Buddhism

A belief system is a form of human spirituality which is accompanied symbols, beliefs and practices, often with a supernatural “god” or savior at the height if it. Belief systems are usually expressed through prayer, rituals, meditation, music and dance, among many other things. It also reflects cultural or ancestral traditions in modern-day. My belief follows that of Buddhism or the path of the enlightened one. As a devout Buddhist I am force to refrain from many things. I am not allowed to take what is not given to me this is directed mostly towards thievery of all kinds.

Acts of violence are against my beliefs as well lying. Intoxicants that induce loss of mind or foolish behavior such as drugs or alcohol are a sinful substance. This thing shapes the course of my everyday life in all situations in this way my beliefs make up a religious belief system. I personally was born into Buddhism, my parents were also devout Buddhists. My parents taught my daily from birth the Buddhist religion and I faithfully follow it. I believe in its practices wholeheartedly. Practice of Buddhism is karma or, the belief anything you do will be repaid in the same manner.

For example, if I find a wallet on the ground and turn it in to the police station, I may come upon a positive financial gain in the future. My parents taught of this and many other practices of the Buddhist religion. Being born into Buddhism early life was not easy with so many clear cut rules to abide by, however, I have been devout since an early age and do not plan to change my ways in this lifetime. There are many more benefits than disadvantages in the Buddhist belief system. A disadvantage would be that fact alcohol cannot be consumed even in a social manner.

This can sometimes ruin a small party of friends trying to have a good time. A benefit also comes along with the no alcohol rule which is prevention of alcoholism. This in turn helps me to be a better person and always have a clear mind. Another benefit of Buddhism is have a clearly stated no thievery law to abide my in my religion the people around me see me as a more trustworthy person. Finally, karma itself I see as a blessing as long as I do the right thing and treat people the right way then great things will become of me. Tradition plays a major role in the Buddhist belief system.

There are various holidays that Buddhists celebrate to recognize special moments or events in history or the present. Such as Visakha Puja which occurs on the full moon of the sixth month around the time of may. It is one of the most important days for Buddhists because it is the day that the Lord Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and died. All three of these special events fell on the exact same day. Visakha Puja is usually celebrated with a sermon during the day and a candle lit celebration to pay respect to the Lord Buddha at night. This only one of many traditions that help shape the Buddhist religion.

Tradition plays a very important if the most important role in my belief system. The role of tradition in general is what makes a religion what it is. Tradition is the coincides with beliefs to make the basis of every religion. Without traditions a beliefs system would be nothing but a set of rules. It also reminds the followers the reason or spirit behind the religion they believe in. Christianity’s Christmas or the Jewish Hanukkah is a reminder of the reason their ancestors began to follow their belief system.

Holidays like the Cristian and Catholic easter remind of the hardships their ancestors had to go through to believe what they believed in. Traditions are what help us keep our faith in what we believe is true even in the darkest of times. It is very important to be knowledgeable about religions other than your own. For instance something you do or say may be alright within your beliefs but within others may seem crazy or offensive. Religion is the very thing that drives some people so it’s best you respect it. Knowing about other religions is also enlightening for yourself, knowing what other people believe to be true or their practices.

It is different to discriminate against someone religion than other tings because religion has no face or color of beliefs. To try and deny someone their beliefs is near inhuman. In conclusion, a belief system is that which binds a group of people together as well as a way of life. It is not just religion but our morales as well as our happiness and fear. A belief system is the basis of all mankind because everyone needs to believe in something.

1. Buddhism: A Belief System 5 Buddha Dharma Education Association Incorporated. BuddhaNet. – Worldwide Buddhist Information and Education Network. 25 Feb. 2009 <http://www. buddhanet. net>.
2. The World Book Encyclopedia. 2007th ed. Vol. 2. Ser. 3. Worldbook inc. , 2001. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 25 Feb. 2009 <http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Belief_system>.
3. “Your Belief System. ” Fringe Wisdom – Spirituality, Love, Food, Nature, and The Art of Being Human. 25 Feb. 2009 <http://www. fringewisdom. com/your_belief_system. php>.
4. “The Need for a Belief System … a system of organization for your experiences! ” Self Improvement from SelfGrowth. com. 25 Feb. 2009 <http://www. selfgrowth. com/articles/Toupin19. html>.

Buddhism is has always been considered a religion and a philosophy by its followers and believers. Its origin and widespread practice in Asia notwithstanding, Buddhism has been quite adaptive to many cultures that it has encountered. For centuries Buddhism practices had only been restricted to the Asian countries and although it exhibit variations in various Asian countries, there are still some common features witnessed across these cultures. Coming to the west, Buddhism and its believers have faced many challenges to incorporate their practices into the cultural norms of the west.

