Buddha Day And Dharma Day

Buddha Day And Dharma Day
The Theravada Buddhist rituals of Buddha Day (Vesak), and Dharma Day highlight the importance of death and the path to reincarnation, as well as
the importance of enlightenment and following the ways of Buddha. Vesak day celebrates the life and death of Buddha, and many actions will be
performed, depending on what sect of Buddhism is celebrating. For example, Theravada Buddhists will 'wash' the statue of the baby Buddha, and
Mahayana Buddhists will light lanterns and release them into the sky. This will be shown by the actions and values expressed in either rituals, as well
as the teachings in the sacred texts of Theravada Buddhism.
Enlightenment, or 'Awakening', is an essential belief of Theravada Buddhism, as well as being the major goal of all Buddhists, regardless of
denominations. Alan Peto, a student of many Buddhist sects, suggests that there is a concept in Buddhism in which what you know as 'you' or your
'ego' is just a mental fabrication (2017). He goes on to state that when "one reaches enlightenment, you recognise that seeing 'you' as a 'separate self' is
an illusion" (2017). What this means, is that when one becomes enlightened, they see the world as it truly is, in our natural state, known as nirvana in
Sanskrit, or 'nibanna', in Pali. The construct of your 'ego' being a mental fabrication, with said illusion only being broken through enlightenment
displays a great emphasis on the Buddhist's faith and belief in becoming enlightened . The original 'Enlightened One', The Buddha, said in one of his
many teachings, "If a man can control his mind he can find the way to enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him." As shown
in what The Buddha has said, Enlightenment is a great achievement, and it yields great reward. This along with Alan Peto's explanation show a great
value towards enlightenment, seeing it as a key to true content.
In the Eight–Fold Path, a core teaching in the sacred texts of Theravada Buddhism and the Buddha's teachings demonstrates the importance of
meditation and its influence on becoming enlightened. The eighth teaching, Samma–Samadhi, is translated as meditation or full concentration.
Evidently, this proves that meditation is key to becoming
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Xuanzang Dharma Master Sparknotes
Xuanzang was a Chinese Buddhist monk who performed a historic pilgrimage to India in search of "sutras", "dharma" and the "sacred traces of the
Buddha". He undertook this journey at a most tumultuous time; when the Tang dynasty was at war with the Turks. Due to the restrictions on border
crossing, his expedition to India in 629 A.D was very difficult. Xuanzang, however, did not experience a break in his resolve and successfully
completed his journey.
Several decades after Xuanzang returned from India, his disciples Huili and Yanzong wrote his biography. Based on oral accounts from their "Dharma
Master" and their own observations of his life and vocation in China, they constructed his experiences on paper. Since the primary source of the ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The letter which the king of Gaochang wrote for Yabgu Khan is particularly enlightening concerning the Chinese encounters withCentral Asia. The
king assumed a very modest position and exalted the powerful Turk. It's interesting to note that he did not threaten the Turk of impending
consequences which would arise if the "Dharma Master" were to be hurt. Nor did he exalt the position of the "Dharma Master". He referred to
himself as "your humble slave" , denoted Yabgu Khan as "your highness Khan" and pleaded for the protection of the "humble slave's brother" in the
"same way as you protect your humble slave" . The rhetoric employed by the king suggests that he respected the Turkish ruler very much and perhaps
feared him a little too. It also sheds some light on the disposition of the Turk; perhaps Yabgu Khan required such appeasement and it kept him from
being hostile as he didn't perceive the other as a threat. Another important thing to note here is that the twenty four letters were "attached to a bolt of
heavy damask" . In that particular period silk was considered very special and it represented wealth. The Chinese also used to use silks as "effective
economic inducements when conducting diplomacy with nomadic people" (Silks and Religions in Eurasia, C. A.D. 600–1200). Yabgu Khan was
presented with five hundred bolts of damask as a sign of goodwill.
The account of Yabgu Khan's interaction

A Visit At San Jose Buddhist Church
Awakening For this experience, I decided to explore Buddhism in order to enhance my involvement with the religion and build a strong understanding.
What intrigued me about Buddhism was the social aspect and diversity that it had to offer. In order to explore this religion from a critical and
analytical viewpoint, I decided to attend a weekend service offered at San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin. The San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin main
temple is located in the Japantown section of Central San Jose. What made this temple stand out amongst the others was its historical standing in the
community. It is one of the oldest temples established in the United States. In order to learn more about the history, environment, and community as a
whole, I decided to contact the temple's staffs. After a brief phone call, I was able to schedule a tour. In preparation, I decided to do a brief research on
Buddhism to familiarize myself with the religion beforehand. With all preparations and research necessary, I was ready to visit San Jose Buddhist
Church Betsuin.
Upon arrival, I was given a brief history about of the Buddhist temple. The San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in
the United States. Although it was established in 1907, construction wasn't completed until 1937. During World War II, it was served as a home to
many Japanese–Americans released from internment camps. Today, the temple continues to play an active role in the lives of their descendance

Personal Narrative: A Dharma Center
I found a Dharma Center online located about twenty minutes from my area. I went through their online links and was feeling a little intimidated
from the pictures. I thought I was going to this big place resembling an Asia setting that would compare to a Jewish community center. I asked my
husband to ride along with me for safety; I did not feel threat but I was not ready to experience it alone. I passed the place six times before actually
finding it. It was the last door on this very long strip on buildings and garages. I parked and looked at their sign (see above). At that point I vision to
see, someone with an Asian background, some gold figures and some things I noticed from the videos we watch during this course. While sitting in
my car, I felt relaxed from my anxiety of thinking this was going to be a big massive place where I could get lost or wander into the unknown.... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There were racks for you to place your shoes and other belongings. As I looked around the room a saw this picture that said: "DANA" to give of
yourself with no thought of return. I stood there for a moment thinking how I could apply this in my daily walk of life. The room seemed to have a
certain type of silence; I could smell some type of incense being burned; the smell reminded me of a sandalwood fragrance. There was a large gold
statue of Buddha on a table with a container of incense, and a small gold cup filled with water. I was greeted and escorted to a room for their Zazen
meditation. I was informed to sit on a black mat with a small circle black pillow until I hear three rings to start the meditation, then I would hear three
more rings then I should turn to face the

Dharma Espresso Report
Good morning everyone, this is Dharma Espresso Last night, I visited San Jose and gave a talk to the people there. During the talk, I asked a man
his name. He said it is Duc. I asked the audience whether they know him. No one raised their hands. Then I asked whether they know Ms. Minh
Tam. Many hands shot up as almost everyone knows her in San Jose. It turns out that Mr. Duc is among those supporters, whom we may characterize
as fans. They come to listen to Dharma talks, not to engage in other activities, nor do they get to know members of the Compassionate Service
Society. Mr. Duc only knows me and came to my Dharma talk. Ms. Minh Tam is an active volunteer, contributing her services to the CSS, and seeking
to provide help to many people.

