...the whole world is dependent on a cause [for creation] because something cannot rise by itself, the cause here is light. From the light comes knowledge, from knowledge comes air, from air the fire, from fire the water and from the water the earth is born. If quoted in reverse this tantra also explains the dissolution of the world. (Reigle, 2013)The origins of the religion itself explain the if we can understand where our suffering comes from we can become free. This means that a person must take responsibility for their own lives, and dutifully practice the religious teachings of Buddha in order to achieve the ultimate goal of liberation from suffering or Nirvana. (Fisher, 2011 p. 135) | Nature of God/Creator | Buddhism is a nontheistic religion, which means they do not believe in any supreme being or God. Many People believe that Buddhists worship Buddha; this however is not the case. The Buddha was a human being, he is revered by Buddhist because he achieved what all Buddhists wish to someday achieve, enlightenment.Buddha’s name was Siddhartha Gautama and he was born to wealthy land owners sometime in the fifth century BCE. At the age of 25 Siddhartha renounced his wealth and went on a search to find liberation from suffering. Siddhartha spent many years searching, learning and wandering on his...
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...of the Buddha March 14, 2014 The Sage People who are wise go beyond the negativity, to be calm you have to go beyond the negativity, “Do not grieve for what is lost or be controlled by desire.” This passage could play a positive role in everyone’s lives. If people follow this passage they will be able to control their mind and their emotions. Dhammapada This passage discusses how your thoughts are always in your control and if you can control your thoughts you can control your actions and if we can control our thoughts and actions we can control our own happiness. Harmlessness This passage discusses how people who seek happiness by hurting others will never find happiness and I think this is not so much a religious passage but a passage of advice to help those who are negative along with those who are positive to help the negative. Great Discourse on Blessings This passage tells us all of the great things we should be to make us happy and good individuals. It also tells us what to stay away from such as intoxicants, have an unshaken mind. If we can fulfill all of the supreme blessings, there will be well-being everywhere. Hatred never dispels hate The only way to get rid of hate is to love. Everyone passes away, so why waste your life hating and being angry. Joy Live in joy, in love even among those who hate because how can someone hate someone who is full of love. Be free from fear and attachment because that is what brings you down in life. Sickness...
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...Art of South and Southeast Asia before 1200: Portrayal of the Buddha Sabrina Hashem 04.12.2011 Art History Survey I Christine I. Wilson This paper analyzes the art of Southeast Asia before 1200, specifically the depiction of Buddha. A general idea of Buddhism and Buddhist art is presented as well as two specific works of Buddhist art. A study of how different cultures and time period influenced these pieces follows their descriptions, and finally a critique of each and a comparison of the two are also presented. Buddhism began in the late medieval period in India during the rule of the Pala dynasty with one man, Siddhartha Gautama. Known today as Buddha Shakyamuni, Siddhartha was born to a ruler of a small kingdom in present day Nepal. With the rise of an urban society replacing the agricultural lifestyle this was a time of great social turmoil in the sub-continental India. The Aryan people, with whom caste system began in Hinduism, became more and more complex in their social and religious practices. The Brahmins, the priestly class grew powerful and began to impose rigid ideas about social order to ensure their place in power over the rest of the society. Many sages and philosophers at the time began to resist this unequal society and began preaching of social equality and a more direct and personal access to the spiritual world. Siddhartha would have experienced this revolutionary movement as a young boy. Around this time he also encountered sickness and death among...
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...Art of South and Southeast Asia before 1200: Portrayal of the Buddha Sabrina Hashem 04.12.2011 Art History Survey I Christine I. Wilson This paper analyzes the art of Southeast Asia before 1200, specifically the depiction of Buddha. A general idea of Buddhism and Buddhist art is presented as well as two specific works of Buddhist art. A study of how different cultures and time period influenced these pieces follows their descriptions, and finally a critique of each and a comparison of the two are also presented. Buddhism began in the late medieval period in India during the rule of the Pala dynasty with one man, Siddhartha Gautama. Known today as Buddha Shakyamuni, Siddhartha was born to a ruler of a small kingdom in present day Nepal. With the rise of an urban society replacing the agricultural lifestyle this was a time of great social turmoil in the sub-continental India. The Aryan people, with whom caste system began in Hinduism, became more and more complex in their social and religious practices. The Brahmins, the priestly class grew powerful and began to impose rigid ideas about social order to ensure their place in power over the rest of the society. Many sages and philosophers at the time began to resist this unequal society and began preaching of social equality and a more direct and personal access to the spiritual world. Siddhartha would have experienced this revolutionary movement as a young boy. Around this time he also encountered sickness and death among...