However, whether Buddhism can adapt to the attitudes and values of the western countries and still maintain its unique philosophy is the ongoing question among religious scholars. This paper will examine the background of Buddhism and its importance to the current adherents in the United States where there are many diverse cultures. I had a chance to attend a Buddhist pre-wedding ceremony – well, it looked like one. I am told Buddhism is all about simplicity and all its practices and rituals reflect the same. Unlike other religious wedding ceremonies, the Buddhist wedding is nothing but simple and has no pomp and color.

It comprises virtually no rituals as we would expect of a wedding ceremony. Their marriages are focused more on the faith and belief between consenting individuals than any other thing. Buddhists are more inclined on ensuring a lasting and harmonious relationship is created between couples seeking each in marriage. I was also told that Buddhists do not compel their followers to undergo some compulsory rituals before marriage and that the decision as to whether to go the courts for marriage or to the few registered temples solely lies with the couple.

Nevertheless, a Buddhist wedding would involve two parts; the first part involves engaging in hearty prayers accompanied by offering gifts to the monks and the almighty. And it is during this process that couples are expected to make vows of understanding and faithfulness. The second part which is regarded as a non-Buddhist component consists of all traditional practices which are followed by the specific families of the couple and may involve attending the spirit house for prayers, a feast or gift exchange. Back to the pre-wedding I attended.

The ceremony as you make call it, took place at the groom’s family home. I was shocked that the marriage ceremony was very simple unlike any other wedding ceremony I had attended before. There are no strict religious rules or regulations and unlike other religions where such ceremonies are regarded as religious affairs, Buddhists’ ceremony is purely a social affair. There was a small feast organized by the groom’s families over which gifts were exchanged and people chatted freely and without any formal procedures in the entire duration of the ceremony.

After the pre-wedding ceremony the couple was declared wife and husband by a friend of the groom’s family and the congregation dispersed thereafter. The couple was told to decide whether to visit a temple or go to court the following day to secure a marriage certificate. When the ceremony was almost over, I secure a moment a friend of the groom and asked him a few questions regarding Buddhism and here is the excerpt of our talk.

1. Is your religion an actual way of life for you? How integral is it to your daily life? Shimano Roshi: Very important to me. One of the fulfilling aspects of my religion is that it helps me to understand the true nature of life and the universe. Again, it does not only teach me to respect others but also to be tolerant of other people’s way of life.
2. What are some of the main practices, or daily components of your religion? Shimano Roshi: Normally Buddhist prayers in the temples would involve monks reciting the suttas and preach as well. However, there are variations across Buddhists traditions. Personally, I do pay homage to our spiritual leader the Buddha and chant (recite the suttas) every morning and before going to bed.
3. What are some restrictions in your religion, if any, such as dietary, dress code, etc? Shimano Roshi: I don’t know about other religion but I know that Buddhism is one of the most accommodating religions in the world. Buddhism lays emphasis on peace and being harmless. While a dietician may tell you what to eat and a Muslim how to dress up, a Buddhist will tell you that you are what you think. we are define by our inner thoughts and not what we wear or eat.
4. What is the favorite aspect of your religion? Why? Shimano Roshi: To me there is no single aspect I may consider as my favorite because my religion is simply all embracing. Do you feel that you are supported in your town, or in this country, practicing your religion, or do you feel any discrimination? Shimano Roshi: American had had problems earlier accepting us and our way of life but things have changed these days. It is quite common to see a black Buddhist in the temple, and people of different races are converting every day. I feel Buddhism has been embraced well by the Americans.
5. What is the most misunderstood element of your religion? Shimano Roshi: I don’t know, but if there is any then I think that is there own problem. What I believe is quite important to me to think of how others think about me.
6. Is it important to you that your family/children continue your religious practices/tradition? Shimano Roshi: Absolutely! Buddhism offers a good and stronger foundation for a healthy living both spiritually and physically with others and I would love to impart such teachings on my children.
7. Do you have any holy places or countries that are important to your religion and that you have been to? Why are they considered holy? Shimano Roshi: I have been to the Gangetic plains in northern India and an area in southern Nepal. Buddhist visit this place because Gautama Buddha, our spiritual leader lived and taught there and therefore we believe the place is much connected with his life.
8. What do you think is most unique about your religion in relation to other religious traditions? Or do you feel there are more similarities? Shimano Roshi: Just like Christian religion, Buddhism has got sects, traditions, lineages, schools and many other smaller groups. It has evolved over the centuries and some even more reformed than others. However, one unique thing in Buddhism is the Enlightenment process.
9. If there were only one thing about your religion that you could share with the world, what would it be? Shimano Roshi: Simplicity! We relate with one another and approach the daily living with utmost simplicity while we are still devoted to our almighty Overview Buddhism its unique combination of religious and philosophical teachings encompasses a number of beliefs, traditions and practices derived from the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama or Buddha ‘the awakened one”.

