Comparison of Philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche and the Dalai Lama

1019 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Relationship between science and religion

Science versus religion has always been a very controversial topic in this world and even more so in the United States. It seems that this topic in some way, shape, form, or fashion always finds its way into one's life through government, jobs, and most certainly in politics. When looking at the lives of two men who embody the two controversial ideals of science and religion one can look at the lives and views of His Holiness the Dalai Lama (views on compassion surrounding religion) and Friedrich Nietzsche (views on "Morality as Anti-Nature" surrounding science). Dalai Lama through his reading seems to establish the concept that compassion is a "guide for ethical behavior", while Nietzsche strives to develop the concept that "moral pronouncements by major religions are designed to stifle people's natural behaviors." .

His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso is the fourteenth Dalai Lama of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. As stated in the text:

He was selected Dalai Lama, which means "Ocean of Wisdom", when he was a young child because he was assumed to be the reincarnation of the thirteenth Dalai Lama...In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the Dalai Lama is considered a reincarnation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, sometimes known as Avalokiteshvara. A Bodhisattva is a Buddha, an enlightened one. (Jacobus 729)

The Dalai Lama was set apart from his peers at an early age, growing up in the teachings of the

Buddhist way, while knowing that eventually one day he would reign in this position and have this important power. Through the years the Dalai Lama has done many things in the way of improving country relations and advocating human rights to all people. The selection taken from Ethics for the New Millennium focuses on t...

... middle of paper ...

...ho compounded upon two great theories. Each holds fast to those theories and in essence, lives their lives according to those theories. Nietzsche's theory of living without whims and restrictions on the surface might seem ideal; however upon further observance his method is only a sure illustration for eventual chaos. Then on the other hand one views the concepts of the Dalai Lama. He views compassion and taking in the suffering of others as the total supreme of personal happiness. Yet, upon studying his concepts and principles even more so one might get the idea that giving of one completely to attain an unconditional love is basically an unrealistic principle in that it causes one to go mad mentally. However, one should try to find a balance between the two, as stated by Gerry Spence, "I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief."

Show More
Related

  • Compare and Contrast of Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Dawkins´s Points of View on Science and Religion

    1095 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The lack of conflict between science and religion arises from a lack of overlap between their respective domains of professional expertise—science in the empirical constitution of the universe, and religion in the search for proper ethical values and the spiritual meaning of our lives. The attainment of wisdom in a full life requires extensive attention to both domains—for a great book tells us that the truth can make us free and that we will live in optimal harmony with our fellows when we learn to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.”

    Read More

  • Dalai Lama Ethical Issues

    825 Words  | 2 Pages

    The teachings of buddhism, the Dalai Lama and the Temple Puja can all impact a Buddhist adherents on the ethical issues of the individual. The buddhist teachings consist of lists of rules that can be followed in order to live a peaceful and humble life, which nirvana can be met. Temple Puja are acts and ways the buddhist teaching can be applied to the life of Buddhist adherents. The Dalai Lama is a spiritual leader of the tibetan people who expand on the teachings of Buddhism worldwide. All these factors influences the decision making of challenging ethical issues of Buddhist adherents.

    Read More

  • When Is A Planet Not A Planet Summary

    594 Words  | 2 Pages

    This can take a turn for the worse: if scientists have to have their work follow what politics, religions, and people believe, we might limit what science stands for. Religion and politics should never have control over science, instead they should use science to help explain their own goals. Science should be used as a way to challenge old beliefs and help clear out fact from fiction. At the same time though, science should challenge itself so it can stay true to its main point of challenging old dogmas, as Carl Sagan said in his article.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Temple Puja

    1131 Words  | 3 Pages

    With guidance from principle beliefs and the XIVth Dalai Lama, Buddhist bioethics and the devotional practice of Temple Puja have an impact of high significance on individuals, and the Buddhist community in ultimately, guiding the life of the adherent to achieve total enlightenment. As the modern figurehead for Buddhism, the XIVth Dalai Lama has contributed to the formulation and reassessment of the Buddhist approach to ethical issues.

