Prebish, Charles S., and Damien Keown. Buddhism the Ebook : An Online Introduction. 4th ed. State College: Journal of Buddhist Ethics Online, 2010. PDF. , $27.75, ISBN 978-0-9801633-6-0
Background Information
Charles S. Prebish was Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at Pennsylvania State University from 1971 to 2006. Upon retiring from Pennsylvania State University, he served as the first holder of the Charles Redd Endowed Chair in Religious Studies at Utah State University where he also served as the Director of Religious Studies Program until 2010.
His formal studies were focused on early Indian Buddhism, however after paying close attention to the disciplinary literature known as Vinaya and the development of the monastic system, he began studying the development of Buddhism in North America. He maintained these interests throughout his career and wrote over twenty books and hundreds of articles. He has gained a reputation as a pioneer in the study of Western forms of Buddhism over his career.
In addition, Prebish has been an active member of numerous professional societies. He was one of the initial officers of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, and was a co-founder of the Buddhism section of the American Academy of Religion.
Damien Keown is a well-known bioethicist and authority on Buddhist bioethics. He earned a Ba in religious studies at the University of Lancaster in 1977 and DPhil from the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Oxford University in
Beginning in the 5th century, Buddhism became a very popular form of religion throughout Asia. Because this was such a diverse and widely followed religion, it introduced many different architectural and innovational developments that had influence from Buddhism, but depending on the region, the styles changed. Also, High officials, like Ashoka, whose’ primary influence came from Buddhism, created practices for his people to follow and live by to bring peace to his kingdom. As this religion was gaining popularity throughout Asia, the transformation that it took was very diverse and long term.
In his book God is Not One, author Stephen Prothero offers audiences glimpses into the various religions throughout the world including Islam, Christianity, Confucianism, Buddhism, and more. Within the Buddhism chapter, Prothero discusses the numerous aspects of the religion. He provides extensive information regarding Buddhism’s background, beliefs, and practices. Although he mostly presents facts about this religion, Prothero effectively utilizes these details as substantial evidence to prove his argument that Buddhism heavily focuses on experience rather than narrative (Prothero 201).
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
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.
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.
Bioethics is a very diverse and subjective issue in Buddhism that bases its self around fundamental Buddhist laws such as the five precepts, the four Noble Truths and The Noble Eightfold path. Each Buddhist variant approaches bioethics differently based on the variants primary goal, ideals or practices. However all Buddhists views of bioethics are somewhat influenced by the universal goal of Buddhism to become liberated from the constant cycle of reincarnation or samsara. In conjecture with Buddhism, the occurrence of samsara allows for one to attain a new view on everything including bioethics allowing for the chance to discover or come to an ultimate realisation which in turn allows for the ultimate realisation of issues relating to
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
The freedom in the United States has been threatened many times. It is up to our leaders that we elect to be able to defend that freedom. President Roosevelt and President Kennedy had both given speeches to show their veiws on protecting the United States’s freedom. Both Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” speech and Kennedy’s inaugural address state how our freedom is threatened and how they plan on protecting and defending our freedom. However Roosevelt’s speech he more talked about wanted to defend and fight against the threat to our freedom, whereas Kennedy’s speech he talked more about wanting the American people to communicate and come together peacefully.
Through his status as a Bodhisattva His Holiness has also shown that the helping of others to achieve enlightenment is an essential aspect of Buddhism. He has reinterpreted traditional scripture to make it easier for contemporary Buddhist followers to gain enlightenment. He has also published books to enable adherents to gain a deeper and more rounded knowledge of Buddhism and the
Having a normal skin type is perhaps what every person desires. Smooth, typically unblemished and characterized with the perfect balance of oil, a normal skin appears plump, firm with very few wrinkles, if there is any. Skin tone and complexion appears even and any redness is often unnoticeable.
Buddhism is a major global religion with a complex history and system of beliefs. The founder of Buddhism is said to be Siddhartha Gautama, the son of an Indian warrior-king. Gautama led an extravagant life through early adulthood, reveling in the privileges of his social class. Gautama became bored with the indulgences of royal life so he wandered into the world searching for understanding. After encountering an old man, ill man, a corpse, and an ascetic, he was convinced that suffering lay at the end of all existence. He then became a monk, depriving himself of worldly possessions in the hope of comprehending the truth of the world around him. The culmination of his search came while meditating beneath a tree, where he finally understood how to be free from suffering, and ultimately, to achieve salvation. Gautama became known as the Buddha, meaning the “Enlightened One.” He spent the remainder of his life
Hope, J. and van Loon, B. (1995) Buddha for Beginners, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin.
Industrialization in America resulted in many successes of the 20th century as we see them today. Without the industrial growth, there wouldn’t be a technology of computer, or an automobile revolution, or a camera tech, or the improved medicine that was developed. Industrial growth was the most important moments in the history of America, changing the American culture as it was known. Agriculture movement was no longer the business of the day, as factories were introduced all around the country, creating more jobs opportunities and useful products. The Industrial growth in America made the job industry what it is today.
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.
D. Thesis Statement: Buddhism has many important factors, and it is considered an innovative religion due to its beliefs, customs, history, and important figures.