Buddhism As A Path To Enlightenment

Buddhism As A Path To Enlightenment Buddhism is not about God or Gods, it does not supply a theory about what may happen in the afterlife, nor does it express views about creation; it is based in the world of daily living. Most religions have deep theoretical foundations they are built upon, and most people within such religions have faith that the theory is true. Buddhism does not address theories; it does not agree or disagree with any religion, but rather acknowledges religion as a means to live in a positive manner. Buddhism is about enlightening the person, regaining the compassion and wisdom inside, thus resulting in freedom from suffering. Buddhism is about living a life of peaceful serenity. Originating in a region near India over two-thousand years ago, Buddhism is becoming a religion that is revered and practiced worldwide. Buddhist spirituality is viewed as something from within, an innate goodness in all humans that has been lost can now be found through practice and meditation. Buddhists must motivate themselves, and rely on their own efforts, not those of a charismatic leader. If followers of the Buddha began to revere the man, they would become distracted from their task impeding spiritual progress. Mark W. Muesse, a professor of religious studies, reveals, Buddhist spirituality promotes a form of life that provides an antidote to the stresses of modern living. As a counterpoint to the haste and hurry, the noise and confusion of this world, Buddhism prescribes a life of quietness and tranquility, a life of contemplation and gentle awareness. (Muesse, 2002). Buddhists may have come from a variety of religions; for example, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, and Atheism. To find true wisdom and compassion is to see the world as it really is, and live life without being the center of the whole. To be s uccessful, Buddhism teaches a person to actively practice, and work to channel the mindset of self-centeredness into one of compassion. Buddhism originated in India around the sixth or fourth centuries BCE, and is based on the teachings of also referred to as the Buddha. (Muesse, 2002). Siddharthas journey to find truth, spirituality, and learn how to solve the problems of suffering, led him to extensive meditations. Over a period of about seven years, he endured exhaustion and starvation while experimenting with various meditations searching for enlightenment, but made no progress. On the verge of death due to fatigue, he finally rested, had a nutritious meal, and then decided to meditate again until he found the answer to suffering. As the sky began to lighten following day, he too felt illuminated, happy, and relieved; after seven years of searching, Siddhartha reached the state of enlightenment. He then realized that in order to become enlightened, he must keep himself healthy so his mind would be fit. He set forth to teach others, regardless of caste, his enlightenment, the method of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Siddhartha traveled from city to city teaching the importance of not losing ones self by allowing passions to consume, but rather exis t without indulging in selfish cravings, leaving one free to be happy. (Simpkins Simpkins, 2000). (Armstrong, 2001). The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism and the Eightfold Path are the starting points for all Buddhist variations. This doctrine is Buddhas (Siddharthas) diagnosis and prescription for treating human suffering and finding true happiness. (Simpkins Simpkins, 2000). Noble Truth one: Life Is Suffering. Birth is suffering, illness is suffering, aging is suffering, and death is suffering. When a person looks at life realistically, it is full of fleeting happiness followed by inevitable sorrow, the years go by faster, and faster, it is a no-exit path to death. Even when things seem to be at their best, it is not completely satisfying. People have come to want more and more from life and that is the core of the problem, egocentric desire. This is Buddhas diagnosis. (Simpkins Simpkins, 2000). Noble Truth two: The Root of Suffering. Egocentric desires are the root of suffering; the selfish grasping after pleasures and evasion of pain. Self-centered yearnings can never truly be fulfilled, leaving behind feelings of irritation, frustration, and even anger. Anger is one of the main reasons for causing distress to others; it also will cause suffering within. People constantly engage in actions that cause anguish, either directly or indirectly. (Simpkins Simpkins, 2000). Noble Truth three: You Can End Suffering. Knowing that going beyond suffering is possible through internal transformation is the point of this truth. Suffering and the causes of suffering are dependant on a persons state of mind, therefore, by changing the way one perceives the world mentally, also changes the amount of suffering incurred. (Simpkins Simpkins, 2000). Noble Truth four: The Eightfold Path. This is the prescription, a means to find freedom from suffering. People can end their suffering and dilemmas by