    Read More

  • Art Appreciation

    1488 Words  | 3 Pages

    Rathnasambhava, the Transcendent Buddha of the South and Madonna Enthroned are very similar images that were produced by very different cultures. Both images were produced during the 13th Century. The image of Rathnasambhava, the Transcendent Buddha of the South was produced in Tibet during an interesting period of the country’s religious history. The branch of Tibetan Buddhism is led by a religious and sometimes political leader called the Dalai Lama. It was during the 13th Century during the reign of Kublai Khan, around the time of the production of this painting, that Tibet experienced the first incarnation of the Dalai Lama. One has to wonder if this painting is somehow related to that occurrence. According to one source, the reincarnation system for the Living Buddhas is the main point distinguishing Tibetan Buddhism from other forms of Buddhism.

    Read More

  • Suffering In Buddhism In Stephen Prothero's God Is Not One

    775 Words  | 2 Pages

    In a world of suffering and pain the Dalai Lama said, “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive”. The Dalai Lama has become a figurehead for Buddhism worldwide for his compassion and warm smiles. Buddhism has extended beyond meditation and even monks such as the Dalai Lama. The basic concepts of compassion and mindfulness in Buddhism are being applied in the daily lives of lay people who need it the most.

    Read More

  • Comparing the Philosophy of Life in Christianity and Chinese Buddhism

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are many differences between Christianity and Buddhism, for instance: Christianity believes in that all things are created by God, while Buddhism denies the existence of the Creator ; Christianity holds that salvation will be obtained by faith, while Buddhism advocates to be free from world by wisdom . But fundamentally speaking , both Christianity and Buddhism (this paper mainly refers to Chinese Buddhism ) are philosophies to life. They answer the questions of where persons come from and go to , and inquire the nature of life. They demand people to do goodness and remove evils in actual life, so as to make life more meaningful. Both of there theoretical bases are ...

    Read More

  • The Ultimate Fulfillment in Man's Fate by Andre Malraux

    1517 Words  | 4 Pages

    An examination of Ch'en's past gives us an idea of how he formed his beliefs, and fell into a state of isolation.  At an early age, his parents were murdered in the pillage of Kalagan.  In addition, at age twenty-four, his uncle was taken hostage and killed because he couldn't afford the ransom, and with no wife or children he was severed from any attachment to a family. He was practically brought up by pastor Smithson, representative of the thousands of Christians that were present in Shanghai, who gave him his Christian education.  However, "[a]s he was devoid of charity, a religious calling could lead him only to contemplation or the inner life; but he hated contemplation and would only have dreamt of an apostleship, for which precisely his absence of charity disqualified him" (64).   Thus, he was u...

    Read More

  • Thich Nhat Hanh and Buddism

    2598 Words  | 6 Pages

    Nhat Hanh was born in the city of Quảng Ngãi in Central Vietnam in 1926. He was inspired to become a monk when he was seven. He saw the picture of the Buddha sitting on the grass with peace and a smile. He was impressed and had a desire to be like him. At first, his parents opposed his will because they believed that the life of a monk was difficult. When ordaining, Viemanese ordain for their entire life. He kept learning about it until the age of 16 when he had the permission of his parents to enter the monastery in Vietnam. He received training in both Zen and Mahayana.

    Read More

  • Science And Religion By John F. Haught

    894 Words  | 2 Pages

    Science and Religion dialogue has been a bitter-sweet topic for many people over the years. The controversy is not only common between one sole community, but affects a variety. The beliefs held about these topics has the potential to personally effect an individual, whether it be positively or negatively. In the United States, we draw only a fine line between religion and science, often failing to realize that the two benefit each other in copious ways but are not meant to interpreted in the same way. Due to this perspective, people seem to be influenced to pick one or the other, when in reality we should treat both science and religion with the same respect and recognize that they are completely separate from one another, along with having individual purposes. John F. Haught, a distinguished research professor at Georgetown University, published a book titled, “Science & Religion: From Conflict to Conversation”. In it he evaluates each side, persuading the reader that the truth is that both realms may benefit from each other despite the differences emphasized. John F. Haught introduces his audience with four approaches on Science and Religion. Haught’s third approach, contact, is of major significance to aid in the response of: “Does Science Rule out a Personal God?”

