Essays on Mahayana

Origin and Evolution

Buddhism emerged from the religious beliefs of Iron Age India during the 6th-4th centuries BCE. This was time of socio-cultural change, when the Upanishads contributed to the change in the historical Vedic faith and led to the appearance of Sramanic traditions (Eraly 538). Later, Buddhism spread through the territory of Asia, and after that it faced a slight decline in India in the middle age period.

The Symbol of Faith

Officially, the two symbols were adopted by the World Fellowship of Buddhists. These are the eight-spoked Dharma wheel and the five-colored flag (Freiberger).

Buddhist Canon and its Basic Teachings

The research of basic canons and teachings of Buddhism has ...

Buddhism is a way of life that has always fascinated me. The principles of Buddhism and the philosophical elements have always attracted me to know more about the religion. This paper is an effort to elaborate why Buddhism is of interest to me as a student in religious studies. Buddha Shakyamuni is believed to be the founder of Buddhism. He lived and preached in the Indian subcontinent some two thousand five hundred years back. From that time onwards, a huge number of people from around the world have adopted the unpolluted spiritual route of Buddhism and the preaching based ...

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the origins of the Buddhism, how did it all start and where is its origins? The reader will retrieve an insight about its beliefs, teachings and ceremonies; what is the core of this religion? The exact rules and scriptures by which the Buddhists live with, what are the forbidden acts and the favourable ones? The paper will also answer to the most important question; what is the reason behind its spread? This paper will demonstrate the evolution of this religion throughout different centuries and the obstacles it faced during its spread. ...

Shintoism and Buddhism in Japanese History

Before the spread of today’s religion, the early civilizations had different views as to how they could explain the things around them. Some would say it is the work of spirits who dwell upon plants, animals and inanimate objects while others believe in the intervention of divine beings who created the world prior to mankind. While some of these early beliefs have been forgotten in favor of newer religions, there are countries where early beliefs played heavily in the formation of the nation and even triggered a conflict to occur when a new religion was introduced to the ...

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Standing Bodhisattva Maitreya - (Buddha of the Future) Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara), Ca. 3r century Introduction The significance of the term bodhisattva lies in the way it is used to designate Buddha-to-be. A bodhisattva is destined to become a Buddha as he progresses towards awakening because of his self- motivation and unique qualities. Buddha Gautama refers to his bodhisattva’ in his pre-awakening experiences and how he overcame fears during bodhisattva’s struggles. Bodhisattva gradually develops a clear division between unwholesome thoughts and wholesome thoughts. On considering these formulations, it is safe to assume that the idea of Bodhisattva ...

Buddhism has its origin in South Asia, but it crossed cultural and geographical boundaries to make its presence felt in Western nations. Buddhism marched towards North America in around 1860s with the arrival of Chinese immigrants. The spread of Buddhism in America is also attributed to Americans and Europeans who visited Asia in the late1800s. Undoubtedly, Buddhism has blossomed fast in American culture since then. Nonetheless, the gulf between Buddhist converts and immigrants is one of the prominent features specific to North America. This gulf is riven by deep social, cultural and linguistic variations. It is the point where ...

The Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism both share the common core beliefs and dedication to the life and teachings of Buddha. However, these two branches of Buddhism have some differences considering the location of Buddhist paths, scriptures, language, goals, types of meditation, and more. In the South East Asia, the Theravada Buddhism is closer to the Indian form of Buddhism while in the Northern part of Asia has its local traditions. Generally, Buddhism has a number of different transformations ranging from moral concerns, doctrinal interpretation, metaphysics, and philosophy. The perspective often holds the concept of a united and harmonious ...

Buddhism is a religious system that involves a variety of beliefs, spiritual practices, and traditions that are centered on the teachings of Gautama Buddha. According to Robson (2015) Gautama Buddha lived in the Northern India between 6th and 4th BCE.Buddha hailed from the Magadha Kingdom and was highly regarded as an enlightened and divine educator who shared his wisdom to help conscious individuals to bring their sufferings to an end. Buddha held an opinion that the only way of ending people's afflictions was through the elimination of ignorance. Haynes (2014) noted that Buddha accomplished his mission through the teaching ...