...Buddha Research Paper Throughout all of time the world has changed in many different ways. These changes occurred in the categories of architecture, intelligence, the human body itself, but the most important change is religion. Religion has changed in the way people depict their deity but the basic teachings of the specific religion remains the same. People may argue that the teachings have changed, which is true to an extent. The change is not necessarily a major change it is just the different ways that people interpret the teachings of their certain religion but the foundation of the teaching will stay the same such as "one shall not kill, commit adultery and steal". These are just some of the basic teachings in every religion. Although...
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...defines and perceives god. Creation is the act of bringing the world into order and existence. Whether it is through creation or evolution all of these religions have a starting point of how they believe the world came to exists. When your life is over, where do you go? That answer depends on faith, religion, and the path one chooses to follow. Even though these religions have different views, they all still share a common ground and believe in something. In religion you have two main beliefs polytheism and monotheism. Polytheism believes in multiple deities called god and goddesses. Monotheism is the belief that only one god exists. Some believers of polytheism include Hinduism, Buddhism, ancient Egyptians, and ancient Mesopotamia. Hinduism believes that all deities are separate entities. Most people believe in different deities expanding from a single God. That one single entity is never defined and for the most part Hindus continue to hold one God above all others. They believe in Brahman he is the universal soul, and it is said that all men are considered Brahmans. Buddhism believes in “the Buddha” Siddhartha Gautama. The Buddha looks with a kind heart equally on all living beings, and they call him father. Buddha can be anything you worship because in Buddhism there is no absolute god. In the ancient Egyptian religion they saw the actions of the gods behind all the elements and forces of nature. However, they did not believe that the gods merely controlled these events...
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...are more than 4,000 religions. Approximately thirty-one percent of the world are christians. Twenty-three percent are muslims. Many more come behind them, but which ones affect society negatively? Which ones affect society positively? Religions are only as good as the people who practice it. Many people may state that a certain amount of religions affect society positively; however, others might state that they affect society negatively. Around the seventeenth century, Science arose and the scientific revolution came with it. The Law of Planetary Motion by Kepler, Galileo’s telescope observations, and all of the experiments with gases by Robert Boyle, are all scientific occurrences that have happened in the seventeenth...
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...myths or legends. Mythology spreads all across the world reaching different cultures, which in their own have ideologies to the present common rituals beliefs that have brought their culture to present form. Although there has been much development in the culture of Chinese mythology, this culture can be traced back 4,000 years to the oldest of myths (Willis 88). Mythology tries to answer the question of earth’s origin through beliefs and cultural myths. In Chinese mythology the earth is said to have formed when chaos ruled the universe, from this chaos a cosmic egg formed for 18,000 years. A divine beast formed within the egg creating a perfect balance known as Yin and Yang. The divine beast burst the egg apart and separated Yin from Yang to create earth and sky. The Yin or light parts formed the male skies while the opaque Yang parts formed the female earth. The beast Pan Gu then lies down and dies so that he may rise up to keep the earth and sky apart. His body parts then become sun, earth, moon, wind, water, and clouds. The symbolism of complementary opposition is a representation of their duality and oneness and is represented in Chinese culture through the Yin and Yang symbol and is a staple in Chinese culture. Mythology has a strong belief in deities and supernatural beings. Pan Gu is a supernatural divine creature whom sacrificially gives his life in order to give life, and represents how mythology follows the belief that sacrificial death brings about creation...
