Buddhism Essay, Research Paper
Summary of Buddhism
Buddhism started with one man who woke up . His full name was Siddhartha Gautama of the Sakyas. His greatness was apparent when he was born around 563 B.C. in Nepal. The world was illuminated with light, the handicapped gained their physical abilities back, and only Mara, the Evil One, didn t celebrate.
Siddhartha was the son an Indian king. When he was born, the king consulted soothsayers to predict Siddhartha s future. He would either mature to be a world conqueror or a world redeemer. The father was determined to direct his son to fame and fortune rather than have him be the world s savior. The king concealed the world s suffering and ugliness from Siddhartha as best he can. When Siddhartha went riding in the countryside, servants would ride out in front, to clear away the old, diseased, ugly, and the deceased. However, on one of his rides, Siddhartha s guards missed an old man along the roadside. He had gray hair, wrinkles on his face, and leaned crookedly on a staff. It was then that Siddhartha learned of old age. On the next journey, Siddhartha confronted a diseased body lying on the road, and on another trip, he discovers a rotting corpse. Despite his father s efforts, on a fourth ride, Siddhartha noticed a monk with a shaven head, a bowl, and a worn cloak. It was then that Siddhartha learned of the life of withdrawal from the earth.
Then, all of life s pleasures lost their luster to him. So, at twenty-nine years of age, he left the comforts of his palaces and rode off into the forest. There, he changed clothes and gave the horse to a man who would go back to break the news to his family. He shaved his head and ventured into the forest looking for enlightenment.
In search of enlightenment, Siddhartha went through three stages. First, he went looking for the two greatest Hindu masters of his time and to learn from them the philosophy of Hinduism and about raja yoga.
Learning all the masters could teach him, Siddhartha went to join a band of ascetics to seek enlightenment. There, he ate only six grains of rice per day during his fasts, and subject his body to various other kinds of asceticism. Siddhartha grew weak and could have died there. Realizing the uselessness of asceticism, he quit the band and came up with a principle from his mistakes: the Middle Way. The Middle Way lies between the two extremes: asceticism and indulgence. The body is given only enough to operate normally.
This leads to his final step toward enlightenment. He spent his time thinking and concentrating along the lines of raja yoga. One evening, Siddhartha, almost succeeding in his search for enlightenment, sat under a tree, later referred to as the Bo Tree, and vowed not to rise until he reached enlightenment. The Evil One came and tried to distract Siddhartha from his meditations.
First in the form of Kama, the God of Desire, he marched three beautiful women to Siddhartha. Ignored, The Evil One used Mara, the Lord of Death to pound Siddhartha with rain, rocks, and wind. However, the forces only turned to flower petals when they entered his field of concentration. Mara fled when the gods of heaven came down to aid the Buddha-to-be.
Deepening his concentration, Siddhartha finally pierced at last the bubble of the universe and shattered it to naught only to find it restored. He sat there in bliss for a total of forty-nine days. Mara came back and tried to question his reason. Buddha only responded, There will be some who will understand, and Mara was gone.
Buddha wandered India for fifty years, preaching and teaching the people. He would rest for a few months, and then would lecture some more. His teachings revolved around the Four Noble Truths.
The first Noble Truth is dukkha which is translated to suffering. Life is suffering: it is dislocated. Buddha further points out the six major dislocations in life:
1. The first one is the trauma of birth. Birth is the most shocking thing we had to endure and it invites other suffering.
2. The fear of sickness is the next disorder.
3. The next dislocation the fear of aging, of growing old.
4. The dread of death is another terror.
5. The fifth dislocation is to be stuck with what one doesn t like, such as relatives, or a disease.
6. The final aversion is to be separated from what we love.
The second Noble Truth is tanha, which means desire. Buddha stated that desire caused dukkha and suffering, without desire you will not have suffering. The desire to help someone or for enlightenment, doesn t count. Tanha only applies to selfish wants and desires. The third Noble Truth is to cure the desire we have for self fulfillment. The Fourth Noble truth tells us how. It is the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path includes eight steps to solve desire and to end suffering. There is a preliminary step. It is right association, There must be a person (Truthwinners) that could lead and offer an example for others to follow. The steps of the Eightfold Path follows.
