A Reflection On The Buddha - 1471 Words

Likewise: â€Å"When the Buddha was about to pass away, Ananda and many other disciples wept. The Buddha said ‘Enough Ananda. Do not allow yourself to be troubled. Do not weep. Have I not already told you that it is in the very nature of things that they must pass away? We must be separated from all that is near and dear to us.’ The Buddha continued again: ‘I am not the first Buddha to come upon earth: nor shall I be the last. In due time, another Buddha will arise in this world, a Holy one, a Supremely Enlightened One, endowed with wisdom, in conduct auspicious, knowing the universe, an incomparable leader of men, a master of devas and men (angels and mortals). He will reveal to you the same Eternal Truths which I have taught you. He will proclaim a religious life, wholly perfect and pure; such as I now proclaim†¦Ã¢â‚¬  - Maha-Parinibbana Sutta (Last Days of the Buddha)http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html Guiding Factors Back in the day, in archaeology seminars, we would debate whether culture advanced by means of â€Å"technological determinism† or â€Å"social determinism†. In other words we examined which was the cause of human advancement. Did tools shape our bodies, vision, and our future? Or was it the evolution of society that was the primary causal factor? I would tease then, and maintain now, that if one could just look with objectivity a few years ahead of each advance, one would find the Dawn of a new Day, in an unfolding chain of spiritual, social andShow MoreRelatedA Reflection On The Jade Buddha Temple1547 Words   |  7 Pagesreligion that is interfaith. Through my interfaith visit, at the Jade Buddha Temple in Houston, Texas, I was able to learn about Buddhism. The Jade Buddha Temple is headquarters for the Texas Buddhist Association (brochure). It is located minutes away from Houston, China town. It was constructed in 1990. The same year, the Jade Buddha Temple had its Inaugural Ceremony on the second of June. The following year, the Jade Buddha Temple opened a two story Youth Activity Center (brochure). The YouthRead MoreAn Interview With Tashi Buddha And Tanya873 Words   |  4 PagesAn Interview with Tashi Buddha And Tanya Arya Tashi Buddha is an American Buddhist who lives in Clayton, NC. She is a worker for Corning and a student of Wayne Community college. Tanya Arya is a wife, a mother and a human resources for Pergo who lives in Henderson, NC. She is a devotee of the goddess sharada. Buddhism and Hinduism have a typical past, keeping in mind there are numerous comparable convictions between the two religions, there are pretty much the same number of contrasts between theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Light Of Reservation 1586 Words   |  7 PagesBuddha’s omniscience. And venerable NÄ gasena reply: â€Å"The omniscience of the Blessed One dependent on reflection. By reflection he knew whatever he wanted to know.† See actual discourse and how it also explains on the way the Buddha’s brain/mind work. The Book Introduction to the Science of Religion by F. Max Muller, explains the Buddha himself appeals only to what we should call the inner light. When the Buddha first preached the Four Noble Truths he said, â€Å"‘Mendicants, for attainment of these previouslyRead MoreChrist The Redeemer And Tian Tan Buddha Compassion1511 Words   |  7 PagesChrist the Redeemer and Tian tan Buddha compassion 1 Introduction 1.1 The purpose of this report is to compare two pieces of religious art, one being of Christian origin and the other being of one of the difference major world religions. 1.2 The report will analyse how artwork expresses religious and spiritual concepts, including enriching the spirt, imparting new meaning, and consolidation of faith with reference to historical and cultural context. 1.3 The topics of History, Authorship, AudienceRead MoreThe Orange County Buddhist Church Essay1698 Words   |  7 Pagesperson who is also referred to as Amida, the Buddha of Immeasurable Life and Light, after he accepted the truth of oneness and the interconnection all aspects have with one another (Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada 2015). Soon after, Shinran Shonin became a Buddhist monk and hoped to reach enlightenment as did Gautmama, but was unable to do so. Subsequently, he focused on a non-monastic life and Shinjin, a life of awakening and deep human reflection. Shinran’s tradition spread throughout JapanRead MoreBuddhism : Buddhism Vs. Christianity1247 Words   |  5 Pagesbelieves in either a God(s), a leader, or supernatural forces. Unlike Christians who believe in Jesus Christ, is the divine savior of God, who died upon the cross to save others from their sins, Buddhists believe in an enlightened man referred to as Buddha. Buddha is believed to have lived between circa 563 to 483 BCE and believed to have taught in northeastern India. Buddha’s teachings are based upon his life, and provide guidance and support to his followers. As Christians we partake in rituals thatRead MoreReflection Paper About Buddhism738 Words   |  3 Pages In this paper, I have chosen to consider the convictions of Buddhism, particularly on one of the most seasoned surviving branch of Buddhism, which is Theravada. In this reflection paper, I will examine how I attend at Buddhist religion, my essential learning of Buddhism, the manners of being in a sanctuary, what I know have shown me from a youthful age. Also, I will express my own sentiments, perspectives and individual experience particularly on Karma. Buddhism is an exceptionally spellbindingRead MoreThe Teachings Of Buddhism And Buddhism1665 Words   |  7 Pagesknown by many of his followers as Buddha. The name Buddha was used to mean the â€Å"Awakened One†(Yeh, 92). His definition among the natives of the Eastern Indian, which is where he started his philosophical teachings, emphasized that the only way that social beings could relieve themselves from the chains of ignorance was through understanding of the truth. As a result, everybody would be conscious of himself and their emotional sufferings would come to an end. Buddha developed his teachings on self-understandingRead MoreBuddhism : A Religion Of Peace And Non Violence1185 Words   |  5 PagesFrom the lavish beginnings in a wealthy kingdom nestled within the Himalayan foothills of Nepal, Siddhartha Gautama’s transformation into the Buddha and the start of Buddhism was based off of and due to confronting constant human suffering in everyday life. Abandoning his regal li fe in pursuit of spiritual insight, Siddhartha sought to understand the problem of human suffering and propose remedies, if any, to such a condition. Verses, lectures, and sutras transcribed in scriptures by Buddha’s followersRead MoreThe Four Noble Truths Of Buddhism760 Words   |  4 Pagessuccessful but even when we do succeed there is still a void that we are trying to fill. Buddha believed that this â€Å"craving† comes from not knowing yourself. Buddha also believed that karma and rebirth are closely linked to the second noble truth. The third noble truth puts an end to the suffering through practices that Buddha taught. This is where humans stop the never ending cycle to reaching for satisfaction. Buddha believed we can reach a state of enlightenment. When you are enlightened you find the