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...Buddha and Christ Similarities and Contrasts A number of recent books have proposed the idea that Buddha and Christ are brothers in spirit. Close to the end of Living Buddha, Living Christ, Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh asserted, "When you are a truly happy Christian, you are also a Buddhist. And vice versa." In his controversial book, Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings, New Testament scholar Marcus J. Borg asserted that both religious founders espoused a "world-subverting wisdom that undermined and challenged conventional ways of seeing and being in their time and in every time." Borg claims that both were teachers of wisdom, not only regarding "moral behavior, but about the 'center,' the place from which moral perception and moral behavior flow." Both, according to Borg, "were teachers of the way less traveled. 'Way' or 'path' imagery is central to both bodies of teaching." In their article, "Are Jesus and Buddha Brothers?", by Carl E. Olson and Anthony E. Clark (This Rock, Volume 16, Number 5, May-June 2005), the authors note that Jesuit Father Robert E. Kennedy . . . holds Zen retreats at Morning Star Zendo in Jersey City. Further, "the St. Francis Chapel at Santa Clara University hosts the weekly practice of 'mindfulness and Zen meditation.' Indeed, the number of Buddhist retreats and workshops being held at Catholic monasteries and parishes is growing." The article also mentions additional books espousing this viewpoint: * Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit ...
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...the world's religions were founded, developed, or discovered by great men. Two particular religions - Christianity and Buddhism - were developed in different parts of the world and under different circumstances. But each religion is based upon the teachings and life of a great man. When one compares the life of Buddha with the life of Jesus, one finds that the two share many things in common. This essay compares and contrasts the lives of Buddha and Jesus in two areas where they share similarities: conception and birth. The birth of Jesus was revealed to his mother, Mary, by the angel Gabriel, who prophesized, "The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end" (Luke 1:32-33). Similarly, Queen Maya, the mother of the Buddha, had a vision in which she was carried by the gods to a sacred place and Buddha entered her womb. Both births were in unusual places, which the mother of the child had to travel to. Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem, many miles from his hometown of Nazareth. Mary laid him in a manger. Buddha was born in a grove of sala trees at which his mother stopped while traveling from her home to her native city . Jesus' birth was accompanied by divine signs, such as choirs of angels and a new star. Three wisemen visited Jesus sometime in his infancy, worshipping him and presenting him with luxurious gifts. Siddhartha's birth was announced by the earth and heavens singing...
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...BUDDHISM AND HUNDUISM REL 212 WORLD RELIGIONS PROFESSOR EUGENE MUHAMMAD OCTOBER 4, 2013 In this paper I will attempt to shed a better understanding about the religious background surrounding Buddhism and Hinduism. This paper will briefly describe how the two religions got its start, how the two has spread itself throughout the world. Buddhism is a religion to about 300 million people around the world….. The word comes from “budhi”, to awaken. It’s has origins about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as the Buddha. At the age of 35 he himself was awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35. Buddhism is not just a religion it goes beyond that, to so many it is more of a philosophy in other words the “way of life”. To so many Buddhism explains a purpose to life, and it explains injustice and the inequality around the world. But it also provides a code of practice as well as a way of life that leads all too true happiness. Buddhism has become very important to the western countries because he has the answers to many of the problems that are a part of the modern materialistic societies. Buddha teaches many things in summing it up by the four Nobles truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. Siddhartha Gautama was born into a royal family in Lumbini in 583 BCE, what is known today as Nepal. His father was a king and a leader of a Shakya...
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...Comparison of Two Religions V. Tracy Woods Strayer University Margaret Rinck Religion 212- World Religions April 28, 2014 Comparisons of Two Religions Select two (2) religions from those that we have studied so far. Identify and describe the cultural and geographical origin of each religion. According to Fisher, (2014), “Hinduism is a term derived from a name applied by foreigners to the people living in the region of the Indus River, and was introduced in the nineteenth century under colonial British rule as a category for census- taking”. The spiritual expressions of Hinduism range from extreme asceticism to extreme sensuality, from the heights of personal devotion to a deity to the heights of abstract philosophy, from metaphysical proclamations of the oneness behind the material world to worship of images representing a multiplicity of deities. According to tradition, there are actually 330 million deities in India (Fisher, 2014). The Hindu spiritual beliefs is based on the existence and immortality of the Atma (the soul), Karma, the cause and effect of an action, the spiritual law in which they practice, and reincarnation, which is the cycle of birth, death, and the rebirth on to Earth (Fisher, 2014). Buddhism was founded in the late sixth century by Siddhartha Gautama, (The Buddha) and is a religion that is practiced throughout most Asian countries. Dhamma or Dharma, which is the teachings of life experiences of the Buddha and the spirit of essence that he...
