Enchantress is the name of my country. It is located in Caribbean Islands by the Outcasts. Many of my people have been in constant disagreement over which religion should be the dominant religion in our country. As their leader, i have decided that Buddhism should be the only religion in our country because, it represents the five elements and has so many strong religious leaders, and could possibly have or make gods/goddess.
I chose this religion for my country because there are meaningful, and powerful symbols, beliefs, practices,etc. That catches my attention. According to my resources, Buddhism is based on Buddha’s teachings, which are called the Four Noble Truths. The first truth is that life is made up of pain and suffering. The second
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The Buddha is the most popular representation of Buddhism. The position of the body and hands represent different aspects of his teachings. Ashtamangala are the eight auspicious signs or symbols relate to symbols in Hinduism and Jainism, but can have a different meaning. They are as follows: Dharmachakra, or the dharma wheel, is the eight-spoke wheel of life which symbolizes the circular nature of life and rebirth and the Eightfold Noble Path. It is the symbol of Buddhism. Padma, the lotus flower, symbolizes purity and divine birth. It is one of the most important symbols of Buddhism. Dhvaja, the Banner of victory, symbolizes the victory over passion,fear of death, pride, and lust. Nidhana Kumbha, the vase, symbolizes long life and prosperity. Chattra, the parasol is a symbol of protection and dignity. Shankha,the conch shell, is a symbol of a horn trumpet that proclaims the truth of the dharma and rouses people from ignorance. Srivatsa, the endless knot, represents the combination of wisdom and compassion. Gaur Matsya, the two golden fish, represents living in harmony and peace. These symbols give so much power and leadership and stands for so much
The lotus flowers surround Buddha and he also is sitting on a giant one. They are symbols that the Buddha is awakened almost as a sign of rebirth. The lotus flowers meaning in Buddhism means rising above everything and achieve enlightenment. There are lotus flowers that are not yet open representing that not all are yet enlightened and the lotuses that are fully bloomed representing full-enlightenment and self-awareness. Buddha sits in front of the Bodhi tree which literally means awakening or enlightenment. Behind the tree is a full moon and in Buddhism has a great significance. The Buddha was born on a full moon day and his enlightenment was also during a full moon. The Buddha also has earth touching mudra. Mudra is the religious hand gestures and earth touching is “calling the earth to witness”. These concepts go back to the Four Noble Truths. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering. The fist noble truth is represented by the temptresses and the flaming arrows sent from Mara. After the temptresses did not seduce Buddha Mara sent flaming arrows from all directions towards the Buddha representing that all of life’s sufferings. This artwork shows the second noble truth by Buddha avoiding the temptresses that Mara sent and in this way Buddha avoided having cravings or desires. By not submitting to those desires and cravings Buddha realized that this is the ending all suffering is to remove all desire, ill will and ignorance therefore completing the third noble truth. The fourth noble truth is represented by the weight of the Buddha in the artwork showing Buddha not overweight and not starving but in the middle showing him living The Middle Path. When artists get to work responding and expressing, whether or not also to urge a point,
Buddhism is a religion from the East that has spread to many different countries all over the world. It has spread to the West, and has had a great influence and impact, especially in America. However, the Buddhism that is practiced in the United States is not exactly the same as the one that is practiced in Asian countries. If Buddhism differs between the different traditions of the Asian countries themselves, it is obvious that it will differ greatly in America as well. However, even though there are obvious differences, it is important to maintain the core values and fundamental principles the same. This research explores how the three different types of Buddhist practitioners have adopted Buddhism in America, and it describes some differences
The first understanding of India arrived in America through commercial and missionary activity. The finding of America itself was a mistake, as explorers were searching for a shorter route to India. At the time India was known for its great wealth, kingdoms and exotic mysteries (Charles Lippy & Peter Williams). Based on religious perspective India was thought to have an “ancient wisdom”, which rest upon a philosophy with the oldest religious scriptures. Prior to the twentieth century Americans knew little about Hinduism, therefore conceived it as inferior, pagan, and probably idolatrous (Charles Lippy & Peter Williams). Sadly this will not be the first of or last time America will have made quick and inaccurate decision on a diverse world religion. Even though Hinduism may have had difficulty establishing itself earlier in America, it has grown exponentially over the years.
In a quote from the Dalai Lama he says, “My religion is very simply. My religion is kindness.” IN buddhism where the main goal is happiness, that quote seems to explain it all. The fact of the matter is, religion has been around since the beginning of mankind; religion gave people faith, structure, and a way of life. Without it people begin to lose their sense of direction and purpose. In today’s society there are over 4,200 religions, and they continue to aid people in their life and accommodate to their needs of self-knowledge. In comparison to Cao Dai, Eckankar and Jainism, Buddhism is a religion because of its similar beliefs, the way it's practiced, and its head figure.
The English word religion loosely translates into “rules” in Latin. Therefore, a religion teaches us how to think, how to act, and basically everything except what to eat in the morning. The Hindu and Christian religion agree on many things and our society follows some of the rules too because religion and laws are based on humanity. From holy literature many different ideas have been pawned but they are all supposed to lead you to the same things: a happy, healthy life, contribution to the world around us, and some kind of liberation after death. Concerning these ideals the Hindu religion has come up with three ways to make sure that everybody will get what they want out of life and those are the four stages, the four goals, and the four castes of life. There is so much holy war about which religion is right and wrong but if they all are striving for the same thing it is hard for me to see why they take place. In this essay I will show that Christianity is very similar to Hinduism.