Who Is Jack Kerouac's Dharma Bums Individualism
"Who comes to commend me on my way of life"–Han Shan. In the novel, Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac brings the topic of intent change and
self–development. Written in the 1950's a pivotal time between the exploration into individualism, and the reconsideration of traditionalism. The novel
follows Ray Smith and his journey of self–discovery through help from Japhy Ryder and his own isolation. Ray spends two months completely alone
on Desolation Peak, the purpose was his own self–discovery, expression of enlightenment and individualism. Finding comfort in the shadow of Japhy,
Ray adopted a big brother relationship. Ray looked up to Japhy's teaching and was content to remain in his shadow. Ray attempted to be the Buddhist
Japhy was, but only realized... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Before being completely enamored by the ideals of Japhy's Buddhism, he breaks out on his own. His starting state can be described when he
writes, "rocky meadow with blue lupine and red poppy feathering the gray mist with lovely vagueness of color" (230). He has learned the basics of
Buddhism, he knows the colors and the boxes he has to check. But, even with the knowledge, he was equipped with, it was veiled by naivety, Ray
had never truly found his own Buddhism. His purpose of isolation on Desolation peak was his personal development. Distraction free, an individual is
able to change and adapt, learning to listen to one's own desires and faith. Ray at first was afraid to branch out into isolation, but he finds it to be

Dharma As A Key Role
Dharma in Hinduism pertains to one's duty towards their caste, For example a warrior's job is to protect and serve his people. Among all parts of
Hinduism, dharma is especially seen in the Ramayana, where there are many specific instances where dharma plays a key role. The Ramayana
explains the story of Ram in which he works towards fulfilling his dharma and overcoming the obstacles he faces. Ram is faced with trial by exile,
but before that is faced with the dharma of being a son of a king who does not go back on his words, a warrior, a husband, a brother, and a soon to be
king, Ram successfully finds his way to fulfill his duty towards, his father and wife but inadvertently performed his duty towards his kingdom and cast.
The Ramayana serves as a medium to explain the impact and the significance of dharma in Hinduism, in which Rama becomes the character to take on
the role of a dharmic man. The essence of the story begins with his father who needs an heir to his throne. Each of his wives each were granted a
son from eating rice that was blessed by god. Among the sons was Rama and Bharatha, who play a key role in the development of the Ramayana.
King Dasharatha the father of Rama and Bharatha, chooses Rama causing Bharatha's mother Keikeyi to be infuriated. She uses boons she was granted
by Dasharatha while he was sick because Keikeyi nursed him to health. Keikeyi wished that Rama would depart from Ayodhya and be exiled for
fourteen years which would be enough time for

The Figure Of The Buddha Essay
The figure of the Buddha is one that is relatively well recognized throughout the world today. One may wonder why and how people are able to so
quickly identify this religious icon in art such as sculpture. With a religion that spread almost entirely throughout the continent of Asia, it is surprising
to find that although there are many creative variants, Buddhist sculpture still preserves many key iconographic features. The most fundamental
characteristics of Buddhist sculpture are listed in the thirty–two Lakshanas, or "rules" for depicting the Buddha. In addition, Buddhist portraits also
consistently make use of hand gestures, or mudras, and various seated positions, also called the asanas. It can be noted that these serve more than just
the purpose of mere aesthetic design, but indeed they have many contextual meanings in the story of Buddhism. Iconography, or the use of visual
images and symbols in artwork, is fundamental in understanding the religious context of sculpture. In this paper I will be discussing notable
iconographic features displayed in works similar to the Seated Buddha exhibited in the University of Colorado, Boulder Art Museum and how these
features are connected to the larger Buddhist practice as a whole.
In the third century BCE, Buddhist art emerged due to the patronage by King Ashoka, the founder of the Mauryan Dynasty. In an effort to spread this
new religion, the emperor created grand stone pillars and other shrines inscribed with teachings from

Ahimsa
CHAPTER 45
Ahimsa: To Do No Harm
Exploring the Cardinal Virtue of Noninjury in Thought, Word & Deed
B y S at g u r u S i vaya S u B r a m u n i ya S wa m i
H
a. manivel
indu wisdom, which inspires humans to live the ideals of compassion and nonviolence, is captured in one word, ahimsa. In Sanskrit, himsa is doing
harm or causing injury. The "a" placed before the word negates it. Very simply, ahimsa is abstaining from causing harm or injury. It is gentleness and
noninjury, whether physical, mental or emotional. It is good to know that nonviolence speaks only to the most extreme forms of forceful wrongdoing,
while ahimsa goes much deeper to prohibit even the subtle abuse and the simple hurt. Devout Hindus oppose killing for ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
If Homo sapiens is to survive his present predicament, he will have to rediscover these two primary ethical virtues. In order to understand the
pervasive practice of nonviolence in Hinduism, one must investigate the meaning of life. Why is life sacred? For India's ancient thinkers, life is seen as
the very stuff of the Divine, an emanation of the Source and part of a cosmic continuum. The nature of this continuum varies in Hindu thought. Some
hold that the individual evolves up through life forms, taking more and more advanced incarnations which culminate in human life. Others believe that
according to one's karma and samskaras, the process can even be reversed, that is, one can achieve a "lower" birth. Even those Indians who do not
believe in reincarnation of an individual still hold that all that exists abides in the Divine. They further hold that each life form–even water and
trees–possesses consciousness and energy. Whether the belief is that the life force of animals can evolve into human status, or that the opposite can
also take place, or simply that all things enjoy their own consciousness, the result is the same–a reverence for life. Not all of Earth's one billion Hindus
are living in a perfect state of ahimsa all of the time. Sometimes conditions at hand may force a situation, a regrettable

Reach Mokshad In Hinduism
In Hinduism, there is a belief that if people do their duty to please their god and follow their moralities then they will achieve their Dharma. Dharma
is known as a duty that Hindu's follow in order to end samsara and reach moksha. Each individual's dharma varies from one and other. Everyone's
dharma is different because every person is at a different point in their life in which, there goals and desires will be different from one and other . This
responsibility that Hindus follow was found in the Upanishads which is the fourth section of each of the Vedas. The Upanishads contain the moral
values and virtues of hinduism such as dharma. Many Hindus devote their life to achieving their dharma so that they can reach moksha. In multiple
religions

Importance of Mountains in Kerouac's Dharma Bums and...
Importance of Mountains in Kerouac's Dharma Bums and Barthelme's The Glass Mountain
Mountains are significant in the writing of Jack Kerouac and Donald Barthelme as symbolic representations of achievement and the isolation of an
individual from the masses of the working class in industrialized capitalist American society. Themountains, depicted by Kerouac and Barthelme, rise
above the American landscape as majestic entities whose peaks are touched by few enduring and brave souls. The mountains of Kerouac's The Dharma
Bums symbolize personal freedom and accomplishment through achieving a connection with nature distant from the constraints of materialism and a
polluted industrialized American society. Barthelme's... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The mountains, being so colossal, have many levels and plateaus in which some people may find comfort and a sense of accomplishment where they
may choose to live out the remainder of their lives, although they are far from the peak. Morley's decision to stay behind while Japhy and Ray
continue their climb to the peak of Matterhorn is comparable to Barthelme's depiction of the crowd on the streets watching cynically as their hero
climbs to the golden castle of the glass mountain. This crowd symbolizes the growing middle class, comfortable in their conformity as "working stiffs"
and homemakers who do not want to risk their current contentment for a chance to reach the heights of American capitalism. Morley is content to
remain a "dreaming spot by the little lake" in the eyes of Ray Smith who is miles ahead on the mountain questioning his own decision to tackle the
frightening height of the Matterhorn. (p.82). Morley represents, through his actions, Americans living comfortably, yet always dreaming "the
American dream" to be more successful, powerful, or rich as he says "I don't think I can make it. Ill wait here" (P. 81). The plateaus in the "Glass
Mountain" are equally represented by small cubicles inside

