The Koran Summary

Sura 2
The Cow

This sura tells stories of Adam, Moses, and Abraham, on the nature of battle in Islam, and dealing with the subject of warfare. There are verses that seem to prohibit interest on loans. It urges Jews and pagans of Madina to become Muslim. It also warns them of the wrath God had past on those who failed to listen to his call.

Sura 4
The Woman

The Woman sura deals exclusively with woman, their rights, and obligations. It outlines requirements of modesty including the requirement of wearing the hijab. It also goes legal and ethical matters like the inheritance law and marriage. It encourages the adoption of orphans and also seems to speak of a controversial subject of polygamy. It describes Allah’s forgiveness. It also goes into forbidding insist in general and describes all woman who would be considered to have insist relations with. All other woman who is not described is ok to have relations with provided that they are married. It describes how Allah has made men superior to woman and they have to submit. If a woman does not submit it instructs men what to do; first they should counsel them, 2nd refuse to share their beds, and last beat them.


Sura 16
The Honey Bee

Within this sura warns against worshiping multiple gods because they cannot create anything. It also warns against any comparison between any created being and Allah. The wonders of the natural world are proofs of Allah’s infinite power. Allah cares for man and provides for his growth. Evil does not have power over those who believe and trust in Allah. He will judge us by our faith and deeds.


Sura 75
The Rising of the Dead, Resurrection

Man was created with a purpose and with that was given responsibility. Judgment day will come so you must follow the straight path. Those who do will beam with brightness and beauty. However if you do not follow the straight path dying will be a terror because of the sins committed.


Sura 87
The Most High, Glory to Your Lord In The Highest

This sura seems to have a purpose of reminding us that Allah knows everything including things that we hide from each other and from ourselves. Man can reach purification and perfection if he follows the ordered steps set forth by Allah this is the Eternal Goal.

Post 9

post nine: give a general overview of Muhammad and Islam: bio. of Muhammad, main philosophical teachings and main practices, etc. What did you find most interesting about this reading?
The word Islam comes from the world salam which has a first meaning of peace and a secondary meaning of surrender. This peace in which salam means comes from surrendering one’s life to God or Allah. Allah translates literally as “the God” because there is only one god. In the Koran (which is considered their “Bible) Allah created the world, then human beings. The first man was Adam and the first woman was Eve (just like Christianity). The story in the Koran and in the Bible is the same up until the point where Abraham banish Ishmael and Hagar from the tribe. Then the Koran becomes different within its story. Ishmael goes to a place where Mecca was to rise and his descendants, his descendants live in Arabia and became Muslims. In the later half of the 6th century A.D Muhammad who is a prophet helped Islam reach its definitive form. They also believe that there had been authentic prophets of God before him however, he was their culmination and called The Seal of the Prophets. Muhammad (which means highly praised) was born approximately 570 A.D. into the leading tribe of Mecca called the Koreish. His uncle adopted him because both of his parents died while he was young. Muhammad was pure-hearted and beloved in his circle, he was also said to be of a sweet and gentle disposition. When was became mature he entered the caravan business and at the age of twenty-five entered the service of a wealthy widow named Khadija. His demeanor impressed her and eventually the two grew to love one another and were married. His ministry began after fifteen years. During these years Muhammad wanted solitude and began to visit a cave in the outskirts of Mecca. Through vigils Muhammad became convinced that Allah was greater than others had perceived him to be. This was expressed in the greatest phrase of the Arabic language, “La ilaha Illa ‘llah!” which means There is no god but God! Around 610 A.D. during a night referred to as the Night of Power, an angel in the form of a man came to Muhammad who’s words Muhammad felt as if the words the angel spoke were branded into his soul; “Proclaim in the name of your Lord who created man from blood coagulated! Proclaim: your Lord is wondrous kind, who teaches by the pen, Things men knew not, being blind.” (Koran 96:1-3) He became frightened and went home to tell Khadija he either became a prophet or a madman. After hearing his full story she became his first convert. Muhammad’s life was no longer his own and had became for God and for humanity. Preaching the words that God was to transmit for twenty-three years. Muhammad had insisted that Allah had not sent him to work wonders. Nature was the only miracle that Muhammad claimed was that of the Koran itself. Muhammad’s message created a violently hostile reaction for three reasons: its uncompromising monotheism threatened polytheistic beliefs and the considerable revenue that was coming to Mecca from pilgrimages to its 360 shrines (one for each day of the lunar year); its moral teachings demanded an end to the licentiousness that citizens club to; and its social content challenged an unjust order. The Meccan leaders did not like any of this and began their attack with by ridiculing him, which proved ineffective. They then tried threats and persecution with did not work either. Muhammad continued to throw his heart and soul into preaching gaining listeners even though the odds were against him. By the end of the decade Muhammad had been acclaimed as Allah’s authentic spokesman. The Meccan nobility had become alarmed and wanted to get rid of Muhammad. In 622 A.D. Muhammad set out for Yathrib, this migration became known as the higra and was regarded as a turning point in world history. Yathrib then became known as Medinatal-Nabi, the City of the Prophet, and then as Medina, “the city”. Once Muhammad arrived in Medina he assumed a different role than that of a prophecy. He was pressed into administration. Even as a statesman he was brilliant, gentle and merciful, even to his enemies. The remaining ten years of his life he welded the five heterogeneous and conflicting tribes of the city into orderly confederation. People began to flock from every part of Arabia once his reputation had spread. They wanted to see the man who had wrought the miracle. However the Meccans attacked Medina changing victories from one hand to another for several years however ended permanently in Muhammad’s. Eight years after hijra Muhammad returned to Mecca as a conqueror and forgave his former oppressors and then returned to Medina. In 632 A.D., two years later, Muhammad had died.
Muhammad considered the Koran to be the only miracle God worked through him; he called it God’s “Standing miracle”. Muslims tend to read the Koran literally. Muhammad would receive the words of the Koran when he would enter trance-like states. At first the voice sounded like reverberating bells but over the course of twenty-three years became one single voice that identified itself as Gabriel’s. They would come through manageable segments that his followers would memorize and record on bones, bark, leaves, and scraps of parchment with God preserving their accuracy. The Koran is said to be a continuation of God’s revelations from the Jews and Christians. It passes judgment of the Old and New Testaments and states that it has two defects, which of course the Koran is free of. One being that the Hebrew and Christian Bibles only has a portion of the truth, which is why the Koran has similarities with these Bibles. Second the transmission of their Bibles is partially corrupted. The book however does present some obstacles. No other language seems able to play on human emotions the way Arabic can. The contents are also like no other religious text; Unlike the Upanishads it is not explicitly metaphysical. Unlike the Indian epics it has not grounded its theology in dramatic narratives. Unlike Hebrew Scriptures it is not based on historical ones. Also unlike the Gospels and the Bhagavad-Gita God is not revealed in human form. The Koran is directly doctrinal and indirectly historical. God presents himself in the first person within the Koran and describes himself and makes his laws known. The Koran is considered a manual of definitions, guarantees, a road map for the will, and a collection of maxims to meditate on in private in order to deepen one’s sense of the divine glory.
The Basic theological concepts of Islam are virtually identical with those of Judaism and Christianity; God, Creation, the Human Self, and the Day of Judgment. God is immaterial and therefore invisible and the religion is based around him. Muslims see monotheism as Islam’s contribution not simply to the Arabs but to religion in its entirety. Hinduism never arrived at the worship of the single God. Judaism was correctly instructed however confined to the people of Israel. Christians compromised their monotheism by deifying Christ. Jesus is recognized, as a prophet by the Koran as well as his virgin birth however, does not agree with the doctrine of the Incarnation and the Trinity. God is depicted as having Unlimited power which inspires fear so Muslims fear Allah for the magnitude of the consequences that people face for their sins. The fear for Allah is outweighed by his love for his creatures. Creation of course comes from God where Allah deliberately created the human self. The nature of the human self is unequivocally good. Here is where Islam comes close to the Christian doctrine of original sin where it is the concept of forgetting. Forgetting to acknowledge that life is a gift from its Creator and surrendering to that belief. In Islamic parlance that to be a slave to Allah is to be freed from other degrading forms of slavery, greed, anxiety, and ambition. The final part of the doctrine is the Day of Judgment where the soul will either go to the Heavens or the Hells. Allah is exempt from having direct involvement altogether with this choice because souls judge themselves. If the self is extracted from the realm of lies it can ascend to the Heavens. The Koran is a book that emphasizes deeds rather than ideas.
Islam teaches people to live by teaching them to walk the straight path. God’s revelation to humankind is expressed in four great stages in which God revealed the truth of monotheism to Abraham, the Ten Commandments to Moses, and the Golden Rule to Jesus. The first Pillar is known as shahadah, “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Prophet.” The Muslim faith gets its authenticity from Muhammad and the validity within his revelation. It is said that in each male or females life they must recite the shahadah correctly, slowly, thoughtfully, aloud, with full understanding, and with heartfelt conviction for it is the ultimate answer to all questions. The Koran considers keeping human life in perspective the most difficult lesson because human beings are derivative. Muslims must pray five times a day. This number was arrived at through negotiations by Moses and Muhammad even though Moses still considered it too many. There is a specific five times of the day in which they pray; on arising, when the sun is overhead, in mid-afternoon, at sunset, and before retiring. Islam does not emphasis congregational worship however; Muslims are expected to pray in mosques when they can and encouraged to do so Friday noon. A Koranic Revelation then instructed them to pray in the direction of Mecca. The prayers begin by standing but reach their climax in the fetal position with the forehead touching the floor. Charity is the third pillar of Islam. The Koran is explicit; annually, 2.5 % of one’s holdings should be distributed to the poor. The observance of Ramadan takes the fourth pillar of Islam. It is considered a holy month in the Islamic calendar because the Koranic revelation commenced and Muhammad migrated from Mecca. To commemorate these great occasions able-bodied Muslims fast during Ramadan and are not sexually active. This makes one reflect, teaches self-discipline and reminds one of their frailty and dependence. It also teaches compassion for those who are hungry. The fifth pillar is pilgrimage is my favorite part of this reading. Every Muslim who is physically and economically able to is expected to journey to Mecca with the purpose of heightening the pilgrim’s commitment to God and his revealed will. It is a reminder of human equality (which is why its my favorite) because pilgrims exchange their clothes for two simple sheet-like garments. The gathering also promotes international understanding by bringing together people from multiple countries. The things Muslims do (the Five Pillars of Islam) are to support the house of Islam. There also should not gamble, steal, lie, eat pork, drink intoxicants, and be sexually promiscuous.
There was virtually no restraint on violence before Muhammad. Women were regarded more as possessions than human beings, drunkenness and gambling were alive in the city. However within a half century a remarkable change in the moral climate occurred. Because the Koran joins faith, politics, religion and society inseparably it is not only a spiritual guide but a legal compendium.

