Amitābha Essays

  • Buddhism in Japan

    3770 Words  | 8 Pages

    “Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future; it transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity.” Albert Einstein (Buddhism) Buddhism has affected many people. From the Buddha’s first followers to my next door neighbor, people everywhere have followed the teachings of Buddhism

  • The Amida Buddha in Context

    744 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Amida Buddha in Context The Buddha was and is an important figure in several different cultures, and his influence has spread over large areas. Across these different cultures, many forms of art portrayed him in different ways. In Japan, one of the Buddha’s titles stood out as the “Amida Buddha.” The statue that this paper will be detailing portrays “Amida, the Buddha of Infinite Light” (“Amida”). The statue is located in the Dayton Art Institute’s Japanese Art Gallery 105 with the acquisition

  • Pure Land Buddhism Essay

    730 Words  | 2 Pages

    approach to Buddhism that has been flourishing with popularity, particularly in East Asia. The emphasis on the “other power” and devotion to Amitabha, allows Buddhist to be reborn into a heavenly region. In Pure Land, an individual mentally repeats the name Amitabha, to escape the cycle of rebirth in the six realms. Rebirth is seen as a gift given by Amitabha (Oxtoby et al. 223). Buddhists are reborn into Sukhavati, which allows for optimal circumstances in order for Buddhist to reach Nirvana (Reinke

  • Pure Land Buddhism In China

    1565 Words  | 4 Pages

    minds whilst they chant Amitabha’s name (Wuling, 2006:8). Wuling further explains how these objects all hold a symbolic meaning, with the Buddha representing the Buddha nature that devotees believe is within us all and that through meditating upon Amitabha, it is awoken (Wuling, 2006:9). Additionally Wuling highlights how practitioners believe that the water reflects the state of mind one hopes to achieve, as it symbolises purity and stillness, whilst the incense is symbolic of ones self discipline

  • Comparing Buddhism and Christianity

    1397 Words  | 3 Pages

    seen in the Pure Land sect of Buddhism. In this essay I will compare the similarities and differences between Pure Land Buddhism and Christianity. In the largest Pure Land scripture or sutra, composed in India, a story of Amitabha is told. It is said that many eons ago, Amitabha a monk, learned from the eighty-first Buddha about the wonders of immeasurable Buddha Lands. According to the sutra in the second century AD Amitabah vowed to create his own Buddha Lands. He said that he would make them eighty-one

  • The Importance Of Buddhist Meditation

    1284 Words  | 3 Pages

    Start off by closing your eyes. Now just focus on breathing deeply through your nose and out your mouth. Repeat this breathing technique ten times. Concentrate on the breath going in and out. Try to ignore all the worries of the world around you. By doing these simple tasks, one has practiced Buddhist meditation. The word meditation can mean many different things to certain people. For some people meditation means simply a calming of the mind, creating a peaceful state of being. It can act like a

  • How Did Vasubandhu Influence The Development Of Pure Land Buddhism

    1123 Words  | 3 Pages

    practiced traditions of Buddhism in East Asia. It is specifically designed for ‘lazy people’ and is sometimes called the Easy Path, as it only requires the simple act of faith and recitation of the Nembutsu (Amitabha Budda). Pure land is a tradition of Buddhist teachings that are focused on Amitabha Buddha (celestial Buddha) who is known for his longevity attribute, magnetising red fire element, the aggregate of discernment, pure perception and the deep awareness of emptiness of phenomena. It is

  • Christianity And Buddhism Compared

    1502 Words  | 4 Pages

    Buddhist and Christian Prayer: A Comparison in Practice and Purpose At first glance the traditions of Christianity and Buddhism appear very different from each other. One centers around a God that was at one time physically manifest on earth in the human form of his "son" Jesus Christ, the other primarily worships a historical figure that gained divine status through enlightenment. This assessment is broad at best, especially in the case of Buddhism where the Theravada and Mahayana traditions

  • What Is Om Mani Padme Hum?

    1672 Words  | 4 Pages

    -Buddhists in Tibet say :” Om mani padme hum .” This is a six-syllable holy mantra uttered in Tibet by the buddhists .During the prayer service a prayer wheel is rotated by the buddhists .Om means that god is hidden inside the ego . The word ma is uttered for getting protection from lust or asuras and the word ni is used to indicate a control over human passions . The word pad is uttered for the removal of ignorance and the word me is spoken for getting protection from hungry ghosts

  • What Is Green Tara?

