Four Noble Truths

Buddhist teachings can be defined as principles which govern the way a buddhist thinks, acts and behaves. They are teachings provided by the Buddha also known as Dhamma which have had an immense impact on the lives of adherents and the community itself called the Sangha. Buddhist teachings and worship along with the Buddha himself and the Sangha combine to produce the three jewels which is centered around an Buddhist. It is important to note that to become a buddhist, one must take refuge in…

Siddhartha’s journey, he meets a multitude of unforeseen teachers. He learns from a variety of teachers stretching as far as a river and as close as his best friend. Siddhartha’s teachers the Samanas, Govinda, Kamala, and the river teach the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, such as patience and the ability to listen, and in doing so, help him reach Enlightenment. It takes a multitude of teachers for Siddhartha to acknowledge the world that surrounds him so that he can learn from the river, which…

Bioethics within the Buddhism parameter are largely stipulated by its ethical codes, which are derived from the concept of karma, eightfold path, four noble truths and the five precepts. These heavily influence the life of adherents and present Buddhism as a dynamic living religion that is incorporated into daily lives. Buddhist ethics are ultimately founded in the natural law of the universe as they centred on the goal of liberating adherents from the constraints of karmic causality to become…

Confucianism is the moral and spiritual doctrine taught by the Chinese philosopher and mentor Kung Fu-tzu, or Confucius. The book The World’s Religions narrates that Confucius was no child of the Enlightenment, instead, he was closer to philosophers and psychologists who recognize that altruism is not much engendered by exhortation(Smith,168). Confucius did not consider himself and his teachings as a perfect or original method, he believed to the wisdom of the past. Confucius was obsessed with…

Siddhartha Guatama, or as he is better known, Buddha was born in Nepal in the sixth century B.C. and lived into the fourth century B.C. He was born into a large clan by the name of the Shakyas. His given name, Siddhartha means “he who achieves his aim”. His father is said to have been king of the tribe and his mother to have died only a few days after giving birth to him. It was foretold by a holy man that Siddhartha would go on to do great things in his life, whether it be military, political,…

understands him and what he is saying perfectly. When Bob Nicholson is standing watching Teddy write in his journal he ask Teddy if anyone is sitting in a chair next him and if it would be okay for him to sit down to which Teddy responds “Well, these four chairs belong to my family... But my parents aren’t up yet” (278). Teddy easily could’ve said that nobody was sitting in the chairs and it would be over but instead he feels the need to tell Nicholson that the seat is taken. Teddy knows his…

Since the beginning of mankind, humans have searched for collective actualization in order to truly understand themselves and the world around them. The concept of self-discovery is explored in the novel, Siddhartha, through the spiritual journey of the main character during the lifetime of the historical Buddha. Originally a Brahman, a member of the highest Hindu class, Siddhartha abandons his life in hope of finding wisdom and reaching Nirvana, the final goal of Buddhism. Throughout the novel,…

According to the Jstor article, “From Bodhisattva to Buddha: The Beginning of Iconic Representation in Buddhist Art” by Ju-Hyung Rhi, he states in his article that the term Bodhisattva and Buddha have a different implication in the early Buddhism. He said that the term Bodhisattva a is name that used to call Siddhartha Gautama before he reaches enlightenment. He found many inscriptions and images that support this understanding that Bodhisattva is the Buddha before he reaches enlightenment. The…

Buddhism can be broken down into main schools all have their own teachings and purposes. The school are Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Vajrayana Buddhism and Zen Buddhism I will discuss the similarities and differences. Theravada Buddhism,it is considered the most conservative branch of Buddhism. It is known to be a monastic branch and is very strict, Thereavada is known for sticking to the original teachings of Buddha. According to Theravada Buddhism, one must live ethically, meditate,…

The idea of karma in Western Civilization has grown to an exponential misunderstanding of the true meaning behind the word. We see karma in almost every TV/Movie program and all, give the wrong definition of the truth behind the word karma. Karma is the “sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.”(Wikipedia) Karma is not about helping an old man cross the street and then you being rewarded with the winning numbers to…