Buddhism Buddhism is one of the ancients religions on the world. For many years it was the religion of many people from many countries, and it cannot be taken as a monolithic religion. It is because of different local beliefs, religious rituals, and customs that influenced it. It should be pointed that Buddhism is an unusual religion, to which many different movements can be applied. Till present times three main systems of thoughts were emphasized within Buddhism. Though the systems have quite different philosophical background and are separated geographically, they also have much in common as to the main statements of Buddhism. Lets take into account some of them.
As it is known Buddhism was based on teaching of Siddhartha Gautama. He was named a “Buddha, which meant to wake up or to become consciousness. One day Buddha understood that all peoples problems were because of their ignorance. The ignorance was deeply inside ones perception of life and reality. Buddha realized that everything around us was only illusions and they always reflected consequences of our behavior. The other side of illusions were connected with constant change of time.
Buddhism proves that often our happiness can turn into suffering because of the worlds inconstancy. Buddha shows on many examples that everything in our life is in close upon causes and conditions. As it is believed the words of Buddhas teachings were written in the verses of the Dhammapada, the greatest work of Buddhism, which were included in the Wisdom Bible. In the work all statements of the religion were revealed. Lets try to understand the meaning of some universal notions according to Buddhism theory. First chapters start with personal perception and understanding of fool vice versa wise; good vice versa bad. As it is known, Buddha called himself awaken. So, it was because he realized the real truth.
The Essay on Is Buddhism A Religion
To begin, let us ask once again the huge question that is all burning in our minds: is Buddhism a religion? There are many criteria by which this can be compared to and/or answered by. For example, many religions have the following aspects within them: beginning, ritual, followers/believers, morality, purpose, and goals. This paper will compare Buddhism, other worldly accepted religions, and these ...
The truth proved that our life and our wishes are fleeting. But the path of life for the fool seems to be long, because he constantly looses his way, changes paths; and it is easy to lead him the wrong path. It is because he does not know the truth, he does not belong to himself. But the wise man is not shaken, he listens only to the words of the truth. He will not listen to words of blame or praise. He is confident in the truth.
Often in our life we label persons. The hand of public opinion decides who are the fool and who are the wise. But from the work we get to know that usually it is not the truth. The fool is compared with a spoon in the plate of soup. At the first sight he seems to be in the plate but cannot feel the taste; he seems to be wise, but really he has nothing to do with it, he is ignorance as usual. At the same time the wise is compared with the tongue.
It has a real taste of the soup; so, he can understand what the truth means. The other abstracts, Id like to emphasize, connected with the notions of honor, wealth vise versa nirvana and wisdom. A great deal of book devotes to the perception of happiness. For the fool it is in honor and wealth. He wishes for reputation. His life is full of vanity. While the wise does not take care of wealth.
He seeks wisdom. His road leads him to nirvana. He has his mind clean from trifling tasks and wishes. As it is pointed in the book the wises mind is well-grounded, full of joy of freedom. It is free from attachment, from the world. It is clear that our blindness as to the lifes value, is because of little understanding of our worst enemies, our wrong actions that follows the fool.
But at last the fool has a chance to become wise, if he understands his folly. I think that comparing with some other religions, Buddhism has no so severe statements as to pleasure and craving. The limitations are not strict but are based on our consciousness and personal attitude to lifes value. In Dhammapada it is said that nobody can understand what is pleasant or unpleasant while knows it from his own experience. A person who has neither likes no dislikes compares with the chain that has no several links. The teaching shows that family and friends always welcome a person who was on a wrong path, while a person, who lives for good actions, will be like a good friend when leave this world.
The Term Paper on Moral Agent Foetus Person Life
Is abortion ever justified If not, why If it depends, then on what It is not unreasonable to suggest that the vast majority of people consider it morally wrong to kill other persons. There may be examples of situations where the killing of a person may be justifiable, although they are by no means universally consented to, such as killing in self defence or as a form of capital punishment, but ...
As it was said, there is no strict prohibition of pleasure. It is only to a person to decide the measure and time for it. Though there are some warnings . In chapter 24, the craving is compared with creeper if a person is thoughtless. It is known that it is always difficult to control our cravings. But if we do not do it, well suffer and be disappointment greatly. In the work craving is poetically compared with a tree that has been cut down.
But if its roots are alive, the tree will grow again. We have the same case with our wishes. If we want to be happy we should control them, otherwise they will return back soon and bring suffering. In chapter 23 it is pointed that people can tame elephants but often cannot do it with oneself. If one wants to do it first of all he should watch his thoughts. It helps him to avoid the wrong path. Nobodys advice is of more value as ones own advice for himself.
In the book it is constantly emphasized that it is better to live your own life, or even to live alone, than listen or follow the fool. You should follow your way. It is the worst when a person wears out with doubts. It feeds craving, makes it stronger. And it threatens humanity! As fields suffer from weeds as humanity does from lusts, hate and desire. Having examined Buddhist perception of fool and wise, pleasure and caving, we can come to conclusion that the choice, we shall make, depends only from our understanding of the truth and from our confidence in it.
But I think to make the choice between good or bad is the most complicated task, that has ever existed. It is because good and bad are two different ends but of one stick. Though they are opposite, they go together so close, that it is always difficult not to lose the right way. The best way to avoid evil, as it is pointed in the book, is try to lead your thoughts on good deeds; try always to hurry to do good things, because happiness is the result of good. If a person wants to avoid evil, he should not underestimate it. It is wrong to think that it will never touches you. You should be prepared to protect your soul from it.
The Essay on Cost of the Good Life
Overall wellbeing, an extravagant lifestyle, and wealth all come to mind when I ponder the good life but what does the good life actually cost? At first glance, this seems like a loaded question that requires multiple dissertations in order to answer. I even contemplated whether or not the good life had a cost at all. Breaking the good life into separate topics relieves much of the stress when it ...
First of all, concentrate on good. And step by step you gain the matter. In Dhammapada wrong deeds (even if they are small) compare with a wound. If a person touches poison with that hand he will die. But it will have no effect on a person, who has no wound. It means that if you do some dishonest things, later they may cause the worst results. As a warning there is a note in the book.
It is said that wrong-doers go to hell; and good ones to haven. It is really difficult to avoid doing some mischief or evil things but everybody should remember that there will be a reward in future, after death. Nobody will be able to escape from death. Frankly speaking, the questions, which have been discussed, are universal. We can find almost the same translation of the lifes processes among works of Christianity or Roman Catholicism. I believe that every person is responsible for his destiny.
It goes without saying that the actions, that we performed in the past, determine our future and influence our inner world. But I think that Buddhism has a strong believe in fate. According to its statements, the best way of life is to sit calm, thinking about Eternity, and without any troubles. As it is seen from the text we should always tamed (control) our wishes, thoughts, likes, dislikes, feelings, emotions. I agree the life will be easy. But will it have any sense? Express our joy or anger, love or hate, we live a life of human beings. As we know Buddhism came from India, then spread to China and farther. Comparing life in those countries with our one, it is evident that we have more complicated system. So our feelings are.
But whose style of life is better only God knows.
Bibliography:
John C. Powers. Anthology of Scriptures of World Religions. Buddhism, an Introduction McGraw-Hill Publications, 1997 http://www.san.beck.org/Dhammapada.html..