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...t Siddhartha Gautama or Buddha “the awakened one.” The ultimate goal of Buddhism is to attain nirvana by practicing the middle way or the Noble Eightfold Path. Zen Buddhism became popular in China, Korea, and Japan and it puts stress on deep meditation. Zen Buddhism puts stress also on scriptures than other forms of Buddhism and focuses on direct spiritual break through to truth. HISTORY OF BUDDHISM Buddhism started in the country of India around the fifth century BCE. The religion of Buddhism encompasses a variety of beliefs, traditions, and practices all taught by their religious leader Buddha. Buddhism believes in samsara, karma, and rebirth. Samsara which is the continual repetitive sequences of birth and death. Karma within Buddhism is a life force that drives samsara; this is the sequences of suffering and rebirth for each person. Karma is also the action of the body, speech, and mind that comes from mental intent and brings forth the penalty or result. Reincarnation or rebirth is the process where the individual being goes through a series of lifetimes as one of many forms of conscious life all running from conception to death. Zen Buddhism is divided into two schools Rinzai and Soto. In Zen Buddhism they often teach in paradoxes, so that to lose the ego and to make possible the access into the realm of true self or a state of a formless self. Buddha was the main teacher in the Buddhism religion. Siddhartha Gautama known as Buddha was born in the...
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...Buddhism is a religion and philosophy that developed the teachings of buddha. About 3 million people believe in the religion of Buddhism. Buddha is known as to teach the purpose of life and the teaching lead to true happiness. Buddha was a teacher in Northern India. People became interested in Buddhism because it is thought to answer many of the worlds answers and a deep understanding of the human mind. Buddha was not claiming to be a God or was Buddha was just a man who taught his own path and way of life. One of the major beliefs is Karma. Karma is that everything you do has an effect. If you spread good karma so you do good things to people around you something good will happen to you. If you spread bad Karma then something bad will happen...
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...was most impressed with the huge number of Buddhas on display. Most of the pieces are in excellent condition. It is amazing 600-year-old pottery and all these stone statues of Buddha that looks like it was made yesterday. What really brings this place to life for me are the brilliant combination of social mixers and live performance events mixed with cultural education. Asian Art Museum in San Francisco has a collection of about 17,000 objects of art and artifacts from all major Asian countries. In this museum, there are unique collection of Asian art and the famous bronze statue of Buddha from China. Chinese Buddha statue is the world's oldest known recorded from 338 AD. In this museum there are several main galleries devoted to the art of South Asia, West Asia (including Persia), Southeast Asia, Himalaya, China, Korea and Japan. I was quite impressed with the collection of Buddhist items, with entire sections dedicated to Buddhism from different time periods and regions. Of all the historical artifacts, I would say what became most apparent and valuable as a take-away lesson was the diversity of Buddha imagery in Buddhism, again depending on time periods and regions. As I walked from one room to the next, I sometimes found myself not sure if I was even still browsing the Buddhist exhibit in seeing images I would initially associate with Hinduism or other Eastern religions. Specifically, the statue of the Buddha surprised me. My first impression is that...
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...The first teaching ever given by the Buddha was to five student monks in a deer park. He spoke of the Four Noble Truths he had discovered while searching for enlightenment, these are the central teachings of Buddhism. It was the Buddha's first awareness that life brings with it illness, age, misery and death that lead him to search for a deeper understanding of how we live, and ways to end suffering. Siddhartha Gautama, the name of the Buddha who had preached and taught about the Four Noble Truths had experienced, and observed all suffering, and only let out these truths after he had reached his own enlightenment. Buddha said that all people, even if they were rich or poor, have suffered. He says they have suffered because of pains and afflictions, or traveling from endless rebirths/reincarnations. All from the greedy desires of mankind. The Buddha gave a solution to end the suffering, an answer to stop the countless rebirths, and a halt to their selfish wants, and once they have been lifted, they will learn the true meaning of the Four Noble Truths. Each of these lessons explains the Buddhist steps in understanding the truth about life, the reasons behind those truths, the possibility of change and the way of life that can lead to a life free of suffering. All Buddhists study, meditate, think and act in ways that are designed to help them come to a full understanding of each of these Four Noble Truths and to stay on the path the Buddha says will lead them to peace and happiness...
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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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...Buddhism Buddhism is a way of life that exceeds beyond religion. The word Buddhism is derived from “budhi,” meaning “to awaken.” (A Basic Buddhism Guide) Siddhartha Gotama, Buddha, realized that wealth and luxury did not guarantee happiness; therefore, he explored different religions and philosophies in search of the key to human happiness. Siddhartha Gotama continued his exploration for six years until he was enlightened. Once enlightened, the Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism. Buddhism encompasses Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. The first noble truth is life is suffering. Life includes pain, illness, death, and many other irrefutable facts that cannot be denied. Buddhism focuses...