Civil War Was A Terrible Time For America - 1490 Words

Lindsey White Battle Analysis: Gettysburg CPT Herkimer MS3 As the deadliest conflict in American history, the United States Civil war was a terrible time for America. While it did produce great advancements in American military tactics, technologies, and medical knowledge and technology, it came at the cost of hundreds of thousands of American lives. With brother killing brother, the war was filled with terrible battles, but not many could say they as influential or deadly as Gettysburg. From July 1st to July 3rd of 1863, America witnessed one the bloodiest battles in American history. America was in the middle of its civil war, and General Robert E. Lee of the Confederate forces led his Army of Northern Virginia into the†¦show more content†¦On the morning of July 1st, two Confederate reconnaissance brigades were sent out to discover the movement of the opposing army. They would come across quickly laid out Union defenses on three different ridges north and west of the town. These opposing forces would begin to skirmish. The Union forces were an inferior cavalry division trying to hold out long enough for Union infantry to reinforce these barricades northwest of town as well as create time to secure strategic hills and sounder defensive positions south of the town. More and more divisions entered the fight, causing the initially small, insignificant skirmish to grow. The Union forces were greatly outnumbered by the Confederate forces as thirty thousa nd Confederate troops would eventually flank the eighteen Union troops north of Gettysburg and cause them to retreat back through town to their southern positions. The remaining hours of day one would consist of both armies moving the rest of their troops to the front line and prepare for the coming conflict. The second and deadliest day of the battle took place on July 2nd. The Union forces had set up their defenses on Cemetery Hill south of town, Cemetery Ridge extending further south from Cemetery Hill, and Culp’s Hill southeast of town directly east of Cemetery hill. This defensive Union