    1989 Words  | 4 Pages

    Mythical History Green Tara has a rich mythical history. So rich, in fact, that there are two myths narrating the origins of the Bodhisattva Green Tara. In the first myth, she is depicted as a celestial being, coming forth from the tears of another Bodhisattva, Avalokiteshvara. In this myth, as Avalokiteshvara gazed upon all of the suffering in this world, he cried tears of compassion until a lake formed (Vessantara, 1994). A blue lotus emerged from the lake of tears and Avalokiteshvara cried into

  • The Great Vehicle: Mahayana Buddhism

    920 Words  | 2 Pages

    As Dr. Madhu Bazaz Wangu, founder of Mindful Writers Group indicates and professor of religions in India, indicates, Buddhism is a path to spiritual discovery (8). Being that Buddhism is a non-theistic religion; its disciples follow the monotheistic doctrine demonstrating that they believe in only one deity. Siddhartha Gautama, mostly acknowledged as Buddha––the enlightened––, is the one deity Buddhists believe in. As Dr. Wangu writes, Siddhartha practiced severe self-denial and meditation before

  • Om Mani Padme Hum Analysis

    1085 Words  | 3 Pages

    For this vocabulary essay, we are trying to discover what is hidden behind the « Om Mani Padme Hum » chant. According to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, “Om Mani Padme Hum” literally means “the jewel in the heart of the lotus”. However, this chant has a very vast and complex signification for every Buddhist walking on the face of earth. First of all, the first syllable of the chant is “Om” which reminded me of the first paper we had to write so I researched to see if it was, in fact, the same symbol

  • History Of Nepal Essay

    571 Words  | 2 Pages

    animism. The majority of Nepalis are either Hindus or Buddhism. The two have co-existed in harmony through centuries. Buddha is widely worshipped by both Buddhists and Hindus of Nepal. The five Dhyani Buddhas; Vairochana, Akshobhaya, Rathasambhava, Amitabha and Amoghasiddhi, represent the five basic elements: earth, fire, water, air and ether. Buddhist philosophy conceive...

  • Joseon Buddhist Art Comparison Essay

    953 Words  | 2 Pages

    A COMPARATIVE ESSAY ON JOSEON BUDDHIST NAME COURSE DATE Introduction Although considered to be on its own painting style, the Joseon Buddhist arts borrowed much of the iconographic features and basic techniques from exquisite Goryeo Buddhist arts. Joseon Buddhist painting stressed the frontality of the figures, the complexity and density of the composition, and the immediacy and proximity of content. Confucianism had less influence compared to Buddhism which emphasized on other realms

  • Key Differences Between Christianity and Buddhism

    1825 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout the history of humankind, man has always searched to find answers to the many existential questions. Numerous different religions and denominations have developed around the world over time. Though, most wonder about the origin and purpose of our existence. Buddhism was founded on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama about 2,600 years ago in India. After he had experienced that everyone was subject to “birth, sickness, death, and old age”, he tried to find a way to break from the cycle

  • Comparing the Philosophy of Life in Christianity and Chinese Buddhism

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    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 ... ... middle of paper ... ...there is not any external master for man's fate. Although there is Amitabha faith in Buddhism, Which is "others-reliance", yet "other-reliance" is only a subsidiary cause and wouldn't play a decisive role. Speaking in a certain sense, philosophy of life of Christianity and Buddhism are ethical philosophies. Both their

  • Describe The Buddhist Terms Anatta, Tanha, And Nirvana?

    1245 Words  | 3 Pages

    DeAnn Grove  1. Describe the Buddhist terms anatta, anicca, dukkha, tanha, and Nirvana.   As depicted in the story of Buddha, Siddartha, born of a virgin, was destined to either be a great ruler or a great holy man. Living an isolated and luxurious life until he was 29, he decided to give up all his own worldly possessions, even his family, to begin his own journey. After seeing an old man, a sick man, a dead man, and lastly a holy man Siddartha desired to find the solution to end ALL human

  • chinese religous and ethical systems

    915 Words  | 2 Pages

    Chinese Religious and Ethical Systems It has often been said that the Chinese are not deeply religious. It is true that they have shown a comparative indifference to metaphysical speculation; Chinese culture was perhaps the first to develop an intellectual skepticism concerning the gods. Confucianism Confucius (Kong Zi) lived from 551 to 479 BC in the state of Lu (in modem Shandong province). He came from a family of officials and his concern was with the restoration of the Way (Dao) of the ancient

  • Describe The Four Noble Truths Of Anatta Tanha

    1093 Words  | 3 Pages

    DeAnn Grove  Describe the Buddhist terms anatta, anicca, dukkha, tanha, and Nirvana.   As depicted in the story of Buddha, Siddartha, born of a virgin, was destined to either be a great ruler or a great holy man. Living an isolated and luxurious life until he was 29, he decided to give up all his own worldly possessions, even his family, to begin his own journey. After seeing an old man, a sick man, a dead man, and lastly a holy man Siddartha desired to find the solution to end ALL human

  • The Dharma of Mahayana Buddhism

    1067 Words  | 3 Pages

    our modern word needs is some respectfulness and kindness. If modern humans believe in the Three Bodies of Buddha, it will “force” people to act in their best manner to obtain a good karma and in the hope that they will reborn to a place such as Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land. Mahayana Buddhism will not bring people wealth and the Path of Bodhisattva is rather difficult that not everyone wants to peruse it. However the philosophy in Mahayana Buddhism will bring the peacefulness of mind, harmony of