The Social Dimensions Of Dharma
Without the concept of dharma there is no Hinduism. Following ones dharma is to maintain the well being of oneself and others, and to depart from it
leads to misdirection and ruin. Dharma in Hinduism is thought of as being an individual's duty to themselves and their society in both a faith and
societal obligation context. Three of Ninian Smart's dimensions where dharma is most relevant are the ethical, social and mythological dimensions.
Dharma details how a follower of Hinduism should go about their life and so relates to the ethical dimension, it describes the interconnection of Hindu
society which pertains to the social dimension, and lastly is a central theme to nearly all epics present in Hindu thus representing the mythological
dimension. Where dharma is expressed within these dimensions individually it also serves as a pillar to which the three facets are connected. The
ethical dimension describes how its followers should carry out their lives in accordance to the religions beliefs and virtues. It gives direction to it's
devotees by laying out the path of what it means to be a model adherent, why one should devote themselves to the religion and what a believer will
attain from dedicating themselves to the teachings (Lecture, 8/28). These features are relevant to dharma in that it designates to its followers a duty in
which they must abide by in order to maintain balance within themselves and society. An example in Hinduism where dharma is pertinent is within the

The Kama Sutra and Class Correlation
Kama SutraвЂЁ
Question: If Kama Sutra was meant for the Upper & Leisure class of the Indian population, is there any valuable content for the middle and lower
class? How much of the Hinduism principles did he retain so that the lower/middle class can learn from the text as well?
What is Vatsyayana's targeted demographic of readers when he wrote the Kama Sutra? Was it exclusive to the leisure class of the Indian society? Or
did it also include the lower class? There is evidence that suggests that the text is biased for the aristocrats, as the practices described require time and
money that the peasants don't have. The fact that Vatsyayana is likely a member of the elite class, deduced from his sophisticated knowledge of
Hinduism and how ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Vatsyayana explains that "Kama is the enjoyment of appropriate objects," which implies that in order to attain kama, one must have the money to
take pleasure in materialistic objects. On top of that, he organizes a list of arts that should be studied along with Kama Sutra, which include
activities that could be considered as time consuming and overly ostentatious for the lower class. Among the many activities to do is the
"spreading and arranging beds or couches of flowers, or flowers upon the ground" or "making artificial flowers" (Vatsyayana 66). While these
activities may seem overly extravagant and absurd for the lower class as they are the working class and wouldn't be able to afford investing their
time and wealth into it, Vatsyayana emphasizes that kama is a sense of pleasure of the "five senses . . . assisted by the mind together with the soul,"
(Vatsyayana 63). Therefore money and time are not necessities to obtain kama. His assertion of how "[s]exual intercourse being a thing dependent on
man and women requires the application of proper means by them . . ." (Vatsyayana 63) indicates that kama could also be acquired by physical
activities, and materialistic objects are not needed. Although they are not not able to take part in lavish pleasure like that of the upper class, the lower
class' population nonetheless can gain attain kama through different means as Vatsyayana's Karma Sutra includes all four classes and has retained the
four main

Dead Poet's Society
The enlightened teacher and founder of Buddhism, Gautama Buddha, taught that "your work is to discover your work and then, with all your heart,
give yourself to it." According to legend, the king of gods, Brahma, helped the Buddha "discover his work" by convincing him to teach others. Without
Brahma, the Buddha might never have become one of the most influential figures in history today. Likewise, some students may have never lived up to
their fullest potential without the guidance of their teachers. The high school years are a crucial time for people to discover who they are and who they
want to become, and often times, students need others to help them on this journey. They need someone in their life to help them discover who they
are, to support them, and to boost their self–confidence. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Keating to help them become who they were meant to be. All people need others to help them along the journey of life, and because Neil and Todd
allowed Mr. Keating to guide them in their path to adulthood, they flourished and found a part of themselves they never knew existed. This shows how
the influence of teachers on students is truly remarkable and with the right teacher to guide him, a student's life can change for the

Dharma In King Sibi
In "King Sibi", we see a clear distinction of the importance of Dharma, as well as our relationship to Dharma and the effects it can have on our
decisions through life. In "King Sibi", a dove lands on King Sibi's lap while he is at a dinner party. The dove begs for protection from the hawk
chasing it, and since King Sibi is such a just king, he promises the dove protection. However, the Hawk argues that by saving the dove, King Sibi is
depriving the hawk of his food, therefore in a way, killing the hawk. King Sibi tries distracting the Hawk from the dove, but soon comes to the
conclusion that a decision must be made. After the hawk denies food from the party because it is not bloody or raw enough, the King is down to his
last option, himself for the dove. King Sibi begins sawing at his own leg to get enough... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Right before death, the God Vishnu emerges from the Hawks place and declares that the King had passed the test. In the "King Sibi" story, the most
important thing to learn is that even though fulfilling your Dharma is extremely painful, our relationship with Dharma is the most important thing
we have while in this life. We should learn that fulfilling our Dharma here on earth is the key to our existence and the only reason we are in this
life is to someday, be one with the universe. In "King Sibi", we learn that Dharma is not only physically painful, but mentally painful as well, and
we see both sides of this through the story. When the dove comes to the kings lap for protection it asks the King to protect it, knowing that King Sibi
will do everything to make that happen. However, since the King is so fair, he cannot let the Hawk go hungry. This sparks the first decision. King
Sibi has to decide between the dove or the Hawk. However, this decision came to a conclusion fast, because the

Comparing Society in The Dharma Bums and The New American...
Mass Society in The Dharma Bums and The New American Poetry
One of the best ways to fully understand an era is to study its literature. The printed word has the incredible capacity to both reflect and shape the
hopes, fears, and ideologies of the time. This is very evident when reading literature from 1960's America, a turbulent period in the history of our
country. While the authors' styles are very different, there are definite thematic patterns and characteristics evident in many of their works. For one,
there is a prevalent concept of the unenlightened masses. This concept serves as a foil for the enlightened few often represented as the main characters
and more specifically as the authors themselves. There also ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Lamantia also has a poem entitled "Man Is In Pain"(155, Poetry). Allen Ginsberg in his poem "Sunflower Sutra" portrays the masses as sunflowers in
a dirty railroad yard. And finally, Jack Kerouac in his book TheDharma Bums portrays the masses as "sedentary bums"(86) and as "millions of the One
Eye"(104).
All of these images of mass society have a tone of despair and depression. People are shown to be weary and confused, having lost the passion for
life. Brautigan and Barthelme seem most concerned with the concept of a class struggle; their masses are poor and bitter. Kerouac is more concerned
with the lazy masses that are brainwashed by television and suburbia. The only hopeful view of the masses comes from Ginsberg who sees a beauty
in people that he feels is often covered and masked by the ugliness of society.
Going along with the concept of mass society is that of an "American Dream". The masses are shown to be questing for some vision or goal that the
writers believe to be unrealistic and futile. Kerouac's masses are living the stereotypical American Dream, with 2.5 kids in their nice little suburbs,
watching television and chugging along in their middle class lives. Yet they are unfulfilled, missing the much larger dream in life. For Brautigan's

