Essay about The Evolution of Buddhism - 1182 Words

Buddhism is a unique religion that bestows upon its members that their actions accumulate karma and too much bad karma leads to rebirth. A person reaches Nirvana (also known as heaven) when achieving enlightenment and is no longer subjected to rebirth. Buddhism also believes there is no one almighty god, but rather many gods, which they refer to as deities. Dharma is commonly known as the sacred teachings of a deity. The Buddha is only born in certain situations that members are in need of re-teaching the Dharma. There are three schools of Buddhism also referred to as vehicles and are taught in different geographic regions. The first is the oldest form known as Theravada and is usually found in Southeast Asia. The second is the most†¦show more content†¦Suffering has a cause. Suffering can be suppressed. The way to suppression of suffering is the noble eight fold path, which consists of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration,† (CHEN 33). The teachings of the Buddha held a person to high morals and conduct. If a person went against these values, it would be considered the ultimate sin and would, therefore, be trapped in the vicious cycle of rebirth. Theravada also known as â€Å"The Doctrine of the Elders,† (CHEN 30) was for a long time the only teachings and means to obtain nirvana. Nevertheless, Mahayana came along and the appeal of less restrictive acceptance made it popular. One of the major schools within Mahayana is Pure Land Buddhism, which contradicted the teachings of Theravada by allowing anyone to achieve nirvana by devotion to the Buddha, Amitabha. In Theravada, a person’s karma is the distinguishing factor of if and how long a person may be in heaven. Nirvana is not a permanent place in Theravada, but in Pure Land Buddhism it is and that devotion undermines the concept of karma. The main philosophy of Pure Land is that a person i s not restricted or held to a high moral code. if a person, chants praises to Amitabha, they are relinquished from transmigration. Theravada teaches its members that the Buddha is a human but not a single person, while Pure Land teaches its followers that Amitabha is theShow MoreRelatedEvolution And Changes Of Buddhism2360 Words   |  10 PagesEvolution and Changes of Buddhism and the Architecture of Stupas in Burma (Myanmar) Buddhism, as a religion, started in the fifth century BC at Lumbhini in what is now Nepal. From its main centre of origin, it spread across vast areas of Asia, radiating outwards in all directions apart from the West, bringing its universal doctrine of salvation and enlightenment for men and all living creatures, its philosophy and ethics, its learning and art. At the core of the teachings was the concept that lifeRead MoreBodhisattvas and the Evolution of Buddhism613 Words   |  2 Pages#1 Bodhisattvas and the Evolution of Buddhism Buddhism is a major widespread religion with a complex system of beliefs. The founder of Buddhism is Siddartha Gautama, widely known as the Buddha, meaning â€Å"the enlightened one†. Gautama educated that the goal of Buddhism is to achieve nirvana, or release from suffering. He received this understanding from meditation for 49 days. During this period of meditation, Gautama discovered the Four Noble Truths, which contain the principle of Buddha’s teachingsRead MoreWomen And The Global Cultural Diversity1712 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent societies such as Christian or Muslim societies. This approach will help identify some of the feminine traits that may be exclusive only to Buddhism or perhaps traits that are universal. In addition to this, a historical approach may be necessary to help recognize changes that may have taken place over time through a process of evolution. In summary, this essay will try classify the significance of women in Buddhist traditions. To many, the talk of gender inequality would not come asRead MoreThe Major Difference Between Religion And Science1493 Words   |  6 PagesScience and religion have always been on opposing ends of the spectrum when it comes to most issues. This is most evident in the long running dispute between creationists and evolutionists about the origins of life. Evolutionists believe in evolution through natural selection, while creationists believe that the universe and all the life in it was formed by divine creation. This dispute started in the late 18th century and has only intensified as the years went on. Before the 18th century a lot moreRead MoreReligion Based On The Art, Architecture And Texts1525 Words   |  7 Pagesprobably doing and in turn see the very evolution of the nature of ritual. Ritual seemed to be a part of every individuals life in the Vedic traditions when people believed that ritual practices were so important that if they were not performed than the world would end. Because people needed a portable religion, the objects that were created as part of sacrificial ritual were destroyed in the practice and left where they lay. We see an extreme evolution of the material world around the turn ofRead MoreHistory of the Spread of Buddhism622 Words   |  3 PagesThe Spread of Buddhism While the Western World is largely familiar with elements surrounding the spread of Christianity, these people are inclined to ignore that Buddhism came to experience a similar progression in the East. Beginning approximately five centuries before Christianity, Buddhism emerged as an ideology contrasting harsher Hindu laws and made it possible for people to understand that it was actually necessary for them to follow a Middle Path in order to achieve Enlightenment. In spiteRead MoreApol 104 Critical Thinking Assignment Essay926 Words   |  4 Pages Critical Thinking Assignment PART ONE: The Question of Origin In Buddhism, they do not teach nor do they believe that there is an all-powerful God that created the universe. They look to Buddha, the religion’s founder, for a model of how to behave. In the Buddhist view, the universe is infinite in both time and space and the universe is created and destroyed over and over again in a process we call natural evolution. The Question of Identity Buddhist considers all life to be sacred and/orRead MoreVajrayana Buddhism744 Words   |  3 PagesVajrayana Buddhism The Vajrayana approach to Buddhism is just one of a number of Buddhist traditions, and all of the aspects of Buddhism are based on the enlightened teachings of Buddha. Vajrayana Buddhism is based on Tantra which relates to the teachings of Buddha. Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, based of course on the Tantra (enlighten teachings). According to the Introduction to Vajrayana ( HYPERLINK http://www.vajrayana.com.au www.vajrayana.com.au), vajra is theRead MoreBarrows Vs. Shaku And Dharmapal An Argumentative Analysis1469 Words   |  6 Pageshowever, to juxtapose Barrow’s arguementative skills in â€Å"Words of Welcome† to Shaku’s and Dharmapala’s skills in their argument for Buddhism. Upon an in depth analysis of both passages, it is clear that Shaku and Dharmapala supported their religion more effectively than Barrows did and ultimately helped the Western world, as a whole, gain a new-found respect for Buddhism. At first glance, Barrows’s â€Å"Words of Welcome† is simply a welcome to all the other members of the parliament. He uses vivid imageryRead MoreThe Clash of Faith and Evidence1545 Words   |  6 Pagesbiggest examples is the argument between Darwinist evolution and Christianity. In the past, some states outlawed the teaching of evolution from schools, believing it to be contradictory to the teachings of the Bible, until the Supreme Court of the United States struck these laws down. An event that comes to mind is the Scopes Trial in 1925. A high school teacher was accused of violating Tennessees Butler Act, which made it unlawful to teach human evolution in any state-funded school. The debate would