Bodhisattva

Joshua Englander Dr. John Knight World Religions MID-TERM PAPER Hinduism and the rise of Buddhism All religions, both current and extinct, have their similarities and differences. When people discuss the history of religion and the impact it has created amongst societies dating back thousands of years, you usually hear about only the most popular religion based on your area, or the top two or three religions that still exist today. You are told at a young age why your family’s religion is…

Lhamo Dhondup was the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. To citizens of Tibet, the Dalai Lama is more than just a ruler. He is a living Buddha, a being that has reached enlightenment. They also believe him to be the “manifestation of the bodhisattva of compassion, Chenrezi or Avalokiteshvara, whose head exploded into one thousand fragments when he realized the enormity of his task of working toward the happiness of all sentient beings. It is the vow by which the Dalai Lama lives” (Marcello…

Attending the world's largest erotic art museum has encouraged me to view sexuality with a more opened minded perception. Sexuality is very diverse for instance, in the way sexual acts are performed and carried out. Historically, individuals are biologically and genetically programmed to seek out sexual behaviors with others. Either for means of reproduction or their personal pleasure, but one thing is very evident, and that is that sex is pleasurable and enjoyable for most. However, cultural…

There has always been movements and debates whether or not to abolish capital punishment. Globally, it has been mostly abolished; however the United States currently still uses it. Also, if we look it at a religious point of view meaning Christianity and Judaism there would be no surprise that it does not stand against capital punishment in comparison to other nations. Although very little has been mention or written, in regarding to Buddhism view who are very passionate toward abolishing…

Chan Meditation initially grabbed my attention with the concept that the endurance of pain can be used as a tool for the development of concentration. I was first introduced to Chan meditation after participating in a short group meditation sit, held at a park in Downey and organized by the Lu mountain temple. The participants mainly discussed pain, and how concentrating on the discomfort can help relieve it. This experience left me with three major questions; what is Chan Buddhism? ; Why do…

ROE V. WADE 2 Roe V. Wade: A Woman’s Right To Choose The case that made abortion legal was the Roe v. Wade case that acquired a lot of controversy. In many cases of the women’s right to choose most people believed it to be wrong to…

Why is the concept of Karma and Dharma, important to Hinduism in terms of the caste system? Karma is an ideal that drives the caste system because, “It decides the quality of a Hindu’s further life,” (Wangu 42) through the, “...moral law of cause and effect.” (Smith 96). Because of this, people are motivated to do well in their current life in the hopes of securing or maintaining a higher level in their respective hierarchy. Dharma played its own role in this system because it is the,…

Maggie Jortberg The People on the Path to Authenticism Sue Cochrane encounters many different people throughout her life, as she mentions in her memoir The Crystal Gavel. Sue learns a multitude of lessons from each person she meets in her life. A lot of the people she meets do not make much of a difference in her life, however, a select few do. Sue learns a lot from these select people and she changes her whole attitude because of them. Sue is able to become and express her authentic self around…

supported by divine powers and the grace they bestow Wisdom Compassion Attainment requires constant commitment, primarily for monks and nuns Religious practice is relevant to life in the world Ideal: Arhat who remains in nirvana after death Ideal: the bodhisattva Buddha is a saint, supreme teacher and inspirer Buddha is a savior Minimizes metaphysics Elaborates metaphysics Minimizes ritual Emphasizes ritual Practice centers on meditation Includes petitionary prayer 3. The Intuitive approach of…

monk who arrived in China around 520 CE. The philosophical development of Zen is found in the Lankavatara Sutra which was composed in India in the fourth century. It is a sutra of Mahayana Buddhism, the sutra is a narration of the Buddha and the bodhisattva known as Mahamati. Through Zen’s evolution in China it was impacted by Taoist beliefs which are shown in Ch’an’s significant importance surrounding the instability and naturalness of all things. Zen came to Japan in the seventh century but…