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Ap world history spread of Buddhism
Buddhism past and present
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Mahabodhi Temple Complex is well known as World Heritage. Thousands of pilgrims on over the world come to this holy site every year with their heart devote to Buddha. A miracle and amazing thing is that anyone who stop here for worship, chanting or meditation, or start a heart for the Buddha; they all share a sense of peace, a surge of joy which is the blessing of Buddha to his disciples or anyone who has a little bit of kindness to think of Buddha. This is one of the reasons that I chose Mahabodhi Temple for this research paper. I'm a Buddhist too, so it's essential for me as well as other people to know more about the history of Buddhism. Bodh Gaya is considered as a foundation of Buddhism where Buddha enlightened. Everyone who comes to Bodh gaya not only to visit but also they want to be enlightened and find peace in mind.
Bodh Gaya is located 96km away from the city of Patna (India) - the capital of Bihar, a religious site, where any Buddhist wishes to visit once in a lifetime. There are two sacred places of this religious site: the Bodhi Tree and Bodhgaya tower, which also called as Mahabodhi Temple. In 2002, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized Mahabodhi Temple complex (also called Great Awakening Temple) in Bodh Gaya as World Heritage Site.
North of the Bodhgaya tower is a narrow path 4 feet from the ground. They described it as a small road that Buddha, after enlightenment, he had gone back and forth on this path for meditation. Moreover, there are many intricately carved lotuses on the road because people believed that Buddha left every step, which has launched lotus blossom there. There is polished red sandstone next to the Bodhi tree known as Vajrasana (the Diamond Thro...
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... hall is always packed with Buddhists from many countries such as Thailand, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
As of today, Mahabodhi Temple has gone under several restorations and rebuilt. Therefore, I'd like to conserve the temple as it is. Mahabodhi Temple is not only the place for tourists to visit, but more importantly, it's a place for Buddhists practice their religion. Thus, keeping the traditional design is like keeping the holy spirit for this sacred place. However, more and more pilgrims come to Bodh Gaya, it would be easier for Buddhists and tourists to access if the surrounding area of Mahabodhi Temple and Bodhi tree expand a little bit more, as well as the development of infrastructure and public amenities. That would be the only thing that I would change and improve. Other than that, keeping the original structure of the temple is conserving its universal value.
The statue that will be the focus of this paper portrays the figure “Amida, the Buddha of Infinite Light.” Like many other statues of the Buddha, this Amida Buddha was portrayed to be deep in meditation, sitting cross-legged. A viewer could observe that the Amida Buddha is making a hand gesture while in deep meditation. These gestures, also known as “mudras,” are symbolic in the Buddhist religion, and they are used to convey certain ideas (O’Riley 70). In this case, the Amida Buddha is making the mudra of appeasement (“Amida”). More physical observations could be made by pointing out the “balanced form, divine features, and flowing drapery” (“Amida”) of the Amida Buddha. Those qualities represent the nature of the Buddha, revealing him as “transcendent, graceful, and compassionate” (“Amida”). Features common to other Buddha sculptures show up on this Amida Buddha, like the elongated earlobes, the mole on his forehead, and patterned hair. At first glance, the Am...
The temple puja is identified as a public and formal form of worship and devotion undertaken by adherents of Buddhism. Within puja each of the steps of the Eightfold path can be approached and there is the opportunity for one to reach Nirvana with puja alone. The last step of the Eightfold Path, right concentration is the end point for the chanting and the meditation. Adherents enter the temple in a physical and mental state of reverence or Puja, and inside they primarily recognise the importance of the Three Refuges. Additionally, temple puja has great significance for the community as it intrinsically reflects on the significance of the community as part of the Sangha, and strengthens relationship and devotion within the community. The temple itself is often in the centre of a Buddhist town or village, symbolising that is the heart and the central point of the Sangha, and acts as a daily reminder for the community to remain devoted. Thus reinforcing a quote written by Buddhaghosa in 5th century India, “[Nirvana] can only be reached, not produced, by the Path . . . it transcends the intrinsic nature of matter . . . being attainable through special insight affected by strong effort” (Stimulus). The quote is explaining that by remaining devoted, one can reach Nirvana through total enlightenment. Temple Puja provides social cohesion in that the role and function of participants demonstrate the social status of the individuals and their connection with each other, for example, the role of members of the Sangha lead the participants in prayer and reflection. Overall, temple puja has a profound impact on the individual and the greater community as it allows them to reach
Scott, Rachelle M. Nirvana for Sale?: Buddhism, Wealth, and the Dhammakaya Temple in Contemporary Thailand. New York: SUNY Press, 2009. Print.
Walking into the Hall of the Buddhas, there was a sense of peace and guidance lingering inside me. The seated Bodhisattva, of the Northern Wei dynasty (386-534), CA.480, from the Yungang, Cave xv, Shani Province, made of sandstone, guarded the entrance. At first, I thought it was a time to be disciplined, but the transcending smile from the statue was a delicate fixed gesture that offered a feeling of welcome. It was not a place to confess your wrongdoings; neither was it a place for me to say, “Buddha I have sinned.” It was a room to purify the mind, the mind that we take for granted without giving it harmony. There was a large mural decorating the main wall called “The Paradise of Bhaishajyaguru”(916-1125). I sat down wandering if the artist of the portrait knew that his work would one day be shared on this side of the world, in my time. Much like Jesus Christ and his followers, the mural is a painting of healers and saviors. It was a large figure of the Buddha of medicine, (Bhaishajyaquru) surrounded by followers of Bodhisattvas, Avalokiteshvara, and Mahosthamaprapta with twelve guardian generals who have pledged to disseminate the Buddha’s teaching (Tradition of Liao 916-1125, Metropolitan Museum wall plaque).
