Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
¶ … Enlightenment: Karma, Bodhisattvas, and Nirvana
For some twenty-four hundred years, Buddhism has been a pre-dominantly Eastern religion. But in the last one-hundred-and-fifty years - ever since the first Asian immigrants arrived on these American shores as workers - the unique teachings and practices of Buddha have incorporated itself into Western society. And throughout the migration of this religion through the centuries, one goal has never changed: to achieve enlightenment as Buddha had under the bodhi tree. And what Buddha did next is the fundamental foundation of Buddhism: he taught others how to achieve it, too: he didn't keep the secret to himself. But there is no secret in achieving enlightenment. It only requires commitment, aspiration, following certain practices and vows, and understanding many concepts within Buddhism can an individual become enlightened. Three of the concepts an individual must come to understand are the laws of karma, identifying Nirvana, and knowledge about Bodhisattvas.
Bodhisattvas are individuals...
Bodhi translates to "enlightenment" and Sattvas refers to a person who has the courage and confidence to attain enlightenment, which is that state that possesses all good qualities and void of all ill effects; essentially, a Bodhisattvas is an ordinary person who is committed to lead their life in the same direction as Buddha through the same practices and vows. Bodhisattvas live their life by the Bodhisattvas Vow, which is a resolution to attain enlightenment and the fulfillment of Buddhahood. Such a person understands that we are born with our desires and responding to those desires, but Bodhisattvas knows that our actions dictate our karma.
Karma is the action of body, speech, and mind, and affects every aspect of an individual. It is a Sanskrit word that refers to action and to the laws of cause and effect; essentially, every action we commit is bound to produce a result. If we act with greed or hatred, we are planting the seed of suffering. If we act with kindness and love, we will reap the benefits…
Buddha-Nature and Enlightenment Buddhism is a unique religion: it doesn't worship any deity nor does it require any individual to live their lives through divine will. Approximately 2,500 years ago, when Buddha achieved enlightenment he spent the next forty-five years teaching others that personal growth and awakening is possible through finding the truth within themselves. This concept is very alien in comparison to Western religions. There are many aspects of Buddhism,
Wisdom in Buddhism Some twenty-five hundred years ago, Buddha Shakyamuni devoted the last forty-nine of seventy-nine-years of life teaching his practices to people in the area today of Northern India about enlightenment and how to achieve that state of being, as he had. The term Buddha as translated today from the Sanskrit word means wisdom or enlightenment, though the two terms are not interchangeable. It is the goal for all
mental discipline in Buddhism, based on Jean Smith's Radiant Mind: Essential Buddhist Teaching and Texts. BUDDHISM Buddhism has been called a religion, a philosophy, an ideology and simply a way of life. Buddhism has withstood the test of time along with the other great spiritual traditions. It offers many different paths for people with different needs, capacities, and sensibilities. Many view this diversity as a refreshing alternative to doctrinal rigidity (Smith,1999).
Early Judaic religion also has a long extensive history. The ancient beginnings of Judaism come from the sands of the Syro-Arabian desert. Ancient ancestors of the later Hebrew people moved from the Mesopotamian desert towards the coast, moving into what is now known as Jerusalem and Palestine. Abraham was born into a family which still practiced early forms of animism. Through a religious epiphany, he began to worship only one
Buddha the founder of the Buddhist faith lived in India, Bihar, from 563-483 BCE. As the Buddha or enlightened one he preached his doctrine of the four great truths. Sorrow is inherent in life, it arises from desire, and only by eliminating desire can man be released from sorrow. This may be achieved by following the noble eight-fold path of right conduct in vision, thought, speech, action, giving, striving, vigilance
Tibet is a 1997 film that recounts Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer's experiences at the onset of World War II and through to the Chinese occupation of Tibet. In the film, religion and politics are intrinsically intertwined, which are two causes for discontent among Tibetans and their Chinese neighbors. In Seven Years in Tibet, religion plays a major political role and also serves to enlighten Harrer about the things that