Buddhism Essay Example For Students

Buddhism Essay BuddhismFor over 2000 years Buddhism has existed as an organized religion. Byreligion we mean that it has a concept of the profane, the sacred, andapproaches to the sacred. It has been established in India, China, Japan andother eastern cultures for almost 2000 years and has gained a strong foothold inNorth America and Europe in the past few centuries. However, one might ask;what fate would Buddhism face had Siddartha Guatama been born in modern times;or more specifically in modern day North America? Would his new foundenlightenment be accepted now as it was thousands of years ago? Would it beshunned by society as another cult movement? What conflicts or similaritieswould it find with modern science; physics in particular? The answers to thesequestions are the aim of this paper, as well as a deeper understanding of modernBuddhism. The Pure Land is based on the story about the heavenly Buddha, Amitabha. HE lives in the celestial region or area known as the Pure Land. The text describes a place that is rich, fertile and heavenly. It is inhabited only by gods and men, not by ghosts or demons. Admission into such a place is rebirth and once there you are considered to be in a state of nirvana. Zen is the place that teaches skepticism about ordinary language and mocks attempts to explain truth rationally. This tradition has brought this insight and beliefs to China. One of the main ideas of Zen id that we all are and can be Buddha, but it is a matter of us convincing ourselves that we are not. We do this by becoming attached to the pleasures of this world and the diversity of objects we think that we see. But we also fool ourselves by thinking that we need to escape the world that we know. Zen says that we have to rely on ourselves to know what is true in this world. The truth lies within, for only there can we awaken to reality that there is no distinction between ourselves and the rest of reality. (Burtt,12)Zen uses strict meditation. You are proposed a question, and sit there and ponder. This is to try to eliminate analytical thinking. It is sometimes said that Zen does not use any philosophy or scripture, but this is just to the Buddha himself. It is an inner-self medit ation. It confounds rational thought. The difference with Zen and many other religions is that once one is enlightened he would not withdraw from the world, but he would go on with the same daily routine. As in every religion there is a story of creation. In Buddhist beliefs this story is called the Shinto. There are many things that the Buddhist culture holds sacred. The atheistic religion does not believe that there is a central role for a personal god or gods. They focus on personal deities who have a small role in the final transformation. Buddhism claims that gods have no role to play in human liberation, any more than any other person or spirit. Each person must find his or her own destiny and final path to spiritual redemption. Buddhism, like Jainism, is atheistic in a functional rather than a theoretical sense. Theoretical atheism denies that gods exist. Functional atheism is not concerned about the question of the existence of gods; it only knows whether they exist or not, they are irrelevant to human destiny. (Carter,253)As many other religions Buddhists practice many holidays and religious ceremonies. They are very in depth, but this is a very serious part of their everyday life. There are few religious festivals in Buddhism that are observed by all buddhists at the same time. This is due partially to the nature of Buddhisms historical development and partially to the impact of the regions and countries Buddhism entered. On the one hand, because of the differences in the structure of belief among Theravada Mahayana and Vajrayana and among the different schools of Mahayana, there is no one event or person who is understood in the same manner, and thus worshipped in the same manner. So although all forms of Buddhism celebrate the Buddhas life, they do so at different times. Of course, all monasteries have a day celebrating their founding. On the other hand, different countries have celebrations commemorating when Buddhism entered their country. Or, th ey may celebrate the reign of a particular dynasty. Or, when Buddhism entered the country, it may have taken over a festival from the indigenous religion. So, with all these different reasons for establishing a religious holiday, it becomes clear why so few holidays are celebrated throughout Buddhism. The following discussion will mention just a few holidays, organized by the three divisions of Buddhism. (Prebish, 98)The main festivals of Theravada Buddhism are Buddha Day and observances linked to the rain retreat of the monsoon season. Buddha Day is often called Visakha Puja because it occurs on the full-moon day of the month of Visakha (April-May). It celebrates the Buddhas birth, his attainment of enlightenment, and his death, which Theravadans believe miraculously occured on the same day. The lay people gather at a monastery to hear the telling of the story of the Buddhas life, wash the sacred Buddha images, observe the Five Precepts, and the reliquary.(Carter, 91)With regard to the rainy season retreat, which the monks observe from July to October, Theravada has a small celebration at the beginning of the rains when the monks traditionally enter retreat. This is called Magha Puja because it occurs on the full-moon of the month of Magha. It consists primarily of listening to a sermon by a monk minister. In countries where it is customary for young men to enter the sangha as their rite of passage into adulthood, it usually happens on this day. The Rain Retreat usually ends with the Kathina ceremony, where the laity give the monks robes and other needed items, and the monks read certain sutras for the benefit of the deceased. (Niwano, 205-209)In Thailand, a Theravadan country, Chakri Day in April commemorates the founding of the current dynasty. Many acts of worship are woven into the days observances; indeed, the famous Emerald Buddha statue of Bangkok plays a key role in the ceremonies, receiving homage from the Emperor. World Issues EssayIn Mahayana Buddhism, the important action of Buddhas Day is the washing of the Buddhas images. Celebrated in China, Korea and Japan on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, the main focus of this celebration from the sanghas perspective is the Buddhas attainment of enlightenment. Mahayana Buddhism, especially in China, celebrates the life of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin: her birthday is the in the second month, her enlightenment the sixth month, and her entry into nirvana of the ninth month. (Niwano, 210) All of these days are the nineteenth. This is a special number. The Buddhist religion has many new and different things, to me. It is a whole new experience. Their beliefs are something that I personally would never practice, but I know that these are the beliefs that these people have grown up with. I know that they would most likely go to a Baptist church and think that the singing and dancing that we do is completely sinful. After all, dancing is practically as sinful as murder to them. It is on their list of sins. I respect this religion, as I do all religions. Religion Essays