1. Right Views. We must have a blueprint, a guide of what we are going to do in life. We have to have a reason to go on.
2. Right Intent. We have to focus our intentions on one thing and be persistent about it.
3. Right Speech. We must not deceive others with lies. Gossip, slander, verbal abuse should be avoided.
4. Right Conduct. This includes the Five Precepts, which are similar to the Ten Commandments:
a) Do not kill
b) Do not steal
c) Do not lie
d) Do not be unchaste. Monks and the unmarried should not have sex. The married, restrain one s interest in sex.
e) Do not drink intoxicants.
5. Right Livelihood. We should have jobs that encourages life, instead of destroying it. Jobs such as prostitute, butcher, brewer, weapon maker, etc. are not to be taken.
6. Right Effort. A person must be willful and persistent in order to reach their goal.
7. Right Mindfulness. Ignorance should be avoided. We should have a self-awareness and try to understand ourselves.
8. Right Concentration. This is to follow the techniques in raja yoga.
There are two kinds of Buddhism that should be noted. They are Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.
Theravada Buddhism is a strict, and exclusive branch. Ritual and holidays are depreciate. Metaphysics are not encouraged and are minimized. There are no gods or supernatural beings to pray to. The most important virtue is wisdom. This branch of Buddhism id mostly for monks nuns. The ideal person is the one who reaches enlightenment after death. They view Buddha as a saint, a person who inspire and motivates people, and a teacher. The religion is practiced through meditation.
The second branch of Buddhism is Mahayana Buddhism. This is a more user-friendly religion. Their practice not only includes monks and nuns, but of regular people as well. Their main virtue is compassion. The people practice Mahayana Buddhism by praying to divine gods and goddesses. Elaborate rituals and holidays are present. Metaphysics are also welcome. Buddha is portrayed as a savior. Their ideal is a person who returns form enlightenment and lives for another life time, helping people.
Другие работы по теме:
Buddhism Essay Research Paper BuddhismBuddhism is the
Buddhism Essay, Research Paper Buddhism Buddhism is the fourth largest religion of the world after Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. Although it originated in India, it has been adopted in countries like Tibet, China, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia. Buddhism was founded in India by prince Siddhartha Gautam, who was born about 550 B.C in Northern India.
Buddhism Essay Research Paper Essay Question
Buddhism Essay, Research Paper Essay Question #5: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Christianity Throughout the history of Japan, foreign religions such as Buddhism, Christianity and Confucianism have been introduced. These three religions have had their share of successes as well as failures. However, the fates of these religions have completely different endings due to conflicting beliefs of religious men and the presence of political influence.
Becket Essay Research Paper Summary of Becket
Becket Essay, Research Paper Summary of Becket by Jean Anouilh Becket is a movie that portrays the conflict of power between the throne and the church. It is the story of Henry II and his companion Thomas Becket. The movie begins by giving a brief summary of the history up to the point where the movie begins. This information is crucial to the understanding of the situation.
Asoka Essay Research Paper AsokaAsoka was the
Asoka Essay, Research Paper Asoka Asoka was the third member of the Mauryan dynasty and the grandson of the founder of the first Indian empire, Chandragupta Maurya of Magadha. Some say Asoka was the most powerful monarch to embrace Buddhism. Asoka was born in 304 B.C. and came to power in 270 B.C. after a short struggle in which one of his brothers was killed.
Journalism Today Essay Research Paper Summary Leads
Journalism Today Essay, Research Paper Summary Leads ( Why are they are effective) The summary lead is the most widely used lead. It provides a brief summary of the facts in the article in the first sentence. Summary leads work best in inverted pyramid stories. I think that summary leads are effective because if the reader has an interest in the subject after reading the short summary at the beginning, then they will read the whole article.
