Living Buddha, Living Christ has taught me the true meaning of Buddhism, and it demonstrates what the path to true enlightenment is. The following concepts have stood out to me, and they are ones that I relate to on a more personal level. Buddhism has perceptions that are not always seen by everyone, but they are concepts that are important for our own happiness.
The first concept of Living Buddha, Living Christ that was the most important to me was the concept of mindfulness. Mindfulness was particularly interesting to me because it isn’t something that is thought of in daily life. It is a concept that you unconsciously think about, and you are never truly aware of what you are doing until you accept it. My favorite part of mindfulness was how the author described Buddhism. He described it as “we sit, we walk, we eat” and that is a very blunt statement. Although the statement is blunt, it opened up my eyes to see that mindfulness does not require excessive thought like I had assumed. Excessive thought is something that is not a part of mindfulness, and it relates to what the book said about the past. If you worry about the past or future, you’re wasting time. I love the idea of living in the present, not the cliché type, but I love the idea that the past and the future can only hurt you. You are never truly aware of what is going on within you and around you until you focus on the present. If you do everything with mindfulness, you will always see the beauty that surrounds you. I also thought of the story of the tiger and the monk while reading about mindfulness. As the monk was hanging on the vine, he ate the strawberry. He was only focusing on what he was doing at that moment, and he wasn’t worried about what was behind him o...
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...their own suffering, and their own lives. It is impossible to help others if we cannot try to understand them. Lastly, the concept of forgiveness coming from understanding is relevant to everyday life. Every person makes mistakes, and everyone does things that are not proud of. If you can learn to forgive what you do yourself, you can forgive others. You have to understand a person’s reasons and their suffering, and if you do not, you will never live in peace with yourself.
Living Buddha, Living Christ has opened up my eyes to the world, and it has served as a learning experience for me. I was never really sure what Buddhism was, and I never knew their values were so enlightening. Buddhism has shown me a different outlook to the world around me, and this book has also.
Works Cited
Hanh, T. (2007). Living Buddha, living Christ (rev ed.). England: RIVERHEAD BOOKS.
Thích Nh’at Hanh is a world renowned Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, religious figure and accomplished writer. Living Buddha, Living Christ is only one of his many famous publications. Thích Nh’at Hanh, is famous for his insights into spiritual heritage and mindfulness in the present moment. Many Americans are seeking religious understanding and personal spirituality, even if they do not practice in the traditional manner. Throughout this book Nh’at Hang encourages readers to find meaning, understanding, mindfulness, and peace in the teachings of Buddha and Christ. His main focus is to open meaningful dialogue between different traditions, cultures, and religious groups around the world, for the betterment
People must forgive themselves before they can help others. It’s hard to fill a cup of water when your sink is broken. I believe the main point in life is to help others out. In order to help others, you must be happy. You’re not happy if you’re constantly sad about the things you’ve done in your past. You cannot change what happened in the past. Live in the present and live one day at a time. If living one day at a time is still too hard, live one hour, one minute, or one second at a time. Do whatever it takes to forget what happened. If you cannot forget it, learn from it. Take your mistakes and turn them into something
Overall I value this book, and I am glad that I read it. I now know more about the Buddhist religion, and I want to change certain aspects of my life. I like how this religion is so forgiving and laid back. I really wish other things in my life were so forgiving. The idea of oneness with your self sounds very peaceful and understanding. I am going to try to have more oneness with myself. I can now see people from a different standpoint. We are all created equal, and we should all help each other.
Ashvaghosha’s Buddhacarita: The Life of the Buddha serves as one of the most relevant and profound texts regarding the Buddhist religion and it’s foundations. However, unlike other popular religious texts, this one does not serve as a historical document but rather a vessel for explaining the teachings of the Buddha, serving as a guide for the followers of the Enlightened One. Ashvaghosha’s descriptions of the Buddha, his life, and his actions provide an example of the Buddha’s disciplines and truths, giving his followers a detailed and structured idea of his way of life. The Buddhacarita’s descriptions in particular focus on the teaching of pervasive suffering, it’s causes, and the paths (both right and wrong) to breaking free from it.