controlling the body and mind in a positive manner to help others instead of doing them harm, and by creating mental wisdom. Once this renewal is complete, a person can enjoy the state of Nirvana, free of problems. This is the path leading to the mental transformation, and cessation of suffering. The Eightfold Path is a guide meant to help people work out their difficulties, become liberated from suffering, and come across happiness. Right Views is the first step on this path to discover happiness. Once a person understands what is wrong and becomes familiarized with the transformation process, gaining the knowledge of what will need to be accomplished in order to achieve success, they will be pointed in the right direction. Right Intention is the second step. A person has to feel this is really what they want to do, and be willing to maintain this commitment along their journey. Dedication to this endeavor is necessary to become successful. The third step is Right Speech, meaning a person needs to listen to what is said, how it was said, and why it was said. Curbing the use of negative intonations, and derogatory remarks will contribute to the positivity inside instead of nourishing the negativity inside. Awareness and self-examination can help a person communicate in a more positive, harmonious way. Right Conduct is the fourth step, encouraging a person to be aware of their motives, as well as their conduct. Upon self-observation, a person may become aware of unconscious actions that incur negativity. Then reflect on those negative actions, discover the motivation, and work towards positive actions. The fifth step on the path to enlightenment is Right Livelihood. Most people spend the majority of their lives working; find inner peace in a positive occupation. A person working in a negative environment acquires negative feelings. These negative feelings can become overwhelming, and then aimed in the direction of others, in turn causing suffering. Right Effort is the sixth step. By exerting positive effort, a person will begin to notice positive changes within their life. Right effort also means to pace ones self; do not over examine every word said or action taken, as this can become disturbing over a short period of time. The seventh step is Right Tho ught. This step lends confidence in taming the mind. Thoughts, feelings, and sensations are erratic, and short-lived. Simpkins explained this simply, The concrete sense people have of themselves is merely a series of experiences that seem to blend together into one. In reality, the ego is nothing more than this series of experiences. (Simpkins Simpkins, 2000, p.56). Right Concentration is the final step on the Eightfold Path to enlightenment. In this step, a person pulls together the skills learned from each of the previous steps and places them into the practice of meditation. Meditation, concentrated awareness, allows a person to see through the illusions, seeing the world as it really is, a direct perception. (Simpkins Simpkins, 2000). All religions incorporate meditations in with their faith in one form or another; such as prayer, reciting mantras, all the way to induced states wherein visions are seen, gibberish is spoken in the language of tongues, or voices are heard, which are usually the deities, spirits, or other supernatural beings for that particular religion. Buddhist meditations are different. Francis Story points out, The Christian who has seen Jesus, or the Hindu who has conversed with Bhagavan Krishna may be quite satisfied that he has fulfilled the purpose of his religious life, but the Buddhist who sees a vision of the Buddha knows by that very fact that he has only succeeded in objectifying a concept in his own mind. (Story, 1995-2010). Buddhists embrace two distinct types of meditation: dhyana, meditation that clears the mind, and prajna, meditation that fills the mind. Usually these two meditations are performed together. Several variations of Buddhist meditations exist today, some methods are fo r developing mindfulness and concentration, yet others focus on breathing and visualizations. Meditation enhances awareness, and by being aware, one becomes wise. Meditation also calms the mind, allowing a person to feel at ease while reflecting upon life with positive focus. The discipline that Buddhist meditations establishes in a person can be applied to life situations; it teaches clear thinking without bias, and concentration so the mind will be able focus intently on any given situation. Buddhism is a religion based on real life without theorizing about things that can never be solidified. It is a religion that holds no bias toward any other religion, nor do many other religions hold a bias for Buddhism. The doctrines within Buddhism urges the need for humanity to become humane again, to let go of selfish desires, negative intentions, and be thoughtful of all. Experiences, and a persons reactions to them, create the ambience of the path of life a person leads. Buddhism is the embodiment of peaceful existence in a world that has become wrought with despair and suffering.

