Karma is an ideological concept encountered in the Eastern regions, and it tends to explain actions that our good or bad deeds. Experiences are not the result of past actions only, but they can emanate from a natural event. Karma is beyond the implications of life, and bad life or activities can follow an individual to their next life. Therefore, an individual must cultivate good karma to avoid bad luck. For an individual to escape the cycle of rebirth, they must have good karma to attract a pleasant state. The types of karma that affect rebirth are moral habits, karmic conditioning, self-determination, and disability (Choi, 2018). The afflictions that propel rebirth in the wheel of existence are the teachings of new reality after death in a circumstance known as samsara. The three realms of rebirth are Deva (heavenly), Manusya (human), and Asura (demigod). Depending on the first life venture, an individual can have a rebirth of light or darkness.
The Buddhist realm consists of spatial and temporal cosmology in realism. Temporal cosmology entails having a world existence with discrete moments, while spatial cosmology consists of an infinite world such as beauty or lifespan. The rebirth realms include the formless realm, the Arupa Bhumi, and the form realm. People have no physical cosmology in the formless realm because there is no location. Arupa Bhumi entails rebirth through a formless jhana in the previous life. It is also known as the sphere of nothingness (Choi, 2018). Its inhabitants have a location in the form realm, and their bodies are composed of subtle substances. The rebirth brings pleasure and a sense of belonging, but the realm lacks sexual distinction.
The concept of liberation in Buddhism emanates from Nirvana or the cycles of rebirth. According to Buddhism, its beliefs are engulfed within the faith, spirituality, and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. It believes in truth, misery, the cause of misery, cessation of misery, and the path of cessation (Choi, 2018). The Gita is a conceived liberation, while moksha is the eternal seat beyond birth and death. Whenever someone is liberated, they are known to have no pain and are thought to be supreme perfectionists.
The Silk Road impacted world history in numerous ways during ancient times. The fundamental importance was the spread of Buddhism from India to the rest of the world. The Silk route was the main path used by caravans that carried precious goods from the East to the West, including cash on the return journey. It was a highway of trade between the dominant societies of China and India, where the exchange of goods, ideas, and information occurred. China traded silk, white porcelain, and prized products, while India supplied the world with pepper and cotton. These commodities were the most extensive and valuable trade items globally, giving the Silk route fame and popularity during that time.
Main body
Trade development along the Silk Road resulted in the expansion of Buddhism to Eastern Asia and China. The Chinese thoughtfully harmed the reputation of Confucianism, leading to many believing in the Buddhism religion. The road had many beautiful wall paintings and buddha images decorated on caves as gratitude for having traveled this far (Twist, 2018). This factor led to many travelers identifying with Buddhism, which expanded the religion.
Conclusion
In conclusion, many Buddhist missionaries and travelers performed remarkable acts that emphasized charity and kindness to all people through the Silk Route Trade. These actions inspired more people to join Buddhism because they believed in their teachings and doing along the road. In addition, it was the longest land trade route that connected the most powerful merchants. Buddhist monks traveled with traders, which led to the establishment of monasteries used as safe places along the way. This fostered the interaction between the traders and the monks spreading the religion along the route.
Reference
Twist, R. L. (2018). Images of the crowned buddha along the silk road: Iconography and ideology. Humanities, 7(4), 92. Web.
Salvation in many religious traditions is associated with the idea of liberation and with a process of saving a person who believes and chooses the right path according to the religious dogmas and traditions. As a result, a person can hope for liberation, transformation, and fulfillment of his needs and for making the union with the Absolute power or God because only this power can save and protect a person (King 7698; Molloy 14-16).
Still, a different vision is characteristic of Buddhism, where salvation is not discussed as God’s gift or glory because Buddhists are oriented to self-salvation (Holder 95). Therefore, it is possible to state that the discussion of the Buddhist vision of salvation can add to understanding the phenomenon of salvation as a path chosen by a person to be saved or avoid the world’s sufferings.
Focusing on the discussion of the concept of salvation in Buddhism, it is important to state that salvation is the emancipation of a person from the attachment to the reality and from the person’s focus on individual needs and desires while orienting to practices that can help a person liberate oneself.
In Buddhism, the idea of salvation is reflected in the concept of Nirvana, and it is the main argument to state that Buddhists focus on self-salvation in their practice. Nirvana is a state when a person is free from any world’s sufferings and any personal desires and feelings (Hanh 24). It is a state of absolute peace (“10 Questions for the Dalai Lama”).
While discussing salvation as liberation and emancipation, it is important to pay attention to the fact that Nirvana is a state when a person is absolutely free and detached from the world with its problems, conditions, systems, and structures (Pojman and Rea 632). Buddhists see the state of Nirvana as the full salvation. However, it is important to note that Nirvana is a result of the person’s individual completion of the path to salvation.
The Buddhist view of salvation adds significantly to the discussion of this characteristic of religion because one can focus on salvation as an individual path during which it is necessary to follow certain rules and norms. Traditionally, the hope for salvation is associated with the believers’ focus on their faith, on following rituals, and on choosing the Good in order to see God’s glory and receive a chance for salvation (Gregg 54). In Buddhism, only the individual’s actions and thoughts are necessary conditions to achieve Nirvana.
This state of absolute peace is not associated with the traditional state of fulfillment of all human needs. Buddhists focus on transforming their minds and ways of thinking and seeing in order to achieve the ultimate salvation (Holder 102). At this stage, it is necessary to become detached from desires as the causes of all sufferings in the person’s reality, and this emancipation from sufferings as the state of the peace is associated with Nirvana.
In this case, Buddhists try to find the way to Nirvana while concentrating on their thoughts, visions, and actions rather than in the divine forces. From this point, the transformation of the person’s mind is the main condition that is necessary in order to achieve salvation. Buddhists see the root of their sufferings in their consciousness or mind because of the persons’ focus on desires and needs (Hanh 57).
Salvation in many religious traditions is discussed as the fulfillment of humans’ needs because of God’s grace, but in Buddhism, salvation is the state when a person is free from any desires, needs, and feelings because of changes in understanding the power of the humans’ consciousness.
According to Holder, Buddhism “redirects the religious life toward the practice of moral and psychological transformation” (Holder 95). Thus, only a person can help oneself on the path to salvation while practicing meditation and focusing on detaching from the destructive selfhood (“10 Questions for the Dalai Lama”; Holder 98). Meditation is one of the steps in transforming the mind in order to become free from desires.