Dharma in Buddhism and Hinduism
The beginning of this class consists of two sections, Hinduism and Buddhism, both of which we have learned a lot about. Within these religions we see
some differences and some similarities that one could relate the two with, and one of those is the term Dharma. When examining Dharma in both
Hinduism and Buddhism, people may notice that they are somewhat similar, but they will also see that there even more differences within this term. To
better understand this term, we must first define it within the religion and then see what they have in common with one another, if anything at all, and
finally notice where the big differences are between them.
Dharma is a powerful word, but some may see it differently then others depending on their ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
So we can see that in one religion we have life set out the way it should be lived and in the other people are free to live the way that they see fit within
their religion. The next main difference is the actual being of the dharma. In Hinduism Dharma is not only seen as the way in which people should
live, but also as the god Vishnu or Rama. Here we see the term dharma as, "the preserver of dharma who takes worldly form (avatara) to combat
threats to dharma,"(lecture, 9/16). It was also said that, "Rama, was a heroic king who, along with his spouse exemplifies dharma,"(lecture, 9/16).
This is very different then that of the Buddhists, because they believe that, "what Buddha discovered, is that which makes him the awakened
one,"(lecture, 9/23) So we see that it is somewhat of the reverse from Hinduism, because it is not represented or upheld through gods, but that which
brought them their god to worship. So again we see clearly that these two religions are not as closely related as people may think. After spending a
good amount of time, it is easy to see that the two meanings of dharma are different within the same context outline. They both deal with the rights and
wrongs of the people within the religion, and they both have, in one aspect, the same meaning; law and teachings. But when we gape deeper into the
word, the way of life in Hinduism is dharma, but the Buddhist just follow certain aspects of dharma in their religion. In both religions the

The Role Of Cosmic Norms In Hinduism
In this paper, I will argue that the dharmic belief of Hinduism is mistaken by building on one of Socrates' arguments from the Euthyphro. Through
Hindu scriptures, dharma has been codified as compassion, living by the rules of proper conduct, the path of uprightness, etc. According to them it is
the observation of cosmic norms that permit us humans to avoid misery and be happy. In the Hindu concept of reincarnation, dharma serves as the
measure that judges a person. Dharma is the barometer, and karma, the spiritual value of causality where your plans and deeds effect the future, the
mercury within. To have good karma, you must abide by the norms outlined in living a dharmic life– that is doing what is right for you, your family,
and your caste ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, adhering to piety may require a person to act in a way that seems to be line with adharma (not dharma) such taking the life of another. The
famous Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, defends this contradiction with the dialog between Arjuna, a man reluctant to go into battle and fight his
friends, relatives, and teachers, and Krishna, his charioteer who is an incarnate of god. Krishna counsels Arjuna that he has a holy duty to fulfil as a
Kshatriya (warrior) and instructs him on the relations of various virtues. Krishna says that Arjuna will not attain bad karma for warring on the people
he knew because of his caste's duty and it is morally good to fulfil his duty by following the norm of dharma. In addition, Krishna states that
nonintervention is not a viable option. Retreating would be a purposeful choice as would remaining indecisive. Furthermore, Krishna claims that
adharma originates from intent, not the consequent acts. But a major question remains: is piety esteemed by dharma because it is good, or is piety
good because it is venerated by dharma? This question parallels Socrates question to Euthyphro, "Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is
pious, or is it

The Dharma Bums Aesthetic Response Essay
The Dharma Bums Aesthetic Response
After the opening chapter of the novel in which the narrator writes, "Just in my swim shorts, barefooted, wild–haired, in the red fire dark, singing,
swigging wine, spitting, jumping, running– that's the way to live" (7), I knew that the book was not only going to be interesting, but also great. I was
not displeased after finishing it either. The Dharma Bums struck me as being one of the most fantastic books that I have ever read; one that contains an
amazingly simple and captivating plot, an introduction and insight into the Buddhist philosophy and its followers of the 50's, and also contains the most
provocative insight and philosophy about humanity and life. After the finishing the last page, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Though my copy of The Dharma Bums now resembles more a grade school child's workbook with notes and underlines contained on almost every
page, there are a few quotations still stand out in my mind even weeks after reading. The first is Ray's response to Japhy who is partaking in
yabyum and asks Ray to join. "I'd also gone through an entire year of celibacy based on my feeling that lust was the direct cause of birth which
was the direct cause of suffering and death and I had really no lie come to a point where I regarded lust as offensive and even cruel. 'Pretty girls
make graves,' was my saying" (29). I found this passage not only to be of extreme importance for it showed Ray's dedication to Buddhism, but also
very interesting and quite noble. In contrast to the promiscuous sexual behavior that is often glorified during the Beat generation (whether straight
or gay) and even in some of Kerouac's novels (which, of course, now I am going to look at more closely to see if I may have been mistaken in my
interpretation of his earlier works), Ray's character who can be linked to Kerouac's literary voice, is really making the statement that these sexual
desires are wrong. I just found this quote to stimulate a lot of thoughts. Was he siding with Conservatism? Was this his way of rebelling against his
own generation? It is not that I find qualms with his beliefs, but I do find them to be

Sacred Object In Religion
How does this sacred object as a material reality, make connections between the lived experiences of believers and the sacred?
Good afternoon Ms Heyen and my fellow peers. Today I will be explaining how the Dharma Wheel, my sacred object is a physical manifestation
making connections between lived experienced for believers and the sacred.
This sacred object, as a physical manifestation makes connections between the lived experience of believers as it:
–Helps adherents pray
–Helps adherents use their body to create motivation and intention
–To help adherents of suffering and to bring about peace in every human living organism.
And makes connections between the lived experiences of the sacred as it:
–It shows buddhas path
–shows the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The prayer wheel practice is visualized as a manifestation of the Body, Speech and Mind of the Buddha. This makes connections between the lived
experience of the sacred and believers, as they are able to make connections with the buddha. With hands the prayer wheel is spun clockwise because
the mantra or prayer is written in the direction of the movement of the sun across the sky. With speech, we recite one of the mantras in the prayer
wheel. And with our mind, we engage in visualizations or recitations, using our motivation and intention to bless all beings and bring peace to our
surroundings and the entire world.
The source shows An elderly Tibetan women holding a prayer wheel on the Lhasa's pilgrimage circuit of Barkhor. The Barkhor, a quadrangle of streets
that surrounds the Jokhang Temple, is both the spiritual heart of the holy city and the main commercial district for Tibetans. This source helped me
understand how believers use their mantras to pray with this sacred object. As they use speech, mind, modivation, and hands to bring enlightenment and