An Valuable Experience Essay

It started off like any other morning for me when I woke up from the bed. It was totally different from others. I was very hungry and decided to have breakfast before school. When I approach the dining room, I saw my parents was sitting there and kept smiling at me. As soon as I sat down, there was a big surprise for me. â€Å"Happy Birthday, Jacky†, said my parents as they handed me a beautiful wrapped present. I was extremely curious and I opened the present hurriedly. Wow! It was an expensive cell phone, Iphone 5. I was over the moon because I had wanted the cell phone so much since it published last month. After having my light breakfast, I drove to school as usual. When I reached my classroom, my classmates shouted at me and wished me happy birthday. I was very happy as they sent their greeting to me. John, my best friend since primary school hugged me and kissed my forehead as his â€Å"present† to me. When I put down my bag, I quickly showed him my new cell phone. He was fascinated when he saw my amazing cell phone. In fact, he was in love with that cell phone and both of us love it. We investigated the functions of this new cell phone until the bell rang and soon the lessons stared. I immediately hid the cell phone because cell phone is contraband in school. After three hours, it was recess time. The first thing I would do was going to the washroom. After that, I would go to the canteen to fill up my empty stomach. After having my fabulous meal, I went back to the classroom. When I reach my seat, I realized that my cell phone was not in my pocket. My cell phone was missing! I looked up and down for my cell phone frantically but I could not find it. I started to think carefully where I had put the cell phone. I recognized that I had given it to John before going out from the classroom. Or maybe I miss it in the toilet but it is impossible. It must be John who had stolen my cell phone and I was sure for it. I darted to the canteen to look for John who was eating banana. â€Å"John, there you are! Give me back my cell phone!† I yelled at him. John did not know what had happened and shouted that he did not take my cell phone. However, I did not believe him and kept accusing him that he had stolen my cell phone. I was getting impatient and my voice was getting louder. â€Å"Hey John, I thought that we are best friend but now I know that you are just a liar, a thief! If you admire my cell phone, just tell me and I can lend it to you. You should not steal it as that is my present from my parents. You know how toilful my parents work for buying me this present? I will never trust you again! Never! † I shouted on top of my voice in front of the other students. After a couple of minutes, the bell rang again and we went back to the classroom. The whole day we did not talk to each other. I even changed my seat with the other friend. I was really upset and angry at John for being dishonest to me. After I had reached home, I took my bath. I was still thinking of my cell phone and I did not have any appetite to take my lunch. I did not know how I was going to tell my parents about the missing of the cell phone. I decided to finish my homework before my parents come back. When I opened my bag and took out my book, I was shocked. To my surprise, it was my cell phone, dropped deeply inside my bag. I knew that I had misunderstood John. I felt sorry for him and I made up my mind to apologize to him. I took up my phone and called John. â€Å"John, can we meet at Starbuck for a while? I had something important going to tell you.† John did not answered me and cut the call. I was very worried that time and I believed that John will come to meet me. Therefore, I quickly go out to the Starbuck coffee shop afterward. Thirty minutes later, I saw John walking toward me, but he did not even look at me. I knew that he was still angry with me. He took a seat next to me immediately. After we ordered our coffee, I started to begin my apologize. â€Å"John, about just now†¦ erm†¦ I am truly sorry. I did not search for my cell phone carefully and misunderstood you. I should not shout and yell at you rudely. It is my entire fault. Sorry for everything. Can you forgive me?† I said solemnly. â€Å"Jacky, of course I will forgive you, we are best friend right/. However, to express your sincere, you must pay for my ordered coffee.† Said John. We smiled at each other. After this incident, I realize that John is always my best friend. I learnt that we should trust our friends and not to misunderstood them without investigating properly. As the saying goes, â€Å"Look before you leap†.