Now discuss what you got out of the two films assigned.
Nearly 1 out of every 4 people are Muslim. The angel Gabriel communicated through Muhammad God’s message. He was born in Mecca which today is known as Sadi Arabia during a time of turmoil and despair. By the time he was eight be was being cared for by his uncle who was part of the primary tribe of Mecca who were the keepers of the holiest religious shrine the Kaba. During this time not only was Allah worshiped at the shrine but many other gods and goddesses were as well. Muhammad was a caravan merchant who was known for being a caring and fair man who was concerned with social issues. Those having to do with the rich ignoring the poor. Muhammad was hired by Kadeja to drive a caravan for her. Later on in their relationship Kadeja purposed marriage to Muhammad. They had five daughters and Muhammad was an adoring father. Each year during Ramadan Muhammad would go to the mountains surrounding Mecca in order to refresh him by fasting and praying. During one of the ventures an angel had come to him and told him to “Proclaim!” However Muhammad replied back stating he had nothing to proclaim. The angel grabbed him almost squeezing the breath out of him and said “Proclaim in the name of the Lord thy created man from a clot of blood. Proclaim and thy Lord is most bountiful.” Muhammad full of fear fled the mountain and once he had made it over the mountain was approached by the angel yet again, “Oh Muhammad thou art the messenger of God and I am Gabrial.” Still fearful he ran to Kadeja who consoled him and convinced him they were not delusions. The revelations continued which confused Muhammad because he did not fully understand the message he was to carry to his people. The revelations had stopped and Muhammad thought he had done something wrong and God had abandoned him until another revelation had happened. Afterwards he understood the message he was to tell, that there is no other god that the God Allah. Revelations continued and the words were etched in Muhammad’s memory which he would tell the people of Mecca. The people of Mecca then copied the words which then became the Koran. At first the Koran was only accepted by Kadeja and a view close friends but as Muhammad continued to speak they became accepted by more people. More so as poetry then as religious literature however did revive an old religious faith as time passed. The Muhammad passed the message that all worshiping of the other gods and idols that were around the Kaba would have to stop. Because of this it started to turn fathers against sons and families against families. The political figure heads began to turn on Muhammad and to physically assault Muslims. The agony of this period grew when Kadeja died in 619. The prophet then had another revelation where Gabriel presented him with a winged like horse that flew him threw the night sky where he was greeted by Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all the other prophets. After this he understood that he could no longer remain in Mecca. They migrated to Yathrib where they people of Yathrib agreed to submit to Allah if Muhammad would become their leader. The political figure heads of Mecca did not want this and decided that one man from each clan would plunge their swords into Muhammad at the same time. However they were not successful because Muhammad had been warned and made his escape. The migration to Yathrib is known as Hidrah. Yathrib then became known as Medina which means “the city”. Muhammad over the years had married 11 different women from different tribes and clans. Within the Koran it was believed that the messages of Moses and Jesus had become distorted historically. As a political figure Muhammad made a much needed choice of going to combat with Mecca in order to defend their beliefs. The Mecca army out numbered the Medina army 3 to 1 however Muhammad’s tactics for battle proved great and it was the Mecca army that fled in fear. Mecca continued to try to win a battle against Mecca for three years and won a couple. But the Muslim community continued to grow and eventually won against the Mecca army. Muhammad had spoke of another message from Allah, that no man was permitted to have more than 4 wives and he should treat them as equals. Within the Koran woman were given certain rights including the right to an education. Muhammad then set forth to Mecca where he did not want any blood shed but to unite all under one God Allah. The people of Mecca did not dispute and Muhammad went into the Kaba where he destroyed all other figure heads.

