Bodhisattva

He was born named Siddhartha until one day he saw a sick person, an old person, and then a corpse. It was then that Siddhartha recognized the suffering of life, achieving enlightenment and was reborn as the Buddha. However, other beings named Bodhisattvas also exist, those who seek to attain enlightenment, or a Buddha-to-be. The Buddha is relevant to every aspect of Buddhism because he represents the end to the cycle of suffering. Further, his teaching of the Four Noble Truths declares that…

Nibbana is the ultimate goal for most, if not all, Buddhists. It is indescribable and can only be understood through experience, although those who have experienced it do attempt to explain it for the benefit of those seeking it. They say Nibbana is not a place, but a state of mind. It is complete liberation from suffering, the end to Samsara. As the Buddha once said, “It is the utter cessation of that craving, the withdrawal from it, the renouncing of it, the rejection of it, liberation from it…

At some given point in history politics, religion and art inter-collide and create new vision for society to engage in. Artist Gianlorenzo Bernini created St. Teresa of Avila in Ecstasy during the Baroque ca. 1600-1700 CE. The sculpture, made with white marble, has gilded bronze rays with illuminating light that descends and brightens the figure from a hidden window above. It depicts a playful with smirky smile angel whom opens Teresa’s robe and aims with an arrow at her breast. It represents…

If we go to todays current Buddhism in the Eastern world, we see a mix of versions. Theravada which in some places has fundamentals from the Hindu religion. Mahayana which world model is somewhat diverse and includes the bodhisattva as ideal and then there is Tibetan Buddhism which has altered there set of teachings and practices yet very similar to Mahayana. Then what I don’t understand and the funny part is that there might not even be a thing such as Buddhism. When the Buddha…

A few of the other important gods in Chinese buddhism were the Four Kings of Heaven, the Four Kings of Hell, and the kitchen god, which was one of the most important home related deity. Also there was the bodhisattva Mi-le considered to be a sort of future Buddha. Worshipers often prayed to join him in paradise. Many districts in China have their own local deity, as did all activities and ways of making a living.Even small chores and ideas had their own individual…

and believing in the mystical and how things are not always what they seem. Also in the middle of the film when the fellow courtesan is singing about all of the courtesan’s of the past who are honored for their bravery sounds very Buddhist, like bodhisattvas if you are asking me. However, it might be similar to the woman we read about in “Under Confucian Eyes” which was an example of a combination between Confucianism and Daoism. This example is very similar to one of the examples the courtesan…

Originally Buddhism was started from Nepal.There are two main route in Buddhism, the southern Buddhism (Hinayana) and the northern Buddhism (Mahayana) in Nepal. Buddhism has been spread widely and been carried on through centuries and making great contributions to the Asian culture. Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism was born in 623 B.C.E. in Lumbini, Nepal. His father, Suddhodana Gautama was king that time and Siddharth was raised by his sister, because his mother, Mahamaya died when…

Buddhism rises from the lessons of life Siddhartha Gautama learned of and later preached, to teach others, to lead people towards a free self. Buddhism was established within the late centuries BCE and early centuries CE, with each period adapting its spiritual message differently through artwork. Earlier artwork within the Maurya Dynasty, used inscriptions and symbolism to convey and announce to the people the messages of Buddha (Kleiner 429). Temples and Halls, which had structured within them…

A taboo is an activity that is banned or not allowed words based on religious beliefs or morals. They came from ancient times, because people did not want to speak and think bad and provocative things. Breaking a taboo is extremely bad and unpleasant in society as a whole. Around the world, an act may be taboo in one culture and not in another. Prohibitions ranged from strict taboos in which a species or area was forbidden by the ancestors to social norms that concerned acceptable behavior when…

The Tang and Song dynasties in China often referred to as the Golden Age, experienced economic, cultural, and artistic success. Associated with progress and prosperity these dynasties produced some incredibly astounding pieces of art for its time. These artworks were reflections of the most dominant religions and philosophies in these dynasties. The three significant belief systems that shaped the creations of Tang and Song artists include Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. The Tang dynasty…