In order to find salvation, believers should follow certain practices and focus on their faith. In Buddhism, people should focus not only on meditation as the practice to transform the mind but also on their knowledge of the Four Noble Truths in order to step on the path to salvation known as Nirvana. The Four Noble Truths reflect the main principles that are necessary to be followed on the way to salvation. According to the First Noble Truth, the suffering is associated with the reality in which humans live (Molloy 132).
Following the Second Noble Truth, it is possible to state that sufferings are related to humans’ inner desires. The Third Noble Truth provides the idea that humans can avoid sufferings while focusing on avoiding their desires. Thus, the Fourth Noble Truth presents the discussion of steps that are necessary in order to detach from the personal destructive desires (Molloy 133-134). These Truths provide the basic laws for Buddhists that are important in order to achieve the inner peace leading to Nirvana or salvation in this religious tradition.
The other important condition to achieve salvation is the focus on living according to the dhamma understood as the natural law or as the sum of teachings necessary to follow in order to achieve harmony. The life according to the laws of nature leads a person to the desired salvation, and following dhamma, a person should remember that nothing is stable in the world (Molloy 129).
From this point, the changes of nature are associated with the transformation of the personal mind, and the principle of dhamma supports the idea that salvation is achievable through the constant process of the personal transformation in order to purify karma and realize the intention of the self-salvation through meditation and observation.
From this point, Buddhist teachings regarding the concept of salvation can be discussed as practical because Buddhism provides rather useful rules for a person in order to guide him on the way to self-salvation. In this case, the Buddhist vision of salvation is rather philosophical than religious in its nature because the salvation of the person is associated with his work at changing his psychological and physical state.
Referring to the role of the Four Noble Truths in the religion, it is possible to state that the concept of salvation is extremely important in Buddhism because the purpose of salvation can be discussed as the reason to follow the Four Noble Truths. Nevertheless, the understanding of salvation in Buddhism is more personal and connected with the idea of escaping from individualization and from existence full of suffering.
Works Cited
10 Questions for the Dalai Lama. 2006. Web.
Gregg, Heather Selma. The Path to Salvation. Boston: Potomac Books, Inc., 2014. Print.
Hanh, Thich Nhat. The Art of Power. New York: Harper One, 2008. Print.
Holder, John. Early Buddhist Discourses. New York: Hackett Publishing, 2006. Print.
King, Winston. “Religion”. The Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. Detroit: Macmillan Reference, 2005. 7692-7701. Print.
Molloy, Michael. Experiencing the World’s Religions: Tradition, Challenge, and Change. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2013. Print.
Pojman, Louis, and Michael Rea. Philosophy of Religion: An Anthology. New York: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.
There are four main religions in the Far East: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism are the ethical regions with no god such as Yahweh or Allah. However, they choose traditional and moral policies designed to improve the believer’s relationship with the Universe. Buddhism comes from the teachings of Buddha, while Hinduism is the prince of southern Nepal. Confucius stayed during the same period as the Buddha, Confucianism’s main target was the achievement of inner harmony with nature. This includes the veneration of an ancestor. Early on, the ruling classes of China broadly embraced Confucian. Lastly, Taoism shares the same policies; these religions have lost much of their impetus due to resistance from today’s society. However, some ideas of Taoism, such as reincarnation, have achieved expression in new religions. By analyzing the aspects of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism traditions, it is easier to gain insight into the practices and correlate them effectively.
Hinduism
Indian people would not refer to their religious faith and activities as Hinduism except as a franchise to the Western concept, for the western description expresses the trend of beliefs and activities which are extrinsic to their way of living. It is applied here in the sense of the religious patterns of the subcontinent. The attitude of the Hindus toward what seems to them a trial to oversimplify and impose Western religious groups and ideas on their Religion should be in mind when assessing books about the Religion of India (Smith 18). Hinduism, with millions of followers, is the past of the equal world religions, dating from at least two thousand B.C. It is a religion of India, and concepts were known in the countries to the West, its main effect outside India was in Southeast Asia, where it, at the time, was the possessive ethic as far east as Indonesia (Smith 32). Nevertheless, there are several factions inside Hinduism. Furthermore, many representations of the primary Hindu concepts, generally deal with the fact that the world as we know it is a matter from the source, Brahman, that ultimately, the world as we understand it will return to its origin.
Humans undergo several rebirths, their development upward toward Brahman and downward towards material availability measured by the policy of Karma. According to Hasan (95), Hinduism believes that most Indians acknowledge that drive, power, position and possessions run deep. A modicum of worldly success is indispensable for supporting a household and discharging civic roles. Lastly, the rewards have their terms because they have some restrictions that can be explained; first, it was discovered that wealth, fame, and power are exclusive, which leads to competition; hence they do not multiply when shared. The drive for perfection is an unstated qualification that is a must for people to earn enough money. The third reason the world is a challenge is a success is Identical to that hedonism; finally, worldly purposes cannot satisfy people totally because achievements are temporary (Smith 43), believing that wealth, fame, and power do not outlive bodily death. Hindus find comfort and success on the path of Desire.
Hinduism believes that most people do not want to die, Karma may be represented as a type of cosmic justice, righteous policy of course and influence or it may appear as simply an orderly world. Hindus, the last power is discovered in the Vedas and the writing of the religious leaders willing to view the fact nature of reality (Hasan 103). These are considered as many gods’ most manifestations of the Supreme Being. His actions in his past life identify the man’s place in a community; in this life, he is organizing the challenges for future existence.
Buddhism
The Hindu prince is Buddha who ignored Hindu Scripture, rituals, austerities, caste, and the Hindu learnings considering creation and soul, but kept close to Hinduism in his existence persists via several lives and is managed by the policy of Karma. Buddha is the Enlightened One; he is the man who discovers the path by which men may have the pleasure of resting from suffering and condition. He snubbed unimportant speculations which go past human knowledge, like speculation about creation, God, and the nature of future life (Akasoy). He encouraged trends of performance and negotiations, resulting from going without reason to exempt from sadness.
That negotiation brings the acceptance that all is modified, that divert ends in sadness, that soul is not present, that humankind is only a mixture of components managed by Karma, and that humans are exempt from the unreal attachment to this nature; he becomes free from rebirth. What occurs then is above our power to understand. The primary trend of Buddhism, known as ‘Theravada and Based on scripture written in Pali,’ was a lesson in India in the 6th decade B.C. and distributed throughout much of India and South Asia. By the first decade of A.D., another type of Buddhism called Mahayana had come up in northern India with new writing, mainly in Sanskrit, with the declaration of speculative pieces of training. Today Theravada is situated in Ceylon, Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia; Mahayana distributes to China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet; a small Buddhism is left in parts of India (Smith 92). It should be recalled when assessing the origins of the information about Buddhism that the boundary between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism has stated that there was little socialization between them for some periods, providing most writings either a Mahayana or Theravada.
