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How has religion affected literature
How has religion affected literature
Essay on tibetan buddhisms
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What can we learn from the two Tibetan biographical texts (Korepa and Shungseb Jetsun) about how Tibetan Buddhists understand their religion?
Tibetan Buddhism is very distinct, both culturally and ideologically, from other forms of Buddhism and has adapted many of the pre-Buddhist Tibetan beliefs, such as, local deities and rituals into its religious, spiritual and cultural identity. The 13th century biography of Korepa (also known as Lorepa) and the 19/20th century biography of Shungseb Jetsun are both written by yogins (people who practice tantric yoga) . Despite the large chronological gap, both have lived very similar ascetic lives and have both used their lives and teaching to influence the understanding of Tibetan Buddhism to the general lay community but also the ideology and theology of Tibetan Buddhism. In this essay, I am going to evaluate what we can learn about the nature and beliefs of Tibetan Buddhism from the biographical accounts of the lives of yogins such as Korepa and Shungsep Jetsun and how this has influenced the knowledge of Tibetan Buddhists about the understanding of their religion.
In the biography of Shungsep Jetsun, her birth seems to compare to that of the Buddha’s, in the sense that it was miraculous and unusual events occurred such as in the delivery of Shungsep it was completely painless and there was a slight earth tremor and rain of flowers, and the child was said to have been born cross-legged with her arms crossed on her chest in a mudra (sacred hand gesture), also many heard her say, ‘Om mani padme hum’, which is the mantra (sacred chant) of Avalokiteshvara (the guardian deity of Tibet) . Also the miraculous nature of Shungsep Jetsun is showed when she is in the hell realms and is threatened...
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...ts that these events are a great place of spiritual importance for their defense against evil spirits.
In the biographical accounts, Shungsep is often given or performing ritual healings in times of illness or when she dies. The vase-like wind meditative practice is a common occurrence, such as when she drinks a bowl of poisoned milk, she practices the meditation of the vase-like wind to expel the milk from her body, and as a result it is riddled with snakes. Also Shungsep uses this ritual whilst saving her friend from drowning in the river by meditating ‘on the Vase-like wind and wishing that all sentient beings be freed from cyclic existence’ . These rituals used as forms of healing and in times of need again reinforce the mystical powers in which lamas poses and also encourages the use of these practices for in times of illness and also need.
In conclusion
Wu Zhao, the first female emperor of China, rose to power during the Tang Dynasty and her active role with Buddhism fabricated a perpetual impact in the Chinese society as a whole. There is no doubt that Buddhism and the Tang administration, under Wu’s reign, formed a symbiotic relationship with one another. She is considered to be one of the most prominent advocators of the religion during the era. Her efforts to spread of Buddhism and the monetary support help Buddhism to expand throughout the people significantly, which provide the religion another source of financial income to spread even further. Regardless of Empress Wu’s intention, she has furnished the religion in numerous ways, but what did she receive in return? This proposes the question: To what extent did Empress Wu’s support of Buddhism, politically and financially, help Wu and better her empire overall?
1 Geoff Childs Tibetan Diary From Birth to Death and Beyond in a Himalayan Valley of Nepal (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2004) 41.
Buddhism is a religion from the East that has spread to many different countries all over the world. It has spread to the West, and has had a great influence and impact, especially in America. However, the Buddhism that is practiced in the United States is not exactly the same as the one that is practiced in Asian countries. If Buddhism differs between the different traditions of the Asian countries themselves, it is obvious that it will differ greatly in America as well. However, even though there are obvious differences, it is important to maintain the core values and fundamental principles the same. This research explores how the three different types of Buddhist practitioners have adopted Buddhism in America, and it describes some differences
In a quote from the Dalai Lama he says, “My religion is very simply. My religion is kindness.” IN buddhism where the main goal is happiness, that quote seems to explain it all. The fact of the matter is, religion has been around since the beginning of mankind; religion gave people faith, structure, and a way of life. Without it people begin to lose their sense of direction and purpose. In today’s society there are over 4,200 religions, and they continue to aid people in their life and accommodate to their needs of self-knowledge. In comparison to Cao Dai, Eckankar and Jainism, Buddhism is a religion because of its similar beliefs, the way it's practiced, and its head figure.