John Locke Summary Essay Research Paper John
John Locke: Summary Essay, Research Paper John Locke: The Empiricist Theory of Knowledge: Summary Understanding and knowledge is what makes man superior to all other beings according to John Locke. However, the bounds of this understanding and knowledge are questionable. Is some knowledge innate? How certain can we be about beliefs and the knowledge we have? John Locke attempts to give some insight as to the answers of these questions in his work, The Empiricist Theory of Knowledge.
Crucible Essay Research Paper Summary of The
Crucible Essay, Research Paper Summary of The Crucible This story takes place during the late 1600’s. In the beginning Abigail, Mary Warren, and Betty were in the forest conjuring up spirits of the dead. They wanted to find out why children were dying in their infancy. Tituba knew how to conjure so she was the one who did it, while the other three danced.
Buddhism Essay Research Paper The idea of
Buddhism Essay, Research Paper The idea of evolution by Darwin indicated that the world is not created by God, but through some kind of modification. This controversial idea is strongly objected by most of the religions, such as Catholic, Christian, and Islam etc. These religions sturdily believe that God is the creator of the world, the creator of everything.
Buddism Essay Research Paper Buddhism emerged during
Buddism Essay, Research Paper Buddhism emerged during the period of the Upanishads, but it is not so much one religion as two. Only two sects of Buddhism exist today that had formed after Buddha?s death. Although these three religions have some important things in common, the differences that divide them are profound.
Hinduisim And Christianity Essay Research Paper Two
Hinduisim And Christianity Essay, Research Paper Two religions, both very different and both very similar. Siddhartha Guatama also known as Buddha (“Enlightened One”) was the founder and probably the most influential person of Buddhism. He sat under a fig tree for 49 days to think and contemplate his thoughts.
Is Buddhism A Religion Essay Research Paper
Is Buddhism a Religion? To begin, let us ask once again the huge question that is all burning in our minds: is Buddhism a religion? There are many criteria by which this can be compared to and/or answered by. For example, many religions have the following aspects within them: beginning, ritual, followers/believers, morality, purpose, and goals.
Buddhism 3 Essay Research Paper BUDDHISMBuddhism is
Buddhism 3 Essay, Research Paper BUDDHISM Buddhism is probably the most tolerant religion in the world, as its teachings can coexist with any other religion’s. However, this is not a characteristic of other religions. The Buddhist teaching of God is neither agnostic nor vague, but clear and logical. Buddhism was created by Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in the sixth century B.C. in what is now modern Nepal.
Buddism Essay Research Paper BuddhismReligion is one
Buddism Essay, Research Paper Buddhism Religion is one of the most controversial topics in the world today. Buddhism is one the most interesting. In today?s society, Buddhism has grown to be one of the word?s largest. Although Hinduism and Native American religions are found to be interesting, nevertheless Buddhism in my eyes is the most interesting of the three, because of the strong evidence of creed, cultus, and the uncanny.
Buddhism Essay Research Paper What is the
Buddhism Essay, Research Paper What is the gist of the chapter or essay? The goal out of practicing Buddhism is to become a self-less person. Everything we do in life causes another. Nothing in this world happens independently. In Buddhism the relationship between on thing leading to another is called casual connectedness.
Summary Essay Research Paper Summary
Summary Essay, Research Paper Summary 10-16-96 By Rick R. Lopez The American family today, has the same problems that the American family of yesterday had. Daniel A. Sugarman, a psychologist in “Family Practice” introduces us to several case studies that seem to be the main nucleus of family problems today.
Contrast Papers Essay Research Paper A Summary
Contrast Papers Essay, Research Paper A Summary of Poe s Short Story The Cask Of Amontillado One of the main themes of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask Of Amontillado is revenge. In this summary theme I intend to demonstrate how dramatic irony is used all along the short story as a way of reminding us the true intentions of the character who vowed revenge.
