Thich Nhat Hanh Summary

In document 5, Zong Mi, Buddhist scholar, talks about the similarities of the 3 traditions of Confucius, Laozi, and Buddha. He stresses the importance of all philosophies as being that of creating an orderly society with respect. It is interesting that a Buddhist scholar is favored by the Tang imperial household in the early ninth century since after 845 CE Buddhism was denounced in the empire. However, Buddhist scholars were very common at this time as many credited the survival of the area to the religion. The scholar, being favored by the royalty, probably tried to greatly influence them to accept and encourage Buddhism. Moreover, Zong Mi finds the commonalities of doing good deeds, punishing the wrong, and rewarding the right to further highlight that the essence of all the teachings is the same. As shown in document one Buddhism provides a clear path to attaining peace in the world and within

This paper is a book report on “Living Buddha, Living Christ,” written by, Thich Nhat Hanh. In this paper I will discuss the four themes; Mindfulness, Understanding, Interbeing, and Wisdom. I will define the themes, and explain how each theme listed is a part of my life and whether this theme, can be co-related along with my faith.

Writer Shen Congwen is not as straightforward politically involved as Lu Xun is in his short stories. Shen Congwen writes about revolution through a series of lenses that is quite different from that of Lu Xun. Where Lu Xun takes a more rational stance on how things should progress in China through revolution, Shen Congwen wants the reader to see the beauty in revolution and life as a Chinese citizen. In his short story “The New and the Old,” the reader experiences a dramatic scene about a soldier who is called upon to carry out an execution. As the story continues, the reader discovers that this executioner is the best one in town, and that his executions are seen as a true art, not very many people can take off a head with one swing of the

When I visited the Phat Da Buddhist Congregation in San Diego, a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in San Diego, I was taken by surprise that the service was given in Vietnamese. The decorations on the wall, the sacred images displayed at the altar, and the vibrant color of the monk’s robe were still familiar, but what was being said was (very) foreign to me. I quickly became impatient and preoccupied with the question on why I was there in the first place. What would I write about for my final Buddhism assignment if I could not understand what was being said? One thing was clear, the day I visited, they were celebrating Buddha’s birthday with huge display of rituals and ceremony, and a big birthday cake at the end.

Bernie Glassman, founder of the Zen Peacemakers Order, grew up in a Jewish family and was working as an aeronautical engineer before beginning to study Buddhism under Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi Roshi in 1967. Since becoming a Zen teacher in 1976, Glassman has changed the face of Socially Engaged Buddhism in America through his efforts to increase awareness of social issues by bearing witness to them, and through that, minimizing suffering. The main purpose of the Zen Peacemakers’ Order is the same as the main purpose of Buddhism: to minimize the suffering experienced in the world, both for oneself and for others. The ZPO views social action as a form of spiritual practice. Bernie Glassman and the rest of the American founding teachers of this organization

In The Heart of Understanding, Thich Nhat Hanh’s uses simple but powerful words and real world examples to illustrate the profound Buddhist philosophy from the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra, an important representative of Mahayana Buddhist literature. The Mahayana school of Buddhist teachings emphasizes the doctrine of Sunyata- emptiness. The doctrine of emptiness, one of the most important Mahayana innovations, focuses on the relational aspect of existence. Thich Nhat Hanh coins and introduces a new word- interbeing to explain the state of emptiness. This idea of interbeing not only illustrates emptiness well but also provides understanding of other fundamental Buddhist ideas such as No-Self, impermanence and non-duality.

The reading Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers written by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, is about one finding within, the best of you. Finding your best qualities and acting upon it will improve your spiritual life. Each person is born with unique abilities that distinguish one from the rest. One must believe can be our best selves pushing others and oneself to do well by understanding each other beliefs and impacting each other’s lives. Thus, overcoming the differences in faith, like brothers and sisters, enriching you spiritually; increasing mindfulness, meaning, and peace in this life.

In the Classical Period, though miles apart, both Imperial Rome and Han China had parallels and differences in methods of political control. The two civilizations both used the aspects of religion and belief systems to attain political influence over their subjects, but had differing methods to reach this goal. Standardization and cultural unity was a key factor in both civilizations regarding political control, as was expansion and growth of trade.

They are numerous aspects of Meyer’s book that specifically intrigued me. One was the weaving of the historical background about the creation of the Hutongs and the difficult process by which they were torn down. Another aspect of the book was the Olympics’ influence in diurnal life. Meyer portrays a fascinating and intimate portrait of the Beijing through the explanation of the Hutongs and the people residing within them. For example, the Dazhalan and specifically the Red Bayberry and Bamboo Slanted Street. It intrigued me to learn how people in Hutongs get to experience a more sense of community because of the lack of large spaces, the shared courtyards, and the shared lavatories. Meyer was able to connect with the Chinese people better and lose his title of foreigner because of the sense of community he had with the Widow,

In The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching, Thich Nhat Hanh provides a citation from the Buddha, which gives insight into the cure of our distress. “I teach only suffering and the transformation of suffering” (Thich Nhat

Thich Nhat Hanh combined a variety of traditional Zen teachings with the insights from Mahayana, methods from Theravada and ideas from Western psychology to offer a modern light on meditation practice. He was inspired to create Engaged Buddhism since he witnessed the suffering caused by the war and he wanted to practice Buddhism in a way that can bring help to the society. He became a leader for the Engaged Buddhism movement and promoted the individual's active role in creating changes.

As Fa-hsien continues his journey he enter the borders of the country Nagara, where he discovered the remains of Buddha’s skull. In the city of He-lo, Buddha’s skull had been decorated with gold-leafs and sacred substances. This bone was highly worshipped, and when placed outside on the vihara, assistants would bet drums, hit cymbals and blow into conchs while the king made his offerings.While being there Fa-hsien had noticed how the kings from different countries would send their messengers with offerings as well. The kings extending their offerings represents international relations ,that is concerned with the relations amongst those living within foreign policies. Following the course the P’oo na River Fa-hsien found himself in Muttra,

Zen, also known as Ch’an Buddhism in China, is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that was established in China about 1500 years ago. Zen is a form of religious practice of mainly concentrating the mind to a single point in which then results in self-realization and/or enlightenment. Zen philosophy is interpreted that all humans are capable of reaching enlightenment, which is generally blocked by ignorance. The idea emphasizes enlightened masters over forms of scriptures, and is the least “academic” of all the Buddhist schools.

E. Preview Main Points: Today we will take an in-depth look at the beliefs of the Four Noble Truths and Karma and the customs of meditation and the Sacred Mandela. We will also explore its history in India and of Buddha, and how the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh have truly shaped this life changing religion.

Michael Kampan O' Reilly states in Art Beyond the West that Zen Buddhism teaches one can find