In the world, there are five major world religions, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. In the past few classes, I have been exposed to and absorbed a tremendous amount of information on the religion of Buddhism. According to the dictionary, Buddhism is a religion of which originated in India, was founded by the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, and teaches that life is full of suffering caused by desire and that the way to end this suffering is through enlightenment that enables one to halt the endless sequence of births and deaths to which one is otherwise subject. Buddhism is a way of finding peace within oneself. It is a religion that helps it’s believers to find the happiness and contentment us humans seek. One thing I found
This video lecture course is about Buddhism and how it is valid in the terms of modern psychology, hence the name Buddhism and Modern Psychology. In this essay, I will answer two questions pertaining to the topic of how Buddhism in the eyes of psychology is valid. The questions have been chosen out of a list and they are the ones that I felt were most relevant to the topic.
Buddhism was originated in India in the fifth century B.C.E by Siddhartha Gautama. In today estimation there are about three hundred and seventy six million followers, which is the sixth most practiced religion in the world. The founder of this religion was born a Kshatriya, which was the military or ruling class in the caste system. The caste system is a Hindu tradition. Buddhist does not believe in this system. Instead Buddhist believes in the four noble truths. The four noble truths teaches that everyone suffers, selfish desires causes suffering, suffering can be overcome by destroying selfish desires, and if man follows the Eightfold Path, he will destroy selfish desires and end all suffering. Buddhist also believes in Nirvana which is a release from selfishness and pain. Karma is also part of the Buddhist belief. Karma is interpreted in many ways around the world. But in the Buddhist religion Karma refers to the good and bad actions a person does in his or her life. The good actions will bring about good things in the future. Unlike the good actions, if...
Analysis of Buddhism Plain and Simple by Steve Hagen The book Buddhism Plain and Simple, by Steve Hagen, caught my attention and became more interesting to me than I thought. I have always heard of the religion Buddhism, but I never knew what it was all about. I never thought that Buddhism was as huge as it is. I knew that it existed in other countries, but I never knew what exact countries. Many of the views in this book surprised me and the book taught me a lot about morals and better ways to live your life.
Buddhism prevailed as a religion indigenous to west India and comprises of varieties of traditions, beliefs and practices based on the teachings of Buddha. There are many reasons why Buddhism became so popular and entered into many civilizations. Buddhism began to be popular throughout Asia alongside India. Buddhism has blossomed in the contemporary world, especially in the West. It is an issue to wonder what Buddhism offers that other religions cannot and has become so significant worldwide. Buddhism has become an idea that is widespread and the teachings of Buddha have made a real difference in many civilizations like India, China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and surprisingly Buddhism has come to make a significant difference in American culture.
The tightest one closely surrounds his neck. Geometric components appear repeatedly: squares in the outside and circles in the inside. At the middle there is a shape that possibly resemble the lotus flower, which symbolizes purity and harmony in Buddhism. Similar representation is widely seen as seats for many seated Buddha statues. One other necklace is a chain of beads, probably represent the concept of transmigration and afterlife in Buddhism.
These symbols (which can be seen below) are referred to as Ashtamangala- a sacred suit of Eight Auspicious representing symbolic attributes. These were used in important events such as a coronating a new king. These symbols displayed good fortune which was used to represent the offerings made by the gods. The Dharmachakra, also known as the wheel of law, represents tantric manifestations. The Conch symbolizes beauty, a persuasive sound of the voice, and melodious deep sound. Dhvaja, otherwise known as a banner or flag, represents the Buddha's victory over the four māras. The Parasol or jewelled parasol which in, the ritual function is similar to a canopy, stands for protection over illness or harmful forces. Next, the Lotus flower represents the purity of body, speech and mind. Bumpa, also known as treasure vase, represents health, longevity, and wealth. Golden fish, specifically two fish, represent fearlessness without danger of drowning in saṃsāra (world or wandering). Lastly, the Endless Knot is a symbol of ultimate unity of
The golden fish is one of the ‘Eight Auspicious Symbols’ of Buddhism; frequently witnessed and significant religious symbols. Each represents a specific teaching of Lord Buddha and together, form a powerful union. The golden fish is classified as second most important under the Ashtamangala (union of eight).
From the moment we are born we have the tendency of craving the worldly desires that we are exposed to. Its part of human nature to want an ideal life where you are either wealthy, powerful, happy or all of the above without any suffering involved. Although that ideal sounds phenomenal, it is the thought of limitation that drives many people to seek for something more than just worldly pleasures. As some stay within the lines of an insatiable life, others come to the realization that living a life with nothing but worldly pleasures and goals are ultimately not everlasting. This is the point where people go on to pursue something bigger than themselves, something that gives them a purpose and infinite joy or as most would call it, a religion. One of the most fascinating major world religions that many have chosen to follow for centuries is Buddhism. A very complex, yet intriguing religion that seeks for a way of life that ultimately releases a person from suffering and leads them to inner peace and joy.
Buddhism was founded around 520 BC by Siddharta Gautama, who was an Indian Prince. Buddhism emphasizes practice over belief. In reality, however, Buddhism centers on correct understanding of human nature and ultimate reality. The Buddha was, after all, called the "Enlightened One." He taught that the way to eliminate suffering began with understanding the true nature of the world. In Buddhism, the purpose of life is to end suffering. The Buddha taught that humans suffer because we continually strive after things that do not give lasting happiness.