Ahimsa

By following Eight Fold Paths that Buddha had given us as the proper way to behave, we eventually be bodhisattvas and arhat. The first path is Samma Ditthi or perfect vision. It’s about having the right view and understand the nature of life. Secondly, Samma Sankappa or aspiration is having the right thought and point of view. Samma Sankappa focuses on letting thing go because nothing belongs to us. The third one is Summa Vacca. Having right speech will make our lives healthier and we would be…

of everyday human activity” (Kaza, 2016: 8). In many philosophical ethics and principles in traditional Buddhism planted the seeds of later Buddhist environmentalism. One essential ethical concept present in traditional Buddhism is non-harm, or “ahimsa, the dictum of consciously avoiding harm to any other subjectivity” (Johnston, 2006: 79). From the earliest Buddhist texts, there have been “admonitions to treat plants, animals and water with respect” (Kaza and Kenneth 2000:2). From the…

While often deemed highly similar, Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism differ greatly in many of their core values and practices. The most significant differences lie in their stances on whether or not an all-powerful god is in existence. While the Hindu faith consists of millions of gods, most Hindus focus their worship on one all-encompassing god or objective Oneness, therefore making the religion henotheistic. However, because Hinduism is so internally diverse, some groups are atheistic in their…

Incheon, caught my eye. It was not long before we started sharing our views on Buddha and his message of peace. Suddenly, I felt nostalgic. Listening to them talk about Buddha reminded me of my grandparent's short stories about Mahavira's teaching of Ahimsa (non-violence). Interacting with them was just like listening to my grandparents. My unease of conversing with strangers was unfounded. I had created an illusion in my mind but small conversations like these helped me break that separating…

The terms ‘nation’ and ‘nationalism’ are part of everyday jargon and are inevitably interlinked. Nation commonly refers to a community of people that are associated with a particular territory or region and have been brought together as a result of the conjunction of psychological, cultural and political factors. These may also include literature, history, language, customs and religion. It is these elements that help people become conscious of a shared identity and brings within them a sense of…

Eastern and western religions are used as an ethical basis for societies and individual believers to adhere to. In understanding this ethical influence of religions, it is essential to understand the fundamental views of time and the afterlife according to each religious tradition. In the following pages, I will analyze and compare the Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, and Christian teachings of afterlife, time, and the effects of these teachings on religion-based ethics. Hinduism, founded by Aryans in…

yoga practice, and meditations. For the people who are Jainism, the most important thing for them is moksha meaning a cycle of birth, which is similar to Hindu and Buddhist religions. Only monks and nuns can achieve the five great vows, which are Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (chastity) and Aparigraha (Non-attachment). In this story "The son of Mriga", about a king Balabhadra and the queen Mriga in the town of Sugriva, their son Balashri, known as…

home steeped in Vaishnavism worship of the Hindu god Vishnu with a strong tinge of Jainism, a morally rigorous Indian religion whose chief tenets are nonviolence and the belief that everything in the universe is eternal. Thus, he took for granted ahimsa (non injury to all living beings), vegetarianism, fasting for self-purification, and mutual tolerance between adherents of various creeds and sects.” This quote simply explains how peaceful we was from the start and how this trait has always been…

well-organized government and social castes, and peace and harmony. To begin, an important part of an ordered society is having religion and beliefs. In India, “Both Hindus and Buddhists accepted the law of karma, dharma, and a cycle of rebirth. Ahimsa, or nonviolence, was central to both religions”…

bring about happiness in the long run. Bad acts, on the other hand, lead to unhappiness. Neutral karma has no benefits or costs, since it just involves breathing, eating, and sleeping. Followers of Buddhism also follow five precepts. The first is Ahimsa, or refraining from violence towards sentient life. The second is refraining from taking which is not given, or stealing. The third is refraining from sensual, including sexual misconduct. The fourth is refraining from lying. Finally, the last…