After World War II, the military headquarters accepted the demand for some direction to the religious categories in Japan. They addressed the Religious and ethical boundaries of the Civil Information and Learning department to organize a concise specification of the Japanese religious firms for the direction of career personnel. The analysis was distributed in duplicated form for some period of years and then promulgated as Religions by Japanese scholars and remains essential for reference. The best way to introduce Buddhism in Japan was recorded by an author who was a pleasing British civil Servant, simply Japanese Buddhism. The information is there, seasoned with his condolent but Western position of sight (Smith 108). For more information on one period, the Japanese Religion in the Meiji Era provides the Japanese stance by competent scholars who apprehend Western Historical techniques.
Those who discover Zen the most crucial type of Mahayana Buddhism should have in mind that it is only one small faction, concerned by some Buddhists to be unorthodox and regularly untwist in the West. One of the excellent introductions was conducted by Buddhist Chinese who pursued teaching in China before the further study of Buddhism in Tibet. It indicates the exact nature of Zen teaching and provides several demonstrations of Zen. The argument is that the Chinese were at first disrespectful of Buddhism and asked if anything good could come from India; they accepted when they saw samples of Buddhist art. Buddhism was accepted once there was some grasping for Buddhist art.
Confucianism
Confucius was an intelligent man who spent his life as a teacher and attempted to establish the government of his period. He asserted that he was not an innovator but only wanted to return to the knowledge of the ancients, and his representation of that knowledge is provided in the analects. He trained the way of the real gentleman, respect for sibling ties, and the essential of ritual music in growing moral character. For decades, the wisdom of Confucian training was required to improve the state services in China. Confucius faced some challenges regarding power and influence in his life, which was also a problem of social anarchy. Confucius lived in a period when social cohesion had deteriorated to the sensitive point where the clue no longer held.
Confucian revival states that the Buddhist conquest of China and the Chinese modification of Buddhism consisted of the beginning, adaptation, development, and annexation of a distinct Indian type of spirituality that has been there for more than six centuries. Since the Buddhist concept was established in China through Taoist groups and since the growth of the Daoist Religion benefited from posing Buddhist buildings and practices as scale, the spiritual Dynamic in Medieval China (Smith 159). The re-emergence of Confucianism as the leading knowledge power engaged both creative responses to the Buddhist.
Confucianism depends on the idea of deliberate tradition. The idea of deliberate tradition consists of about five elements: Jen Chun Tzu, Li, Te, and Wen. According to Confucius, Jen describes love and man-heartedness as a virtue of virtues. Jen slowly engages the emotions of humans toward others and respects self-love (Jayawickrama 25). The policies of Chun Tzu consist of maturity and generosity of spirit. People faithful to these policies are associated with others in a lovely and excellent way. The policies of Li express propriety and the manner issues should be conducted. Again, life should be lived according to the Doctrine of the Mean.
Nevertheless, most important, the citizen should live their lives according to the five constant relations: parent and child, husband and wife, sibling and junior sibling, elder friends and junior friend, and rule and subject, which means the authority and expression of governmental policy via coordination of the citizenry. However, the citizens must have confidence in human nature in the way of virtue by ennobling the human heart. Confucianism further analects to direct and motivate Chinese citizens to verify his philosophy (Smith 172). Finally, Confucianism relies on the cooperation of the citizenry. This includes coordinative personal targets in various siblings to familiar and governmental targets; this religious doctrine contravenes Western philosophical creeds; Confucius trusted that it was an imperative feature of the Chinese community.
Taoism
Taoism is also known as Daoism, the Religion and philosophy from ancient China that affected folk and national belief. It has been linked to the philosopher Lao Tzu, who, about 500 B.C.E, published a book of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching. Taoism proposed that humans and animals should stay in the balance of Tao or the Universe. Tao usually believes in spiritual immorality, where the spirit of the body integrates with the Universe after death. The crucial concept of Taoism is balancing the powers of Yin and Yang. The concepts represent matching pairs, like light and dark, hot and cold, and action and inaction, which operate combined toward a universe that is linked and that nothing makes sense by itself (Smith 201). Taoism in the eighth century C.E. was the Religion of the Tang dynasty; it exists together with Buddhism and Confucianism. In Taoism, Confusion was illegal. Moreover, this leads to a decrease in the activity of Taoism in China. Several Taoist stay in Taiwan, although current reforms in China have raised the number of Chinese Taoists.
Philosophical Taoism is indicated by the Yin-yang signal, sourced from China with the teacher Lao Tzu around 604-517. Even though there is no more information about his life, he rejects the teachings behind posterity in a short work, Tao Te Ching, The Way, and Its Virtue. ‘Tao is typically expressed as ‘Way’ or ‘Path.’ The main aim of philosophical Taoism is to maintain life’s force by not enlarging it in the less critical manner of violence and conflict. One can achieve this by living in peace with the Tao of all things, the manner of nature, community, and one’s self (Smith 211). The action in Tao is known as the wu-we, which means non-process. Wu-we explains the process that minimizes violence in interpersonal relations, intrapsychic violence, and association with nature.
The augmented authority, these Taoists are interested in going past conserving to improve the Tao’s quota they must work with; according to them, the operation involves three issues, namely.; matter, movement, and minds. They attempted to consume virtually everything to see if Ch’i could be augmented nutritionally. They wanted to draw Ch’i from the atmosphere through breathing exercises. They applied a system of bodily language such as a chi Chuan, which collects calisthenics, dance mediation, Yin/yang philosophy, material arts, and acupuncture into a synthesis designed to draw Ch’i. Taoist meditation, the physical posture, and the concentration method are mindful of Indian raja yoga and were created to access realization with which to originate truth, joy, and authority (Smith 214). The Taoist yogis accepted that they could not hope for much apprehension from the masses, and they made no attempt to publicize their position.
The reflection and well-being systems take a period, and the average Chinese lacked those goods. However, they needed to help too. Taoists replied to such challenges. Applying the fundamental nature of Chinese folk religion, Religious Taoism institutionalized such h practices. Known Religious Taoism is an opaque affair. Much of its appearance from the outside always keeps mind like crude superstition, but they can recall the small concept of energy and the way it precedes. It can be augmented under the rubric of supernatural as traditionally discovered that the Taoist church, the dominion with freelance wizards, exorcists, and shamans, invented a way to control higher authorities for humane ends. Surrounding each other, Yin and yang, Taoism and Confucianism presented the two indigenous poles of Chinese behavior. Confucius presents the classical Lao Tzu’s on what transcends the human.