The Dharma Is The Same, Day Or Night
At two in the morning on an average day Master Shin came into the Zendo and struck one of his students and awoke him. The monk asked,
"Master, why is it that you have woken me at a time designated for sleep?" The master replied, "Did you come to this temple to sleep or to learn the
Dharma?" "To Learn the Dharma" "Then why is it that you oppose being awoken at night? Does the Dharma differ from day to night? "The
Dharma is always the same, day or night." By this time the other monks in the Hall have also awoken and began listening to their master. One of
the other monks in the Hall asked, "If you wanted to teach us at night, why not inform us and tell us to meet in the Hondo?" The master replied,
"Does the dharma differ based on where it is taught or is it the same anywhere it is taught?" "It is the same everywhere in all ten directions, day and
night" "Furthermore, why do you care if I inform you of when I will teach you? Do any of you know the date and time that you will become fully
awakened? If not, and you still desire to one day be fully awakened, then why do you desire to be taught and still want to know the time I will teach
you? The students said nothing. "If any of you knew when I was coming would you not have already been awake when I got here to wake you up?
This is life. You all are aware of your Buddha nature, but are still waiting on something to fully enlighten you. What is it that you are waiting for? One
student heard this and became enlightened to

Dharma in the Mahabharta Essays
Dharma in the Mahabharta
The concept of dharma is the most central and core concept of Hindu philosophy, "all the other principles and values flow from the beautiful fountain
of Dharma" (Srinivasan n.d., 1). Consequently, the Hindu scriptures present many examples of its importance in a variety of ways. The two epics
Mahabharata and Ramayana are particularly interesting in their presentation of dharma.
Dharma is Sanskrit word with many different connotations that are mostly of ethical nature. Thus far, there has not been a parallel word found for it in
English or any language that truly signifies the essence of it. It comes from the root word, dhr, which literally means to uphold, sustain, and maintain a
thing in its being. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The concept of dharma is very broad and is very difficult to grasp because there is no clear–cut definition of dharma that captures the essence of it.
However, one can try to see how the works like the Mahabharata approach the concept. The epic mainly deals with the loss and reestablishment of
dharma on Earth. "For whensoever Dharma declines and Adharma uprises, the Bhagavan (god) creates himself to guard the good and to destroy the
wicked; to establish the Dharma firmly, he comes into being again and again" (Sukthankar 1998, 79). In the Mahabharata, the story goes that
Earth–burdened by the tyranny of demonic kings then ruling– requests Visnu to relieve her burden; and Visnu decides to do so by, along with other
heavenly beings: gods, rsis, gandharvas, kinnaras and so on, taking birth among the Yadavas. A war is fought with purpose of ending the tyranny of the
demonic kings and restoring dharma on decline due to the tyranny, also, in turn relieving Earth's burden. However, all this does not take place with
such simplicity. The Mahabharata War, as one remembers, was fought between cousins, the Kauravas and the Pandavas. Throughout history many wars
between cousins have taken place, then what makes the Mahabharata War so special to gain such recognition. As it turns out, " what gives this trivial
tale of petty

Buddhism Rhetorical Analysis
Ethic is well elucidated in the sutta. Concerning desire, hatred, and delusion, the Buddha asks the KДЃlДЃmas, "When adopted and carried out, do
they convert into loss and suffering, or not? How does it appear to you?" To which the KДЃlДЃmas answer, "When adopt, sir, and carried out, they
convert into loss and suffering. That is how it appears to us." Regarding, freedom from wanting, aversion, and ignorance, the Buddha inquires of the
KДЃlДЃmas, "When adopted and carried out, do they converted into profit and bliss, or not? How does it appear to you?" The KДЃlДЃmas reply:
"When adopted, sir, and carried out, they convert into profit and bliss. That is how it appears to us." Thus, the Buddha concludes, "...yaб№ѓ taб№ѓ
vuttaб№ѓ idametaб№ѓ paб№icca vuttaб№ѓ –... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These consist of four solaces. One is a better rebirth (in place or heaven) after the dissolution of the body. Two, have a happiness live here and now.
Three, evil does not come to you because you do not have any evil intentions. The last, one is purified from all evils. Having listened to the
Blessed–One discourse on the four assurances, the KДЃlДЃmas established in his teaching and took refuge in the Triple–Gems–the Buddha, Dharma
and Sangha.
In Evans' words, The Buddha, "gives [the KДЃlДЃmas] a sample of his own teachings and guides them through a discourse such that they agree that
following these teachings would lead to the achievement of material and spiritual goals." By satisfied with the Buddha's answer and explanation, the
KДЃlДЃmas "commit themselves to him, so that, although he did not say so directly, the implied answer to their question would appear to have been,
'This teacher!'." Thus, faith is

The Hindu Temple Of Dayton
Hinduism goes back as far as fifteen hundred B.C., there are currently over nine hundred million practicing Hinduists in the world today. I had never
been to a Hindu temple before and it was a new and exciting experience. I did not know about the Hindu religion going to this project. During my time
here in Dayton I have been to Lebanese festival and interacted with many people of Arabic descent. Hinduism as religion is very broad. Choosing to
interview someone of the Hindu faith was an easy choice to make because I had always been interested in Hinduism. Some of my favorite movies had
implied Hindu concepts in them such as karma. I decided to attend the Hindu Temple of Dayton for the interview. The temple was established in
nineteen eighty–six by two priests and currently has over six hundred patron families that visit weekly. As I entered the temple there was a sign to
take off your shoes. People were supposed to take off their shoes as they entered the temple, it is a form of respect to the deities. As I was observing
the service, a priest stood in front of a particular shrine and chanted while ringing a bell. After he was finished chanting he handed everyone banana. I
found out later on the deity he chanted about was named Vishnu and the banana he offered everyone afterwards a symbol of self–sacrifice or a pledge
of righteous to the deity (Pradeepa, "Offering the Fruits to Hindu Gods"). The man I spoke with is a priest named Ramesh Rajamani. He had worked
at the Hindu

Hinduism And Its Impact On The Middle Of The Rye By F....
Hinduism is the fourth largest religion in the United States with approximately 2.2 million followers, and is the third largest in the entire world with
900 million practitioners. Considering these extraordinary statistics, it is not surprising Hinduism's wide range of influence touched J.D. Salinger,
author of the American classic Catcher in the Rye. The effects ofHinduism is evident in his writing, especially in Teddy, a short story following a ten
year old boy named Teddy. In American culture, Teddy would be considered a troubled character, but according to Hinduism, he is a Jivamukti. This is
apparent in his pursuit of the purusharthas, spiritual beliefs, and interactions with other characters.
Teddy's management of the purusharthas demonstrate his spiritual maturity. His fulfillment of hisdharma is obvious in multiple instances, like when he
"made [Booper] wear dungarees" so "she's adequately covered" (Salinger 71), and also comforts Myron after Booper calls him "the stupidest person
in this ocean." (Salinger 73). Dharma is usually only fulfilled in older souls, and his impeccable dharma highlights his maturity. In addition, Teddy
takes prioritization of Dharma over Moksha and Kama. The majority of his entry are notes such as "be nicer to the librarian", "do not mention this
when you answer his letter" in order to spare Mrs. Mandell's feelings, and "write a condolence letter to Dr. Wokawara about his nephritis" (Salinger
74). Only a small portion of his diary, the