Post 8

post eight: what is gnosticism all about and how does it compare to
Eastern ideas? I want to see the similarities between Eastern thought and Western thought.

Gnosticism is not an organized religion. Gnostic is what numerous schools of thought call themselves from the first and second centuries of the Common Era. There are different sects that are named after the founder. The four most famous are the schools of Marcion, Basilides, Valentinus, and Mani. Through each school the fundamentals remain the same, which is the pursuit of gnosis. Gnosis deals with knowledge of the spiritual world where the highest form of gnosis would be direct knowledge of the Divine that is not taught in Scriptures. This describes a basic goal to raise one’s consciousness beyond the physical world in to the higher spiritual worlds. This happens when the soul leaves the physical body and goes through the various spiritual realms and thus the consciousness becomes purified. Reaching its final destination of home with the Divine. There is a Gnostic text called The Apolcrphon of John where it refers to God as “the invisible One who is above everything,” “unnamable since there is no one prior to him to give him a name,” and the “ineffable”. The Gnostics definitely have a distinction between the physical world and the spiritual world. According to the Gnostics the great “original sin” is where the inner Self is forgotten. When the Divine Man comes down to earth from the spiritual realms and reveals divine secrets and calls the souls back and thus awakens the sleeping spirit. The Mani sect believes that the Divine Man incarnates (which is an eastern belief (incarnation)) into human forms in order to awaken people and restore the soul to its original purity and lead it back to God. Gnostics believe that humans reincarnate until the Divine is realized. The Gnostic draws from different philosophies from neo-Platonism, Judaism, Zorostrainism, Christianity, and maybe Hinduism. It has also been associated with Christianity where Christian Gnostics claim they have the “true” teachings of Jesus. Although orthodox Christians disagree and believe these claims to be absurd and destructive to Christian faith. Between the third and fourth centuries C.E. was the age of the great heresiologists where Christianities boundaries are no longer as fluid. However extreme sharp boundaries were then drawn in order to establish strong institutionalized Church. This was seen as trying to undermine the Church and all Gnostic thought was thought of as a heresy. At this time most Gnostic writings are destroyed. Even though there is a historical connection between Gnostic and Christianity, Gnostic did not emerge from Christianity. On the contrary relates more closely to Judaism. Gnostic used the Old Testament and re-interpreted it giving biblical figures like Adam and new role. This tactic is called a metaphorical teaching device where the twisting of the original story line occurs in order to present their own ideology. Another example of the Gnostic re-interpretation is the way the picture the biblical god. They portray him to be the next to last god, a lower deity and not the Godhead. They also believe the creator god is of an evil origin so creation is as well evil and because of that worldly pleasure impedes spiritual growth. Within the Marcionite doctrine of ethics the nature of Marcionites is evil because an evil Creator created it. Because of this they have decided to reframe from getting married because they do not want to fill the world made by the Creator-God. Because of this decision they are in opposition to their Maker. The Barbeliotes are on the other side of the coin where they supposedly engage in sexual cultic rituals. During these rituals they will begin with a feast of meat, wine and ends in an orgy. These actions are to transmit their sexual emission and the soul of the dead animal to the heavenly world however, refuse giving birth to children. There is a third Gnostic group called the Valentinians who condemn marriage and procreation as well. However have an overall theme of moderation in regards to how to live life. The Gnostic tradition feels that there is an overall objective to return to the Unknown God by realizing its higher nature. They believe the human soul is imprisoned in the body. They instruct believers on how to awaken their human spirit within the Nag Hammadi literature. Gnostic tradition is comparable to medieval and modern Sant tradition where there is a philosophy concerned with traversing spiritual realms to reach God. One reaches God or achieves God-Realization by realizing the relationship with the Divine. Sant’s are believes to be enlightened souls that have accomplished this. Sants’ are like the saint where a person sacrifices one’s life to serve humankind in some way. However a Sant has lost all identity by merging the spirit entity into the Highest Reality no longer subject o any form of maya (illusion) or ego (ahamkara) and embodies the Divine. Such a person is also called the satguru (the true guru) and is believed to have returned to awaken souls from ignorance. So unlike Christianity salvation is not a onetime event. Within the Sant tradition the salvific process is a continuous one. This tradition can be traced back to the fifteenth century C.E. to the North Indian mystic Kabir. What sets the Sant tradition apart from the orthodox Hinduism is the claim that devotion to the Divine Name of God is the only means to attain salvation. There is a second branch of the Sant tradition, which has been active from the fifteenth century up until today. They rebuff orthodox Hinduism for the value it places on rituals, holy books, and idol worship, and they ridicule the caste system. They also reject the authority of the Vedas, which sets the northern Sants outside the Hindu fold. The Maharashtra poet-Sants give deity characteristics to God by referring to it as “father and mother” and reject the saguna God. Since God is beyond all attributes and distinctions, God cannot be captured in an icon or temple. The Nirguna Bhakti suggests this. There is an intense emotional experience (anughava) that is created by the dual structure between the devotee and the object of devotion (the guru) that is supposed to pull the devotee towards the nirguna God. There is little differentiation between the northern and southern Sants when it comes to ethical issues. Both greatly stress living a moral life, which includes three basic requirements: 1. ahimsa, 2. no intoxicants, and 3. a moral life in society. The Sant tradition seems to be a mixture of Vaishnava bhakti and the esoteric Tantric tradition of the Nath yogis. Several scholars have argued that here is a great deal of Sufi influence on the Sants as well. Of course the Maharashtian and Northern Sants differ other wise there would be no reason to have two different sects of Sants. They differ somewhat in their theological approach, which marks them as a distinctive group.