According Buddhist, Buddha lived in northeastern part of India between 6th and 4th centuries BCE. His followers recognized him as an awakened one who used his knowledge to assist the sentient beings avoid suffering (dukkha), attain nirvana and finally escape the cycle of suffering and rebirth (Robinson & Willard, 1970). The religion has two main braches namely; the Theravada – the school of the elders and the Mahayana – the great vehicle.

Theravada is considered the oldest surviving branch and enjoys a wide following in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. The Mahayana on the other hand has a heavy presence in East part of Asia and involves the traditions of Zen, Tibetan Buddhism, Pure Land, Shigon, Nichiren Buddhism, Tendai and Shinnyo-en (Fisher, 1997). Vajrayana which is a branch of Mahayana is sometimes categorized as the third branch of Buddhism. While it has always been considered a religion of the Asian countries, Buddhism is today found in every part of the world.

According to the recent estimates, the Buddhists in the world are numbering about 230 million to 500 million which the religion the fourth largest in the world. Different schools of Buddhists have different interpretation of the path to freedom, the importance and understanding of the scriptures and teachings, as well as different practices. However, the foundation of Buddhist practices and traditions are primarily based on the Three Jewels; the Buddha, the Dharma (also known as the teachings), and the Sangha (also known as the community) (Fisher, 1997).

Adhering to the three jewels is considered a declaration as well as commitment to the ways of the Buddha and generally distinguishes a follower from a non-Buddhist. Other rituals would depend on a particular branch of Buddhism and include practices like ethical precepts, meditation, monastic communal support, renunciation of conventional living and becoming a monastic, cultivation of spiritual wisdom and discernment, devotional practices, studying of scriptures and invocation of Buddha and bodhisattvas common among the Mahayana followers (Keown & Prebish, 2004).

Conclusion Buddhism will continue penetrate other cultures because of philosophical and religious nature. The three Jewels of Buddhism are all-encompassing and answers most of our problems. The Buddha provides us with the spiritual nourishment; the dharma provides ideas for our most controversial issues like abortion and bioethics while sangha provides understanding of our social life and world. Buddhism is not only the way of life a few Asian population but would continue to spread due to its more embracing and simplistic nature.

References

1. Fisher, M. P. (1997). Living Religions: An Encyclopedia of the World’s Faiths. I. B. Tauris: New York. Keown, D. & Prebish, C. S. (eds. ) (2004).
2. Encyclopedia of Buddhism, Routledge: London Robinson, R. H. & Willard L. J. (1970; 3rd ed. , 1982).
3. The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction Wadsworth Publishing: Belmont, CA (Shimano Roshi, personal communication, July 25, 2010)

The Silk Road was a very interesting time in life time history. The silk Road was the world’s first superhighway not literally a single road it consisted of a good network of trade routes connecting China with Central Asia and lands beyond all the way to Rome. Goods were usually transported by larch Caravana it’s made up of guides soldiers religious Pilgrims merchants and hundreds of fright bearing camels. The silk Road florist for more than 3000 years and had a major influence on the cultures of Asia Europe and Africa is Vinny Q ask you to become a traveler on the silk Road and to record your experiences at different points on your journey.

In this mini to you will examine several documents and then write five journal entries in the voice of a fictionists person traveling the silk Road first choose the type of traveler you wish to be from the collection of district just descriptions on the following page give your traveler a name from the list below and fill out the profile of this person using the biological information and your historical imagination.

Good Genadijs spread across to soak road for sentries this process of sharing is calling cultural diffusion by historians below are a few examples of goods and ideas that move by way of the silk Road’s number one from China silk iron bronze server and mix orange trees paper gunpowder from Central Asia for Gano horses from Africa Ivory and rhinoceros horn from India spices and Buddhism from Europe music and glassware for travelers heading west the OC this town of done Wong was a place to rest and resupply before braving the Western Cody and the Telemac and deserts soon after the fall of hand dynasty.

Buddhism monks Buddhist monks begin to dig caves just 10 miles outside of dung cock in many of the caves they built Buddhist shrines over the centuries these caves also became storage vaults for many items brought to Duntonge by Cellpro travelers in ancient times the Telemac and desert was sometimes referred to as the Cody today as then the temperature in the desert reaches over 100°F and rainfall and minimal

For the following report the concept of iconography in regard to the images of Buddha from the South Asia region (1-5 cc. A. D. ) is important. In general, iconography in art stands for studying the imagery or symbolism of the work of art; in regard to the Asian Buddha images, iconographical elements provide the worshipper and observer with multiple signs to differentiate between unique Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. There is a hot discourse in research literature about the nature and developmental stages of Buddhist iconography.