The Law Of Dharma States
According to Chopra, "The Law of Dharma states that we have taken manifestation in physical form to fulfill a purpose"(Chopra, 1994). Everyone
that is living in this world has a purpose in life, even if they haven 't realized it yet. People all around the world have a reason for being alive. We all
have a specific, unique talent that no one else has, or at least something that we do better than anyone else. Each person has their own unique way
of living in this world and has many ways of doing things, whether it's writing, singing, dancing, painting, speaking, and much more. Most of us
need to rise and stand up to show the world what we are capable of doing. Perhaps by doing this, we will be able to help people around us find their
purpose in life. The reason being is because we would be putting out an example for those who are not ready to begin something in their lives.
Being at home doing nothing but sit around and have everything handed to you is no way of living. Why not attend school, find a job, do
community service, or something productive that can benefit you and a lot of people out there that needs help. Use your unique talent to help
manifest others in this world and help them find their own unique talent. My true purpose in life is to help people of all kinds with problems of all
types. I love listening to people and helping them as much as I can. Being able to help people, makes me feel abundant about myself because not only
am I making them content, but I am

Anti-Consumerism in the Works of Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Roth
Anti–Consumerism in the Works of Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Roth
After World War II, Americans became very concerned with "keeping up with the Joneses." Everyday people were not only interested in fulfilling the
American Dream because of the optimistic post–war environment, but also because of the economic emphasis on advertising that found a new outlet
daily in highway billboards, radio programs, and that popular new device, the television. With television advertising becoming the new way to show
Americans what they did not (and should) have came a wide–eyed and fascinated interest in owning all kinds of things, products, and devices suddenly
necessary in every home. One could not only hear about new necessary items, but see them as ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
By rejecting spoon–fed aphorisms for self–discovery through altruism and economic simplicity, these writers, and indeed a whole subculture of
American beatniks and Buddhists in the 50's and 60's, set a new precedent for those willing to find their own way.
Ginsberg expresses a light–hearted distaste of the supermarket lifestyle in his poem, "A Supermarket in California." He envisions himself wandering
around the supermarket, surrounded by consumers eyeing produce, and, among them, Walt Whitman and Garcia Lorca. He seems to be fascinated and
repulsed at the same time by the phenomenon, everyone looking and poking at the items to be bought, and he wonders what their real motives in being
there are. He imagines Whitman to be there out of loneliness, flirting with the young stockboys, pretending, like everyone else, to be interested in the
products. Ginsberg's vision of America is of a whole population so lonely and dispassionate that they have turned to these big bright places full of
people and things to look at just to have something to do. It is notable that Ginsberg and Whitman leave the supermarket together, not having purchased
anything at all. They have taken part in the ritual of loneliness without buying into the need for things.
In The Dharma Bums, Kerouac set out to show what an enlightening, beautiful life comes from having as little as possible. The protagonist, Ray,
(clearly Kerouac himself) records almost

Religions withing the Indian Vision Essay
Religions withing the Indian Vision
Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism are religions within the Indian vision. They all are similar, but the differences are easily visible. Sikhism, being the
newest of the three, is unity of the other religions and includes many of the same beliefs and customs. Hinduism is the basis for both Jainism and
Sikhism. Being the oldest religion of India it is considered building block for those that which have followed. Jainism is the middle of the three
religions. It was a modification of the original Hindu religion and also part of the building block of the Sikhism religion. By comparing the three
major religions of India we can begin to see the distinct similarities and dissimilarities.
Hindus believe in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Fourthly Sanyasin in which the final spiritual quest is taken, and the renunciation of your possessions occurs. The goals of true devotion and life are
Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. Dharma is the responsibilities and virtues in your life. Artha is the attainment of material possessions, wealth and
power. Kama is the artistic love for both pleasure and joy, and Moksha is the salvation and final release through both discipline and devotion.
There are over three million devotees to Jainism. The beliefs include Jiva, the soul of everything in the universe. All of our souls are infinite, but we
are restricted by the weight of the body. Karma, the buildup of selfishness that helps limit our souls. Reincarnation, the belief in the return of our souls
in karma back to the earth. Nirvana, the freedom of the soul achieved by relieving the selfish manner. Lastly, Ahimsa, the belief in peace of all living
animals living together in harmony. This is the main focus of the religion, not injuring any living being.
The four sources of Karma in Jainism are; the want of food, clothing, sex, and other material possessions, the giving in to anger, pride, deceit, and
greed, speaking or acting in profane forms, and holding false beliefs. The three ways to salvation are knowledge, knowing the Jain creed, faith,
believing the Jain creed, and conduct, following the Jain creed. Monks practice non–violence, truthfulness, non–stealing, chastity, and indifference.
Which means they

Dharma In Hindu Religion
Dayananda Saraswati, philosopher and scholar, said, "Because a human being is endowed with empathy, he violates the natural order if he does not
reach out to those who need care. Responding to this empathy, one is in harmony with the order of things, with dharma; otherwise, one is not."
Dharma is the religious and moral law governing individual conduct in Hindu culture. Dharma is not something a person can just run away from.
Dharma is always a factor in the duty and logic of the people. The first time we see dharma is when Arjuna is on the battlefield. Arjuna says to
Krishna, "Never have I not existed, nor you, nor these kings; and never in the future shall we cease to exist."(768). This shows the reader how Arjuna
is trying to find a balance between duty and logic.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Krishna says, "Established in this practice, act without attachment, Arjuna, unmoved by failure or success!" (735). Krishna explains to Arjuna that
in dharma he cannot have any attachment to objects. He must not dwell on if he reaches success or failure. He goes on to also say, " Having left
the fruit of action, the wise ones yoked to higher mind are freed from the bonds of rebirth, and go where no corruption is" (735). The ones who do
not dwell or success or failure will not have to go through reincarnation multiple times. They will go to heaven where there is not corruption of man.
In conclusion dharma is the governing law for Hinduism. Krishna explains dharma to Arjuna who is questioning it. Arjuna does not think one should
battle for it is killing man. He goes on to talk to Krishna who tells him he should not run from his dharma. In dharma it is all about stopping
reincarnation at a certain point. Bodhidharma,a monk,said, "The Dharma is the truth that all natures are pure". He is saying dharma is always true. A
person needs to stay pure at all times. Dharma is a great way life to try and become one with