The Gnostic tradition and the Sant tradition are similar in that there is no fixed institution or set boundaries. They also have the same notion of a Transcendent God. The western view of the God from the Old Testament is similar but twisted to fit the theology from the Gnostics’. Through out Gnostic literature as well as Hinduism there are doctrines of reincarnation. Gnostics, and Hinduist accept the idea of Karma. Both the Sant and Gnostic traditions believe in the existence of an Unknown God. Gnostics as well as Sants use sound and light to help in the soul’s ascent to the Unknown God. Both traditions agree that a spiritual guide unravels insoluble mysteries of the universe and awakens the soul from ignorance.

Midterm

_____________________________________________________________________MIDTERM:(Answer these "preliminary" questions on the first page of themidterm):1. NAME (your official name that is in my roll book).
Kelly A. Weber2. USERNAME on the Yahoo club---exact username is required to enableme to look up all of your posts and dates to the posts.
Kellywphotography3. EMAIL ADDRESSKellywphotography@yahoo.com
4. How many posts did you complete and give me the "exact dates" ofeach?
Post 1 09-01-2008
Post 2 09-04-2008
Post 3 09-07-2008
Post 4 09-07-2008
Post 5 09-10-2008
Post 6 09-11-2008
Post 7 09-13-2008
5. What reading did you complete in this course thus far? Bespecific? What reading did you not complete? Be very specific.
All the reading for all of the posts has been completed. I have read “When Scholars Study the Sacred: An introductions to Religious Studies”, “When Gods Decay”, HINDUISM: Read Huston Smith's book: chapter 1 (intro) and chapter 2 (on Hinduism), “The Quest”, Baba Faqir Chand”, “Jainism”, “Why I Don’t Eat Faces”, “Sikism”, The Chapter in our book on “Buddhism”, as well as chapters 4 and 5 on Chinese religions, also read the Bhagavad Gita and the Wisdom of the Buddha.6. List all of the films you watched in week one, two and three. Didyou skip any films and which ones? Do you have a favorite and why?
For week one I watched Huston Smith, world religions scholar’s video. Week two I was able to watch all but the last video on Hinduism and the video on Jainism. Week 3 I watched both videos on Sikism, Buddhism, and Tao7. What field trip do you complete? If you have yet to complete thisassignment indicate it here.
I went to a Buddhist Temple called he His Lai in Hacienda Heights.8. Did you complete any extra credit in the course thus far? Bespecific. (Make sure to include all extra credit in the e.c. sectionof your website).
No I haven’t completed any extra credit.

Main Nine Essay Questions:If you do not have an answer for any of the questions or you did notread the relevant material write "I DO NOT KNOW."Essay Questions:1. Imagine that you were asked to create your own "new" religion. Howwould you ensure its overall success? Smart's seven dimensions of religion would play a big part in creating a successful new religion. The first of which a new religion is based upon would be the myth it surrounds. The myth would need to be a historical myth with symbolism and a biography on the god or idea(s) to be worshipped. Activities or rituals would be a necessity in order to create a community and fulfill the urge to belong to something. These are also to help the followers to be more connected with the sense of the sacred. The rituals would help with the third dimension being experiences with who are of the sacred or a feeling of the supernatural. Doctrines are needed in order to give some evidence or proof that this the religion is the key holder to the truth. It will also hold the philosophy and beliefs of the religion. Within the Doctrines will usually contain the ethics (which is our 5th dimension), a sort of moral code of the religion. In order for the religion to gain more members and thrive there must be a social aspect to it such as religious services, celebrations, or any social group gatherings. This will help “spread the good word” to other people in order to gain more support. Material forms are our seventh dimension to creating a new religion which are considered sacred objects. I also feel that they create something for the religion to sell in their gift shops.

Meme is an idea or belief that gets transmitted through repetition whether it is verbally or through action imitation. Memes play a big roll on the survival of religions. If an idea is never passed on to another person the idea will die along with that person. Which meme a person will successfully reproduce depends on who we are and which meme fits with that. If you through in the idea of something bad happening to the person if they fail to pass along the meme it’s chances of spreading will increase as well. Just like a chain letter that says “send copies of me or you will die in a car accident within one week”. The likelihood of that actually happening is slim to none so the only reason a person will pass the chain letter along is out of fear. Especially with the dawn of the technological age memes can spread at a very fast rate. TV commercials, religious music, radio talk shows, religious community events advertised on the Internet are all examples of how they are passed along. Determining factors to how popular a meme becomes revolves around three main factors; 1) value-related incentives (ie. if you are good you will go to heaven), 2) memetic simplicity (ie. If the meme is hard to understand or is hidden by riddles and metaphors it will make it harder for the mind to retain), and 3) memetic distribution (ie. Just like a teacher with a monotone voice and no energy, if the meme is boring it will not pass along. If the meme comes in the form of a commercial with cartoon characters singing a catchy jingle it is more likely to get stuck in ones head and they might even start to sing it aloud. Which of course spreads the meme even farther.). Another ingredient that should be mentioned in a successful recipe for a meme is having a desire and fear. Something simple like if your bad you’re going to hell and if your good you’re going to heaven is a good example. Through in a little “its your duty to spread the message of (place your deity here)” and it will increase its ability to succeed that much more.