Apa Style Essay Samples Tips & Guide

Apa Style Essay Samples Tips & Guide The Apa Style Essay Samples Trap If you buy a glance at APA style reflective essay example you are going to realize that its structure is just the very same with the one described above. Only the regions of the major body should have headings! The body is the principal portion of your essay. APA format wasn't created to produce the practice of academic writing stressful. You could also see completely free outline. You might also see course outline. Making an APA outline is the very first matter to do in developing a structure on what is going to be written in the paper and the way it's written. The more information you may gather about the subject, the better prepared you'll be for writing your essay. You have to consider thoroughly what you're likely to reflect in the essay. Once you get your completed essay, make certain you tell all your friends what a wonderful service it is and what's the perfect place to purchase cheap essays. The way the topic affected you'll play a huge part in the way you will write your essay. If you are able to locate an essay linked to your subject, you can rewrite it to hasten the procedure. The very first step is to choose an exciting topic for the upcoming essay. The topic you select should have tons of information for you to utilize in your essay. There are several good persuasive essay topics to select from. You may consider the way the simple APA requirements are satisfied in APA Essay sample. The APA style essay format isn't difficult to learn. If you choose to make APA style reflective essay, keep in mind there are strict rules you should follow. Writing your very first APA format essay can be a bit intimidating at first, but learning a number of the basic rules of APA style can provide help. In conclusion, it looks like assignment essays continue to get a prominent part in tertiary education as an assessment tool. Keep decent track of all deadlines and be sure that you get your scholarship packet becomes sent off well in advance so that it isn't late. In an academe, plagiarism is an extremely significant offense that could sometimes lead to expulsion. If you receive a subject that you aren't acquainted with, then select a topic that sparks an interest to you. As a consequence the topic is completely your choice. Persuasive essay topics don't always need to be of a significa nt nature, you can write about things which are connected in your life. You might even wish to consider employing a controversial topic like religion since it can be considered from a number of diverse perspectives. As technology advances, individuals are pressured to adopt distinctive lifestyles. When you're selecting an essay topic, it is necessary to select one which has a lot of information and statistics to strengthen your perspective, and don't exaggerate any info which you've chosen to write about. On occasion a great illustration of what you're attempting to achieve is well worth a 1000 words of advice! Ideally, you wish to pick a subject that's specific enough to let you fully research and learn more about the topic, but not so specific that you have a difficult time finding sources of information. You may use the samples as a foundation for working out how to write in the appropriate style. Just set the code FPE15OFF in the purchase form to have the discount, and request the completely free add-ons which you require. Although there are scores of varieties of works you might need to format in a reference list, the most often encountered works to cite will probably be articles publis hed in journals. Reviewing some narrative essay examples will be able to help you to organize your information and help you decide how to compose each paragraph to acquire the best outcomes. There's several helpful guidelines you may use to boost your paper and facilitate your writing process. Besides ensuring that you cite your sources properly and present information based on the rules of APA style, there are a lot of things you can do in order to make the writing process just a little bit simpler. Other than that, it is a little detail that will force you to look like you truly know your stuff. There's a lot that you want to be aware of when writing papers on the APA format style.

Hysteria And Its Effects On Society - 1545 Words

Hysteria, as stated by Dinwiddie, has been traced back to the Hippocratic School of medicine, perhaps even as far back as ancient Egypt. Hysteria is when psychological conflict is turned into physical symptoms, such as when a patient complains of symptoms for which no clear physical cause. Somatization disorder has often been linked with hysteria in the same ways that hypochondriasis has, however these two diseases are not the same. In the past hypochondriasis was thought to be a somatization disorder, but has since been re-classified as an anxiety disorder by the DSM-IV (Ehrlich, 2013). A somatization disorder is a chronic condition in which a person has physical symptoms involving multiple body parts that have no physical cause, it is currently one of the hardest diseases to diagnose. To be diagnosed with somatization disorder, a person must have four pain symptoms, two gastrointestinal symptoms, one sexual symptoms, and one psuedoneurological symptom (Medina). Diagnostic criteria states that a person must exhibit these symptoms for at least six months, however these symptoms do not have to occur throughout the entire duration. Along with these symptoms a diagnosis must adhere to one of the following. After investigation the symptoms cannot be fully explained by a medical condition, and when there is a related medical condition, the symptoms must exceed what is to be expected from laboratory findings (Dinwiddie, 2013). To understand what contributes to a diagnosis, oneShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Hysteria In The Crucible1489 Words   |  6 Pagesaccounted for. Hysteria is a major leader in past and present day society when it comes to how people act and think in different situations. The Crucible provides great examples with how hysteria can affect a group of people. Back in Salem, Massachusetts 1692, hysterics swept the town, creating storms of emotion. Everyone is wondering, what to do? What to think? In The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses the effects of ma ss hysteria to reveal his purpose of using it in his writing, how society at that timeRead MoreHysteria In The Crucible1474 Words   |  6 Pagess behavior and thoughts. Hysteria, uncontrollable emotion among groups, is a major leader in past and present day society when it comes to how people act and think in different situations. The Crucible provides great examples with how hysteria can affect a group of people. Back in Salem, Massachusetts 1692, hysterics swept the town, creating a storm of emotions. Everyone wondering, what to do? What to think? In The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses the effects of mass hysteria to reveal his purpose ofRead MoreExamples Of Hysteria In The Crucible1095 Words   |  5 Pages Hysteria is displayed by communities all over the world. It is an important factor in making and especially breaking relationships. 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