The Three Jewels, the Five Precepts, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path greatly influence individuals and the Buddhist community through their everyday lives, whether it be guiding the adherent’s actions, ethical decision making, or practice. Adherents who follow the teachings become more aware that having an ignorant mindset distracts one from living a good life and happy life; “The purpose of life is to be happy” (Dalai Lama). This was explained in Buddha’s first Sermon, “There is addiction to indulgence of sense-pleasures, which is low… the way of ordinary people, unworthy, and unprofitable; and there is addiction to self-mortification, which is painful, unworthy and unprofitable.” (Buddha), thus avoiding both these extremes,
Christianity is one of the largest and most powerful religions in the world with Jesus Christ being the main figure that is most celebrated. Jesus is known to be a man of kindness and wisdom with a connection with his assumed father (God) that makes Christians want to follow his footsteps. Buddhism is a religion that may not actually be a religion as its guidelines do not highlight one true ruler but that there is divine wisdom in everyone. What has fascinated me is the parallels between the two religions that have few similarities in foundation have many in practices. Throughout this paper there will be explanation on what Christ consciousness truly is along with Buddha nature and how as different as they might seem in reality they are one and the same.
Forgiveness is the intentional and voluntary process by which a victim undergoes a change in feeling and attitude regarding an offense; let’s go of negative emotions such as vengefulness, with an increased ability to wish the offender. Walter (1984) stated that forgiveness is a voluntary process that usually requires courage and multiple acts of the will to complete. In Walters' view, the person who has been hurt has two alternatives: to be destroyed by resentment which leads to death, or to forgive which leads to healing and life. Sonja Lyubomirsky calls forgiveness is a natural resolution of the grief process, which is the necessary acknowledgment of pain and loss. It is a powerful choice that can lead to greater well being and better relationships.
In “The Buddha in the Attic” by Julie Otsuka is a fiction novel that is based around picture brides that is sent to San Francisco. The author is demonstrating the hard work that most immigrants have to go through in order to enhance their lives. This novel can contribute to a history lesson in a sense of war and how the Japanese was treated during that time. I am against the author’s way of fooling around with the women’s emotional state; she puts men as superior beings and the women are kept as slaves and dull human beings. Yet I do agree with Otsuka when the picture brides pray to different gods to make their life better and I acknowledge the hard work the picture wives had to go through.
Bercholz, Samuel, and Shearb Chödzin Kohn, eds. Entering the Stream: An Introduction to the Buddha and His Teachings. Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc., 1993.
Buddhism What is the meaning of Buddhism? Buddhism is a philosophy of life, it was started by Siddhartha Gotma, who is more commonly known as Buddha. Buddha isn’t god to them however he is well respected for passing down knowledge of how to find true happiness. The major aim of Buddhists in life is to find enlightenment (true happiness).Buddhist monks live by a strict moral code, in which they are given food, they live a life structured around the teachings of Buddha.
In addition, Buddhism places emphasis on the Four Noble Truths, which is the teaching of Buddha, a guide to enlightenment. These are a set of guidance that basically teaches the followers of Buddha the essence of...
While the existence of Buddha is certain, the details about his life story and the substance of his Dharma or teachings often vary from sacred text to text. The inconsistencies in the details of Buddha’s story are a result of multiple scriptures about his life and teachings and the fact that they were not recorded until about 400 years after his death. Some of the texts contain what seem like exaggerated and even mythical type stories about Buddha’s life, all of the texts still consist of a consistent message, the texts just don’t always send that message the same way. The other trouble with identifying exact details about Buddha’s life is that there is no historical biography of Buddha, the entire story of his life is a combination of utilizing multiple sacred Buddhist texts to create a biography of the Buddha.
Similar to President Trump’s current travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries, President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1907 Gentlemen’s Agreement banned the immigration of Japanese laborers, recognizing them as a threat to the American workforce (Nakano 41). In turn, the immigration of Japanese brides increased, with around 20,000 picture brides arriving in the United States for various personal reasons between 1908 and 1920, since their entry was not prohibited by the agreement (Nakano 41). However, all of Japanese immigrants encountered American racism and discrimination. The Pearl Harbor bombing on December 7, 1941 increased this racism, making it easier to justify the internment of people of Japanese descent, authorized by Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066, tearing them away from the homes they had worked so hard to create (Nakano 42).
Who does Forgiveness help Forgiveness is mostly for an individual’s sake rather than for the person that is being forgiven (Ross, 2014). The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved from http://nclive.org/cgi-bin/nclsm?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1709495452?accountid=8259 Raj, P., Elizabeth, C. S., & Padmakumari, P. (2016).
Forgiveness is the act of releasing an offender of any wrong or hurt they may have caused you whether they deserve it or not. It is a decision to let go of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group of people. When we choose to forgive, we’re wiping the slate clean, cancelling a debt, or as I love to say, “Letting it go.” In the Bible, the Greek word for forgiveness literally means to “let it go.” This concept, “forgiveness,” is easier said than done. Majority of people find it very difficult to let go of offenses and hurts caused by others. I really do believe that most people desire to let it go, but we lack the knowledge of how to do it. As believers, we are instructed by God maintain an attitude of forgiveness.