Hesiod’s Theogony and the Babylonian Enuma Elish are both myths that begin as creation myths, explaining how the universe and, later on, humans came to be. These types of myths exist in every culture and, while the account of creation in Hesiod’s Theogony and the Enuma Elish share many similarities, the two myths differ in many ways as well. Both myths begin creation from where the universe is a formless state, from which the primordial gods emerge. The idea of the earth and sky beginning as one and then being separated is also expressed in both myths.
Chinese artwork is a form that contains and demonstrates many different meanings and morals that can be linked back to not only religion, but the overall meaning of life. This paper will discuss the sculpture titled Seated Buddha and how it represents peace, enlightenment, and the overall importance of how these two components influence the mindset of the people involved in the Buddhist religion. The Seated Buddha was created between the 5th and 6th century in China. The artist of this piece is unknown, but this does not hinder us at all from seeing what the artist was trying to portray through the different aspects that they included in the Seated Buddha sculpture. This piece is crafted from stone and a chisel was then used to create the
During the Great Depression, while the competitors were cutting costs and reusing outdated designs, Kress was expanding and building more elaborate stores than their previous ones. The architecture was referred to as an “emporium” evoking an elegant atmosphere more suited to a fine cloth or furniture store in New York rather than the five & dime stores dotting small town America. Many wonder what the driving force was behind these design decisions, especially during a national time of economic recession. Perhaps simply to outpace the competition, but perhaps more importantly Samuel Kress was an avid art collector and a proponent of public art enhancing a community. In this way the Kress legacy of the brand became more than a retail business, it became a symbol of small town civic pride.
Even the easiest and trivial problems do have several solutions, dictated by different approaches, driving forces, and starting points. So, what can one tell about solution of the complex issues that require a lot of time, effort and thought to be solved? There are always a multitude of positions, opinions and options to solve the complex problem, so one cannot even tell which of these options is the only true and right. Thus, it is hard to judge whether specific solutions for the problem of slavery in North America of the 18th-19th century would be efficient or not. So, comparing Lucy Stanton’s and Nat Tuner’s positions and approaches to achieve the freedom for African-Americans it seems almost impossible to claim that only one of the points is valid.
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.
Our belief states are determined by the external factors, for example, perceived complexity and priming ethics is an interesting subject and everyone lives by their thoughts and their ways. Everyone lives by a different code. The difference between morality and ethics is that morality is about primary making the right choices and ethics is proper reasoning. In the essay “The ethics of belief” by W. K. Clifford, he argues that if anything on insufficient evidence, then it’s unethical. In this essay I will remain undecided with what Clifford is trying to say. I agree and disagree with some of his viewpoints. Some I do have to say are unethical and some are reasonable. What Clifford is trying to portray is interesting. Especially since he comes from a religious background. And reading about his new discovery, is quite interesting.
In America, it is becoming more difficult to achieve the American Dream. The American Dream is based on the idea that people can move higher up on the social scale, as long as they work hard work to accomplish their goal. The American Dream is also based on the belief that the social class you’re born into, is not the social class you have to stay in. In other words, everyone can move up in their lifetime if they work hard. However this is not true today, and people are not moving positively up the social class ladder. It has become a chain reaction of people with a college education vs. people without a college education. People with a college degree, or who have parents that have received a college degree, are significantly more likely to be in the upper class in America today, giving them an unfair advantage.
In the following essay, I will be comparing and contrasting to architectural pieces by the Indians. The first is the Taj Mahal, a building constructed from white marble that took seventeen years to build in honor of Shah Jahan’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal (Z. Haq). This piece of architectural beauty belonged to the Mughal’s, the Muslim emperors in India (Z. Haq). The second is the Great Stupa at Sanchi, a holy, dome shaped structure that covers the body of the Buddha in honor of him and his contributions to Buddhism (Fischer, Julia). Furthermore, this structure was made of ruins, rocks, mud, and covered in bricks (Fischer, Julia). Both pieces of architecture are significant to the Indians, however they do contrast in some ways.
Parenting may be said as an experiment, because every parent has different views and ways of raising their own children. Parents raise their child in such ways in which they believe is beneficial and healthy for the child. A story that came across media news about a baby, Storm, being raised as “genderless” fueled a controversy in defiance of gender stereotyping. The Witterick family in Canada believed that by acknowledging this practice it would, “tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation, a standup to what the world could become in Storm’s lifetime” (Davis and James). However, in terms of raising a genderless child, this can cause the child to be unprepared to face the conventional norms or society. This practice may be causing the child a disservice.
I think a gigantic funerary mosque of white marble, built in Agra by order of the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, the Taj Mahal is the most perfect jewel of Moslem art in India and is one of the universally admired architectures of the world’s heritage. Not only see the beautiful Taj Mahal from the video, I also knew the history of itself and its country. A white marble tomb sums up many of the formal themes that have played through Islamic architecture. The video did talk a lot of how much Shah Jahan himself and his father loved art and made many gorgeous artworks. Taj Mahal’s refined style is a conspicuous contrast to the Hindu architecture of pre-Islamic India, with its thick walls, arches, and heavy supports. Even though Taj Mahal is the symbol of grief and sadness, it still has it beauty looks from marble and sand stone.