Commonalities and Differences in the Classical and Early Medieval Eras - Essay Example

Comparisons of Buddhism and Other Religions Buddhism is one of the most practiced religions of the world. Although it may seem to be very different on the surface, the religion can be compared to other religions for the focus on a single human prophet and for the ways in which sacrifice is a part of the nature of atonement in a framework of vicarious fulfillment. Like most religions, Buddhism has a structure through which relief from the burdens of life can be attained. Unlike most other religions, that state of nirvana is achievable during one’s lifetime in contrast to the idea of receiving peace at the end of life through admission into Heaven. The Buddhist religion can be compared to other religions with the result being an understanding of how it has logistically been embraced as well as why it has been aesthetically embraced. Throughout history, religions have rarely been focused on a single individual. Hinduism, the Greek Olympian Gods, and the Jewish faith were all based upon a God or gods that had not lived an earthly life. Even Christianity is not based upon the life of a man, but on the teachings of God as articulated through his experience in manifesting his son on Earth. Buddhism, on the other hand, is based on the teachings of a man who was born, had a childhood, and evolved into a great teacher through whom an ‘awakening’ occurred that defined the beliefs of those who then followed his teachings. Through the teachings of the Buddha, a middle way is found that does not require the individual to live in extreme asceticism, but to also not indulge in an extravagant lifestyle. The teachings of Buddha allowed the individual to be released from the idea of gods ruling their lives and gave to them the concept that anyone can reach nirvana, which is a release from earthly woes. Self-mastery is attained through the Four Noble Truths and through the Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths are that all life is permeated through suffering, all suffering is caused by desire, desire can only be overcome by Nirvana, and the way to nirvana is guided by eight principles. Those principles are that righteousness can be found through right ideas, right thought, right speech, right action, right living, right effort, right consciousness, and right meditation. In following these teachings the individual will be released from desire. Manichaeism was developed during the third century through an Iranian born man named Mani and can be compared to Buddhism through the emphasis on the teachings of this man, just as Islam is founded on the teachings of Muhammad, the last prophet of the one God. Whereas Buddhism and Manichaeism both focus on an earthly man’s thoughts, Islam teaches that Muhammad was channeling the teachings of God. Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all use human conduits as teachers for the same God; however these three religions have been in conflict for most of history. Manichaeism incorporated the ideas of the Judaism history in order to define a new power balance between God and Satan in which the power of God was diminished to equal that of Satan through whom a balance was created. According to Scott, the response that Mani had to Buddhism was to describe the Buddha as a Messenger of Light, just like himself, but that the teachings of Buddha that would have reflected the same message as his own had been corrupted because they were not written by Buddha himself.1 Mani asserted that the teachings of Buddha had been changed because they were not chronicled enough to survive his passing. Albright asserts the same about the teachings within the Judeo-Christian heritage as he reminds his readers that the Old Testament is likely corrupted and out of chronology because of the number of reinterpretations that have occurred through a series of rewrites that passed those words down through history.2 Buddhism is not the only highly practiced religion in modern society that is based upon teachings that are not directly written from the source. Christianity is defined by teachings that did not come to be written down and formalized until the 4th century during the council at Nicea. There are other similarities that can be found between Christianity and Buddhism, although they are not immediately obvious. As an example, the concept of Vicarious Atonement can be found through Christianity, but is also evident in both Buddhism and Hinduism despite their skepticism in the idea of worshiping the figure of Christ who came to such a tragic end. In quoting a Hindu swami Nakamura states that “this is what Christians have done with the death of Christ, and the consequence has been calamitous. In place of the life-giving message of Jesus came grim dogmas of atonement from sin”.3 In Hindu, the story of King Vispascit is defined by the sacrifice of himself to Yama, the King of Death as he offers to stay in order to relieve the suffering of others. An example in Buddhism is seen through the Shinshu Buddhism of Japan in which Amitabha is in a position to offer himself as the atonement to replace the suffering of others. Although it comes in a variety of forms, the idea of atonement for others, a replacement of the pain of others through the sacrifice of a more enlightened being, is a running motif in Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism. Although the superficial structures of the religions may be very different, the underlying message is often focused towards the same end. When examined for the purpose of creating worship through focused actions, it is clear that the end result is the desire for a state of peace. Buddhism directly engages this concept as the intention is to provide a path on which the individual can find nirvana during his or her lifetime. Most other religions, however, embrace the idea that this life is a sacrifice and is filled with pain, ending with the reward of Heaven at its end, or the pain of Hell if the right actions or beliefs had not been embraced during life. These religions are based upon the idea that the poor are their main demographic, that in reaching out to those who have nothing, they are building upon a foundation population that represents the mercy of each religions defined doctrines. Those who have more than enough do not have the same level of need that those who are in poverty have for a sense of purpose in relationship to their suffering. Poverty, however, is not the only reason that a religion will flourish. Hinduism is not an ideal form of religious worship in a commercialized society, according to Darian. As an example, the interaction of individuals from different castes and levels of social position during trade is not conducive to trade relationships. Hinduism is more suited for agrarian societies in which the cycle of survival was static. Darian suggests that in Hinduism as commerce began to emerge, the old belief systems came into conflict with the new theories of society. It is further postulated that this is similar to the events in Europe during the Middle Ages and can be compared to the changes that occurred during the Reformation that better suited the commerce based society that had emerged.4 There can almost be considered a relationship between the growth of an agricultural society and the shift toward Buddhism as commercialism emerged as a result of agricultural growth in a region. Morrison suggests that urbanization occurs after agricultural societies emerge which encourage commerce. As an agricultural community shifts into a more urban natured population, the need for a new system of beliefs can also follow those shifts.5 Buddhism is a religion that has flourished alongside Hinduism and Christianity as a highly practiced system of beliefs. While there are a great deal of differences between Buddhism and other religions, in the end the primary similarity is that it fulfills the human need to assert an overriding purpose in life. The pain that comes from human existence must be reconciled, it seems, but through Buddhism it can be reconciled within one’s lifetime. The practical purposes of Buddhism can be seen in the way in which it supports the needs of commerce of Hinduism. Buddhism offers its followers the unique hope of Nirvana while supporting the interactions of people for earthly survival in a commercial world. Although different from other religions, it is clear that all religions have similar enough ideas that they fulfill the same kind of human need. Read More