However when starting a religion it will have a social stigma of being called a cult. The media has displayed these groups to be satin worshipping, brainwashing just to name a few adjectives used to describe cults. Granted their maybe a few out there that fit those terms but every single one of them gets that stigma in the beginning. This is due to the fact that they are new and no one knows anything about them (unless the yare a sect from another religion) so our society is forced to “fill in the blanks”. Given the nature of our society, which I could easily label as being “worry warts”, it’s understandable as to why this happens. However as the cult begins to evolve its philosophy and maybe even activities to fit into social norms it will gain size and acceptance. If the cult stays in a non-flexible state of mind it will not attract new members. Those new members tend to be someone who might be seeking to assert their adulthood, wanting to belong, have a sense of self, and / or have a more spiritual connection.

2. Will religion die? If so, why? If not, why? Please detail youranswers with specific references in this course.

There is a secularization thesis that is argued by Peter Berger where he suggests that with secularism religion, it will eventually lose its vitality. This is not necessarily the case. There is no doubt that secularism is on the rise in our society and even in the whole world. Both Wilson and professor Diem agree however that this will not cause religions to decrease. Religion never stays the same; it is constantly changing and evolving with the times. Because of this constant evolution within religions we get a never-ending cycle. Conservative religions become more tolerant, then liberal religions become secular and those sects become conservative movements to start the process all over again. One will never exist without the other. Because of this ever evolving, never-ending cycle religion will endure. Secularization allows for new religious trends to come forth and because of this it is what fuels religions and stimulates its growth.

Orthodox religions for example, are very conservative with their morals and try to keep themselves out of the secular society. This type of community has recently tried to return to tradition by promoting the “traditional family model” where the male is the career holder and head of the household and the woman is submissive and childbearing. Given the fact that this “traditional family model” contributes to high birth rates it is affective in the growth of orthodox religions because those births will usually lead to an increase in followers according to Wade Clark Roof in American Mainline Religion. The idea of “pure” orthodoxy is not possible. These conservative religious ideas are a mesh of new and old religious ideas and in fact not ancient at all.

Fundamentalists are the most extreme of conservatives where they do not allow any room for compromise. They view the bible as an inerrant book of objective truth that will give them the answer to any question even in terms of science and history.
Evangelicals also are considered conservative and promote a return to “old time” religion. They generally are not as extreme as the fundamentalists because they try to cooperate with other Christian denominations. The new generation of Evangelicals has been exposed to more education and because of that has become more tolerant towards other religions as apposed to older generations. James Davidson Hunter pointed this out in Evangelicalism: The coming Generation. In order for them to gain a significant following they need to appeal to the mainstream society which they have done by including a greater acceptance of biblical contextualism and reject religious exclusiveness.

The third classical orthodox group would be Orthodox Judaism. According to Lynn Davidman’s Ethnographic study called Tradition in a Rootless World, which was a study of two different orthodox communities, Hasidic and Modern Orthodox, Jewish Americans are attracted to orthodoxy due to their discontent for contemporary culture. The study was focused on woman where Lynn Davidman noticed that younger woman with less education who have experienced a serious crises or have a troubled family leaned toward Hasidic Judaism. Where as older woman seeking solitude was attracted to Modern Orthodoxy.

The baby boomer generation account for one third of America’s population and accordingly permeate the cultural mainstream by having a significant effect on where religion is heading within America. Baby boomers are those born between 1976 and 1964. Baby boomers are considered a generation of seekers on a spiritual quest. This generation differentiates between religion and spirituality however, prefers spirituality. Even their concept of God has transformed from the traditional Judeo-Christianity view where God is transcendental to where God, or the sacred, is part of nature. Valuing nature is for many a way of showing respect towards God. Boomers, most anyway, tend to reject the idea that the self is evil and lean towards the divinity within each self. Their optimistic view has contributed to the creation of a new society often referred to as the “new age”. Being that the baby boomers are in their middle age where their economic needs are met, they now have time for self-actualization. They tend to be more tolerant towards other beliefs and other lifestyles because they have received more education and have received a greater exposure to alternative perspectives. All of these traits tend to be common even among the three different groups that Baby Boomers tend to fall into.
Approximately thirty three percent of the generation remain loyal to their religious upbringing and are categorized as Loyalists. The dropout group consists of approximately forty two percent of the baby boomers where they have dropped out of mainstream religion. They usually will leads towards either alternative religions or secularism. The third group is called the returnees and takes approximately twenty five percent of baby boomers. They at one point change religion from within and contribute towards new religious attitudes. As this large group approaches the age of 40 – 50, they will begin to reevaluate their lives and possibly look to religion as a resource for comfort and community. This will spur a growth within the religion community. ________________________________Choose between 3 or 4:I chose 4.4. How are we as scholars of religion suppose to study religion?Discuss the "proper methodology" or "methodologies" as presented inWhen Scholars Study the Sacred. Explain in depth. (hint: do notsimply say that we should study religion objectively--this does notindicate that you read the necessary material on methodologies.)

There are many different methods on how to study religion; first we will discuss Ninian Smart’s three approaches to studying religion. The first of which is embraced by Freud and Marx, looks at religion as a pariah on society. A negative view in an attempt to unmask the distortion of it all and is referred to as the Antipathy method. The second method, which is referred to as Sympathy, embraced by theologians, is a much more positive approach however biased on the view of religion. There is an assumption of the truth in one religion and looks down on other religions as a lesser version of “the right one”. Smart’s third approach which Smart supports is referred to as phenomenology (the objective, descriptive study of religious phenomena). This is more of a neutral view of religions and attempts to understand it from the subject’s perspective.

Peter Berger has his own three approaches to study religion. The first of which Berger refers to as Reduction that attempts to get down to religion ‘s social origins. It is also considered a classic method of sociologists of religion. The second approach is comparable to Smart’s Sympathy approach to where theology applies and is called Deduction. It has an assumption of religious truth as in neo-orthodoxy. Berger says that the best approach is the phenomenological approach to religion where it attempts to take the religious experience of the believer seriously and without presupposing its ontological truth describes it accordingly.

Scholars should not go into studying religion with any biases. If one has a pejorative view of religion they will tend to throw out all religions all together. Or if they have a positive view of religion they will tend to see all religions as a legitimate and authentic. If a critical evaluation of religion is conducted it will help eliminate the bias in the study. If we use all three methodologies (phenomenology, sociology of religion, and transpersonal psychology) we may gain a balanced approach to study relgion.
______________________________5. In this essay I want you to discuss the history and beliefs ofSikhism.

