The Mahabharata: An Integral Aspect of Indian Culture

The impacts of Buddhist teachings and the worshipping of individuals in the buddhist community, enabled those in society to reflect upon their ethics. This notion is evident through the buddhist ethical teachings that governs our morals, decisions and actions established as a result of the Dalai Lama’s philosophical teachings of peace, which is further supported by the notion of “Puja”, the act of devotional attention and offerings.

The quest towards developing the ideal human character is sought after in both the Bhagavad-Gita and Confucius’ The Analects. In the Bhagavad Gita, the concept of sacred duty is prevalent throughout the text, as the warrior-prince Arjuna faces a moral dilemma throughout the story. In Confucius’ The Analects, filial piety is a virtue which impacts an individual’s character in relation to the Confucian religion. Sacred duty within the Gita requires the protection of one’s dharma, which is defined as the religious and moral law that manages an individual’s actions. Within Confucian thought, filial piety is a virtue of respect for one’s elders, ancestors, and parents within a community. Despite the differences between the contextual meanings of developing the ideal human, both the Bhagavad Gita and The Analects utilize their teachings towards developing ideal human character within the themes of sacred duty and filial piety with the goal of establishing a set of communal ethics to be maintained through different caste systems, essentially protecting the existing social structure. To argue this claim, I will begin by analyzing the similar intentions of deviating from selfish actions and thoughts to develop ideal human character. I will then express how the nature of this character leads towards the development of one’s sacred duty and filial piety. I will then connect these two ideas to show how together they work to develop a communal set of ethics aimed at maintaining order

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.

Every day people make decisions that may have profound effect on their personal and/or professional lives as well as the lives of others. The decision people make have a foundation on their personal, cultural, and perhaps organizational values. When these values are in disagreement, an ethical dilemma occurs.

This essay will focus on analyzing the ultimate truth while seeing how it coexists with the study and practice of Jhana Yoga. Each of the principles presented in this essay will have an in depth examination. The philosophical and religious as well as human natures are some of the most important themes that will be displayed in this essay. The idea of the materialistic values that is present in everyday life serve as the reason to why one cannot know the ultimate truth and how one can overcome this in order to find supreme peace. Karma yoga will be studied as Lord Krishna tells its importance to Arjuna, so he can follow the path of divine fulfillment. The universality of religion and selflessness serve as the two strengths one can achieve to be capable to have and live by the ultimate truth. The aspect of tradition and the origins of

Hinduism is a very broad term that encompasses a multitude of different backgrounds, traditions, beliefs, and practices. Hinduism, as we know it today, has gone through many changes. To fully understand how Hinduism became as it is currently, knowledge of its development over the course of history is essential. This paper will demonstrate the primary shifts of its central beliefs, practices, and goals between periods of Early Vedic, Late Vedic, and Classical Hinduism.

From the moment we arrive in this world our personalities and the way we generate behaviors are shaped by the culture surrounding us. All cultures and societies have ethical and moral systems that affect how people make decisions and lead their lives. The term ethic “derived from the Greek ethos which can mean custom, habitat, character or disposition” (Ethics: a general introduction, BBC News) is used to define “right and wrong” behaviors. We find ourselves trapped in ethical and moral situations every day, where the sense of what is the real “right” thing to do is not always obvious, this leading us to the uncertainty when making decisions and reassessment of the consequences of our actions. So is the case of the

Another key concept of Hinduism is that every individual is responsible for his or her own solution. This idea is mainly connected with the terms Karma and Dharma. Karma is this principle where actions of an individual influence the future of that individual. Karma is what feeds samsara, or your rebirth. If you have karma, good or bad, that is unresolved when you die you will be reborn again. As said before, the main purpose of life on earth for Hindu’s is to break this cycle of time and receive moksha, so every individual is responsible for taking care of his or her own karma. Dharma works oppositely, as it only brings you closer moksha faster. Dharma is one’s duty or course of conduct. Following your dharma without any personal agenda will bring you closer to your purpose in life.

One’s worldview is immensely influential in every aspect of a person’s life. In “The Bhagavad-Gita”, the importance of having a strong viewpoint is displayed through the actions of Arjuna and Krishna. This epic is a great example of how one’s worldview impacts one’s actions and decisions. Additionally, Arjuna discovers how trying it can be to keep hold of his outlook on life when faced with difficult situations. “The Gita” is an accurate illustration of how one’s worldview persuades the actions and decision making of a person because of Arjuna’s worldview, the theme of karma and dharma, and how one’s world view effects every aspect of a person’s life.

Different from other religions, Hinduism presses biology and the Divine are one (48, 51). This is expressed through the following and belief of Shiva and Shakti. Shiva, is an absolute cosmic being and the sheer life force. Shakti is the absolute power of the universe the whole of the cosmic their progeny (48). Hinduism has several variations that make this religion very complex to understand; to simplify this “way of life,” simply think Dharma; while it’s a broad term in Hinduism it is very important. Summed as the moral behavior of an individual and becomes known as, rita, when this behavior is in accordance with the cosmic order (49). By practicing dharma, one upholds the social order. In dharma, one is constantly reflecting and self-correcting in any areas of opportunity for improvement. So dharma can be viewed as the saying, you reap what you sow. This “leaping out” or “skimming to a different level,” leading us then to moksha, which is a final quest in the life path of Hinduism (49). According to the Laws of Manu, dharma and moksha, are just two of the four goals of life, listed here in order of

Hinduism is an Indian phenomena, it is difficult to define, and difficult for the outsiders to understand some of the unusual religious, philosophical and cultural beliefs. It is according to Huston Smith, the…” least dogmatic and most diverse of all religions…” because of the belief that there is a ‘flowing though’ cycle where in samsara ones is born, lives, suffers, dies and is re-born over and over until the ‘moksha’ occurs. This spiritual liberation is achieved by yoking oneself to God then one may reach Atman: the real self that is separate from the physical body. It is unchanging, eternal and a sign of the soul and spread throughout all the parts of and in the earth. This is the God that cannot be understood or always known yet Hindus are encouraged to relate to the God they know best.

A moral dilemma that I had faced in my life that continue to cloud my judgement even until this is day is obedience to and how far we will let it reflect on how we let it decide how we live our life. In today 's day and age with the everyone having so many choices on how they can live our lives conflicts with our moral reasons with what is right or wrong and having to outweigh the values of our conflicts. Its makes I question authority and test on how far our obedience from authority and supervisors lays thought us. When we were little most of us were taught that by my parents what was right or wrong and how by simply having these few characteristics a person can have such as stronger, more powerful, and intelligent or just have more experience than you that they are always right.

Hinduism and Buddhism are both eastern traditions with much to say about the human condition as well as the reason human beings exist at all. In some ways they are different while also being similar in other ways. In this essay, those differences will be discussed and the similarities examined for their message. In conclusion, we will examine what these two faiths offer to the human beings of the twenty-first century.

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

Buddhism does not regard ethics as a particular set of duties, rights, imperatives or obligations that should be used to evaluate the actions of a person. Instead, Buddhism views as the “accumulated wisdom” that one acquires in the areas of life and that are related to the fundamental problem that every person encounters—suffering (Voorst 2007; Becker & Becker, 2013). This paper will attempt to argue that the four noble truths are the basis onto which Buddhist ethics are founded; therefore, understanding the truths reveals the prominent elements of Buddhist ethical concerns.