...After doing some outside reading about this I found a story that speaks the Four Noble Truths in it. "Suppose that a man, in the course of traveling along a path". Now right here describes the first of the Four Noble Truths "All life involves suffering", In order to get to a certain destination involves some sort of traveling; the same way the man must travel to get somewhere, all lives endures suffering. It is something that is a part of a natural order. “He comes up to a great expanse of water, but with neither a ferryboat nor a bridge going from this shore to the other. The thought occurred to him, here is this great expanse of water, with neither a ferryboat nor a bridge going from this shore to the other. This part describe the second of the Four Noble Truths “The origin of suffering is desires, or attachment.” The man stand at edge of the body of water hoping to find a means of transportation across, the same way suffering comes from desires. “What if I were to gather grass, twigs, branches, and leaves and, having bound them together to make a raft, and were to cross over to safety on the other shore in dependence on the raft made by my own effort with my hands and feet? Then the man, having gathered grass, twigs, branches, and leaves, having bound them together to make a raft, would cross over to safety on the other shore in dependence on the raft”. This part describes the third of the Four Noble Truths “Suffering is ended by dispassion, or if all desires cease.” By the...
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...Buddhism – Week 3 | World View Chart | Origin of All Things | One of the first views on the origins of the Universe came from the Buddhist sūtras, and was formulated in the Abhidharma texts. In the sutras it states that the world was created from the collective karma or actions of living beings in the form of a primordial wind. From the Book of Dzyan the account of the origin of the universe describes it as a light or luminosity,” the actual moment of manifestation is described with the words, “darkness radiates light.” The book goes into more detail explaining that 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...
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...Explain the Buddha’s teachings and about the nature and ending of suffering. The Buddha taught people that life is imperfect and that it will be full of suffering and how it is unavoidable. He taught that the earth is plagued with it and that you will have to face it, however he did overcome it as he was able to reach nirvana. He also taught people the way of how they can do it as he taught them the four noble truths and of the eightfold path. He taught people about the nature of suffering in the form of Dukkha and the dissatisfaction of it and the ending of Dukkha in the form of nirvana. Dukkha is the first truth that the Buddha taught it is that life is suffering which is caused by craving i.e. life includes pain, getting old, disease, and ultimately death. We also endure psychological suffering like loneliness frustration, boredom, fear, embarrassment, disappointment and anger. It not only is this the suffering it is the dissatisfaction of the life of suffering that we have to endure and struggle through and that that unsatisfactory feeling is caused by Tanha which is craving. The other truths rest on this dissatisfaction of life and how we can over come it if we can life a dukkha free life. There are also three types of Dukkha which are Dukkha Dukkha, Dukkha Anicca and Dukkha Anatta. Dukkha Dukkha is the natural suffering that goes on in the world and that nothing in life is perfect. Dukkha Anicca is the most important Dukkha as it is the suffering that goes on because...
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...II The Creation of Ego: The Five Skandhas (Aggregates, Collections) The Sutras are regarded by Buddhists as the actual words of the Buddha preserved through oral tradition and eventually recorded in writing. In the Sutras, the Buddha described how mind works to create the illusion of a permanent self and consequently gets trapped in suffering. A. If people could understand how we create our ego, moment to moment, they will understand how we create suffering for ourselves and others. B. Q: What is the “self” that we identify with? Are we are just bodies? Are we our memories? Classically, the Buddha taught five ways that we collect information again and again to make up our ordinary experience of self, the ego: C. The Five Skandhas: 1) Form: the basic duality of self and other, “me” and “not me.” 2) Sensation: very basic positive, negative, neutral reactions to “other;” where we encounter “not me.” (Sensation is not to be confused with emotions or feelings that develop through concept formation.) 3) Perception: experiencing the sensory details and qualities; the beginning of context. 4) Concept Formation: the use of memory to label certain perceptions and relate them to previous experience. Concepts help solidify experiences into “things” that have names. 5) Consciousness: the story-line we tell ourselves about what is happening. Here concepts come together to explain what is happening. Emotions develop...
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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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...Jennifer Villalobos Professor Miles REL 2011- Analysis and Interpretation of Religion October 17, 2011 Buddhism A Whole New World History and Origin When we speak of Buddhism we visualize a monk in an orange robe but there is so much more than that. Buddhism in my opinion is a way of life and not just a religion. The founder of Buddhism was a man named Siddhartha Gautama. Siddhartha said that there were four noble truths and that the only way to save ourselves from suffering was to follow the eightfold path. Siddhartha’s teaching was to help us reach the ultimate goal “enlightment (nirvana), freedom from the cycle of conditioned existence”. It all started with the birth of a child named Siddhartha Gautama who later on is known as the Buddha. Siddhartha was born around present day Lumbini, Nepal around 563 BCE he was born into a wealthy family and was a prince of the Sakya Clan. Siddhartha was raised by his aunt who was his father’s second wife because his mother died when he was seven days old. It is believed that when Siddhartha was a baby a holy man said that he would be either a great politician and unite India or he would be a great religious leader. Siddhartha lived a life of luxury and his father was very careful as to block all negative things from Siddhartha’s sight. His father did not want him to see old age, sickness, death, and a monk. The holy man had warned him that if Siddhartha say all these signs he would become a religious leader. When Siddhartha was...
