Theravada

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956), popularly known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired the Modern Buddhist Movement and campaigned against social discrimination against Untouchables (Dalits). Ambedkar was born into an ‘Untouchable’ family. He was the first untouchable to attend college and earn advanced degrees at Columbia University and London School of Economics. He was India’s most radical thinker and an eminent…

Buddhism is a widespread Asian religion or philosophy, founded by Siddartha Gautama in North East India in the 5th century BC. The main Buddhist teachings I will be discussing in this assessment are Four Noble truths and Eightfold path. The definition of suffering in Buddhism is the belief that all things are suffering, due to the desire to seek permanence or recognize the self when neither exist. Suffering comes in many forms. Three obvious kinds of suffering correspond to the first three…

What does it mean to be Buddhist? There are many ways to interpret what it means to be a Buddhist. Buddhism is a religion that has faith in in customs, views and divine practices that are based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha. The Buddha referred to his religion as “finding peace in oneself”. Buddhism is all about finding inner peace and being content with oneself. The story, The Monk’s Tale in the book, Nine Lives, by William Dalrymple portrays a good example of what it means to be a…

In the broad sense, dependent arising is something I would consider a simple idea. In my interpretation, dependent arising refers to the concept that everything arises due to something else. It is basically a cause-effect theory in Buddhism. However, when you begin to dissect what Buddha really means when he brings up the core idea of dependent arising, it can seem perplexing. For the most part it seems that Buddhists use the principle to illustrate life, specifically birth and death, and how…

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…

Who was the Buddha? Siddhartha Gautama was the man to become a Buddha; he was born in approximately 563 BCE into a family of the Kshatriya class in a kingdom called Shakya. Shakya was located in the mountains of the Himalayas, which is found in Nepal. Although Siddhartha’s early life was comfortable he didn't want to live a luxurious life, he wanted spiritual satisfaction. After Siddhartha’s journey to find a solution of life’s problems through a spiritual solution, he became to be known as the…

In question 1, looking only in the South and Southeast Asian galleries, looking for a Buddha image whose subject is the Miracle of Enlightenment. I found the Buddha called “Seated Crowned Buddha with Four Scenes of His Life” shows an image of Miracle of Enlightenment. The Buddha is from India and the date of the Buddha is from 1100-1200. The Buddha’s accession number is B60S569. The head is covered by crown, probably it presents that this Buddha was a prince. I also believe that this Buddha is a…

b) Describe how the ethical teachings of Buddhism apply to the area of Bioethics, and explain how these teachings express the diverse nature of Buddhism (that come from the sources above). Bioethics focuses on ethical concerns associated with healthcare and medicine. It involves the consideration of both contemporary and traditional bioethical issues that have derived from advancements in modern technologies and uncertainty about how to respond to these issues. Non- Absolutism and…

Studying ancient history, it is exciting to learn of events in the past and how these events still effect our world today. Ancient religions are numerous; however, few have carried into our current world. There are not many belief systems which continue to hold influence over people today, but there are two ancient beliefs which have continued to do so. These two are certainly worth mentioning and comparing: Buddhism and Confucianism. There is little room to discuss the similarities as Buddhism…

Nirvana is a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth. It represents the final goal of Buddhism. In order to reach Nirvana a person must follow the eightfold path, which helps a person avoid the extreme of self-torture that weakens one’s intellect and the extreme of self-indulgence that retards one’s spiritual progress. In the short story “Teddy” by J.D. Salinger…