South Korean people in general are known to be very religious, “They are practical people, they have tried different ways to reach a fundamental korean ideal: a sense of harmony and balance of everything”(PBS, www.pbs.org). It is because of that practicality that there is no dominant religion in south korea since there seem to be many religions to choose from. That was not always the case, however, since in the beginning of South Korean religion it seemed that a majority of the South Korean population followed a religion known as shamanism which dealt with the belief that spirits, both good and bad, exist in the world. Since that time many new religions were introduced by other cultures that came to live in south korea and many more are just starting to appear. Of all of the religions that South Koreans seem to practice there seem to be three that seem to be the most dominant ones in the country. The three main religions in the country are Buddhism, Christianity and Confucianism. In this section of the paper we will discuss each of these religions' history as well as how the internet has affected them.
Buddhism is considered to be one of the oldest religions that is still being practiced today. It spans many decades and it does not seem to be weakening at all. Buddhism was founded by a man named Siddhartha Guatama Buddha who was born in 563 B.C.E. Siddhartha was born into a rich family and studied under many religious teachers but did not seem to find any of the answers that he was looking for. He tried everything that his teachers told him to do such as meditation and fasting but none it seemed to work for him. Finally, he seemed to discover what was known as the way of moderation or the middle path which is an honest way of l...
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...nt and trash on other religions. Although it sounds like religion has embraced the internet in reality it really hasn't since according to Susan George's article “Religions in the 21st century” must religions don't fully embrace the internet yet since they feel that in order for someone to experience the true benefits of religion one must have contact with other followers in person because the internet lacks the “human” element of religion.
In closing, South Koreans are very practical people that follow many different religions, each having its own belief. What was once a country that mostly followed just one religion and killed anyone who chose to belief something else, South Korea is now a place where you don't have to worry about what religion you follow. Everyone has their beliefs and thanks to the internet they can be closer to their religion than ever before.
Clark, Donald N. "1. The Story of the Korean People." Culture and Customs of Korea. Santa
Buddhism is a religion that was created after Buddha, whose real name is Siddharta Gautama. According to an introductory article on Buddhism by Stanford University, it is estimated that Buddha was born “around 490 B.C.E in the foothills of the Himalayas” (Introduction to Buddhism, 2007). Although, nobody is able to accurately pinpoint the origins of Buddhism as a religion, many believe that it originated in the Northern parts of India.
In addition, the leader’s death was around two decades ago, yet there are over 500 statues of him (Bristow). It is remarkable that North Korea’s life and culture are different from South Korea’s. Bristow writes about these cultural differences between the isolated North and allows the reader to compare and contrast with the developed South. It is true that status symbolizes respect and honor for their past leaders, but North Korea’s massive erection of statues – coupled with the belief that the leader is still alive today – is an uncommon idea that is rooted in an isolated and repressive country. In terms of religion, North Koreans believe in Buddhism and Confucianism, whereas South Koreans believe in Buddhism and Christianity. The differences show that both of these countries stand on the opposite sides of the religious pole. North Korea favors a religion that is widely held by the Chinese, while South Korea embodies a religion that is expressed by the West. Confucianism, at its most basic principles, includes a leader ruling over its people, whereas Christianity pushes for individuals in a society to make important decisions. While
Buddhism descend from ancient India, the creator is Sakyamuni. Historically, the Buddhism is established around the 700 Before Christ era. Sakyamuni gives speeches to the local people. Gradually, Buddhism is spread to all around the world. As author illustrates in his writings," The history of Buddhism spans almost 2,500 years from its origin in India wi...
