suffering and freeing his soul from rebirth. (http://www.patheos.com) Buddhism is a study and religious practice building off Hinduism and incorporating Gautama’s life teachings and living from his experiences in order to achieve divine happiness. Hinduism is a religion based out of India, there is no known founder or origin that it can be traced back to. Hinduism is understood to be built on a collection of historical traditions and beliefs that are timeless. To many...
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...Building a relationship with a Buddhist can be tricky. First we need to respectful of there beliefs and what they hold to be true. Most Buddhist come from an Asian background with different culture and values. We should not scoff at them and have a superior attitude. Also we should actively listen and understand where there coming from. We want them to be open and receptive to us and not emotionally shutdown. By doing some of these steps they will be more open to hearing my message and truth. One barrier that can exist is that Buddhist believe that the only way to reach enlightenment or nirvana is by following the middle path. They believe in many paths to reach God. There is no heaven for a Buddhist. Once nirvana is reach there is nothingness. Which means the person is responsible for the way they act towards others. They want no bad karma. A Buddhist view sin as a illusion and that desire is misinterpreted as evil. Also some Buddhist might look at Jesus as just another spiritual teacher the way that Buddha was. Some personal challenges that may arise is that Buddhists deny a intimate relationship with any type of god. By showing a Buddhist how you can find love and peace through knowing God may help to overcome that challenge. Another obstacle can be a Buddhist believing that to desire is to suffer. By showing them that it has to be the correct desire and that getting rid of all desire is next to impossible would be a good message to relate to a Buddhist and...
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...how you forfill your dharma, there is no mistakes in karma or fatalism Dhamma- set of ethics important to your beliefs Kama- Pleasure Artha- Purpose Jiva- soul CASTE SYSTEM Bhramin (top caste) Kshatryia Viasya Sudra Untouchables Animals/insects (outcast) Caste system determines where you are in your journey to moksha, in order to move up in the system you must complete your dharma in your current life time ASOKA: son of Bindusara, one of Bindusara's most trusted sons. Crowned kind at age 35, 269 BC. After going to war and seeing all the pain and suffering of women and children, Asoka converted to buddhism and lead a nonviolent empire. Treated and referred to all of his people as "his children". Asokas edicts include: Prohibitions, Public works, Human relations, Religion, Welfare of the people, and Justice. eightfold path of buddhism: 1. right view 2. right intention 3. right speech 4. right action 5. right livelihood 6. right effort 7. right mindfulness 8. right concentration Hinduism is monotheistic, because all of the gods are a form or variation of one almighty god Brahman could be argued polytheistic***** monkey god: hanuman Elephant god: Ganesha WEAKENING CASTE LINES -The great increase in education opportunities for more indians and better job options (doesn't matter what caste) - The increasing movement of people from villages to cities with large populations (caste lines are blurred) castes mingle, and caste restrictions...
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...The quotation that best represents Siddhartha Gautama: Buddhism to me is “The point of the teachings is to control your own mind. Restrain your mind from greed, and you will keep your body right, your mind pure and your words faithful. Always thinking of the transiency of your life, you will be able to desist from greed and anger and will be able to avoid all evils.” (Buddha, Truth and Brotherhood, 2003)I chose this quotation because Siddhartha Gautama’s idea was to live a life that was free of suffering and to live without worry. He went through trials to get to the point where he could find a way to help his followers deal with suffering. He did this by teach others how to live like him and how to control their destinies. The quotation that best represents Lao Tzu: Taoism to me is “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” I chose this quotation because it reminds me of the book when Tao said that Humans cannot force change on the world without injuring themselves. All arbitrary interventions using models of the past simply lead to further disorder. Basically to me it says that enjoy what you have now and you shouldn’t force change, just let it happen naturally because nothing stays the same. The quotation that best represents Confucius: Confucianism to me is “The mind of the superior man is conversant with righteousness; the mind of the ordinary man is conversant with gain; the...
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...is University of Phoenix | Hinduism | Religion | 7/20/2010 | Basically, anyone can be of Hindu religion. When we are born we are giving a choice of what religion we want to peruse. A person is not forced to worship or be of one type of religion, but what religion that is chosen predicts was the person will be in the next life. People of Hindu religion are considered to have pure hearts so if you feel that your heart is pure you can consider yourself Hindu. Although flexibility is good is does bring up an argument about the real meaning of Hinduism. Whether or not a person is Hindu or not. The one thing about Hinduism that I believe to be true is that the religion is very flexible. It doesn’t have strict rules on how to worship or what to worship and still can be considered as practicing Hinduism. Hinduism is a different but interesting religion because of its beliefs and how open and flexible it is. “According to historians, the origin of Hinduism dates back to 5,000 or more years. The word “Hindu” is derived from the name of River Indus, which flows through the northwestern India. In the ancient times the river was called the “Sindhu”, but the Persians who migrated to India called the river Hindu (Melissa Lorentz, 2008).” Hinduism is the belief of what you feel such as peace and freedom. People of Hindu religion believe and accept that there is a higher power that is makes the world go round. God is known to have a higher power, and if you believe...