There is a three-fold historical breakdown on Sikh history. We will discuss the first where Nanak found the religion as he synthesizes Hindu and Muslim ideas. Sikhism began in the early 16th century when Guru Nanak founded it. Nanak was a philosopher who had influences to an older tradition that dates back to the 13th century in Southern India called the Sant tradition. During this time it was taught that God did not have a specific form (nirguna), and through meditation and mysticism one can experience this mystery for themselves. The goal of reaching Sach Khand (Realm of Truth), which is considered the highest spiritual realm, could be reached through meditation. This philosophy inherited Native American concepts such as karma and reincarnation. Nath, Sufi, and bhakti have seemed to influence Santism. They (Sants) were also interested in social reform because they clearly rejected the caste system. There are many popular Sants. One being a guru from Northern India during the 15th century named Kabir. He wanted to liberate India from superstitions and idolartry. He challenged ideas such as performing elaborate rituals, asceticism, polytheism, and the caste system. Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs have all claimed him to be one of their own however his background is Muslim. Even with a Muslim background he seemed to deviate significantly from orthodox Islam. Sikhs have tried to link him to their religious head, Nanak. None of these things are for certain even the years of Kabir’s life are uncertain, which could have either been between 1380 – 1460 or 1440 – 1518. Kabir did write in Adi Granth (541 hyms), Bijak, and Kibir-Granthvali however they are not free of alterations. The Sikhs were trying to present him as a sort of spiritual brother of Nanak and might have made small changes to his writings to have him fit with this idea. Scholars however question whether his writings were actually written by him. The story illustrating Nanak’s view of God as permeating all existence I particularly like. It is said that one day he was taking a nap and did not pay attention to the direction of his feet. Some Muslims that were passing by expressed their disapproval of the fact his feet were not in the direction of Mecca. Nanak then asked them to place his feet in the direction where God is not. At this moment the Muslims realized his wisdom and went on their way. Nanak said, “There is no Muslim and there is no Hindu” fueled the debate over whether Nanak was combing the two or stating that neither one was sufficient for spiritual enlightenment. A lot of biographers claim that Nanak tried to merge the Hindu and Muslim faiths however, W.H. McLeod has claimed that he did not try to combine the two but rejected both.

The second part of our historical journey is that of the sixth guru turning to militancy in light of oppression. There are ten gurus that traditional Sikhs acknowledge which are (in order from 1-10): Nanak, Angad, Amar Das, Ram Das, Arjan, Har Gobind, Har Rai, Har Krishan, Tegh Bahadur, and Gobind Singh. There are some, what are referred to as, splinter gurus within Sikh history. Such as: Sri Chand son of Nanak who rejected Angad the second guru and started the ascetic group the Udasis, Prithi Chand who was the son of Arjan who protested the guruship of Har Gobind the sixth guru and developed the Minas, Dhir Mal who was the grandson of Har Gobind whom challenged the succession of his younger brother Har Rai the seventh guru, and Ram Rai who was the son of Har Rai who would not accept the leadership of his younger brother Har Krishan the eighth guru. These splinter gurus usually are not acknowledged within the Sikh history. During the 19th century the organization called the Singh Sabha presented a glossy version of the Sikh history. Basically stated that the religion has never revolved and the Nanak teachings are equal to modern Sikhs. This however is not true. If you compare Nanak’s soteriological message to Gobind Singh’s social one proves this point. Sikhism has moved from a peaceful movement that was in line with Sant teachings to a religious institution with military concerns and political aims. During Nanak’s time it was peaceful and continued to live as such for about 100 years. However the Mughals had entered India and had taken over the Lodi Sultanate by Bubur’s Mughal army.

Amar Das, the third guru implemented significant changes for the Sikhs. One was where he established the langar (caste free dining). He also created a Sikh administration that was called the Manji system, a sort of governing method that over saw certain locations and specific tasks.

The fourth guru was Amar Das’ son-in-law, Ram Das who had three sons however chose the youngest, Arjan, to be the fifth guru. Arjan created the Adi Granth in 1603. He also organized the construction of Hari Mandir, also known as the Golden Temple. After Akbar’s death Jehangir, an emperor who had extreme intolerance and also disliked the Sikhs, had been considered a martyr of the religion. This was due to the fact that Arjan had been arrested by him and died while in his custody.

The sixth guru was Arjan’s eleven-year-old son, Har Gobind. He has organized a Sikh army, which shifted the Panth’s to militancy. While the oppression was going Har Gobind wore two swords, signallying spiritual strength, around his waist. Jehangir tried to order the disbandment of the Sikh army and then put the guru in prison for one year. Shan Jahan was the next Mughal ruler forced Har Gobind to relocate. In 1634 they seeked refuge in the Himalayan foothills (Sivalik Hills).

Har Rai was Har Gobind’s second grandson and the seventh guru. He continued to live in the mountains for several decades where he and the Sikhs experienced peace.

Har Rai’s son, Har Krishan was the eight guru. The peace that the Sikhs continued because the threat of the Mughals continue to recede, however returned with the reign of the ninth guru, Tegh Bahadur who was the grand uncle of Har Krishan. At that time the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb tried to exterminate all religions other than Islam, which led to Tech Bahadur’s death. His son at age nine, Gobind Singh, assumed being the Sikh’s tenth guru. During his reign he created the five K’s that were: Kesh (uncut hair, Kangha (a comb placed inside the turban), Kara (abracelet), Kirpan (a sword), and Kaach (short cotton briefs). These were created so all Sikhs could recognize each other and have a sense of community in the time of political tension.

6. Discuss both the "THEORY" (main philosophical ideas of self, god,world, other, etc.) of Hinduism and the "PRACTICE" (religiousactions, social ramifications, etc.) of Hinduism as Huston Smithpresents in his text. He clearly distinguishes these two aspects ofHinduism (he demarcates part of his chapter on Hinduism as theory andthe other as practice; do the same in your answer!!) and I want you toexplain these in depth. There is much to cover in this essay.

The Hindu people state that people in general want four things, which begin with pleasure. They say to the person who wants pleasure: go after it. There is nothing wrong with it and it is one of the four legitimate ends of life. Sooner or later everyone wants more from life than pleasant sensations. When this thought enters one’s head, their interest turns towards the second major goal of life, namely worldly success in the form of wealth, fame, and power. This goal should not be repressed nor is condemned. Its satisfactions are social. Although unlike mental and spiritual treasures, they cannot be dispensed without diminishing one’s own portion. This drive for success is insatiable. People who place these things first in their lives can never be satisfied. For this very reason this is not what people really want. Worldly success is shared with hedonism (which is a devotion to pleasure as a way of life). Success, too, centers meaning in one’s finite self, which proves to be too small for enduring interest. The final reason why worldly success cannot satisfy us is that its rewards are ephemeral. “You can’t take it with you.” Hindus locate pleasure and success on the Path of Desire. From that path we move into the Path of Renunciation. This path has earned India a reputation of being a life-denying spoilsport.