At first glimpse, praises of heavenly musicians and monastic chanting experts seem to suggest that music plays an important role and has a wide range of applications in Buddhist traditions. But upon closer examination one would be aware that such a statement is over-generalized and requires careful redefining. Buddhist practices mostly involve singing, reciting, and chanting. Although reciting and chanting are allowed when complied with certain restrictions, singing is absolutely prohibited by Vinaya rules to be performed, taught, or watched by novices, monks, and nuns. Even Buddhist lay men and lay women are advised to guard themselves against musical entertainments. Respective discussions on Buddhist music or Vinaya rules are plentiful, yet few have observed the contradiction between them in which music, depending on its format, has been portrayed as a double-edged sword capable of facilitating or impeding religious practices. John Ross Carter (1983) came very close to this observation when he identified two strands within the Theravāda Buddhist tradition: “an old admonition about restraint of the senses and an appreciation for, a legitimization of, religious music.” But a textual analysis of the historical development of these “conflicting strands” has yet to be written. To fill this gap, this paper explores how music is viewed and positioned in early Buddhist literature, with a specific focus on its interpretation and practice in the Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist traditions.
Regarding the origins of Daoism is there is much scholarly debate. Hence, different sources provide diverse dates and have contrary opinions regarding the founder, Laozi, also translated as Lao Tsu. For instance, according to a translation of the Tao Te Ching, “Lao Tsu was an older contemporary of Confucius who lived during the six century BC.” (Tsu, 1972). Contrarily, in an Invitation to World Religions the account is that Laozi existed in the third century BC. (Brodd, Little, Nystrom, Platner, Sheck, & Stiles, 2013) Another, discrepancy arises concerning Laozi, many sources regard him as a historical figure, while other sources view the name, Laozi, as a title that pertained to several masters. (Brodd, et al., 2013). Furthermore, there is much debate regarding the authorship of the two most important Daoist doctrines the Daodejing (Tao-te Ching) and the Zhuangzi. Presently, the commonly held view among scholars is that the doctrines are a compilation of the works of several authors. (Wong, 2011). Daoism is a philosophy; therefore, the history is vague. Interestingly, in the Chinese language a distinction between a philosophy and a religious practice did not appear until the early 1900’s. (Toropov & Hansen, 2002).
Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy can have a substantial amount of unfamiliar terminology and specific meanings for words we think we know the definition to. In order to ensure comprehension and clarity a few terms need to be defined. Buddhism as a spiritual movement is the following of the teachings of a fifth century B.C. E. Indian spiritual leader named known as Siddhartha Gautama, Shakyamuni, or --in the case of this essay-- the Buddha. Tibetan Buddhism will be defined in a similar manner. Tibetan Buddhism is in the course of this essay will focus on one of the six schools of thought in the Tibetan Buddhist cannon. The “Oral Tradition” or the Kagyu School is the monastic linage that arrives in Kauai in the twentieth century.
Birth, Death, and Rebirth: Sky Burial and the Cyclical Cosmos of Tibetan Buddhism. n.d. University of Missouri. Web. 2014 February 2014.
Rinpoche, Samdhong. Uncompromising Truth for a Compromised World: Tibetan Buddhism in Today’s World; forward by 14th Dalai Lama. (Tibet: World Wisdom, 2006), 264.
Bibliography: Religious Persons and Traditions Buddhism- Plain and Simple
Rinpoche, Sogyal. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. New York, NY, USA: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc., 1993
When it comes to interpreting death, to those who practice Buddhism, death is not the last stage of life. In actuality, it is just the end of our body in our particular life on earth. Our life in the body that we were born in might have had ended, however, our spirit will go onto attaching itself unto a whole new body and create a whole new life inside of it. This new life will be based on your past in the bod you left behind. “Buddhists commonly believe that life and death are a part of a cycle known as samsara, in which one’s actions in this life and all previous incarnations of life lead to further reincarnation.”
The other source has been Puranas which are eighteen in number and contains information about the creation and dynasties of god, sages and kings and detailed description of yugas. All the sources are on the same footstep and no one has supremacy over the other.
Ultimate Goal of Buddhism In Buddhism, all Buddhists strive to live a life free from all desires. The central goal is to become enlightened just as the Buddha did. To achieve this enlightenment, the Buddha establishes teachings through his experiences while searching for the reality of suffering and how one can end it. Through the Buddha’s philosophies, all can reach the main goal of nirvana.
Tibet, with its isolated, harsh geographical location and history of political and social remoteness would seem an unlikely place to provide a “cradle for creative art” (Bailey 22). Yet it is in this desolate section of the world that one of the most intriguing artistic cultures has been cultivating over hundreds of centuries. One facet of what makes Tibetan art so unique and interesting is its interdependency on its religious beliefs.