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...BUDDHISM By Heather Alexander Dr. James Wilcox World Religion 06/06/2012 I want to first give a little background on how the Buddha came about and how Buddhism came to be. The Buddha is said to be born the son of a king. Many scholars have tried to pinpoint his birth. It is believed that he was born around 563 B.C.E. There are other sources that suggest that it may have been a century later that he was born. His given name was Siddhartha Gautama. For the next 30 years or so it is believed that the prince lived a very sheltered life. Somewhere around his 29th or 30th year he decided he wanted to see the outside world. His father was extremely against it. He wanted to protect his son from the outside world. His father finally agreed and sent out troops to remove all of the old, sick, and ugly from the route that the prince would take. According to legend he took a total of four trips out of the grounds. On each of his outings he seen one of the “four sights” that his father tried to protect him against. The “four sights” are said to be a bent old man, a dead person, a sick person, and renunciate. After coming home for the final time he decided that the life he was living wasn’t what he really wanted. Siddhartha set out on a long journey trying to find what it was that he felt was missing .He wandered around for 6 years taking whatever food was given to him. At one point he was surviving on a grain of rice and a drop of water for the day. He eventually decided...
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...Sociology Report — Religion — Date: 3rd December 2014 Contents 1. Introduction…………………………………………………………..3 2. 3 Perspectives………………………...……………………………….4 Functionalist perspective Conflict perspective Feminist perspective 3. Muslim in Cham tribe in Vietnam…...……………………………. 4. Mahayana Buddhism...……………………………………………... Buddhism Mahayana Buddhism in Korea and Vietnam Differences in Mahayana Buddhism of Korea and Vietnam Trend towards Buddhism in Western countries 5. References………….......……………………………………………. 1. Introduction A religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence. According to some estimates, there are roughly 4,200 religions in the world. The five largest religious groups by world population, estimated to account for 5 billion people, are Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. There are some functions of religion. Firstly, it gives explanation for things that we do not understand such as seasons and supernatural things. So many religions have narratives, symbols, and sacred histories that are intended to explain the meaning of life and/or to explain the origin of life or the Universe. Secondly, it provides sense of morality and ethics. It sets the guideline for people to behave in right ways. Lastly, it supports people to have power to overcome. Religion often courage people and give strengths. That is why people seek religion when they are depressed...
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...Buddhism Worksheet Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following. 1. Explain the basic Buddhist teachings including the three marks of reality, the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path. The three marks of reality are change, no permanent identity, and suffering. Buddha recommended that people look at life as it really is; life is full of impermanence, or constant change. Buddha also urged people to abandon egotism and a fixation on material objects. He denied the existence of the permanent identity of anything. The third characteristic of reality is suffering; meaning that life can never be fully satisfying because of inescapable change. It encompasses the whole range, from horrible suffering to everyday frustration. The Four Noble Truths are a linked chain of truths about life. They are as follows: 1. Suffering exists. 2. It has a cause. 3. It has an end. 4. There is a way to attain release from suffering; specifically, by following the Noble Eightfold Path, (Michael Molloy, 2010). The First Noble Truth: To Live is to Suffer The Second Noble Truth: Suffering Comes from Desire The Third Noble Truth: To End Suffering, End Desire The Fourth Noble Truth: Release from Suffering is Possible and Can Be Attained by Following the Noble Eightfold Path. The eight steps of the path form a program that the Buddha taught that will lead those who follow it toward liberation from the impermanence and suffering of reality, (Michael...
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...REL 133 WEEK 3 A+ Graded Tutorial Available At: http://hwsoloutions.com/?product=rel-133-week-3-2 Visit Our website: http://hwsoloutions.com/ Product Description PRODUCT DESCRIPTION REL 133 WEEK 3, The three marks of reality are the foundation for the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. These key building blocks give Buddhists a way of looking at the world. The first mark of reality is change. This refers to the fact that life and the world is in a constant change. Everything is gradually changing daily but we only notice them after a while. Basically, the universe is in flux. The second mark of reality is no permanent identity. Basically, this is Buddha’s thinking that a human being really isn’t a human being. A human being is made up of all sorts of different parts in which Buddha believes are always constantly changing so a person really isn’t just a person. Buddha believes that we have constantly changing identities, bodies, and souls. The third mark of reality is known as suffering. Basically, Buddha believes that if you are living a conventional life, you will never be truly satisfied because it is ever changing. Even though Buddha clearly admits that living conventionally is worse than non-conventional, no matter what, he admits no one can escape any suffering throughout their lives. The Four Noble Truths consist of Buddhist teachings that link a chain of truths about life. The first noble truth is to live is to suffer. Living means sorrow to sum...