Up to the 2-3 c. A. D. , Buddhist art used to be predominantly narrative consisting of jatakas (accounts of the Buddha’s previous incarnations) and nidanakathas (historical events related to the founder of religion, Buddha Shakyamuni or Prince Siddhartha Gautama). Due to the very nature of Buddhism, its iconography has been associated with aniconic symbols for a long time. Once Jain claimed that before its material anthropomorphic transformations the Buddha icon used to be initially of intellectual and imaginative nature.

The idea echoes somehow with Diskul and Lyons’s proposition about the iconography in regard to the Buddha image standing for the goals of maintaining traditions and sacrificing exuberant decorative elements for the sake of immortality, sanctity and transitivity of Buddhism. However, the Buddha image is perceived mostly in its anthropomorphic dimension nowadays with a rigid system of metaphors and symbols standing for iconographical elements. All the researchers agree on the fact that the image of Buddha as anthropomorphic icon started being created approximately in the 1st century A.

D. The gold and copper coins of Kanishka (Appendix A) contain Buddha images on the reverse sides. It is logical to assume that those images were simple and rather abstract because of the small size of those coins. During the five centuries of modern era, the iconography of the Buddha image has been made rich and complicated. According to Diskul and Lyons, there are three key elements in the iconography of the Buddha image: these are anatomy, dress, and posture.

Diskul and Lyons mentioned that the anatomy of the Buddha encompassed “the canons of proportion and the form of the supernatural details”; the dress might look either as the monk’s garb (being placed on either both shoulders or the left shoulder only), or a princely garment (though in all the cases the elements of dressing are highly stylized); and, so far as postures are concerned, Buddha was portrayed as either walking, or standing, or sitting, or reclining, not to forget “less than a dozen usual gestures of the hand”.

In Jain’s chronology of the Buddhist iconography, the researcher listed the specific elements of Sarnath Buddha images (3-4 cc. A. D. ) with their graceful and beautifully shaped bodies within eight iconographical types depending on the scheme of the dress (either the covered one with both shoulders being draped, or the open one with the right shoulder being bare) and the four gesture patterns.

Meanwhile, the Huntington Photographic Archive of Buddhist and Related Art ignored anatomy and dress, concentrating instead on sacred bodily marks (lakshanas) and attributes (objects held by or belonging to the figure) or associated objects as the media through which the icon communicated to the observer. For the posture category, the Huntington Archive proposed the sub-division into postures per se (the one of sitting body is called asana, and the one of standing is sthana) and gestures (position of the hands, mudra, and position of the arms, hasta).

The Grove Art Online derived the iconography of the Buddha from the one of pre-Buddhist yakss with 32 major and 64 minor prescribed signs; five gestures (mudras) – fearlessness (abhaya mudra), bestowing boons (varada mudra), meditation (dhyana mudra), touching the earth (bhumisparsa mudra) and turning the Wheel of Law; and three main postures – the one with crossed legs is called adamantine (vajraparyanka), the one where the Buddha is sitting with one leg placed across the other thigh is sattvaparyank asana, and the one with both legs hanging down is referred to as bhadrasana.

Whatever the iconographical systematizations are, the image of the Buddha has been developing from abstractly carved prototypes to the detailed icons of magnitude and aesthetic recklessness. Under the Kushan dynasty that ruled from about the first to the seventh centuries A. D. in Afghanistan, north-western India, the Punjab, and in present-day Pakistan, there were two distinctive schools of portraying Buddha: the Gandhara and the Mathura ones.

While in the north (Gandhara) the images of Buddha belonged to wandering craftsmen from the Roman East, in the south (Mathura or Muttra) the technique derived itself from native Indian sources. Both schools, though being distinct in iconographical elements and methods, portrayed Buddha both standing, seated or reclining (in scenes of the Great Demise); either as a single and independent image or the one of the figures on panels. The earliest image of the Gandhara Buddhas Rowland referred to the second and third centuries A.

D. judging from inscriptions. In regard to the standing Buddhas, there is one key characteristic of Gandhara images – though on the very first sight they look like reliefs, they can not be observed from the back, their back side is usually flat and unfinished. As for the material used, craftsmen carved the statues from stone and stucco or lime-plaster. The latter was popular in the first century A. D. already, and by the third century A. D. it has replaced stone.

Another favourite medium for carving was the blue schist and green phyllite, while metal was less popular. Besides artists used to decorate both stone and stucco images with polychromy and gold leaf. In Mathura the sculptures were also covered in an analogous manner because craftsmen usually carved the statues of Buddha of red sandstone, which was “an exceedingly ugly stone, frequently marred by veins of yellow and white, so that streaks and spots of these lighter colours disfigure the surface”.