Conclusion
Finally, the defining characteristic of Chinese knowledge of life was eclecticism. The eclecticism stipulated by yin-yang succession and accommodation. It was most stated in the known expression San chiao-I ‘the integration of teaching.’ Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism were addictive in the Chinese community, each assisting in creating a solid intellectual, psychic, and spiritual unity structure. The unity was also expressed in the most esteemed types of Chinese art and writings.
One of the largest world religions, Buddhism is based on the teaching of Siddhartha Gautama who emphasized a significant role of nature in our lives and the importance of personal harmony with nature. Analyzing the major characteristics of Buddhism provided by Oxtoby and Amore (2010), one can notice is based on the emphasis of ethical life and, despite other religions, does not indicates how this world was created and for what purposes. For Buddhists, every human has eternal life, going thought the circles of reincarnation. In Buddhism, the nature of our existence in this world is based on three characteristics such as Annica (impermanence), dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), and anatta (“no-self”).
Annica
Annica as one of the major conceptions of Buddhism concludes in the idea that all things in this world are not stable and constant. Every part of the universe is impermanent and can be changed due to external conditions. Every human has several lives and goes through the process of reincarnation, the cycle rebirth which is called samsara. This characteristic is related to the idea of karma that causes all events in human life.
Dukkha
Dukkha is the central conception of Buddhism emphasizes the role of suffering in human life. The lack of satisfaction, pain, and sorrow are inseparable parts of existence. Although people try to avoid suffering, they cannot do it because this is the basement of nature. However, it would be wrong to conclude that the pessimistic mood is prevalent in Buddhism. Buddhists consider themselves as realists who cannot deny that life has its good and bad sides.
Anatta
Anatta indicates that there is no “I” or “mine” in Buddhism. Being a part of nature, humans cannot be considered as separate structures, creations. There is no permanent self, it is just an illusion. Both the physical body and spirit are parts of one universal structure – nature.
Works Cited
Oxtoby, Willard G., and R. C. Amore. World Religions: Eastern traditions. 3rd ed. 2010. Ontario, Canada: Oxford University Press. Print.
To a Western observer, the term ‘religion’ is most likely associated with monotheistic Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – and, consequently, with concern for godly beings. However, a proper understanding of religion as a phenomenon requires studying other sets of beliefs, which can be quite dissimilar – for instance, Buddhism. By analyzing Buddhist notions of agama, nirvana, pin, laukika, and lokottara, Southwold makes a compelling case for viewing religion as a polythetic phenomenon.
According to the author, Buddhism provides a particularly valuable case for refining one’s understanding of religion because it has both similarities and differences with Abrahamic religions. On the one hand, the concepts of ‘laukika’ and ‘lokottara,’ which can be roughly translated as ‘of the world’ and ‘not of the world,’ more or less corresponding to Western ideas of profane and sacred (Ames, 1964). Similarly, the ultimate goal of Buddhism is Nirvana – that is, the state of nonexistence when one is finally free from the cycle of rebirth and the inevitable suffering it brings (Ames, 1964). A closely related concept of ‘pin’ or merit means a step forward in one’s progress toward nirvana (Southwold, 1978). Based on that, one may be tempted to decide that Buddhism is inherently similar to Abrahamic religions because it is also concerned with largely the same issue of obtaining salvation by addressing otherworldly matters.
On the other hand, there are marked differences between Buddhism and the traditional European understanding of religion. For example, the term ‘agama’ refers to the beliefs and practices concerned with lokottara matters (Southwold, 1978). Based on that, it might be tempting to equate it with ‘religion,’ but Southwold (1978) cautions against it. According to him, these two are not equivalent, which is most evident in the Buddhist treatment of gods. In the classical European understanding of religion, it is dominated by the concern for godlike beings (Southwold, 1978). Buddhism recognizes the existence of gods, and people who proclaim themselves to be Buddhists participate in rituals to gain divine favor. However, they note that these rituals are intended to produce worldly results, therefore, relating to laukika rather than lokottara (Southwold, 1978). Insofar as Buddhists are concerned, veneration of gods has nothing to do with agama, and confusing the latter with the traditional European understanding of religion would be plainly wrong. While Buddhism recognizes the existence of gods, they are still subjected to the rebirth cycle and have not reached nirvana, which makes them largely irrelevant in the Buddhist worldview.
This distinction allows the author to develop his central point and posit that scholars should not attempt to provide strict and unbending definitions of religion. His main argument is that people should view religion as a polythetic rather than a monothetic phenomenon. A monothetic class describes a group of phenomena that have a “set… of attributes which is common to all of them” (Southwold, 1978, p. 369). A polythetic class, though, refers to a common set of qualities, each of which is present in at least one member of the group, but not all group members possess all the qualities (Southwold, 1978). According to him, approaching religion as a polythetic phenomenon ultimately yields a better understanding thereof.
To summarize, the author uses the example of Buddhism to argue for a broader and looser definition of religion on the grounds it would be a more operable one. Regardless of whether one agrees with this perspective, there is definitely something to get out of reading and processing the article. The most important outcome is the fact that it provokes the reader to think more intently about a workable definition of religion and base it on a broader set of real-life examples than those coming from one’s immediate cultural surroundings.
The paradox that Ames sees as tied into Buddhist ideas of salvation is its achievement only by passing into a state of Nirvana. However, the existing world is filled with boredom and vices, in conditions of which it is impossible to approach the state of bliss (Ames, 2022). Thus, the paradox is that in order to achieve Nirvana, it is necessary to know bliss, to achieve which it is necessary to approach Nirvana. At the same time, the earthly world and continuous rebirths are not conducive to this, since people are too far from enlightenment, so salvation seems almost impossible.
I agree with the arguments of Ames and believe that it is really difficult for a person to achieve salvation if they are not a clergyman. An ordinary person is attached to things, feelings, ideas and people, therefore, most likely, they will endlessly go through rebirth without approaching salvation.
I actually liked the movie for many reasons: firstly, it is the plot and the happy ending that gave me strength after watching. The most important aspect that attracted me to this film was the authentic depiction of the traditions of old Ceylon and the excellent atmosphere of the festival (TRACKS, 2020). The film serves to show the viewer the vivid contrasts that exist both specifically in Buddhism and in any religion. For example, the film demonstrates Buddhism focuses around peace, love and tranquility. However, at the same time, even in this religion there are punishing forces that contradict the general concept of peacefulness, which is reflected in the film.