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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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...fundamental questions asked by mankind, such as why we are here and what the purpose of life is. Throughout the history of philosophy, there have been many influential figures coming from all corners of the planet. Despite having worldwide influences, philosophy is usually divided into eastern and western schools of thought. Eastern philosophy is centered on cognitive dimensions that revolve around meditative thinking in order to reach enlightenment, while the western school of thought subscribes to the idea of attaining salvation through a leap of faith This paper shall put forth two philosophers, one from each school of thought, discussing their unique ideas and then shall continue on to compare and contrast their ideals. Siddhartha Gautama was born into a life of privilege and wealth, being the son of a king. When Siddhartha experienced the suffering in the world, he left his wife and child to pursue a path that would uncover the cause of suffering and its cure. “After six years of wandering and meditation, he found enlightenment.” (Moore & Bruder, 2008, p.530) With this attained enlightenment, Siddhartha Gautama took up the handle that he is known by today, Buddha which means “the Enlightened One.” Siddhartha’s new enlightenment led to the creation of Buddhism, which “essentially was a philosophical response to what might be called the problem of suffering.” (Moore & Bruder, 2008, p.530) Buddha laid out his answer to suffering in his doctrine of the Four Noble Truths. The...
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...Contrast: Buddhism and Christianity Comparative Religions, HUMN 448 Buddhism and Christianity are both popular religions with many followers, and both have had an impact on the history of the world. While these religions have both subtle and drastic differences, they also have similarities of the same manner. To see these similarities, we will compare and contrast three sets of articles. The first is an examination of the early lives of both the Buddha and Jesus. The second set is a comparison of “The Lost Son” parables, and the third set is a comparison of the Buddha’s last words and the interpretation of Jesus’ death in the book of Acts. These examinations of Buddhism and Christianity will help to show just how similar the two religions are, for all their differences. First, we examine and analyze the early lives of the Buddha and Jesus. For the early life of the Buddha—the beginning of his mission—we turn to a story called “The Four Passing Sights.” For the beginning of Jesus’ mission, we read Mark 1:1-13. The Buddha began life as Siddhartha, son of a king. At his naming ceremony, priests foretold that he would grow to be either 1) a world ruler if he followed his father’s footsteps; or 2) a world teacher if he were exposed to the sight of suffering. And so Siddhartha was kept in the palace, surrounded by servants and finery, and was never exposed to the world outside. He asks his father’s permission to go to a nearby park, and his father allows him after going to extravagant...
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...was most impressed with the huge number of Buddhas on display. Most of the pieces are in excellent condition. It is amazing 600-year-old pottery and all these stone statues of Buddha that looks like it was made yesterday. What really brings this place to life for me are the brilliant combination of social mixers and live performance events mixed with cultural education. Asian Art Museum in San Francisco has a collection of about 17,000 objects of art and artifacts from all major Asian countries. In this museum, there are unique collection of Asian art and the famous bronze statue of Buddha from China. Chinese Buddha statue is the world's oldest known recorded from 338 AD. In this museum there are several main galleries devoted to the art of South Asia, West Asia (including Persia), Southeast Asia, Himalaya, China, Korea and Japan. I was quite impressed with the collection of Buddhist items, with entire sections dedicated to Buddhism from different time periods and regions. Of all the historical artifacts, I would say what became most apparent and valuable as a take-away lesson was the diversity of Buddha imagery in Buddhism, again depending on time periods and regions. As I walked from one room to the next, I sometimes found myself not sure if I was even still browsing the Buddhist exhibit in seeing images I would initially associate with Hinduism or other Eastern religions. Specifically, the statue of the Buddha surprised me. My first impression is that it...
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...Buddhism The religion of Buddhism has approximately 370 million followers worldwide, but it all started with one man. His name was Siddhartha Gautama but he is better known as The Buddha which means enlightened one in Sanskrit. Before he became the Buddha, Siddhartha lead an extravagant life as the son of an Indian warrior king. But eventually he got bored of his glamorous life and wandered off into the world in search of understanding. During his journey he met a sick old man a realized that everything leads to suffering. Then he gave up his royal life and became a monk and deprived himself of worldly possessions so that he could understand the truth of the world around him. He achieved this understanding while meditation under a tree. He finally understood how live a without suffering and ultimately how to achieve salvation. After his discovery he spent the rest of his life journeying across India teaching other what he had come to understand. Buddhism has several different texts. One of them is the Tripitaka which means the three baskets. The baskets are divided up by subject matter. The first basket is the Discipline Basket which set rules and guidelines for followers living the life of the Sangha. First it focuses on the 227 regulations for monks. These concern everything from basic morality to robe making. There are additional rules for nuns and for the interaction of monks and nuns. The second basket is the Discourse Basket which contains records of...
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