Dukkha

Today, the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism, are practiced by billions of people all around the world. Nearly 3000 years ago aryans created and brought their practices to Ancient india. These practices are hand in hand with the caste system, which is very unfair to the followers.It was said that if you didnt do your job, you will pay the consequences, which were low status in the caste system. But then, Siddhartha Gautama created his own religion, to break free from the caste systems chains.…

An Exploration of Buddhism: The Paradox of Nirvana and Anatman According to Buddhist philosophy, there are three characteristics of existence. These are that all things are impermanent and constantly changing, that suffering is inevitable and constant and the concept of anatman, or that there is no lasting self. This may seem to be a pessimistic view; however, Buddhism allows for the liberation of this endless suffering known as duhka. Through the unwavering following of the Eightfold Path one…

Throughout the years, there have been many religions which have dominated different parts of the world. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are the names of just a few. Buddhism was a religion that initially began in India some 2,500 years ago, and it remains to be one of the most dominant religions in the world. Buddhism was initially founded by Siddhartha Gautama, or the Buddha, who lived around 500 BCE. “The word Buddha literally means ‘the enlightened and awakened one’” (Hansen and…

Zazan: A Buddhist Ritual “A special transmission outside the scriptures, Not founded upon words and letters; By pointing directly to one’s mind. It lets one see into one’s own true nature and thus attain Buddhahood”(Gateless Gate). In the denomination of Zen Buddhism, there are many forms of Zen practice including but not limited to bowing, chanting, and sitting. One of the most well known forms of Zen practice is sitting, otherwise known as Zazen. This form of meditation is significant to the…

The Buddha was a man whose own efforts led him to enlightenment. The Buddhist religion is based on the life and teaching of the Indian sage Siddhartha Gautama, the Enlightened One. Buddhists believe that individuals can overcome the misery of the world and reach their own Buddha status by a process of mental and moral purification. “The term Buddha applies to every individual who attains this state [of enlighten]” (___ 66). Although Siddhartha Gautama is the man most commonly known and referred…

Shinto Shinto appeared out of thin air… I have come up with this conclusion because there is no known founder and no origin date. Like poof there it is! However, moving on, Shinto people seem to me a lot like the hippies of the U.S. in the 60s. I formed this opinion do to their same interest in world peace. Just like those 60s people, Shinto could have died out as a result of the successful growth of Buddhism (Molloy). But there are still hippies around. Kami are spirits, if I understand…

of sati (mindfulness). Gethin (2011) recommended that mindfulness serves as a 'watchman', securing the mind/body. Along these lines, every individual recognizes what to do or what to see at the time, so that thoughts, feelings and perceptions do not get in the way or take over the mind. NhâtHanh (2007) noted that the Buddha engaged in mindfulness through daily meditation practice with the intention of developing the ability to live mindfully with a calm, still, and quiet mind open to different…

A day after the war was over as legends say, Ashoka went out to the city and all he could see was scattered corpses and burned houses. “What have I done?” was the famous question he cried after the sight made his sick. Later Ashoka apologized for the Kalinga war and reassures the people away from his empire that he has no expansionist intentions towards them. The brutality of the conquest took him into adopting what he once knew of Buddhism. Using his position and newly way of thought on life to…

In chapter 3, the author talks about Buddha’s life cycle. Buddha’s life began when his mother had a dream about giving birth to a great ruler or a holy man. Buddha believes that life begins from the common pain we share. Buddha’s teachings were about understanding the joyful or blissful nature of reality. He wanted people to understand the bliss and the joy in passing away. He wanted people to understand that death was ok because after life came reincarnation. The Buddha ancestry goes back to…

There are about 535 million Buddhists worldwide, representing 7% of the world’s total population. Buddhism is more of a way of life, rather than a religion. It is also considered a philosophy. Buddhist path can be summed up to lead a moral life, to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and to develop wisdom and understanding. Following are descriptions of the main Buddhist deities. Medicine Buddha is a legendary Buddha. He represents the nature of healing in the Buddha’s teachings. Some…