In the world, there are five major world religions, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. In the past few classes, I have been exposed to and absorbed a tremendous amount of information on the religion of Buddhism. According to the dictionary, Buddhism is a religion of which originated in India, was founded by the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, and teaches that life is full of suffering caused by desire and that the way to end this suffering is through enlightenment that enables one to halt the endless sequence of births and deaths to which one is otherwise subject. Buddhism is a way of finding peace within oneself. It is a religion that helps it’s believers to find the happiness and contentment us humans seek. One thing I found
Buddhism is one of the oldest religions in the world, which began in India. The origin of Buddhism is traced back to the experience of single man, Siddhartha Gautama, later known as the Buddha. Born around 563 B.C.E., legend follows that Siddhartha was the son of a prince in a kingdom near the border of what is now India and Nepal. As such, he was sheltered from the world and lived a life of luxury and comfort. (Molloy 124) However, at age 29 Siddhartha left the royal grounds and witnessed the suffering of ordinary life for the first time. What he saw deeply affected him and caused him to question everything in his materialistic life. Siddhartha made the decision to give up his possessions and embark on a search for enlightenment, an event known as the Great Going Forth. (Molloy 125)
Buddhism is currently the fourth most popular religion in our society today, following Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. Its major ideologies are based on the philosophies of Siddhartha Guatama, also known as “Buddha”, who began his teachings in 598 BCE at the age of 35, according to Buddhist texts. A Buddhist’s foremost aspiration is the obtainment of Bodhi, or enlightenment through meditation and Anapana-sati (awareness of the breath). Buddhism shares many ideologies with India’s Hinduism and Yoga such as non-harming, non-violence, and self-awareness. In many instances, people regard Buddhism as a way of life rather than a religion, for it has no clear belief in the idea of a God or Gods. Its structure is built upon a hierarchy much like Christianity where superior orders such as Lamas or the Dalai Lama are said to be chosen by nature through the process of reincarnation rather than by a council like Christianity’s Pope. Though these “higher level” Buddhists are rare (not everyone is a reincarnation of an ancient Buddhist “priest”), all are permitted to follow “The Middle Way” either as a Buddhist monk or the simple attendance of a weekly teaching session from time to time. Throughout the last few hundred years the Buddhist population has blossomed into a healthy 381,611,000 and over fifteen different sects including Zen, Mahayana, and Theravada.
Korea is considered one of very few homogenous cultures within the world. With the exception of a population of about 20,000 Chinese immigrants located mostly in the city of Seoul, people of both North and South Korea identify as ethnically Korean, all sharing a common language and culture, with a slight sense of regionalism between different parts of the peninsula. (Soh, 2006) The people of the Korean peninsula either call themselves Korean or Choson. The names used to identify themselves come from the two longest lasting dynasties in their history, the Koryo dynasty, which ran from 935 to 1392, and the Choson dynasty, which lasted from 1392 to 1910. (Seth, 2011)
Buddhism prevailed as a religion indigenous to west India and comprises of varieties of traditions, beliefs and practices based on the teachings of Buddha. There are many reasons why Buddhism became so popular and entered into many civilizations. Buddhism began to be popular throughout Asia alongside India. Buddhism has blossomed in the contemporary world, especially in the West. It is an issue to wonder what Buddhism offers that other religions cannot and has become so significant worldwide. Buddhism has become an idea that is widespread and the teachings of Buddha have made a real difference in many civilizations like India, China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and surprisingly Buddhism has come to make a significant difference in American culture.
“Buddhism is the oldest worldwide religion. It is known to be a religion, a philosophy and a way of life.” The main idea, foundation and fundamentals of Buddhism were born 2,500 years ago in the foothills of India. Siddhartha Gautama was born into a royal family and raised as a prince in the Gupta period. He was always confined to the palace and was sheltered from the real world. As time went on, Siddhartha wanted to find out the meaning of life and his experiences through his journey created the practice of Buddhism. His first teaching as a Buddha was based on the doctrine of the four noble truths and along with the principle of the middle way, the eight fold path. Through oral tra...
The most fascinating aspect in Korean history prior to the 1500’s is the introduction and influence of Buddhism. Although Buddhism was introduced into the Korean society in early years, it was not accepted until many years later. After acceptance, Korean Buddhism began to grow, develop and spread throughout the country. With Buddhism, came many distinctive aspects. These very distinctive Buddhist characteristics have influenced Korean culture throughout the different time periods in many ways such as art, architecture, spiritual civilization, and Korean society as a whole.
America is a melting pot of culture and race. Thus, bringing many different types of religious faiths to today’s society. Whether the beliefs are ancient, new, reconstructed or if people have no faith at all, it is all in America. It is difficult to scrutinize one religion without it concerning another. All religions have diverse beliefs ranging from; the belief of...
Communist North Korea continues to be an underdeveloped country while South Korea continues to prosper in all areas such as technology, and agriculture. These two countries have vast differences with their political and government views. North Korea at one point was influenced by the Soviet Union but no longer. However, North Korea continues to be influenced by and receive aid from China. South Korea continues to be influenced by the United States of America. North Korea is governed and controlled by a dictatorship, which has complete control over media and social
Religion usually plays a big part in the cultures of the world and is the basis for their beliefs and values. In many countries religion is very important, so important that some cultures use it in every aspect of their lives. China l...
Buddhism is unlike any other religion I learned about throughout my time in this class. There is no god in Buddhism and Buddhist do not worship any supernatural being. Buddhism is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. His teachings, the Dharma, are a guide to follow to reach ultimate liberation. Understanding the four noble truths and following the noble eightfold path would lead to nirvana. As with any religion there are a few different types of Buddhism such as Theravada, Mahayana, and modern day Buddhist. Starting in Asia, Buddhism has spread to the west and all over the world. I hope to convey my thoughts on Buddhism’s past, present and future.