Hinduism believes that it is possible to transcend imperfections and be joyful, have knowledge, and being which is what we basically want. The three subgroups that withhold us from having joy are physical pain, thwarted desire, and ennui – an emptiness that breeds apathy, and depression. Another of life’s limitations is ignorance. The third limitation is how we define ones self. We need to approach the definition not only spatially, but also in terms of time.

Hinduism’s way for actualizing the human potential come under the heading of yoga. Yoga is a method of training designed to lead to integration or union. It includes physical exercises, but its ultimate goal is union with God. There are four spiritual trails that the Hindus use towards this goal. There are four paths because we do not all start from the same point. Because there are different spiritual personality types Hinduism has identified the principal types and delineates the programs that are suited to each. For each type of personality (reflective, emotional, active and energetic, and lastly experimental) Hinduism prescribes a distinct yoga. The first step of every yoga is replacing bad habits with good ones such as non-injury, truthfulness, non-stealing, self-control, cleanliness, contentment, self-discipline, and a desire to reach the goal.

Jnana Yoga is intended for those who have a strong reflective bent. It is the path to oneness with God through knowledge. In order to gain this knowledge one must proceed through three stages, the first of which is hearing. The second step is thinking. The third step on the path of knowledge is shifting self-identification to one’s abiding part.

The goal of bhakti yoga (the yoga of love and devotion) is to direct toward God the love that lies at the base of every heart. This is the most popular of the four yogas. To the bhakta, for whom feelings are more important than thoughts, God appears differently. As healthy love is outgoing, the bhakta will reject all suggestions that the God one loves is oneself, and insist on God’s otherness. They will also strive not to identify with God but to adore God with every element of his or her being. Bhakta will also practice Japam, which is the practice of repeating God’s name. They last step if you will is the worship of God in the form of one’s chosen idea, or ishta. This form of worship is indented to deepen God’s presence and his power be fully assimilated.

The 3rd path toward God, is intended for persons of energetic bent, is Karma yoga, the way through work. In the first case, karma yoga is practiced thoughtfully, in jnanic mode; while in the second, it is performed as loving service (bhakit). If every act is done for yourself you add more layers to your ego and then separating yourself further from God. If every action is done for God’s sake instead of their own the self-centeredness is diminishes and is brought closer to God. Each task becomes a sacred ritual, performed as a loving sacrifice for God’s glory. If the person is more of a reflective personality than emotional bent, God-oriented work is then done differently. They will approach work less relationally, seeking through it enlightenment rather than deepening love relationship. They do this in working in the spirit of detachment. Both yogis starve the finite ego by withdrawing interest from the bearing of their work on their finite selves.

Raja Yoga is designed for persons of experimental bent, it is the way to God through psychophysical experiments. The hypothesis that underlies raja yoga is the Hindu doctrine of the human self, which is restated as follows: The self has four layers. First, we have bodies. Second the conscious layer of our minds. The third region is the individual subconscious. The West is familiar with these three segments of self however, Hindu view includes a forth component, and private subconscious stands Being Itself – infinite, unthwarted, eternal. The purpose of raja yoga is to demonstrate the validity of this fourfold estimate of the human self by leading the inquirer to direct personal experience of “the Beyond within.” There are eight steps of its experimental attempt to verify that hypothesis. The first step involves the practice of five abstentions (from injury, lying, stealing, sensuality, and greed). Step two deals with the five observances (cleanliness, contentment, self-control, studiousness, and contemplation of the divine). Thirdly raja yoga works through the body into the mind. Its chief concern for the body is to keep it from distracting the mind when it concentrates. This is where India’s most famous discovery, the “lotus position” enters. Fourthly the yogi turns to his or her own breath. Evenness and breath reduction are the general aims here. The fifth step causes for the yogi to sit in contemplation. The object of the fifth step is to unplug one’s senses so it won’t disturb the yogi’s concentration. Within the sixth step the yogis battle their own mind in order to make it still. In the seventh step the knower is dropped from view and the object occupies his entire attention, leaving no remainder for self-awareness. During the last step, the eighth step also called the climactic stage (known as Samadhi) the object likewise vanishes. The knower is confronted with total being, and for a spell is immersed in it. Hnuisim encourages people to test all four yogas and combine them in the ways they find most productive.


On afinal note, based on the reading and the FILM, do you think itis fair to say that there is such a thing as "Hinduism?" Explain. Makesure to incorporate the film for full credit.

This question confuses me because I thought we were to not express our own thoughts but to prove that we read and/or watched the material. If your asking for my personal thoughts I do believe its fair that Hinduism exists. I believe everyone has the right to have his or her own beliefs. I’m not exactly sure on how to answer this question while using the film as a resource so I have in closed a summary. The Hinduism believes that the actual gods spoke the Sum Hita and inspired sages heard it. Usually one of the Veda poems within the Sum Hita addresses one of the gods or goddesses, which usually represent natural forces. In ancient times Hindus actually ate beef but over time the cow became sacred and a sign of fertility. Thus became a sin to eat beef. The first Vedas described an after life however the Upanishads introduced the idea of reincarnation. This was where the soul was trapped in a cycle of birth and death. Hinduism entered the idea of casts into India. This was a sort of classification of human’s, which the lower casts were not allowed to take part in rituals. This is why Jainism and Buddhism were formed as a reaction to the casts. After that a new era of Hinduism began and revamped their philosophical systems. Like the Buddhist they accepted reincarnation and karma. They rejected however that the Buddha had learned the way to salvation. They also entered an idea of personal divinities which were not the same as described within the Vedic texts however, were not as great as the Braman. Another great text entered the religion call the Great book of the Rubatitas. Within this book there are eighteen chapters called the Bhagavad Gita, which means the song of god, became sacred scriptures. Another scripture is the Kama Sutra, which is a sex manual for those in love. In a normal Hindu home it is custom for them to have a shrine that has a figure whether it in a painting or statue form of a deity. Every day there is a ritual called Punjab in which an offering is given to the statue usually a small piece of food. In the 11th century outside forces help shaped Hinduism into its modern day form. The Muslims began to invade India and influenced Hinduism in two ways: It sharpened Hinduisms monotheism. Second most Hindu’s rejected Islam and strengthened their own beliefs. Krishna, one of the Hindu deities, was believed to be God incarnate, that of the same level of Jesus Christ. An interesting fact about the Hindu’s was that they did not in fact call themselves Hindu’s (referring to religion) until the British came to India to set up trade. After the British used the term Hindu’s adopted the term to distinguish their religion from other religions. The whole foundation of Hinduism is that there is one God that appears in many ways.
7. Since our post on Buddhism focused on the teachings of theBuddha, in this essay I want you to explain the "differing schoolsof thought" (main branches) within Buddhism and how they arose. Whatare the similarities (main Buddhist teachings that constitute them asBuddhist in the first place) and what are the main differences ofeach? Explain in depth. Compare and contrast these schools ofthought. Use Huston Smith's description of the different schools (hehas a unique way of describing them; make sure to use his work as yousource…Hint: discuss the raft ideas. Make sure to use Smith's bookwhen answering this question).

