Theravada Religion Essay

During my site visit, I decided to visit and do research the Theravada Buddhist religion. This religion is the parent organization of other Buddhist groups. “Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to insight into the true nature of reality” (thebuddhistcentre.com). “The Theravada religion is the most predominant religion in Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand. Today, Theravada Buddhists number over 100 million world-wide (buddhanet.net). Some Theravada Buddhist teachings include: The Noble Truth of Dukkha, the cause of dukkha, the cessation of dukkha, and the path leading to the cessation of dukkha. These truths are known as the “Four Noble Truths” that have been brought up by experiences and assessments. Buddhists

They were beautiful gold objects, shining bright as if they were just made or polished. I asked the Monk what they were and he his one word response was “Decoration”. One thing that struck out for me was the way that the monks sat. They sit with their legs crossed as if meditating. I also wondered why were they bald? I once read that monks shave their head and beard to show their commitment to the Holy Life (Brahmacariya) of one gone forth into the homeless life (buddhanet.net). Something else that I found interesting was the enormous Buddha statue in the middle. The main Buddha statue at Wat Buddharangsi is called Phrabuddhadhammachinaraj. According to the temple’s website, this statue was named after the original Buddha from the city of Phitsanulok. The statue is twenty-three feet in height, weighs around five tons, and costs close to or more than sixty thousand dollars (thaitemplemiami.com). I also learned the outside of the building has fig trees known as The Bodhi Tree. This tree plays an important role in the cultural and spiritual life of Buddhists of Sri Lanka. Buddhists believe that the Bodhi trees possess magical powers, which no other tree in the world possesses” (srimahabodhi.org). To me this is interesting because not many people look at trees as anything important, especially in the realm of

Upon entering, you could literally feel the sense of calmness in the scene. It was so quiet that I felt even my whispering was too loud. I had no intention of visiting the temple to change my personal beliefs, but I was curious to see what it was like being in a different religious setting. Being able to sit with a monk and hear what he had to say about the Buddhism and some teachings was an amazing experience. The monk had us practicing meditation, which was troublesome for me because I did not really understand or get that feeling of “knowing where my mind was at”. What I liked the most about visiting the temple was that I did not get that forced welcoming feeling that I usually get when I go to a Catholic or Christian church. I do not like all of the forced hellos and handshakes when I am entering a church. During my car ride home, I realized that there are many different types of people and religion in such a small area around us. It was a humbling experience to take the time to learn about a different culture and religion that focused so much on keeping the mind