The researcher may compare two schools of portraying Buddha on the basis of the Gandhara Standing Buddha from the Guides’ Mess at Hoti-Mardan, near Peshawar, and a life-sized standing Bodhisattva of Sarnath with an inscription about a certain Friar Bala dedicating the sculpture to the deity in around A. D. 131-147 (Appendices B and C). One distinctive point between the two sculptures is anatomical proportion. The Gandhara school adhered to the antique canons when the total height of the body was five times bigger that the head after late Roman and Early-Christian models.

The Mathura school adopted special unit of measurement, the thalam, which had nothing in common with human physical anatomy. It is “the distance between the top of the forehead and the chin, which is divided nine times into the total height of the figure” to convey the heroic and superhuman posture. Subsequently, the bodies of the Gandhara standing Buddhas are more harmonic and natural, possessing “the Praxitelean dehanchement […] beneath the robe”, which is also typical of Greco-Roman art.

Meanwhile, the Mathura Bodhisattva is more massive and erect. Modern iconography owes lakshanas of the Buddha to the Mathura school. Rowland stated that whilst the shaping of the body in the Mathura images is “greatly simplified and still represented by the archaic technique of incised lines”, the modelling of the drapery reveals both texture and volume; in result, an observer may sense “the warmth and firmness of flesh and […] a powerful feeling for the presence of the inner breath or prana. ”

In regard to the style of drapery (Diskul and Lyons), the Gandhara Standing Buddha from the Guides’ Mess at Hoti-Mardan reminds of a Roman nobleman of the Imperial Period. The eye of an observer catches heavy folds of the dress, which is a kind of Roman toga instead of Buddhist mantle. The Mathura images are often nude to the waist. The Bodhisattva of Sarnath rests his feet firmly on the basement, raising the right hand in the gesture of reassurance, and supporting the folds of his native Indian robe or dhoti by the left hand on the hip.

So far as the physiognomic characteristics are concerned, the Gandhara Buddhas resemble of the Apollo Belvedere due to “the head, with its adolescent features and wavy hair”, though some distinctive Buddhist iconographical elements – the magic marks or lakshanas – may be also present. The Mathura’s Buddha images, as Jain pointed out, are more round-faced with underlined “spiritual realization and beatitude. ” There are also physiognomic distinctions between the two schools: In Mathura art tradition, Buddha image has longer earlobes, thicker lips, wider eyes and prominent noses.

In Gandhara images, eyes are longer, chin more angular, earlobes shorter and noses more sharp and better defined. Under the rule of the Gupta dynasty (starting from A. D. 320), the Buddha images became even more anthropomorphic due to Mahayana Buddhism, and, at the same time more sacred due to the sharpening of the Buddha’s superhuman nature and his Oriental origin. In regard to the iconographical systems, the Gupta images are synthetic. For example, the body of Standing Buddha from Mathura (Indian Museum, Calcutta) (Appendix D) is fully covered by the monk’s mantel after the Gandhara models.

At the same time, the folds of initial pseudo-togas gave space to stylized series of strings instead of multiple folds. Rowland provided the link to the classic Mathura school in regard to the rhythmical goal of stringed drapery, stating that “the repetition of the loops […] provides a kind of relief to the static columnar mass of the body. ” At the same time, unlike the early Buddhas of originally Indian type, this Shakyamuni, though being rather voluminous and powerful, is not crude or roughly carved.

Jain noted that the Gupta Buddha images were remarkable for the facial expressions bearing “celestial calm, serenity, a gentle smile, divine glow and unique composure. ” Rowland sang dithyrambs to Gupta Buddhas from Sarnath because of the exquisite carving of their haloes. After having defined the concept of iconography in relation to the Buddha images in South Asia and having traced the development of iconographical systems from the first up to the fifth centuries A. D. , it is possible to summarize the key trends of the craftsmen having been portraying Buddha in the multitude of forms, styles and types.

The first anthropomorphic images of Buddha appeared in the first century A. D. and adopted the iconographical elements of both Greek-Roman Antiquity and native Indian styles. During the Kushan period (25 AD – 150 AD), there were the so-called Gandhara and Mathura (the north-west part of modern Pakistan) schools of portraying the Buddha. The Gandhara Buddhas adopted many iconographical features of antique sculptures in regard to the slightly curved posture, anatomic and physiognomic verity and refinement, heavy and voluminous drapery organized in parallel folds and mask-like expressions of the faces with matted hair on the head.

The early Kushan Buddhas from Mathura were more massive and heavily built than Gandhara ones and demonstrated stricter adherence to the native Indian canons. There was a greater accent on lakshanas and attributes in the Mathura school. Both standing and seated Buddhas were depicted in one of the assigned postures and their gestures bore sacred meaning for the worshippers. The garment looked more like the typical dress of Indian princes with the folds having given space to the strings standing for native muslin or silk dhotis or monastic robes.

