Buddhist Teachings And Community Analysis

Abortion has been and still is one of the most controversial topics in American culture. The reason for the controversy is the different viewpoints of this very personal matter. Some believe that abortion is the same as murder. Others believe it’s a personal choice which only they have the right to make. Due to the nature of the procedure and the concerns associated with ending a pregnancy, abortion will continue to top the list of “touchy” subjects in American politics and culture. As a pro-choice advocate, it is important for the right to have an abortion to be established and protected.

Some evident transitions include, “the weakening of state control and the institutionalization of Buddhism as a distinct “corporate entity” in administration, taxation, and economic activities; the influence of enlightenment thinking and modernist scientific rational- ism, which is evident in Buddhist monastic reforms and in Buddhist publications for public consumption; a decline followed by a modest recovery of both monastic and lay Buddhism, in parallel with a growth in the enhanced status of women as nuns or lay practitioners in East and Southeast Asia; engagement with social and political causes in the form of Buddhist reform movements, hospitals, NGO’s, and social services; the commercialization of ritual services, especially in the form of “funerary Buddhism”; increasing lay interest in Buddhism as a “self-help” movement, accompanied by broader participation in activities once limited exclusively for monastics: meditation classes, retreats, study groups, and the like; and the expansion of Tibetan Buddhism throughout Asia and the world since 1959, as a consequence of the Tibetan exile. The modernization of Buddhism influenced some of the well regarded authors in American Literature. The Heart Sūtra (a foundational scripture of Mahāyāna Buddhism) was translated by Henry David Thoreau. However, Buddhist modernism is mostly “lay-based” and individualistic. It is focused on meditation and psychological introspection. Furthermore, in 1960’s America, a highly romanticized view of Buddhism began to form. This view of Buddhism in the modern age was inspired by the countercultural movements and by a few “cosmopolitan Asian intellectuals who have lectured and published in the West.” More importantly, One of the most significant social and institutional developments in

It goes without saying that I learned so much in Religious Studies 101. I was introduced to multiple world religions that were foreign to me prior to taking the class. I never felt the need to explore any other religion besides Christianity because I was content with my faith. However, after learning about different religions and interacting with people that are not Christian, and grew up with different beliefs and values, I now find myself questioning reconsidering my beliefs. By being exposed to the rituals and ideas of cultures and religions across the globe, I find myself wondering what it would be like to follow some of these principles or to try some of these practices for myself. I find myself trying to follow the moral guidelines and principles of the traditions I learn about all the time. It has helped me ask even more questions and broadened my horizons. It 's helping me shape my beliefs and find out who I want to become. I was especially fascinated with Buddhism and have grown a huge admiration for it. In my learning portfolio I will examine what I learned about Buddhism and what about it is so appealing to me. I will also briefly summarize that I learned that Buddhism – just like any other religions, is not flawless and cannot provide a perfect view of life that would be influential enough for me to devote my faith to it. However, there are certain

In this paper it will discuss the influence of the Buddha and how Buddhism came to America and the impact it had upon its arrival. How the American culture westernized Buddhism in their own way and how it looks today. It will also cover the difference of ethnic Buddhism and convert Buddhism in America. More specifically the objective of this paper is to explain descriptively and analytically and go over the historical time line of

There are many common pregnancy alternatives, but most often the resulting decision is abortion because it is effortless. Abortion is endings a women’s pregnancy by removing or forcing a fetus or embryo from the mother’s womb before it is able to survive on its own. Not all abortions are purposely done some are spontaneous like when a women that has a miscarriage. Rather abortion is done purposely or naturally it is a worldwide complication as to it being wrong or right. Abortion is an ethical issue that will be analyzed according to a personal worldview and Christian worldview. Ethical thinking will be examined by value-based decisions that address abortion from the perspective of a Christian worldview and comparing it to a personal assumption by addressing ethical dilemma, core beliefs, resolution, evaluation, and comparison.

Many Buddhist concepts and terms are present and used in western society: "Karma" is used frequently in the sense of "fate" The wise Buddhist mentor is a frequent character in movies "Nirvana" is the name of a band Vegetarians refer to Buddhist reasoning Reincarnation is in the public awareness Koans are used to describe inscrutable concepts The Dalai Lama is an internationally known figure "Smiling Buddha" and similar figures are frequently seen in garden shops Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed references are equally well understood. American bookstores are filled with volumes on "Zen and the art of" this or that; Hollywood makes movies on the Dalai Lama and a Nazi's conversion to Tibetan Buddhism; and TIME magazine runs cover stories on America's fascination with Buddhism. Buddhist ideas appear in New Age religions, psychology, medicine, and even sports and business. Buddhist values are cited in social movements for feminism, peace, ecology, and animal

A slow yet, gradual increase of individuals in the West are coming to terms about the positive efforts of socially engaged Buddhism. Actualizing that modern Buddhism in Asia has transformed into this meditative vehicle for spiritual liberation which includes liberation movements for social and political changes. Engaged Buddhism is a form of dedication through movements committed to addressing social, political, economic and environmental concerns including the spiritual needs of beings. In efforts to solve problems of extreme magnitudes, specifically during times of social crisis. keeping Buddhist philosophy's at the forefront of these movements, they manage to propagate widespread awareness of current asian issues.