Political Poetry by Margaret Atwood Free Essays

â€Å"Backdrop addresses cowboy† by Margaret Atwood Creating a masterful poetic movement through the American mythos, Atwood skewers â€Å"manifest destiny† by embodying the voice of the Other, the discarded â€Å"I am. † Writing political poetry that artfully confronts dominant ideology – thus exposing the motivation and effects of misrepresentation – is a difficult challenge. The process can easily be derailed by temptations to write strident, overly didactic verse that elevates sentiment above nuance and craft. We will write a custom essay sample on Political Poetry by Margaret Atwood or any similar topic only for you Order Now While passion is certainly important, it is the poem itself that transforms political intent into a dynamic act of oppositional literature. To be effective as a statement, it must first be effective as a poem. In â€Å"Backdrop addresses cowboy,† Margaret Atwood delivers a scathing indictment of imperialist power that, through its elegant craft and conceptual framework, is also a breathtakingly vibrant poem. The core message, a potent denunciation of reckless power from the perspective of those who suffer its consequences, is simultaneously unequivocal and oblique. Though Atwood’s indictment is readily apparent, close reading reveals a brilliant poetic foundation comprised of nuanced language, double-meanings, and a metaphorical structure that satirically lambasts American exceptionalism by skewering the individualist ‘cowboy’ myth with imagery from its own construction. In short, Atwood’s poem succeeds as a political statement because she allows the demands of exceptional poetry to drive its articulation. From the outset, Atwood chooses language that economically expands the meaning of each phrase. For example, â€Å"Starspangled,† the poem’s first word, focuses a personification of ‘cowboy mentality’ into a subtle critique of nationalist manipulation. In addition, other connotations come to mind, like â€Å"starry-eyed,† or the gaudiness of â€Å"spangles. † Even elements internal to the American anthem apply: bombs bursting, a nation under siege, victory against all odds. Though speculative, a reading like this is supported by the poem’s representation of a cowboy who violently protects his own interests in an imagined landscape filled with heroes and villains. Regarded as a heroic figure by the myth of manifest destiny, he is conversely seen as a reckless tyrant by those who suffer the effects of his violence. The first stanza reveals a comic figure – â€Å"Starspangled cowboy† sauntering through his child-like fantasy while pulling a prop from the Hollywood simulacrum that supports his myth. Atwood complicates this image in the second stanza when she introduces violence to her â€Å"almost- /silly† characterization of the mythical â€Å"West. Using a line break to accentuate the transition, she plays the impact of a stand-alone line against the expanded meaning of its grammatical context. Isolated, line six (â€Å"you are innocent as a bathtub†) relates directly to the opening stanza’s child-like caricature, forming an aphoristic trope that is both interesting and oddly mundane. Accentuated by the break, the line’s reading adds dramatic nuance when its sentence unfolds into a broader meaning: â⠂¬Å"you are innocent as a bathtub / filled with bullets. Contrasting the ironic character of opposed readings (innocent and not-at-all-innocent) within the space of shared words, Atwood foreshadows an overall conceptual structure in which â€Å"backdrop† refers both to the simulacrum of Hollywood sets and to the genuine environment of a beleaguered world. Despite its obvious quantitative reference, â€Å"bathtub / filled with bullets† also infers a Hollywood cliche – the bullet-riddled bathtub – that reinforces a theme inherent to the myth: if you’re not ready to fight, they’ll get you when you’re vulnerable. An inference like this reflects back on the subtle statement of the earlier use of â€Å"starspangled†: a nation that imagines itself as besieged can use that camouflage as justification for militarism and imperialist expansion. Again, supported by the poem, these significations demonstrate a complicated structure that works internal logic to frame an effective (and damning) political statement. Oppositions and Conceptual Structure This is a poem about power and disenfranchisement. It employs oppositions as a conceptual device to turn manifest destiny on its head. Exploding the cowboy myth by use of its own imagery and overarching theme of heroes and villains, Atwood draws complex parallels to American exceptionalism, a black and white ideology that drains color from alternative perspectives. By use of satire, she effectively removes the shroud that justifies questionable actions as being both inevitable and heroic. As stated in the title, the voice of this poem is that of â€Å"backdrop† (i. . the environment of scenes portrayed by the myth and recontextualized by the poem) addressing â€Å"cowboy. † The expanding focus on â€Å"cowboy† and his violent milieu reaches a pivot in the fifth stanza when the Hollywood backdrop is fully exposed, and the speaker finally reveals herself. Using the word â€Å"ought† (implying mandatory obligation), she questions her expected role on the set (passive, â€Å"hands clasped / in admiration†) while asserting, â€Å"I am elsewhere. Spoken as â€Å"backdrop,† and expanded in the final stanzas, this statement implies a conceptual flip wherein â€Å"backdrop† becomes subject, inhabiting an environment desecrated by the reckless actions of a transient â€Å"cowboy†. Simulacra In the essay â€Å"Simulacra and Simulation,† philosopher Jean Baudrillard states, â€Å"The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth–it is the truth which conceals that there is none. The simulacrum is true. † While Baudrillard perhaps overstates his case, the point is clear: actions instigated and justified by myth play an undeniable role in shaping both material and social reality. Applying this concept to Atwood’s poem, manifest destiny can be seen acting as ‘truth’ in its own regard – concealing no truth, because instead it has replaced truth with artifice. Accordingly, â€Å"cowboy† becomes backdrop to the postmodern world from which Atwood addresses the genuine existence of other, more substantial truths conveniently denied by myth. The Alternative Power of Effective Verse As representation itself, replete with borrowed imagery and the detritus of experienced consequence, this poem enacts a self-reflexive reversal of the social forces it speaks against. With a vocabulary full of bullets, Atwood crafts a poem that stands the test of both ‘truth’ and time – yet does so peacefully, through an act of oppositional literature. Whether her poem is construed as feminist, environmentalist, post-colonial, or just-plain-political (from a Canadian perspective), its verity is affirmed by continued relevance. Written in the mid-seventies, it speaks just as powerfully in our current era. In terms of effective poetics, how good is that? How to cite Political Poetry by Margaret Atwood, Essay examples