Hindu Motifs In Bliss
Bliss Task 3 A motif is an idea, action, image or sound that repeats itself and has a role on the development and explanation of the main idea. There
are many different motifs in the novel "Bliss", such as the white suit or Harry Joy's Fiat car. In this essay, I will be discussing the motif of Krishna,
a Hindu god. Krishna is one of the major Hindu gods, and considered as eight incarnation of Vishnu(Cartwright). However, there was a prophecy
telling Krishna's uncle Kamsa was going to be killed by Devaki's eighth child, which happens to be Krishna. Hopefully, Vaseduva, his earthly father,
hid Krishna in the remote village of Vrindavana where Krishna disguised as a simple cowherd. Thus, Krishna is not only a god concealed as a human,
but also

Dharma Bums Analysis
This week we started the reading of the Dharma Bums, which is related to Zen Buddhism. In addition, we also get in touch with some Zen stories.
Zen stories are usually very short and easy to read, using just couple of sentences to tell people the main thoughts of Zen. When first read them, I
found some of them are interesting and easy to understand, at least part of the meaning, while some of them are confusing. MUDDY ROAD is one
of the several Zen stories we read in class. This story talks about the two monks, Tanzan and Ekido. When they met a lovely girl who was unable to
cross the stream. Tanzan took the girl in his arms and helped the girl across the stream. Ekido did not say anything at that moment, but when they
reached a temple at

Rama's Adherence To Dharma
Rama was praised for his adherence to dharma, yet at times it seems he is not as devout as everyone claims he is. From the beginning of the novel
it is clear that Rama is supposed to be a role model and the ideal human embodiment of good dharma, but Rama isn't always in the right. When
Rama is exiled to the forest for 14 years, he accepts his fate as a dutiful son and prince. His obedience without fuss shows some adherence to the
dharma of being a good son, brother, and prince of his country. In reality, however, his father died because Rama left. It could be argued that Rama
was upholding Dasaratha's word and dharma because Dasaratha obviously didn't want to have to banish his own son, but it soon becomes apparent
that Rama is blind and ignorant, or perhaps in denial, of Kooni and Kaikeyi's evil trickery. Even Vasishtha the wise royal priest said Kaikeyi's act was
evil. Dasaratha dared to call her "devilish one" ( Narayan 49). Refusing to acknowledge an act is evil is not wise or good either.... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Rama was swayed by his emotions including worry for Sita and pity for Sugreeva. When Lakshmana warns Rama about Sugreeva because of his
eagerness to kill his brother, Rama dismisses him saying, "we should not become too analytical about a friend, nor look too deeply into original
causes; but accept only what appears good to us in the first instance and act on it" (Narayan 19). These are not wise words or words of good
dharma. In fact, Rama doesn't truly know what Sugreeva said was true until Vali confirmed it as he died. The Rama who would soon thrust offers of
a change in heart to Ravana, who personally wronged him and continuously refused and mocked Rama's warnings, refused to offer any such a chance
to a stranger, to Vali, who graciously realized his own faults as he

The Pentagram, The Dharmachakra, And The Chi Rho
Throughout the different religions often people look at different symbols as to what represents themselves as a whole religion and how to identify with
it. The Pentagram, the Dharmachakra, and the Chi–Rho are going to be the main focus for this purpose. The Pentagram has been used in almost every
important ancient religion and often hold negative connotation but its origin is much different. The Dharmachakra is used by both Hindu and Buddhist
religions to represent hope and/or enlightenment. The Chi–Rho was the original Christian cross.To be able to acurattly explore the different aspects of
these religions you need to realize you will always find similarities and differences in all religious aspects no matter how small or large the symbols
used are what makes a religion what they are. When hearing or thinking of The Pentagram people often are fast to associate it with the Devil and heavy
metal music for worshiping Satan and practicing dark things. Although, the original orientation of the Pentagram has nothing to do with worshiping
Satan. It's said "The earliest known use of the pentagram can be found around 3500 BC at Ur of the Chaldees in Ancient Mesopotamia (Pagans path)."
In many of the Paganism religions the Pentagram represents the five equidistant elements Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit giving it more importance.
Although, in Christian religions the Pentagram originally symbolized the five wounds of Jesus, but was soon replaced with the with the cross,along

Pi's Life
Throughout Pi's life at sea and after being rescued, he makes an example of many important figures and states of being in the Hindu religion. Pravritti:
"people who choose to live in the world rather than withdraw from it." (Carnagie et al.) The contradictory Nivritti: those who choose to withdraw from
life. Dharma: "righteousness in one's religious and personal life." (Carnagie et al.) Finally, Artha: "prosperity and success in material affairs."
(Carnagie et al.) These four words play an important part on the happenings inside Pi's mind, as well as how his life moves along.
We start with Pravritti. Pi realizes what a dire situation he is in almost right off the bat. Hes stranded at sea, accompanied by only a zebra with a
broken leg, a hyena, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Living in Canada, attending a prestigious college and studying his favorite topics, having a wife and children. This is achieving artha. Artha is one of
the four aims of life in the Hindu religion, or purusharthas. In the article I read, these aims are decribed as "the doctrine of the fourfold end of life."
(Carnagie et al.) Pi achieved happiness in his life and became successful in material affairs, as the definition states. Artha is considered as a sign of
God's blessings, so it's nice to think that maybe God was giving blessings to Pi after he survived. The last aim of life is kama: "gratification of the
senses." (Carnagie et al.) Pi was very grateful for even the little things while living in Canada. Achieving the four aims of life, he can reach the highest
goal of all humankind.
There was something that has been unmentioned throughout this paper. The full four aims of life. The first three aims are dharma, artha, and kama.
These three aims are pursued by pravritti. The fourth, highest aim of humankind, is nivritti. Once people have achieved everything they need in life,
they may move on to reach death and rebirth. In a way, everything that happened in Pi's life was interconnected, as he reached the aims that he needed
to pass away and reach

The Dharma Bums Passage Analysis
"Oh what a life this is, why do we have to be born in the first place, and only so we can have our poor gentle flesh laid out to such impossible horrors
as huge mountains and rock and empty space," (Kerouac The Dharma Bums, page 42–43.) This passage was used during their hiking to Matterhorn.
Ray was so afraid and he could not continue to climb up the mountain. This passage expressed how much fear he felt during that time.
"I cannot fall off the mountain" (Kerouac The Dharma Bums, page 44.) Overcoming his fear Ray realized that he cannot fall off the mountain. After
Ray's observation to Japhy's reaction on top of the mountain and seeing Japhy's running down the mountain he figure out that he can also do it.
The first passage reminds me of my fear. I'm always skeptical of trying if I would be able to do something that I'm really afraid of. In reference of
the chapters that I have read, I was thinking if Ray's really overcome his fear or he's just pretending to show Japhy's that he can also do things like he
used to do; pretending that he felt bad and he should try to climb up the mountain. I felt that he is not being honest that time. The way the passage was
constructed, you could feel his fear that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I am afraid of heights and I cannot pull myself to go higher. It sounds funny, but fear is all over me. Even though myfamily keeps encouraging me and
convinces me that I will be fine, I cannot move my feet to continue. I feel like if I move another step I would fall off the hills. I'm not sure if I will
be able to overcome this fear. Unlike, Ray our difference is, he figure out that he is not afraid. That he cannot fall off the mountain and I never feel
the same way. I feel relieve when I saw my family walking down the hills because I know that I can now go down and will not endure the fear while
waiting for them to come down; I feel bad but it's