The torsos of Mathura Buddhas bore distinctive marks of heroic and sacred life of the Buddha (the marks of wheel, the three white hair between the eyebrows, etc. ). Starting from A. D. 320 within the Gupta period, the iconography of the Buddha images became more synergetic having adopted both Gandhara and Mathura elements. After the Gandhara canon, the proportions were ideal and aimed to produce the effect of magnitude and super-human power. It could happen due to the distinction between the mortal Prince Siddhartha and the “real Buddha” as deity.

The individual parts of the body were depicted in purely Indian manner with the emphasis being made on lakshanas (elongated earlobes, urna, webbed fingers and toes, etc. ) and attributes (lotus, Water bowl, etc. ). The faces of the Gupta Buddhas served the arena for metaphorical transformation: the eyes had the form of the lotus flower, the hair looked like snails or shells, the lips were full and ripe like exotic fruit and there was a mild smile on them, the eyebrows were curved like the Indian bow.

Thus, one may say that since the first century A. D. up to the fifth century the iconography of the Buddha image has been remarkable for the shift from Greek-Roman models to the synthetical type with prevalence of Indian iconographical elements and from anthropomorphic and individualistic depiction to the icon of the super-human mighty deity with traditionally assigned symbols. Bibliography Diskul, M. C. Subhadradis, and Elizabeth Lyons. The Arts of Thailand: A Handbook of the Architecture, Sculpture, and Painting of Thailand (Siam).

Ed. Theodore Robert Bowie. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1960. Huntington, John C. , and/or Susan L. Huntington. The John C. and Susan L. Huntington Archive of Buddhist and Related Art (a photographic research and teaching archive). 15 Oct. 1995/Oct. 2004. College of the Arts, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA. 13 Jan. 2006 <http://kaladarshan. arts. ohio-state. edu/>. Jain, P. C. “Evolution of the Buddha Image. ” Exotic India Art. May 2004. 13 Jan. 2006 <http://www. exoticindiaart.

com/article/lordbuddha>. “Indian subcontinent, §II, 2: Buddhist iconography and subject-matter, (i) The Buddha. ” Grove Art Online. Oxford University Press, 12 Jan. 2006 <http://www. groveart. com/shared/views/article. html? from=search&session_search_id=802496302&hitnum=1&section=art. 040113. 2. 2. 1>. Rowland, Benjamin. The Art and Architecture of India: Buddhist, Hindu, Jain. London: Penguin Books, 1953. Appendices Appendix A Kanishka Coin (100 B. C. ), gold and copper. Benjamin Rowland, The Art and

You have asked of me for help in how to heal your father of his sickness. I appreciate that your father is a good and righteous man and you are blessed to have had a good man for a father. But I cannot take away his pain. That is something that no one can really do for if there is anything that is constant in every person’s life, it is suffering. Life is suffering. That is one of the noble truths. Learn this and it can just be the very thing that would bring you, your family, and even your father enlightenment.

Also remember that sorcery and miracles promised by magicians will do you no good for it is against the Laws of Karma and can only bring harm. I have seen the suffering and ugliness caused by disease and the sadness caused by man’s mortality. (Moore-Brooder, 2005, p. 499) Truly if one would compare the life I led with my family one would say I am truly favored by the gods. When I was young I lived a life full of pleasures and worldly vices. But it can be a paradox on how one’s blessings are defined by pain and suffering.

It was only after bearing witness to the many instances and forms of suffering, that I sought fulfillment of my existence and ultimately, enlightenment. Man’s life is incomplete without pain. Even from the time of birth both mother and child experience pain. But once one has transcended pain, he becomes a new man and thus, reborn. I give you my story of the mother Gotami-tissa whose son succumbed to disease. (Morgan, 1956, p. 23) She went from door to door seeking a miracle that would bring back her son’s life continually being told that such a thing was impossible.

She came to me for help, wringing her hands and prostrating herself so that I may bring her son back to life. I asked her for mustard seeds. Not just any ordinary mustard seed, but she must collect seeds that came from homes that remained untouched by grief and death. Later on she came back to me and confessed that she was unable to get any seed for all the homes she visited have experienced death. Death is not a circumstance special to just one person. It is unavoidable and constant. By understanding this, she was cured of her grief and has been able to continue living as a new woman.

In my teachings I have continually mentioned man’s mortality, his impermanence. Nothing on earth is permanent other than death. Its stealth is legendary and one never really knows when it will come. I urge you my son, to practice dharma in order that your life may be fulfilled and protected from bad karma. For if you do no wrong, why should there be consequences? Today we see many people doing everything within their power to attain their ambition. Some may perhaps reason out “it is not so wrong” but truly, if one would like to live on the side of right, one has to choose definitely between right or wrong without compromise.