Buddhist temples and monasteries provided many services, contributing greatly to the society. Monasteries and temples had medical care and academic facilities, gave seeds for families to harvest for food and crops, press oil, and temporary housed the traveling public. When people came to take advantage of the services provided, they were than introduced to the Buddhist ways. They were also taught to believe that by giving their sons unselfishly to Buddhism, the rest of the family would greatly benefit. The monks and monastery staff members also used pictures, assisting non-educated people, in understanding fables, which explained and emphasized the Buddhist teachings. As a final note, Buddhism has done great things for the society

There has been much controversy regarding the social, ethical, and medical predicament that abortion provokes. Abortion is the procedure of ending a pregnancy with the early removal of a fetus. There is no right or wrong when it comes to abortion; values contribute a great amount to an individual’s opinion. This process has led to numerous debates among individuals who believe that it is up to a woman to decide what to do with her body and the individuals who hold that women do not have the right to take away a life. Although it may seem as if the beliefs of pro-life and pro-choice advocates are on opposite sides of a spectrum, the two sides can come to an agreement about how to at least lessen the number of abortions occurring.

One of the most controversial topics in America is abortion. In medical terms, “an abortion is the premature exit of the products of conception (the fetus, fetal membranes, and placenta) from the uterus” (Medicine Net). All around the world, the practice of abortions has been widely used to control a woman’s reproduction. The polarizing, emotional debate on abortion has been an ongoing issue that still exists today. People’s different perspectives and opinion on whether or not abortion is immoral continue to divide America into two groups: “Pro-choice” and “Pro-life”. However, pro-life advocates tend to focus more on the fetus rather than how abortion and programs have actually benefited the mother and families. There is hypocrisy in people who identify themselves as “pro-life” and the word itself can be misleading as it does not align with the true values of protecting a life.

Buddhism is a religion that focuses more on the individual and the actions of that individual, which was prevalent to me when I made my way into Portland and set foot in a Buddhist temple. The man I met within the walls of this temple was far from my stereotypical thoughts of Buddhist monks. The man I met looked like your plain old, average Joe, American man. Before I delve into the depths of my visit to this inspiring place, I need to sum up the Buddhist religion and why I chose to study this particular group of people.

The book Buddhism Plain and Simple, by Steve Hagen, caught my attention and became more interesting to me than I thought. I have always heard of the religion Buddhism, but I never knew what it was all about. I never thought that Buddhism was as huge as it is. I knew that it existed in other countries, but I never knew what exact countries. Many of the views in this book surprised me and the book taught me a lot about morals and better ways to live your life. The word “ Awareness” is talked heavily all through this book. For Buddhists, this is probably the most important aspect in their religion.

The significant people and schools of thought in Buddhism that have the most impact are those that challenge adherents to follow Buddhist teachings more closely.

Buddhism in the twenty-first century is still applicable in such a fast paced and confusing world. Despite all of our advanced science and technology, we understand even less our reason for existing and we know more than ever just how big the universe is and how uncaring. These circumstances drive people to seek out spirituality even today in order to achieve the basic comfort required for them to conduct their daily lives. The recent episodes of tremendous violence have placed an unsavory patina of stifling ignorance over the religions of Christianity and Islam as they continue to carry on like demented spinsters in the decaying finery of their former glory with no intention of acknowledging the catastrophe of their current circumstances. Buddhism, with its sterling values of moderation, peace, and detachment from the impermanent things of this world, now appears dignified and splendid as the ancient beauty of Asia to modern seekers. No longer do we seek judgment and rigid, inexplicable rules from our God, with the hellfire and damnation that once drove us onward. We crave logic and sense from our world and in those circumstances, this faith tells us that lusting after expensive cars and clothes which we do not need will make us miserable. That is easy to understand. That makes

Hindu and Buddhist cultures are both rich in religion and expressing their faith through art. The Buddhist culture was formed by Buddha who went out to discover the causes of pain and suffering. Once Buddha realized what the cause was, he provided a set of four guiding principles know as the “Four Noble Truths” that are exercised in Buddhism (Kleiner, p. 13). The Four Noble truths are “Life is suffering, the cause of suffering is desire, one can overcome and extinguish desire, the way to conquer desire and end suffering is to follow Buddha’s Eightfold Path…” (p. 13). These truths are expressed in the following of Buddhism and commonly carried out through art. Buddhism is practiced throughout Southeast Asia and southern India where