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...Is Planet Earth A Religious Planet? Kevin R. Graves Religion 212 Professor Farnham Strayer University 02/03/12 Is planet earth a religious planet? On the surface it would appear that it is. There are rituals, ceremonies and traditions that the people of earth follow in accordance with their respective religions. On the other hand, in some religions there is corruption, and misdeeds. Also, there are wars fought in the name of religion, which makes me think that religion is not a good thing. In this report, I will be reporting on five of the earth’s 20 major religions. I will be exploring their customs, practices and functions. Along the way, I will comment on the negative aspects of the religion, if any. The ultimate goal of this report is to determine if earth is a religious planet. I started my journey in the East, where I studied Christianity. In Christianity, the people attend church every Sunday or chose to worship at home in their own way. Christianity is a monotheistic religion and the people worship a higher power called God. The people of Christianity follow Ten Commandments that states: Thou shall not, steal, kill, lie, worship Idols, use the lord name in vein, commit adultery, covet what your neighbors have, and in addition to that, one should honor thy Parents, and keep the Sabbath holy. These Commandments are found in the Christian Bible, which is a collect of ancient scriptures, that the Christians hold as the Word of God. Christians...
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...Religions of the World Lesson 4 - Buddhism & Sikhism Assignment 4 1. Write a minimum of 500 word essay concerning an overview and summary of the Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 of your text. Discuss the knowledge you gained concerning the major topics and what confusion or uncertainty may have arisen through your research and studies. The first half of the paper should identify the author's main points. The second half of your paper should be your contribution. Offer an assessment of the author's points, apply the points to examples, support all comments and information with verifiable research, and do not give opinion. 1A. Buddhism began in northeastern India and is based on the teachings of Gautama. Buddhism is different from many other faiths because it is not centered on the relationship between humanity and God. Buddhists do not believe in a personal creator God. Siddhartha had found the path to Enlightenment. Siddhartha was born around the year 560 b.c.e. Nepal. He was born into a royal family and for many years lived within the palace walls away from the sufferings of life; sufferings such as sickness, age, and death and he did not know what these sufferings were. One day, after growing-up, marrying and having a child, Siddhartha went outside the royal palace and saw, each for the first time, an aged person, a sick person, a deceased body and finally a peaceful monk. He was worried by what he saw. He learned that sickness, age, and death were the inevitable fate of...
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...ANALYSIS OF BUDDHISM’S APPEAL TO THE WEST INTRODUCTION “When you come back as a whale, you’ll be bloody glad you put Greenpeace in your will.” — Greenpeace advertisement on billboard in Taylor Square, Sidney, Australia As the above quotation from the advertisement indicates, there is no question that Buddhism has a certain appeal to the West. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. author of Prisoners of Shangri-la: Tibetan Buddhism and The West provides a cultural history of the “strange encounter” between Buddhism (especially Tibetan Buddhism) and Western countries, most notably Britain, Australia and the United States. It is no longer questionable that Buddhism, and again, especially the Tibetan stream, has permeated popular culture: since China’s invasion and occupation of Tibet in 1950, which will be discussed further, but most significantly since the 1990s. This is most likely accredited to the Dalai Lama’s receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, which brought him and Buddhism much exposure. In fact, every stream of Buddhism announces growing public acceptance in the West since the Dalai Lama first visited two decades ago. The Complete Guide to Buddhist America, written in 1998 for which the Dalai Lama wrote the preface, reports that the number of worship centers in the United States more than doubled from 1987 to 1997 to over one thousand. Several examples illustrate the recent exposure of Buddhism in Western popular and political culture. Firstly, one of the most popular films...
