Religion on the road: a Desert Debate While traveling along the silk road, a Confucian encountered a young man sitting peacefully beside the road. He was sitting with his feet crossed upon his thighs and his hands resting his knees. The Confucian, wondering what the man was accomplishing, respectfully asked, “May I ask what you are doing?” The man replied, “ I am meditating. Meditation is a conscious effort to change how the mind works.” Interested, the Confucian sat with the man. The man informed him, “I am a Buddhist monk.” The Confucian told the monk, “I have had heard about the Buddhists, when I traveled through India.” As they were conversing, another man happened upon them. He told them, “I overheard you speaking about your faiths.
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Taoism originated in China along with Confucianism. The Buddhist said, “I believe that this mortal life is suffering, and the only way to escape from this suffering is to dispel one's cravings and ignorance by realizing the Four Noble Truths and reaching nirvana.” The Confucian said, “My faith is about the brotherhood of humanity. The goal of Confucianism is social harmony and a structured society.” The Confucian followed a different Tao than the Taoist, the Tao of Heaven. The Buddhist said, “My way of life is a religion, while Taoism and Confucianism are more philosophies.” The three men discussed their different faiths easily as none of them felt any conflict with the others about following a different religion. While they were talking, a woman approached them. She offered to sell them refreshments. The Buddhist humbly …show more content…
Fortunately, the man came to. The first man helped the other onto the donkey they had been brawling over in the first place, and then took him to seek medical help. This near death experience raised the concept of reincarnation between the three individuals discussing their beliefs. The Buddhist firmly announced, “I believe in the circle of life. Buddhism teaches that when a person dies, they are reborn and that this process of death and rebirth will continue until Nirvana is attained. Nirvana is a spiritual state where there is no suffering, desire, or selfishness.” The Confucian did not have many thoughts about life after death, so he claimed, “I believe that the people of the world know far too little about life to waste it planning for death, which they know even less about.” The Taoist said, “My people do not believe in an afterlife, rather they live here and now.” As the the sun declined in the sky, and the shadows grew longer on the land, the three men separated, as they had their different ways to go. As evening approached, the recently parted men thought back about the earlier events of the day. They thought about how their three individual beliefs contained both similarities and differences and how everyone could learn something useful
Taoism originated in China along with Confucianism. The Buddhist said, “I believe that this mortal life is suffering, and the only way to escape from this suffering is to dispel one's cravings and ignorance by realizing the Four Noble Truths and reaching nirvana.” The Confucian said, “My faith is about the brotherhood of humanity. The goal of Confucianism is social harmony and a structured society.” The Confucian followed a different Tao than the Taoist, the Tao of Heaven. The Buddhist said, “My way of life is a religion, while Taoism and Confucianism are more philosophies.” The three men discussed their different faiths easily as none of them felt any conflict with the others about following a different religion. While they were talking, a woman approached them. She offered to sell them refreshments. The Buddhist humbly …show more content…
Fortunately, the man came to. The first man helped the other onto the donkey they had been brawling over in the first place, and then took him to seek medical help. This near death experience raised the concept of reincarnation between the three individuals discussing their beliefs. The Buddhist firmly announced, “I believe in the circle of life. Buddhism teaches that when a person dies, they are reborn and that this process of death and rebirth will continue until Nirvana is attained. Nirvana is a spiritual state where there is no suffering, desire, or selfishness.” The Confucian did not have many thoughts about life after death, so he claimed, “I believe that the people of the world know far too little about life to waste it planning for death, which they know even less about.” The Taoist said, “My people do not believe in an afterlife, rather they live here and now.” As the the sun declined in the sky, and the shadows grew longer on the land, the three men separated, as they had their different ways to go. As evening approached, the recently parted men thought back about the earlier events of the day. They thought about how their three individual beliefs contained both similarities and differences and how everyone could learn something useful