I think the happy ending of the film is not a coincidence; the fact that the son is found has a symbolic meaning. It seems to me that a successful outcome is part of the karmic path that a family goes through. This is a consequence of the previous deeds of the heroes, and incidents in the current incarnation, which contribute to the accumulation of positive energy.
The leading “Social Change and the Deities” helps inform and clarify aspects of the film. For example, the origin of the ritual of walking on hot coals at the festival can be traced in it. While studying the concept of Naraka, the mentioning of “hell of great heat” can be found (Obeyesekere, 1977). Those who “cut off the roots of the good” fall there; it is hot and there is molten iron underfoot (Obeyesekere, 1977). Most likely, by becoming participants in the action during one’s lifetime, one can work out their karma.
The Christian Greek fire walkers perform this ritual as proof of the existence of higher powers and the importance of the fortress of faith. This ritual is used for practical concern: fire walkers demonstrate that if faith is strong enough, the Almighty will protect even from burns (National Geographic, n.d.). The villagers of Landagas in Greece on the holidays of St. Constantine and St. Helena dance on glowing coals, clutching icons with images of these saints to their chests. It is believed that icons make them invulnerable to the action of fire, and protect them from burns. In the article on the Card game fire walkers, several parallels can be traced. First of all, this is the religious background of the rite associated with achieving inner enlightenment through strengthening faith. Moreover, during the ritual people prove the strength of their faith and unite among themselves; these aspects of fire walking are common to both Greek Christians and Kartagama fire walkers.
References
Ames, M. M. (2022). Magical-animism and Buddhism. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Both Judaism and Buddhism are religions with a rich history and an impressive global following. There are distinct differences between certain beliefs, aspects, traditions, and rituals that illustrate the contrast between Judaism and Buddhism. However, specific philosophical dogmas and ideas are similar in both teachings of the two religions. While Judaism and Buddhism have similarities and differences, it is essential to acknowledge the two doctrines’ major historical, social, and religious influence worldwide.
Judaism
Judaism is a monotheistic religion practiced by religious Jews. According to researchers, Judaism is the oldest religion, established around four millenniums ago (Goodman, 2019). There are multiple forms in which individuals practice it. According to Lebens (2020), some of the most significant branches are orthodoxy, conservatism, and Reform Judaism. Orthodox Jews are more traditional and strict regarding Halakha (Jewish religious laws). This is why they have set rules regarding:
Clothing (Tzitzit for men, modest dresses and covered hair for women)
Physical contact (no touching people of the opposite sex outside of marriage)
Food (separating meat from dairy)
Shabbat (no activities unless a life-threatening situation requires implication)
Reform Judaism is a much more modern take on religion. Ethics and moral aspects are much more prevalent for this particular denomination than ceremonies. Reform Jews believe the sacred texts do not need a literal interpretation. Moreover, since modern science contradicts specific scriptural texts, they should be interpreted as metaphors rather than direct instructions. If reform Judaism is on one side of the spectrum and orthodox Judaism is on the other one, conservative Jews are in the center. Conservatives still honor the preserved traditions and concepts from the past while being more modern in terms of allowing females to become rabbis, driving during the Sabbath, and having both males and females sitting alongside during services.
Ancestry
Honoring ancestors and traditions regarding mourning the dead is crucial to most religions, including Judaism. For example, most Jewish holidays involve prayer for the deceased parents/relatives. Moreover, after a member of a prior generation passes, the mourners honor them by grieving for 12 months in which no Jewish holidays are celebrated. Another tradition involves reading Kaddish, a prayer cited during the anniversary that correlates with the death of a parent.
Salvation
Salvation in Judaism is illustrated as redemption in a destructive state of a person’s human nature. Salvation in Judaism does not correlate with the sole belief in God but instead having an individual morality that, by definition, does not allow a person to engage in immoral behavior. Moreover, this term refers to God as the being that saves Israelites from various exiles. This being said, salvation holds a rather individualistic tone, meaning each person is responsible for living a righteous life to receive redemption.
Forgiveness
The notion of forgiveness in Judaism is linked to responsibility and individual duty. To receive forgiveness, the offender must seek it. The victim decides whether forgiveness has to be granted or not based on the actions committed by the offender and the subsequent actions to erase the evil deeds. Since Judaism is based on humans having free will and the opportunity to make choices, the act of giving or denying someone of forgiveness is based on the personal views of the offended party. However, making amends involves having an inner dialogue regarding the wrongs committed, asking for forgiveness, saying prayers, and reading the Torah for answers and guidance.
Afterlife
In Judaic scriptures, the dead go to Sheol. However, Sheol is more of a description of emptiness than a place where life goes on. Hell is not a concept that was present in Judaism for a long time. However, it appeared in later works alongside the idea of heaven. No set belief system directly describes what happens after the physical death. Some orthodox Jews believe the body will be resurrected, forbidding creation or autopsies. Others believe death is the end, and each person has only one life that should be experienced based on the guidance from sacred texts.
Daily Religious Practices
Orthodox Jews are particularly strict when it comes to daily religious practices. Some traditions include the daily study of the Torah, following kosher dietary rules, praying three times a day, etc. Conservative and Reform Judaism are less strict about ceremonial practices, and each individual decides which ones to engage in.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion derived from the belief in Buddha’s teachings. According to researchers, Buddhism originated in India and subsequently spread all over China and other countries in Asia (Van, 2019). The general dogmas are based on the notions of the existence of suffering, the cause of suffering being cravings and attachments, nirvana being the end of suffering, and achieving nirvana being possible through righteousness.
Ancestry
Buddhists honor ancestors through rituals and meditation. The service involves pouring water on plants as a symbol of purity and nature. Moreover, Buddhists believe in caring for people who came on earth before them. This means Buddhists have a strong relationship with seniors and elderly parents and relatives. For example, Obon is one of the most important holidays in Buddhism when people honor family ancestors.
Salvation
Nirvana and salvation are two intermingled concepts in Buddhism. Nirvana is salvation from suffering, and it can be achieved through studying the teachings of Buddha. Salvation, however, is not something granted by a higher power. Karma allows rebirth, which is a form of salvation. Moreover, entitlement leads to nirvana, another form of salvation from sorrow and suffering, a general aspect of the physical world.
Forgiveness
Compassion and forgiveness are some of the critical dogmas perpetuated throughout Buddhism teachings. The notion of forgiveness is something that is not only crucial but also an essential key to ending suffering. Buddhists believe that granting forgiveness brings balance and harmony into one’s life and existence, and it has to be done in a way that the person asking for it should not feel guilty about what has been done.