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...either the teachings of Jesus as the founder of Christianity or Muhammad as the founder of Islam. Guidelines: In topic 8 we deal with New Religious Movements and the fact that each of the major world religions was once a New Religious Movement. In topic 9 we dealt with the role of the founder in New Religious Movements. Use the material of topics 8, 9, 10 and 11 to present an overview of the teachings of the founder in the two traditions. What are the similarities and differences in the teachings of these two founders? Word Count: 2746 Virtually every major Christian doctrine is denied in Buddhism and vice versa, yet many consider that there are similarities between the two religions. From looking at the founding figure of each, it is clear that these two religions emerged from two vastly different times and each taught opposing values for their followers to abide by. Although there are some values and ideas that the founders both taught as important, the major aspects of the religions differ greatly and suggest that following the other religion will only result in suffering or eternal punishment. By examining the founding figure of each of the religions and how each began, it illustrates the opposing ideas of each religion. The initial similarity of the two religions is that both of the founding figures existed in the flesh and lived among their followers and disciples. In the time around 624B.C# the founding figure of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama was born as a prince...
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...Adrienne Randolph Coach Lawson English 11 1/28/13 Buddhism vs Christianity Buddhism and Christianity are complex religions. They are quite different from eachother. They have different places of worship, prophets, practices, and much more. They're virtually the most different religions in history. Where you worship your choice of almighty power is important. Buddhists worship in temples. The most common are the Pagoda and Stupa.The main characteristics you will notice about these places are their unique shapes. Pagodas range from four to seven stories. They have kind of a rectangular shape and the tips wing out at the ends almost like an umbrella. A Stupa is a stone structure built on top of presumed artifacts of Buddha. Inside these temples there may be a worship hall, mediation hall, and gold warrior-type figures, which are said to be the gaurdians of heaven. A statue of Buddha will usually be the main subject of interest. Highlighting the characteristics of the lotus sitting Buddha is psychedelic lighting. Some statues of Buddha were carved with solid pieces of white or emerald jade. The walls are usually green, orange, or yellow. Christians worship in Churches, Cathedrals, and Chapels. The look of every church is different depending on what denomination you are. Usually they all have steeples going around the sides. The insides are filled with detailed stain glass windows. On them are pictures of Jesus or his mother Mary. People sit on pues to listen to the sermon...
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...The goals of Eastern and Western religions may differ greatly, but specifically Buddha and Christ share similar stories. Before Buddha and Christ reached their destiny their names were Siddhartha (Buddha) and Jesus (Christ). The comparison and contrasts of Buddha’s and Christ’s teachings, birth, and death can show us the linkage and disconnections between the Eastern and Western religions. The similarities of Buddha and Christ's’ existence began with their mothers’ mysterious births. Before the mothers’ conceived their baby, they had a dream forth-telling their child’s life mission. This quote shows Christ’s understanding of who he is at such a young age within the church, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Unlike Christ, Buddha was sheltered from...
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...Worship of the Creation Christianity and Buddhism both have core beliefs that appeal to the masses and were easily spread through the missionary progress of Jesus Christ and Buddha. Naturally, Buddhism and Christianity have their similarities and differences. Each religion has a specific set of morals, which are considered and affect the religion’s follower’s actions, thoughts, and character. Life after Death Buddhism teaches that humans are bound to a perpetual cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth called samsara. Depending on a person’s karma, the good and bad deeds of their present and former lives, each rebirth could bring a better, a worse, or a similar life. In each life, one is subjected to sufferings, brought on by their own infatuations and urges. The existence of suffering is the First Noble Truth taught by the Buddha, and the causes of suffering are the second. Through self-enlightenment, one has the ability to reach the ultimate goal of nirvana; immunity, liberation, and a life free from suffering. Christianity teaches that each human has only a single life on earth, but faces an eternal life in Heaven or Hell. Where a person will spend eternity is determined by Jesus Christ, who administers the Final Judgment based a person’s actions and beliefs while on Earth. If deemed worthy of Heaven, one lives a life of eternal happiness free of suffering. Otherwise, one is subjected to eternal suffering in Hell. To differing degrees, society...
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