Taoism Versus Buddhism Essay Research Paper Eddie
Taoism Versus Buddhism Essay, Research Paper Eddie Bohn 103A History Thursday 7, 2000 Taoism versus Buddhism There are hundreds of religions in the world that are practiced. But only a few really stand out in the world and are widely known. I will focus on two particular religions and compare and contrast them.
Taoism And Buddhism Essay Research Paper Taoism
Taoism And Buddhism Essay, Research Paper Taoism and Buddhism were born in the same century. Siddhartha reached enlightenment in approximately 535 B.C. and Lao Tzu?s teachings were recorded
History Of Lacrosse Essay Research Paper What
History Of Lacrosse Essay, Research Paper What is Lacrosse? Summary: Lacrosse is the oldest sport in North America, and dates back to the 1400 s. Lacrosse did not become well know until the 1600 s.
Buddhism Sects Essay Research Paper Buddhism SectsThe
Buddhism Sects Essay, Research Paper Buddhism Sects The similarities and differences between Theravada and Vajrayana Before we compare and contrast these two different sects of the same religion, we probably need to define the why first. There appears to quite a few different splinters of Buddhism, however they seem to all have the same goal, just a different way of achieving that goal.
Delinquent Daughters Summary Essay Research Paper Delinquent
Delinquent Daughters Summary Essay, Research Paper ?Delinquent Daughters Summary? Delinquent Daughters by Mary E. Odem touches on many topics involving women residing in the U.S. from 1885 to 1920. Not only does the book raise issues about women as a whole, but also it breaks the women into a more realistic view.
Buddha
’s Meditative Position. Essay, Research Paper I feel that Buddha Being in this particular position expresses many things. First, one has to be able to understand what Buddhism represents. Buddhisn is a religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha or “Enlightened one,” promised to offer an escape from suffering.
Chinese Buddhism Essay Research Paper Chinese Buddhism
Chinese Buddhism Essay, Research Paper Chinese Buddhism There is evidence of Buddhists in China as early as the 3rd century, but Buddhism was not popular in China for years. Buddhism was probably introduced after the Han emperor Ming Ti had a dream of a flying golden deity that was interpreted as a vision of the Buddha.
Buddhist Economics Essay Research Paper Buddhist EconomicsMost
Buddhist Economics Essay, Research Paper Buddhist Economics Most people think that religion and economics don?t mix. So you would think the same in the case with Buddhism and economics. But actually the there is a set of rules that go along with our modern day economics that have their own meanings. Buddhists believe that spiritual health and well being go hand in hand.
Summary And Responce To
“Black English” Essay, Research Paper Summary and Response Word Count 366 Summary In the essay titled, ?If Black English Isn?t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is??
Buddhism Essay Research Paper 1st OHP 2
Buddhism Essay, Research Paper 1st OHP –BUDDHISM What is Buddhism? Buddha is the central symbol and reality of Buddhism, because he embodies the way of thinking and living. It is an analysis
A Look At Zen Essay Research Paper
FINAL PAPER LBRL STUDIES 272 MARK FERGUSON The study of Zen, it seems, became a main preoccupation of the Japanese, something never seen elsewhere. Embracing it with gusto, allowing it to mingle with old tales and myths, the Japanese raised Buddhism to a new height.
Outline Of Buddhism Essay Research Paper Outline
Outline Of Buddhism Essay, Research Paper Outline of Buddhism Buddhism is the oldest of the four major religions in the world today. Its followers inhabit such countries as India, China, Bhutan, Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and
The Split In Buddhism Essay Research Paper
In the very beginning of Buddhism s growth there was a split into to major groups: Mahayana and Theravada. The split began almost three to five hundred years after the death of the Buddha. Most historians are unsure why the split occurred. The major difference between the two is whom Buddhism identifies with the common man or the monk.