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...APOL-104 June 25, 2012 Critical Thinking Assignment PART ONE: The Question of Origin In Buddhism, they do not teach nor do they believe that there is an all-powerful God that created the universe. They look to Buddha, the religion’s founder, for a model of how to behave. In the Buddhist view, the universe is infinite in both time and space and the universe is created and destroyed over and over again in a process we call natural evolution. The Question of Identity Buddhist considers all life to be sacred and/or spiritual in nature. They believe in reincarnation and a person’s spiritual future is based solely on one’s good or bad actions in this lifetime, also known as Karma. The Question of Meaning/Purpose In Buddhism, the primary purpose is to end suffering. The Buddha believed and therefore taught that humans suffer because they are to consumed in things that do not give long lasting happiness and are too busy trying to hold on to things such as friends, material possessions, and things that do not last, and in the end brings upon sorrow. This is where the beliefs of the Four Noble Truths come in: teaches that all life is marked by suffering, suffering is caused by desire and attachment, suffering can be stopped, and the way to end suffering is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path. The Question of Morality Respect, love, and compassion are highly valued in Buddhism as are an ethical and moral path is the basis for their model of behavior. The Noble Eightfold Path...
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...In the Hindu religion, karma is “what determines the direction of one’s rebirth. The word karma comes from a root that means ‘to do’ and implies the notion of moral consequences carried along with every act. Karma is the moral law of cause and effect and belief in karma is a belief that every action has an automatic moral consequence.” In the Hindu belief system karma is tied into reincarnation with the thought that good karma leads to “higher” rebirth, while bad karma could result in the rebirth into “lower more painful forms.” A good pictorial representation of karma would be the typical ying and yang graphic. For those that are unfamiliar it is a circle with a s-shaped wave pattern down the middle, one half is black with a small white circle in it, the other half is just the opposite, white with a small black circle. I believe that this picture illustrates the ebb and flow of karma and shows “that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction” clearly. In the Hindu belief “karma is neither good nor bad but only seems that way to the person that is experiencing it.” Likewise, in our ying and yang symbol there is not a good or bad side just a cohesive unit that ebbs and flows based on the current situation. The concept of karma gives us some solid insight into the culture of the Indian people. First it gives us a basis for the Indian acceptance of the caste system. “Good karma in one’s present caste will guarantee rebirth into a higher caste or...
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...The Migration of Cultures Tracey Percifield, Penny Rogers, Cheryl Halford, Nate Conley and Amber Wirth American Intercontinental University Abstract In knowing how people of the past decades lived we must examine the past and study many things they left behind. By understanding how they lived and what impact they had as they migrated to the New World, it is then we understand how they lived and understand what the environment was like. Looking at the impact that immigrants had and brought to the New World we see what cultures and food dishes they brought to our civilization. The Migration of Cultures By 1830 the United States consisted of 2.3 million out of 12.8 million were of African descent and upon them settling after being brought here from Africa they brought many traditions and impacted the culture today. When they came to the United States they brought scientific and technological systems from the West and Central Africa as well as many food dishes such as; gumbo and rice, millet, sorghum, watermelon and black-eyed peas. They also brought tradition with them regarding funerals, celebration festivals, arts, music, dugout canoes, the banjo and language which also had an effect on the European culture as well and this is known as Africanism (Nps.gov, n.d.). Africanism is directly related to African American and Creolization which asks the question when you stop and give to the American or European culture. They point out that the African culture has...
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...Part I Buddhism The Question of Origin Buddhism teaches that the beginning of this world and of life is inconceivable since they have neither beginning nor end. Buddhism never claimed that the world, sun, moon, stars, wind, water, days and nights were created by a powerful god or by a Buddha. Buddhists believe that the world was not created once upon a time, but that the world has been created millions of times every second and will continue to do so by itself and will break away by itself. According to Buddhism, world systems always appear and disappear in the universe. The Question of Identity Buddhism see’s the question of identity within the context of enlightenment. They teach that we do not exist as separate beings but that one must see pass the human tendency to identify with a limited sense of existence. If one does this they will discover that the belief in an individual small self is a root illusion that causes suffering and removes us from the freedom and mystery of life. The Question of Meaning/Purpose Buddhist texts do not outright say there is a meaning of life, but rather talk about the capacity for humans to end suffering, which is one of the things Buddhists should strive for. Buddhist believes in enlightenment through study, meditation as a way to ending suffering. In his first sermon after attaining enlightenment, the Buddha taught the "Four Noble Truths," which form the foundation of belief for all branches of Buddhism. All of life is marked...
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