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...MEDITATION – THE DOORWAY TO NIRVANA. Mediation and its evolution Meditation as of today comprises and manifests the very core of every effort, religion and faith. Meditation- a concept initiated and heralded by the eastern theological philosophy finds its roots in the Hindu sacred scriptures “Vedas” dating back to 1500 B.C. popularly termed as “Dhyana” in Hindu mythology; it has multiple connotations according to application in varied situations. It means, to pay attention, meditate, remember, recollect, etc. This concept was immediately embraced by the neighbors - Taoist China and Buddhist Tibet. It was thereafter that the other religions also learnt and adapted the concept sans their eastern trappings, per their theological compatibility. With the passage of time meditation acquired a prominent and compulsive feature of every religious sect. In traditional parlance “Meditation” is a discipline or practice in which person systematically concentrates his mind or attention for inducing a state of consciousness for the attainment of spiritual salvation. However with time the concept of “meditation” underwent refinements and research and its ambit expanded from the realms of spirituality to its inclusion for the betterment of the human fibre of life. The modern day concept of “Mediation” has factored into its ambit a plethora of aspects such as relaxation, wellness, booting internal energy, generosity, compassion, love, patience and forgiveness. It has become a powerful tool...
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...Asian Art Museum in San Francisco During the first week of September, I made a trip with a friend to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Every first Sunday of the month, admission into the museum is free. It is my first time to visit there and I 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...
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...Antonio Venzor 12/11/12 REl 133 Proff. Sunday Buddhism Worksheet University of Phoenix Material Buddhism Worksheet Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following. 1. Explain the basic Buddhist teachings including the three marks of reality, the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path. The three marks of reality are; 1) Change – The only thing constant in life is change. 2) No Permanent Identity- As humans we are made up of several different parts and we are constantly changing never to remain the same as we once were. 3) Suffering- To live life is to suffer and experience sorrow; we can never be satisfied because of life’s avoidable change. The Four Noble Truths are a linked chain of truths about life: 1) Suffering exists 2) It has a cause 3) It has an end 4) There is a way to attain release from suffering—namely, by following the Noble Eightfold Path The Noble Eightfold Path are 8 steps that Buddhist follow that they believe will help them to reach Nirvana. Nirvana suggests many things: the end of suffering, inner peace, and freedom from limitations of the world. When Nirvana is reached it is believed to end karma and rebirth after the present life. The Noble Eightfold Path is meant to guide Buddhist to 3 goals: 1) Face life objectively 2) To live Kindly 3) To develop inner peace The 8 steps of the Noble Eightfold Path are as followed: 1) Right understanding -I recognize the impermanence of life, the mechanic...
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...Buddhism worksheet 1. Explain the basic Buddhist teachings including the three marks of reality, the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path. As it has it no one really knows the exact teaching of the Buddha. Most of his teachings where done orally past down from generation to generation. It was not until several hundred years after his death when the first versions of his teaching were written. However there are three marks of reality from his teaching, which are Change, No permanent identity and suffering. The mark of reality which is change states that nothing ever stays the same no matter how you look at things and think that they are the same they are constantly and gradually changing. The mark of reality which is no permanent identity states that Buddha believes that there is no such thing as consistency, which everything and everyone will forever be changing and are made up of parts that are also in constant change. And the last of the three marks are suffering also known as dukkha this marks states that no matter how you live your life the right way and do everything that you have to do there will always be dissatisfaction. This is because of the constant change in our lives. There are also Four Noble Truths to the Buddha teachings. Which are to begin with the first noble truth is “To Live and to Suffer” which means life is pain almost everything you go through in life involve some type of pain be it physical or mental. It also states that if you understand...
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...BuddhaNet eBooks Text and Teachings – Theravada PDF File List with Description Web page: www.buddhanet.net/ebooks_s.htm SUPPORT THIS SERVICE: Please consider a donation to this service, as your contribution allows us to keep it free of charge. A list of all BuddhaNet's eBooks (PDF documents) with a detailed description of each is available by downloading the zipped file at: http://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks.htm (633 KB) Guide to Tipitaka — Compiled by U KO Lay. The Guide to the Tipitaka is an outline of the Pali Buddhist Canonical Scriptures of Theravada Buddhism from Burma. This is a unique work, as it is probably the only material that deals in outline with the whole of the Pali Buddhist Tipitaka. The Tipitaka includes all the teachings of the Buddha, grouped into three divisions: the Soutane Patch, or general discourses; the Vane Patch, or moral code for monks and nuns; and the Abhidhamma Pitaka, or philosophical teachings. An excellent reference work which gives an overview of the Pali Buddhist texts. • It is recommended that you download the print version below as it is of higher quality. Print Version (1,314KB, zipped file) This print version is suitable for people who can print the pages duplex and they will have 2 A5 size pages on every Landscape oriented A4 page. This file is of higher quality with bookmarks and a hyper linked series of "contents" pages. (1,815 KB) Daily Readings from Buddha's Words of Wisdom — by Ven. S. Dhammika. ...
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