Afterlife/Daily Practices
Buddhists do not believe in heaven or hell, yet the afterlife is a continuation in a different form. Reincarnation is the rebirth and the new beginning, interconnected with how the person acted in the previous life. This highlights the importance of having positive karma, which may depend on certain daily rituals practiced by Buddhists. These include mediation, chanting, and mantras.
Similarities/Differences
The main difference between Buddhism and Judaism is that Judaism is a monotheistic religion, while Buddhism is not based on the notion of a supreme God. However, both religions support a set of fundamental prohibitions that are considered harmful such as murder, sexual misconduct, dishonesty, and stealing. Moreover, there are appealing points in regards to both Judaism and Buddhism. For example, Judaism is unique regarding detailed and scrutinized daily activities. Judaism is, in a way, a symbiotic concept that is both a lifestyle and a religion. Buddhism, on the other hand, is considered the only atheistic religion (Sponberg, 2021). Rather than directing faith towards a God, Buddhists individually deal with internal problems.
References
Goodman, M. (2019). History of Judaism. Princeton University Press.
Lebens, S. (2020). The principles of Judaism. Oxford University Press.
Sponberg, A. (2021). Meditation in Fa-Hsiang Buddhism. Traditions of Meditation in Chinese Buddhism, 15-44. University of Hawaii Press. Web.
Van, V. H. (2019). Comparative Buddhism in India, China, Vietnam and the spirit of localization in Vietnamese Buddhism. International Journal of Recent Scientific Research, 10(6), 33114-33120. Web.
Buddhism religion was founded by Gautama Buddha, who was one of the teachers of the religion. Buddha’s life gets perceived as necessary to those who want to be Buddhist and seek enlightenment.1 However, his teachings and demonstration of his messages have gone beyond his personal life. Buddhism religion and teachings were founded around the 6th-century b.c.2 Although Buddha is considered the founder of Buddhism, there are many other deities the religion recognizes.
Buddhism is known for consisting of various deities with unique attributes. These include Shakyamuni, known as the historical Buddha, Amitabha, the Buddha of infinite Light, and Siddhartha Gautama. The principal teachings of the religion are on enlightenment which is thought to be attained through a life of self-deprivation.3 The enlightenment teachings focus on the doctrine of dependent origination, which emphasizes humankind’s changing consciousness. As a result, the teaching informs followers of the futility of life by attempting to make them see how clinging to anything is inviting disaster. Besides, it also teaches Nirvana as the pathway to eternal life.4 This is because Buddhists believe Nirvana to be the highest level of happiness and salvation.
To a Buddhist, attaining Nirvana is the highest practice level because it’s the key to eternal life. Salvation by Buddhism, therefore, recognizes a place of no consciousness to self and thereby renders it infinite. Salvation is a concept shared by the Christian religion. However, there are differences in dynamics. Salvation in the Christian context is attained by those who believe in the Son, and they get to have eternal life.5 It also teaches that faith is the precondition to eternal life. Moreover, Christianity points out hell, which is meant for the non-believers. In contrast, Buddhism only teaches salvation without punishment for the non-followers, and faith is not necessary for attaining it.6 Thus, Buddhism and Christianity are a world apart not only in their doctrine of salvation but also in God, the supreme being.
Christianity is evident in the existence of one supreme being who is the creator of the heavens and the earth (Monotheism). But conversely, Buddhism is a religion mired with many gods without a clear view of who the gods are the creator (polytheism).7 Furthermore, Christianity was founded by the supreme God, whereas Buddhism has man as its founder.8 Christianity teachings are anchored upon the Love of God through the trinity, providence, salvation, and provision.9 In contrast, Buddhism teaching revolves around enlightenment through self-deprivation.10 More fundamentally, Buddhism illustrates negative attitudes towards the present life and existence.11 On the other hand, Christianity emphasizes the importance of the present life through its doctrine of reward and punishment in the afterlife for the right or wrong deeds in the present life.12 The battle for followers and believers in Buddhism and Christianity respectively wages on, the precursor being an introduction to the faith through salvation.
So, you meet a Buddhist, show them that we as Christians meditate on the laws of God just as they too meditate. Talk of suffering and point out how Buddha never healed, but Jesus is a healer in Christianity. More importantly, relate to them about the need for Sanga, the importance of gathering and fellowship. The objective is to connect to the Buddhism religion, and we are all created in the image of God, also relate the common-sense concept to common grace by which salvation is made possible. By relating to the Buddhist on self and suffering and how we experience salvation through Jesus Christ. The communication should involve compassion and love to develop their seeking attitude towards Jesus Christ as the savior. I have never witnessed a Buddhist.
Bibliography
Corduan, Winfred. “Buddhism.” Chap. 10 in Neighboring Faiths: A Christian Introduction to World Religions. 2nd ed. InterVarsity Press Academic, 2012.
Miles, Todd. “Universalism, Hell, and Conditional Immorality.” Chap. 3 in A God of Many Understanding?: The Gospel and a Theology of Religions. Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2010.
Footnotes
Winfred Corduan, “Buddhism,” Chap. 10 in Neighboring Faiths: A Christian Introduction to World Religions, 2nd ed. (InterVarsity Press Academic, 2012), 2.
Ibid., 2.
Ibid., 5.
Ibid., 6.
Todd Miles, “Universalism, Hell, and Conditional Immorality,” Chap. 3 in A God of Many Understanding?: The Gospel and a Theology of Religions (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2010), 9.
Ibid., 2.
Winfred Corduan, “Buddhism,” Chap. 10 in Neighboring Faiths: A Christian Introduction to World Religions,2nd ed. (InterVarsity Press Academic, 2012), 5.
Ibid., 2.
Todd Miles, “Universalism, Hell, and Conditional Immorality,” Chap. 3 in A God of Many Understanding?: The Gospel and a Theology of Religions (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2010), 12.
Winfred Corduan, “Buddhism,” Chap. 10 in Neighboring Faiths: A Christian Introduction to World Religions, 2nd ed. (InterVarsity Press Academic, 2012), 5.
Ibid., 30.
Todd Miles, “Universalism, Hell, and Conditional Immorality,” Chap. 3 in A God of Many Understanding?: The Gospel and a Theology of Religions (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2010), 2.
Arguably, meditation is the most misunderstood part of the Buddhist faith (Rahula 7; Wilson 57). For some people, the practice is an escape from daily duties and a mental journey into a mysterious universe where people are in a state of trance, or absorbed in some mystic society, cut off from the rest of the world. Others believe meditation is a posture that Buddhists adopt when praying, while in some quarters, some communities perceive it to be some form of “medicine” because specific studies have shown that it could lead to positive outcomes in the treatment and management of several ailments such as high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression (Wright 135; Olpin and Hesson 318).