Live in freedom and self-mastery to fully enjoy the gift that is life. Bad things are constant. Suffering is constant. The only thing you can really control and gain mastery of is yourself. Learn to take the middle path in life for it is the way to happiness. Know that a life of extremes is bad and will ultimately bring more suffering. I exhort you to learn to look within yourself and develop an understanding and acceptance of what goes on around you. Aiming to change others can sometimes be a futile practice.

I myself can teach what I have learned and woken up to realize, yet true enlightenment can only come from within a person himself. Some may perhaps say, I will seek enlightenment later or I have tried to understand life before but failed. But past failure is past and the future is uncertain in many ways. Indeed, it can happen that tomorrow or later in the day may be all of what remains of the future. Seek enlightenment now, and cherish the moment. So when death comes, you do not regret nor do you have fear of the next life for you die with knowledge of having lived not just a good life, but a righteous one.

– Buddha References Morgan, K. W. (Ed. ). (1956). The Path of the Buddha Buddhism Interpreted by Buddhists. New York: Ronald Press. Retrieved September 23, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5883323 Moore-Bruder. (2005). Philosophy: The Power of Ideas, Sixth Edition Ohio: McGraw-Hill Carrithers, M. (2001). The Buddha: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Retrieved September 23, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=101647070

As we come to know it, there are five major religions in our world. For centuries, these five religions, namely Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism have dominated and influenced the world and its views in life, death, heaven, and earth. Now, the writer wishes to state on this paper the different key terms, main arguments, and assumptions of one of the most revered faiths on earth. But before anything else, perhaps we should go through an overview of the history of Buddhism and its founder. The general history of Buddhism started around 566-486 B. C.

The traditionally accepted founder of Buddhism is a man named Siddhartha Gautama. Around 486 B. C. , the first Buddhist Council at Rajagaha was formed. It is where the Buddhist Canon, as it still exists today was settled and preserved through oral tradition. Through the passing of centuries, different forms of Buddhism were developed and propagated throughout distant lands. One of the important highlights of the religion’s history is the founding of the Dalai Lama lineage of the Tibetan Buddhism during the 15th century (“A Timeline of Buddhist History: Major Events”).

Today, Buddhism continues to thrive and according to Wikipedia, most estimates put its number of followers at around 310 million (Jones 2006) In relation to the founding of Buddhism, it is a widely accepted fact that Siddhartha Gautama is the founder of Buddhism. Born in luxury, Siddhartha was the son of a king hence making him prince. At the age of 29, Gautama left his palace to view his subjects. However, what he saw was despair that depressed him so. So one night, he escaped from his palace to live the life of a mendicant.

Thus started the Buddha’s long and fruitful life and the creation of the different principles and beliefs that would guide the ideology of Buddhism and influence world history (“Gautama Siddhattha Buddha”). An event that triggered Gautama’s quest for the truth is the one that happened when he left the palace at the age of 13. After seeing the four sights, which namely are an old man, a man with a disease, a corpse, and an ascetic, he became convinced that suffering in this world is inescapable and even all the riches of the world cannot add up to make a man truly happy and in peace (“Gautama Siddhattha Buddha”).

It is also Siddhartha’s experience that meditation alone cannot ease all the anxieties in a man’s mind. After studying with two teachers on meditation, he was not satisfied so he left. He realized that the only way to detach you from all the pain and suffering in this world is through overall tranquility. Buddha is also credited as the creator of the Four Noble Truths. The first of these noble truths is the Noble Truth of Suffering. According to this truth, life is full of suffering such as pain and grief.

Even in other religions, they share a common ground; that life is full of torment. According to the Second Noble Truth, which is the Truth of the Arising of Suffering, the agony that people experience is due to the Threefold Craving. The Threefold Craving, on the other hand, is what brings beings from birth to rebirth accompanied by lust and joy. These three craving are the sensual cravings, and the cravings for existence, and wealth and power. The Third Noble Truth, according to Buddha is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering.

According to this truth, there is a way for suffering to stop and that is by giving up the Threefold Craving. And lastly, the Fourth Noble Truth is the Truth of the Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering. It is in this Noble truth that the Eightfold Path is presented. This path is also known as the Middle Path because this path does not commit to the two extremes of self-mortification and sensual pleasure (“Gautama Siddhattha Buddha”). The Eightfold Path, or the Middle Path, is the principle that guides the followers of Buddhism in eliminating all suffering from his life.