    Read More

  • An Analysis of J Michael Bishops Enemies Of Promise

    2411 Words  | 5 Pages

    One of the most visible critics of science today, and the progenitor of the anti-science sentiment is the religious community, specifically the conservative Christians. One can hardly read the newspaper without reading of one religious figurehead or another preaching on the "fallacy of science," pushing their own brand of "truth" on whoever would hear them. As Bishop writes "It is discouraging to think than more than a century after the publication of Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species (1859), and seventy years after the Scopes trial dramatized the issue, the same battles must still be fought."(256) And the loudest rallying cries to these battles can be heard issuing from the throats of the ranks of zealots and their hordes of followers.

    Read More

  • Buddhism and Science

    1899 Words  | 4 Pages

    Rinpoche, Samdhong. Uncompromising Truth for a Compromised World: Tibetan Buddhism in Today’s World; forward by 14th Dalai Lama. (Tibet: World Wisdom, 2006), 264.

    Read More

  • Buddhism : Buddhism And Buddhism

    1715 Words  | 4 Pages

    Siddhartha Gautama is famously known as Gautama Buddha and was the founder of the idea of Buddhism. The Buddha was known to possess supernatural powers and abilities. He was born in the holy land of Nepal and his journey began in India when he decided to travel and teach himself about life. In the midst of his journey, he discovered Buddhism after he experienced a profound realization of the nature of life, death and existence. Buddhism became a religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama and since then Buddhism has been popular throughout many civilizations. Buddhism is now one of the most ancient religions in the world, where people follow Buddha, which stand for “awakened one,” and Buddhism which has gained popularity because of the teachings of the Buddha.

    Read More

  • Religion In Sociology Essay

    1605 Words  | 4 Pages

    Are science and religion mutually exclusive? If not, how do they overlap? The relationship between science and religions has its magnificence and it’s like no other. The necessity of establishing and understanding this relationship is vital to our survival. Religion and science are complement elements to our society. The notion that religion and science should not be merged together, does not mean neglecting to understand the parallel relation between these two concepts and will result in a better understanding of our

    Read More

  • The Integration of Science and Religion

    3264 Words  | 7 Pages

    At first glance, many facets of science and religion seem to be in direct conflict with each other. Because of this, I have generally kept them confined to separate spheres in my life. I have always thought that science is based on reason and cold, hard facts and is, therefore, objective. New ideas have to be proven many times by different people to be accepted by the wider scientific community, data and observations are taken with extreme precision, and through journal publications and papers, scientists are held accountable for the accuracy and integrity of their work. All of these factors contributed to my view of science as objective and completely truthful. Religion, on the other hand, always seems fairly subjective. Each person has their own personal relationship with God, and even though people often worship as a larger community with common core beliefs, it is fine for one person’s understanding of the Bible and God to be different from another’s. Another reason that Christianity seems so subjective is that it is centered around God, but we cannot rationally prove that He actually exists (nor is obtaining this proof of great interest to most Christians). There are also more concrete clashes, such as Genesis versus the big bang theory, evolution versus creationism, and the finality of death versus the Resurrection that led me to separate science and religion in my life. Upon closer examination, though, many of these apparent differences between science and Christianity disappeared or could at least be reconciled. After studying them more in depth, science and Christianity both seem less rigid and inflexible. It is now clear that intertwined with the data, logic, and laws of scien...

    Read More

More about Comparison of Philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche and the Dalai Lama

Open Document