Meditation has a strong religious origin in the sense that some religious figures have often advocated for its use as a technique for improving human wellbeing (Raz and Lifshitz 423). For example, ancient Buddhist texts often encouraged their followers to adopt it as a way of increasing their mental, spiritual, and physical awareness (McMahan and Braun 87). Thus, the practice has been a commonly celebrated part of the religion’s heritage. Generations of mainstream Buddhists have also preserved the tradition through teacher-student interactions with few or no modifications to the technique. Nonetheless, these misconceptions about meditation have distorted the concept, such that some people partake in the practice as if they are engaging in a technical routine of bodily actions (Rahula 7). This paper argues that these connotations are misguided because meditation (in the Buddhist faith) strives to improve mental development and promote the development of a sound mind by cleansing it of impurities and disturbances. This view hinges on the idea that meditation helps people to pacify their minds and thoughts. One way that faith teaches its followers to do so is to relax their minds and thoughts.
Relaxation and Calmness of the Mind
One of the key roles of meditation in the Buddhist faith is the relaxation of the mind and the improvement of mental alertness (Rinpoche 17). Calmness is often a desirable outcome in certain types of meditative practices that aim to induce a relaxed mind. For example, certain types of meditation in the Buddhist faith, such as Theravada and Mahayana, help Buddhists to relax the mind by emphasizing on calmness (Ido and Kozhevnikov 4).
Several empirical studies linking calmness and meditation practices exist. Most of them were developed during the 1970s and 1980s through various investigations, such as Benson’s studies of the 1980s (Ido and Kozhevnikov 4). Since then, researchers have completed dozens of studies to explain how certain Buddhist meditation practices could induce calmness and relaxation of the mind for brief periods of 20 minutes or less (Fröding and Osika 96). Most of these studies have highlighted this benefit through “mindfulness meditation.” Additionally, other Buddhist studies have described the same phenomenon through Zen Concentration and Vipassana as well (Conze 26).
Shamatha is another concept practiced in Buddhist teachings, which shows the need for relaxation and calmness of the mind (Ido and Kozhevnikov 3). The link between the concept and peace emerges in the following text associated with Shamatha,
May the waves of coarse and subtle thoughts subside on their own, and the placid river of mind gently comes to rest, far removed from the disturbance of both laxity and dullness, may the ocean of calm abiding remain steady and unperturbed. (Ido and Kozhevnikov 3)
The text above shows a metaphoric representation of the need for calmness and relaxation using ocean waves and rivers. The ocean movements signify people’s subtle and disturbing thoughts, while the placid river represents how thoughts flow in their minds. The calmness of the ocean and the resting of the placid river are indications of peace and relaxation. Through the process, laxity and dullness disappear in a larger symbolic representation of a tranquil mind.
Other Buddhist terms and concepts that show the religion’s emphasis on relaxation and calmness (through meditation) include Zhi and Nay (Ido and Kozhevnikov 3). Zhi is a common concept in the Buddhist faith, which means peace or tranquility, while Nay means to rest well. The concepts show that peace, tranquility, and resting are key tenets of meditation (Fröding and Osika 96).
Helps Followers to Become Sentient and Enlightened Beings
Several Buddhist monks use meditation to teach their followers about the importance of being mentally aware of their surroundings and lives (Wilson 34-35). This principle often stems from the observation that most people fail to notice what is going in their lives because they operate from a robotic pattern of mindless behavior. Consequently, they become unaware of what is going on around them or in their minds. The concept of Zen meditation strives to solve this problem because it allows practitioners to “switch off” the autopilot reasoning that controls their minds to allow them to see their surroundings better (Conze 26). This way, they could experience each moment of their lives differently. Such an outcome only suffices when they dismiss their thoughts, fears, and hopes, which often prevent them from living their lives differently. This Buddhist philosophy helps practitioners to “become one” with their lives and daily actions. Consequently, they become aware of their surroundings through the five senses of touch, sight, hearing, smelling, and tasting. For example, when a Zen practitioner is eating, there should be nothing else going on in his mind besides the act of consuming the food itself (Conze 26). From this example, we see that meditative teachings are often not limited to spiritual enlightenment alone because they also advocate for gaining knowledge about life, the mind, and the body.
The issues highlighted above show that through mental enlightenment, meditation helps to unclog the mind and promote a sense of soundness (McMahan and Braun 87). The basis of this view stems from the understanding that thoughts are a natural process of the mind. Therefore, they should not be adulterated, rejected, dismissed, or ignored. Thus, thinking is a natural process that Buddhists are encouraged to embrace. Particularly, they are taught to allow discursive thoughts to thrive through mental awareness (McMahan and Braun 87). Therefore, the process happens in a way that people’s worries, anxiety, hopes, and fears do not clog thought processes, or cloud what they should be experiencing at any given moment. These practices strive to improve mental development and promote soundness of the mind by cleansing it of impurities and disturbances.
Other studies have also demonstrated that cleansing the mind of impurities also involves some level of increasing the mental insight of practitioners. Indeed, meditation in the Buddhist faith is also associated with a strong sense of mental awareness. Here, Conze clarifies that mental awareness is separate from the decision-making part of the brain; instead, it emerges within the context of mindfulness where people are more conscious and aware of their mental states and how they relate with the environment (26). Several Buddhist texts relate the concept of Citta to the mind (Wright 135; Olpin and Hesson 318). Citta often means “the mind of the heart” because it supports the emotional appeal of human actions, as opposed to the logical reasoning behind them. Generally, meditation helps people to become aware of their entrenched mental habits that could be blocking their prosperity (McMahan and Braun 87). In this regard, it strives to improve mental development and promote soundness of the mind by cleansing it of impurities and disturbances. By doing so, it helps practitioners become sentient and enlightened beings.
Inspire Focus and Promote a Detachment from Worldly Pleasures and Desires
Buddhist teachings often encourage their followers to meditate because the practice would help them to have a strong mental focus. The focus is synonymously associated with “concentration” as a virtue of the faith. Concentration pairs with four others: faith, vigor, mindfulness, and wisdom (Conze 27). The goal of promoting a strong sense of mental focus is to help practitioners to have the ability to be mindful of what they are doing without being distracted. In other words, it equips practitioners with the ability to focus on one thing and avoid the mental clutter that would prevent them from achieving the best results in their actions (Olpin and Hesson 318). Through the mental focus, the mind and the body adopt a natural sense of relaxation. In other words, the two elements of life settle to a natural balance (Olpin and Hesson 318). This homeostasis allows the practitioners to be open to new perspectives and new ways of thinking
Mental Stability is often a product of the process. It is commonly associated with concentration meditation because the stillness and calmness associated with meditation often lead to mental stability. Here, the concept of Samatha comes into sharp focus because it signifies the stillness of the mind. It also helps to prevent swinging mental thoughts, which could distract followers from what they should be doing (Wilson 34-36). Mindfulness of the body is at the center of this process.
