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.
Through contemplation, the individual comes to a place of peace that allows him or her to look at these questions in a selfless way. By considering things from a selfless perspective, individuals will be more inclined to realize the truth of life. This truth can be attained through the four noble truths of Buddhism, which include the notion that life includes suffering, and that suffering is caused by desire or selfishness. Suffering can be overcome by following the Eightfold Path in Buddhism.
Following the Eightfold Path leads to Nirvana and it begins with an awareness of life's problem, determination to solve this problem, abstention from lying, evil speech, killing, stealing, and immorality. It is also important to not harm living things. Other steps are a determination to create right states of mind, self-knowledge and self-mastery, and the understanding of the truths regarding human existence. The eightfold Path guides individuals down a path that answers the questions of why we are here in that we are here to share our experiences and make the world a better place. We are aiming for a better world and on a more personal level, we aim for Nirvana. Keenan notes that this can be equated to the Western world's concept of salvation. The dimensions of religion are covered in this desire for Nirvana through the practice of meditation, the teaching of Buddha,...
While Nirvana is a spiritual activity, it is manifested in the physical world through kindness and consideration for all living things.
Many of these steps involve the practice of meditation, which is extremely important in most Buddhists traditions. Meditation is not simply sitting still; it is a state of mind that allows the individual to receive illumination. These notions should not be seen as competition with Christianity and, when we look at both religions side by side, they share many of the same characteristics. They both seek to do good and they both ask believers to be the best they can be by avoiding evil and immorality. Many Christian's might find themselves agreeing with the basic doctrines of Mahayana without realizing it. In addition, meditation is always a good thing. It helps clear the mind and it establishes a sense of calm in a ridiculously fast-paced world.
Works Cited
Keenan, John P. "A Mahayana Theology of Salvation History." Buddhist-Christian Studies.
2002. JSTOR Resource Database. Site Accessed July 12, 2009. .
Monk, Robert, et al. Exploring Religious Meaning. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1987.
Williams, Paul. Mah-y-na Buddhism. Florence: Taylor and Francis. 2008.
Works Cited
Keenan, John P. "A Mahayana Theology of Salvation History." Buddhist-Christian Studies.
2002. JSTOR Resource Database. Site Accessed July 12, 2009. <http://www.jstor.org>.
Monk, Robert, et al. Exploring Religious Meaning. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1987.
Williams, Paul. Mah-y-na Buddhism. Florence: Taylor and Francis. 2008.
Buddhism I have admittedly led a pretty sheltered life in terms of interactions with people from other cultures. I am not a Buddhist and so I do not have any first-hand experiences with the religious practices associated with Buddhism. Before this course, and before my experience, I knew some things about Buddhism, but only as much as most people know. For example, I knew that Buddhism is primarily associated with Asian
Emptiness, as we also find in some Hindu philosophies like Advaita, is the eternal emptiness that is beyond dualism and which is rich with possibilities that far exceed the dualities of the ordinary world. In most Buddhist schools of thought we understand the search for Nirvana as the personal search for enlightenment and understanding of existence beyond ordinary duality. This is also reflected in Advaita Hinduism. Another important area of
If however she had achieved the ideal non-attachment of Buddhism, her grief would still be real, but she would experience it in a different way. Her grief would be part of a process of letting go the son who is no longer there. A degree of non-attachment would then allow her to experience the grief as outside of herself rather than as part of her individuality. This would help
As one performs their dharma, they earn karma, which is the cause and effect aspect of Hinduism. Karma explains good actions bring good results, and by obeying this principle and dharma, one can experience rebirth into a "better" life that puts one in a stronger position to achieve moksha. The ultimate goal for any Hindu soul is to achieve moksha, which is the liberation from samsara, the cycle of
Upon the altar of which this piece would have been a part, the priests of the medieval age would have offered the sacrifice of the Mass -- in which the Body and Blood of the Christ would be offered in an unbloody manner through an act called Transubstantiation. This was a central portion of the Mass and was part of the belief system of the "age of faith" in
" Moreover, Malachi Martin describes the theology as "a freeing from political oppression, economic want, and misery here on earth. More specifically still…a freeing from political domination by the capitalism of the United States." Furthermore, though it grew out of the unrest in Latin America "with its political domination by strong-arm leaders and monopolistic oligarchies," viewed by members of the Church as a direct result of American capitalism, the events in Latin