The Buddha, The Dharma, And The Sangha
Starting out in the Indian subcontinent, Buddhism grew to be a dominant religion that spread throughout Asia. Buddhism is rooted in the three
elements known as the "Three Jewels": the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Through these elements, followers practice meditation and
self–control in order to reach the state of enlightenment, or nirvana. The religion was pioneered by The Buddha, whose last reincarnation was named
Siddhartha in Nepal around 600 B.C.E. He was a human who transcended to a state of enlightenment, understanding and practicing the three elements of
Buddhism. Unlike the main figure in many other world religions, Buddha did not deem himself God or a prophet, but just a regular man who learned
the teachings of nonviolence, inner peace, and balance. Siddhartha was born as a prince and lived a lavish life growing up. However he eventually
realized that his life would not be fulfilled by material belongings, and abdicated his position. Siddhartha went on to study meditation and yoga,
eventually reaching enlightenment. The pervasiveness and inevitability of suffering in human life was a main topic contemplated by Buddha
throughout his life. The sources of suffering are key in the path to enlightenment, and Buddha realized this in his quest to enlightenment as well. These
topics, among other core teachings of Buddhism, are substantiated and outlined by the experiences of the last Buddha.
One of the most core topics explored by Buddhism, the pervasiveness and

Dharma Bums
Erica Schlecht Professor George Dorsty English 223 2 April 2013 A True Dharma Bum One of the most powerful quotes in the entire book that I feel
sums up what it is to be a dharma bum, " I felt free and therefore I was free". This quote from Ray Smith shows that a dharma bum must always believe
in oneself and take the journey to becoming a Dharma bum from within. Although one can learn from fellow dharma bums such as the Saint Teresa
bum, Han Shan, and Japhy the ultimate truth of being Dharma bum comes from within. Saint Teresa Bum is the "first genuine dharma bum" that Ray
Smith, the main character is Dharma Bums has ever met. The book starts off with Smith jumping into a box car where he runs into the Saint Teresa
bum. The... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In chapter 24 the same idea is brought up, "Maybe I'll be rich and work and make a lot of money and live in a big house." But a minute later: "And
who wants to enslave himself to a lot of all that, though?" (Chapter 24). Jack Kerouac's writing about this shows that dharma bums do not need to
fit into the mold of working society to be happy. At the same time a dharma bum is not one that sits around doing nothing, but one who constantly
searches for oneself in nature and the things around him. This is shown in another quote from the book, "by God, you're right, all those sedentary
bums sitting around on pillows hearing the cry of a triumphant mountain smasher, they don't deserve it" (Chapter 12). Smith discusses what he has
learned from Japhy here, "I realized I had indeed learned from Japhy how to cast off the evils for the world and the city and find my true pure soul,
just as long as I had a decent pack on my back. I got back to my camp and spread the sleeping bag and thanked the Lord for all He was giving me"
(156). Japhy has taught Smith that the Lord gives us all that we need and to look within the find true Dharma Bum peace. Being a Dharma Bum is not
something that can be defined as one particular thing. Following certain procedures such as disposing of worldly possessions to look within and find
oneself is a good step, but cannot truly define one's journey. The Dharma Bums that Smith learns from, the

The Kama Sutra Essay examples
What is Vatsyayana's targeted demographic of readers when he wrote the Kama Sutra? Was it exclusive to the leisure class of the Indian society? Or
did it also include the lower class? There is evidence that suggests that the text is biased for the aristocrats, as the practices described require time and
money that the peasants don't have. The fact that Vatsyayana is likely a member of the elite class, deduced from his sophisticated knowledge of
Hinduism and what a nobleman's day is like, could be another sign that his written work is biased towards the upper class. These facts lead to the
question: if the Kama Sutra is partial to the aristocrats, did Vatsyayana retain the rudimentary principles of Hinduism throughout his work so that it...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In this quote he explicitly reaffirms that all four castes in Indian culture, even the lower classes, are included and are encouraged to follow the core
laws of Hinduism and observe the Kama Sutra. Furthermore, his firm belief in the practice of dharma further demonstrates that his book doesn't exclude
the serfs in India. By definition, dharma is the "obedience to religious and moral laws," and in the Indian society, the caste system assigns specific
moral duties which are strictly confined by the Hindu religion to each class (Bentley 184). And, according to the Bhagavad Gita, as long as one
submissively takes responsibility within his caste, he will achieve dharma, the greatest teaching of the three principles before reaching moksha
(Bentley184). Moreover, while explaining how a the daily life of citizen should be, he subtly suggests that one does not necessarily be affluent to
acquire moksha. He states: "[h]aving thus acquired learning, a man, with the wealth that he may have gained by gift, conquest, purchase, deposit, or
inheritance . . . should become a householder, and pass the life of a citizen" (Vatsyayana 67). While this could easily be interpreted as a goal only the
wealthy can attain, the footnote states that "[g]ift pertains to Brahmans, conquest to Kshatriyas, purchase etc. to Vaishiyas" (Vatsyayana 67), verifying
that all classes of wealth are

Jack Kerouac's The Dharma Bums
Jack Kerouac is known for his unique writing style of spontaneous prose to tell stories of his own life experiences. This fast paced style not only
catches the attention of his readers, but gives a depiction of Kerouac as a person. Kerouac's novel, The Dharma Bums, depicts the importance of
pragmatism both in the novel and in Kerouac's life through his non–conformity and simplistic ways along with his spontaneity and sexual conflict. Ray
Smith stands out as a bit of a rebel with his non–conformist ways just like Kerouac. Quick to move on to different experiences and meet new people,
Ray travels the country. Kerouac starts off the novel with his non–conformist ways as Ray is seen "hopping a freight out of Los Angeles" (3) and he
heads for... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He even calls his writing style spontaneous prose. So of course Ray is going to have the same attitude. Ray often feels at home with children and
dogs because of their simple and innocent outlooks on the world. Kids and dogs simply love to exist and have a good time with all their
experiences. When climbing to Matterhorn Peak, Japhy and Ray are making the final ascent and Ray suddenly becomes afraid saying, "This is too
high" (Kerouac, 83). However, by watching Japhy jumping up the mountain and reaching the top, Kerouac realizes that it is better to simply jump
right in and experience something instead of worrying about it. Kerouac himself took many spontaneous trips. In a letter to Lenrow, Kerouac
describes one of his trips as "a tremendous trip though a little out of focus, as they say about sprawling novels" (70). Kerouac would even be so
spontaneous as to withdraw from one of Lenrow's classes to work on his novel, On The Road. He even goes as far as to tell Lenrow that he "suddenly
packed one night and went" (78). When Kerouac has a thought, he is quick to act upon it. This is why Ray admires Japhy so much and is willing to
take part in his spontaneous adventures such as climbing a

Buddha Day And Dharma Day

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Pamela Williams

More from Pamela Williams (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Buddha Day And Dharma Day