In this analysis, the concept of the “body” signifies people’s blood and flesh (Wilson 120). Some aspects of Buddhist meditation draw attention to the weaknesses of the body. Therefore, they encourage followers to rise above their feelings through a higher quest for wisdom. Here, the concept of feelings is not a cocktail of emotions, but three environmental stimuli that affect people’s mental energy: positive feelings, neutral feelings, and negative feelings (Wright 124). Therefore, meditation helps practitioners to ignore the negative feelings and embrace the positive ones. For example, ignoring lustful emotions is common teaching in Buddhist philosophy (Wright 124). This characteristic of the faith’s teachings is an example of how it enables its followers to be mindful of their bodies.
At the gist of this fact is the understanding that people’s outer limits are related to their inner cores. Therefore, Buddhism emphasizes the need to take care of the body and be mindful of it (Wright 124). Understanding human limitations and being cognizant of the body’s weaknesses is commonly highlighted in Buddhist texts as a step towards improving human wisdom (Wilson 120). The concept of Tampa embodies this philosophy (Wilson 120). Based on these findings, meditation strives to improve mental development and promote a sound mind by cleansing it of impurities and disturbances. Buddhist teachings help to achieve this objective using the technique to instill focus among its followers and encourage them to detach from worldly pleasures and desires.
Teaching People to be Loving and Kind
The Buddhist faith also encourages people to meditate as a way of promoting good human virtues among its followers. In other words, the practice helps believers to be loving and kind people (Wright 185). It also teaches them to be compassionate towards other people and understanding of the same. Different kinds of meditation techniques help to nurture these virtues. Metta meditation is one of them and it is among the most important types of meditation in the faith. According to Harrison (a social researcher), Buddha himself was a staunch practitioner of the “loving-kindness” meditation technique (7).
Excerpts of Harrison’s work also show that, during meditation, Buddha would first focus on his breath and later reflect on the importance of loving and kindness (7). He often looked at monks and villagers and imagined showering them with love and kindness. Lastly, he would set out to help the community (Harrison 7). Most meditation techniques in Buddhism espouse the same principles because they teach people the value of being a loving, kind, and compassionate person (Harrison 7). In fact, this aspect of meditation is one of the most notable ones in the faith because it is outward-oriented, in the sense that it teaches people how to relate to others. Four sublime states of the mind and human actions moderate such relationships: equanimity (Upekkha), friendliness (Metta), compassion (Caruna), and joy (Mudita) (Harrison 7).
Of all the four states described above, Buddhist studies encourage practitioners to learn Metta first because it is the foundation of most human relationships (Harrison 7). In other words, through Metta, people develop warm feelings towards one another. Conventional religious teachings presuppose that friendliness would lead to compassion (Karuna) (Harrison 7). The basic assumption underlying this metamorphosis is that during the process of transition, people develop heightened levels of empathy towards one another. At the same time, conventional wisdom dictates that practitioners would be happy for people’s success and compassion for their suffering as well. Harrison says the outcome of the process is appreciative of joy, which allows people to harbor feelings of kindness and love towards one another (7). Based on these insights, one of the main purposes of meditation in the Buddhist faith is to allow its followers to develop feelings of love, kindness, and compassion for all human beings.
Therefore, the findings presented in this paper show that Buddhist meditation is not involved in transporting people to a supernatural world; instead, it focuses on promoting mental development and the development of a sound mind. Faith considers the body and the mind to be one. Therefore, its principal goal is to avoid the duality of human actions because many people often consider the mind and the body to be different. Through the findings highlighted in this paper, meditation emerges as a practice in the Buddhist faith that allows practitioners to take control of their minds and promote its soundness. The goal is to make the faithful experience peace and focus on their thoughts. It is also meant to make the mediator become more aware of his body and surroundings. This way, Buddhists who mediate prevent their minds from running around aimlessly because they enjoy focused thoughts. In other words, they benefit from having a still and sound mind.
Conclusion
Based on the insights gathered in this study, the importance of meditation in the Buddhist faith is centered on four benefits. The first one is the power to help people become removed or detached from worldly pleasures and desires. This way, they gain a sense of tranquility and mindfulness that would allow them to accomplish clairvoyance. The second benefit of meditation is the abolition of negative emotions that would ordinarily lead to “mental clogging.” This way, practitioners can allow enough room in their minds for wisdom to prevail. The third benefit of meditation is the development of desirable human virtues such as love, patience, kindness, and compassion, which are essential for the development of peaceful human societies. Lastly, meditation helps people to become sentient and enlightened beings. These benefits are integral in the promotion of wholesome human attributes that could eventually help practitioners to cleanse their minds of impurities and disturbances. Concisely, the evidence presented in this report reinforces the view that the Buddhist faith strives to improve people’s mental state and promote the development of a sound mind by cleansing it of impurities and disturbances.
Works Cited
Conze, Edward. Buddhist Meditation. Routledge, 2013.
Fröding, Barbro, and Walter Osika. Neuroenhancement: How Mental Training and Meditation Can Promote Epistemic Virtue. Springer, 2015.
Harrison, Paul. Journey to the Buddha within you. The Daily Meditation, 2017.
Ido, Amihai, and Maria Kozhevnikov. “The Influence of Buddhist Meditation Traditions on the Autonomic System and Attention.” BioMed Research International, vol. 1, no. 1, 2015, pp. 1-14.
McMahan, David, and Erik Braun. Meditation, Buddhism, and Science. Oxford University Press, 2017.
Olpin, Michael, and Margie Hesson. Stress Management for Life: A Research-Based Experiential Approach. Cengage Learning, 2012.
Rahula, Walpola. What the Buddha Taught. Oneworld Publications, 2014.
Raz, Amir, and Michael Lifshitz. Hypnosis and Meditation: Towards an Integrative Science of Conscious Planes. Oxford University Press, 2016.
Rinpoche, Mipham. Gateway to Knowledge. Rangjung Yeshe Publications, 1997.
Wilson, Jeff. Mindful America: Meditation and the Mutual Transformation of Buddhism and American Culture. OUP USA, 2013.
Wright, Robert. Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment. Simon and Schuster, 2017.