Essay on "Buddhism Is Distinct From Most Other Religions"
Essay 3 pages (1036 words) Sources: 3
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Buddhism is distinct from most other religions in that it does not hold with the idea of a personal God. Instead it concentrates on individual spiritual development and the search for enlightenment, based on the teachings and experience of Siddhartha Gautama, a sixth-century BCE royal prince turned wandering monk who confronted head on the question of human suffering. Many consider Buddhism a philosophy, not a religion, especially in the United States. Some people believe one can practice Buddhism and still be associated with another religion. There is no conflict because the focus is not on worship and service in the name of a deity, but mindfulness, compassion, and generosity, which can be practiced by anyone, including Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and Jews. Although studies show that most Americans actually know little about Buddhism -- less than one percent of Americans identify themselves as practitioners -- the religion holds positive associations for many. While there is nothing wrong with positive associations, they are based on what Americans think they know about Buddhism, rather than what they truly understand. Jeff Wilson, Associate Professor of religious and East Asian studies at Canada's Reinison University College, claims there is selectivism in the application of Buddhist ideas. He qualifies his statement by saying it is not necessarily a bad thing, since Buddhism is associated with kindness, peace and tranquility. Still, embracing Buddhism as Americans do also means there are some misconceptions.Buddhism was introduced in the United States by Asian immigrants who worked the California gold mines in the mid-nineteenth century. Books and artifacts brought to the West increased i
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The charisma of the current Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, has done much to engender favorable attitudes toward Buddhists who, according to recent polls, are less discriminated against than are Christians (Bailey). The Dalai Lama has appeared in a televised interview on 60 Minutes and met with a number of celebrities, including Richard Gere and Barbara Walters. This familiarity with the Dalai Lama may lead people to believe that they understand Buddhism better than they actually do. The popularity of selected elements of Buddhism in the west may actually hinder Buddhism's ability to liberate people fully from suffering if they never go further to discover the deeper nature (Wilson, 2011).
One aspect of Buddhism that may surprise many is meditation. Although it is widely considered a… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Buddhism Is Distinct From Most Other Religions" Assignment:
RELIGIOUS STUDIES Essay/Case Study Guidelines ***** ESSAY #2
Short Essay/Case Study: Minimum 650 words
Text: God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World--and Why Their Differences Matter by Stephen Prothero
A well-constructed essay will include a short Introduction to the topic, a Thesis statement or argument, and a short Conclusion. The majority of your essay should support and defend your thesis statement (argument). Please do not summarize the text, but rather, make a statement/argument and use the text to support your thesis. Assume the reader of your essay is familiar with the text already. You will write 2 short essays and 1 long essay. You may choose to use this short essay as a primer for the long essay. While the essays will have different content, you may try out ideas or arguments in this essay that you would like to explore later.
For this essay, choose any topic within the text(s) that you find interesting or provocative. Either use one of the prompts below, or come up with your own. It*****s OK to disagree with the author or philosopher you are writing about. The major goal of the essay is to show engagement with the text(s).
For each unit, choose one of the following topics:
Unit 6 ***** Buddhism
1. Buddha and the Bodhi tree. Buddhism is distinct from most other religions in that it does not hold with the idea of a personal God. Instead, it concentrates on individual spiritual development and the search for enlightenment, based on the teachings and experience of Siddhartha Gautama, a sixth-century BCE royal prince turned wandering monk who confronted head on the question of human suffering.
2. Schools of Buddhism. There are today an estimated 350 million Buddhists around the globe. They follow a variety of schools, all of them focused on the Buddha, but placing the emphasis on different aspects of his teaching. The original sangha or monastic community of Buddhists has evolved into a diverse body of faithful that encompasses both the traditional Theravada school, dominated by monks, and the broader Mahayana school, which spread out across Asia.
3. Buddhist wheel of life. Buddhists follow a number of daily practices in their various traditions, but there remains a core of shared concerns and aspirations, most notably liberation from the pain of samsara by achieving eternity in Nirvana. High on the list of trademark Buddhist rituals and disciplines are meditation and a series of colorful festivals, centered on the temple, that celebrate the wisdom of Buddha.
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How to Reference "Buddhism Is Distinct From Most Other Religions" Essay in a Bibliography
“Buddhism Is Distinct From Most Other Religions.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2013, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/buddhism-distinct-most/3276890. Accessed 29 Jun 2024.
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