The Eightfold Path is divided into three sections. The first section is called Sila. Sila pertains to the wholesome physical actions. Sila also stands for morality and refraining from objectionable actions of the body and speech. Included in Sila are three of the eight parts of the Eightfold Path. The first one is the Right Speech. In this right, the person should speak in a pleasant, truthful way. The second is the Right Actions wherein the person is taught to do good actions and to avoid doing things that may hurt or harm others.

The last part of this section is the Right Livelihood. In this right, the follower should always choose a means of livelihood that does not harm anyone including himself straightforwardly or not. The second section of the Eightfold Path is called Samadhi. Samadhi, according to Buddhism, is the mastery over a person’s own mind. Included in this division are another three rights of the Eightfold Path. The first of these three is the Right Effort or Exercise. This right concerns itself to the effort of the follower in improving his self.

The second in this section is the Right Mindfulness or Awareness wherein the mental ability to perceive things with clear consciousness is emphasized. And the third one on Samadhi is the Right Concentration or Meditation. It is in this right that awareness of the current reality that happens on self is realized. The absence of craving or aversion is also included in being aware to the reality in one’s life And lastly, the third section of the Eightfold Path is called the Prajna. Prajna is mainly concerned with wisdom that purifies the mind.

The last two rights of the Eightfold Path is included in this section. The first of the two is the Right Understanding. This right teaches that one should reality as what it really is and not just how it appears to be. The last of the rights is the Right Thoughts. In this right, an alteration in the pattern of thinking is taught. Different ways of interpreting the Eightfold Path exists. Some people believe that it is a series of progressive stages. This interpretation stresses out that the mastery of the first right will lead to the beginning of the mastery of the next right and so on.

Others believe that the Eightfold Path and its rights should be developed simultaneously (“The Eightfold Path”). According still to the Buddhist faith, Samsara is the cycle of birth, suffering and agony, death, and rebirth in which humans are bounded. But once a man becomes successful in grasping the Four Noble Truths and in following the Eightfold Path and eliminates all cravings from his life, it is when he experiences Bodhi. Bodhi is the awakening or enlightenment felt by Buddhas. It is also the time when greed, hate, and delusion are eradicated.

In addition to this, it is also the time in which Nirvana or “highest happiness” is attained. These are only some of the basic principles held by the Buddhist faith. The teachings and beliefs of Buddhism are too many to be mentioned in this paper. However, this paper wishes to analyze some of the beliefs of the aforementioned religion. As a world-leading faith with hundreds of millions of followers, Buddhism has influenced not only the faith of multitudes but world history as well. Aside from these, Buddhism has also played a part in the development of oriental art and architecture.

One of the strengths of the Buddhist religion is that their followers are not afraid to show that they are devoted to their belief. And being devoted to their belief has its own advantages. Because these followers adhere to their principles, it becomes better for them to be guided in their everyday lives and decisions. However, being too much devoted to the faith has its own disadvantages. Some people become too dependent on the principles that it starts to interfere with their normal lives.

However, we cannot comment on that issue since it is their own choice and therefore are responsible for their own actions. In Buddhism, there are no recognized gods but there is the Buddha or enlightened beings. In the teachings of Buddhism, it is emphasized that in able to reach true happiness, one must live a simple life. This life that they would live should be one of humility and righteousness. Only then would they achieve nirvana. In parallel with other faiths, especially in Christianity, it is also stressed out that in able to attain salvation, one must live in truthfulness and simplicity.

So this is why Christians, especially the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Church have their own monasteries where people could live in seclusion; far from all the temptations and sins of the Earth. It might be said that most religions, particularly the five leading ones, share the same principles of the need to do good to others and live in humbleness in able to attain salvation. Others believe that the foundations of Buddhism are vague and inaccurate. And still others criticize them for their unique nature.

But let us all remember that even though we share different faiths and beliefs, even though we are separated by cultural and spiritual diversity, some principles are still being shared. And one of those principles is to do the right thing and to never cause harm to anyone. I, as the writer, personally adhere to the belief that we should have religious tolerance. As long as our beliefs do not interfere or cause harm to anyone, then we should free to worship and believe what we desire. And above all, respect is what is needed in a society that prejudices and criticizes what they perceive as odd.

In spite of everything, we are all, in the broadest sense, humans, and therefore, equal. Works Cited “Gautama Siddhattha Buddha. ” 12 Sept. 2007 <http://www. crystalinks. com/buddha. html>. Jones, Judy, and Wilson William. “Religion”, An Incomplete Education. 3rd ed.. Ballantine Books, 2006. “The Eightfold Path. ” 2000. About, Inc. , A part of. 12 Sept. 2007 <http://buddhism. about. com/library/bleightpath. htm>. “Timeline of Buddhist History: Major Events. ” 12 Sept. 2007 <http://www. buddhanet. net/e learning/history/b_chron. htm>.