The different schools of thought were birthed from three questions that have always divided people. The first being whether people are a product of their environment or the consequence of them making their own way and making their own choices. The second question refers to the nature of both human beings and the universe as a whole, whether or not they are friendly, indifferent, or hostile. The third concerns whether the mind or the heart is the best part of the human. If you are classicists you would rank thoughts above feelings and would consider the mind to be greater than the heart. If you disagree with that you would be considered a romantic where they prefer compassion to wisdom. These questions have divided humans as well as Buddhists that helped in the creation of the raft ideas.
The raft ideas come from the two outlooks on Buddhism. One where the outlook is more for the general public, those who already have a full-time job that is not being a monk where it has been referred to as “Buddhism for the people”. Being that this took up a large part of the population became to be known as Mahayana, the Big Raft. The other idea of being a Buddhist is a serious commitment where it should be a full-time job and they should become a monk. Because the first group became to be known as Mahayana by default the second became to be known as Hinayana, the Little Raft. They did not like this name and have been preferred to be called Theravada, the Way of the Elders. They claim to teach original Buddhism as it was taught by Gautama,
There are some similarities and contrasts in regards to these two schools of thought. For example the spiritual progress resting on the individual is a thought owned by the Theravada Buddhists. The Mahayanists it is considered a field phenomenon. Another contrast would be the idea of god. To Theravada Buddhists there is no god and we are on our own in the universe. However Mahayanists believe that Buddhas and bodhisattvas work on their behalf. The prime attribute of enlightenment is wisdom or Bodhi. Meaning to have the wisdom of the nature of reality, where anxiety and suffering come from, and the absence of a sefl-existing core. This is agreed upon from both Theravadas and Mahayanist. However the Theravadins believe from this gained enlightenment one will gain automatically the Four Noble Virtues. Whereas the Mahayanas do not believe this is not an automatic byproduct. Another difference within the two schools is their main goals. The Theravadins goal is that of nirvana, achieving perfect wisdom and moving on towards nirvana. However the Mahayana goal is to become a bodhisattva. This is where the person reaches perfect wisdom but rather than choosing to pass into nirvana voluntarily stays here on earth in order to teach others. Their ideas of Buddha himself differ as well. He is seen as a supreme sage, who by his own efforts awakened and became an incomparable teacher, by the Theravadins. They also believe his influence stopped once he entered into nirvana. In the View of the Mahayanists they see the Buddha as someone who not only continues to draw all creatures towards him after passing onto nirvana but as a world savior. To summarize Theravadas are conservative and comparable to fundamentalist where Mahayana are liberal. There are even smaller sects of Mahayana Buddhism that we have not even addressed. Ch’an (which is Japanese for Zen) was influenced by Taoism is has attracted the most attention in the west. Zen is full of metaphors and riddles. An example of this is when a master lifts his index finger to explain the meaning of Zen. It also has alertness to how our spiritual nourishment often stops after having read about it. Another example to illustrate this Buddha’s Flower Sermon: This sermon contained no words just Buddha standing on a mountain with his disciples surrounding him. He then proceeded to hold a golden lotus. That’s it he just stood there holding a flower. However when Mahakasyapa quietly smiled Buddha understood that Mahakasyapa had understood his point. Another sect is the Vajrayana, which has been referred to as the Diamond Way. The essence of the Vajrayana is Tantra and is also essentially Tibetan Buddhism. The Tantric texts describe practices that allow one to reach nirvana in a single lifetime. This is accomplished by using all the energies within the human make-up. One of which interests the west the most is sex. The moment a mutual climax occurs can either be a physical or spiritual experience and Tantra allows it to be a spiritual ally. Through the art, in their fantasies, overt sexual engagement, allow the physical and spiritual components to work together. There are other general ideas of its practice which focus on speech, vision, and gestures.
8. Discuss in full Jainism (history and main philosophical ideas) andthen compare/contrast it to one of the Indian religions we haveinvestigated this term (Sikhism, Buddhism or Hinduism).

The Jain religion considers all forms of life, big or small, to be worthy of respect because every living being has a soul. This goes from all human beings to the life of a fly. Because of this the religion calls for vegetarianism, due to the violence of modern dairy farms many practice veganism. Within the Jain belief is an emphasis on the consequences of not only physical but mental behaviors. This religion also believes that the Universe and Dharma have neither beginning nor no end however, it does go through a process of cyclical change. Because of this the religion of Jain has no concept of a creator of the universe. Jains view God as the unchanging traits of the pure soul of each living being. In short the Jain religion believes in ahimsa, asceticisim, karma, sanskar, and jiva.
Every living being should be treated as you would treat yourself. This is done because every living being is believed to have a soul. Ahimsa (non-violence) is also that basis for the triple gems of Jainism (Right View, Right Knowledge and Right Conduct). They also stress the limitation of ones possessions and leading a pure life. In short the Jain code of enthics consist of Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth), Achaurya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (Celibacy), Aparigraha (Non-attachment to temporal possessions).
The spiritual goal of Jainism is a realization of the soul’s true nature. This is reached through spiritual development through cultivating one’s own personal wisdom and self-control (vratae). Every living soul has the potential to attain God consciousness by ending their cycle of birth and death through completely eliminating their karmic bonding.
Parshvanatha is the earliest Jain leader and was also the twenty-third Tirthankar. Emperor Kharvela could also be considered a religious hero due to him conquering Magadha and bring Rishabhnath’s statue back and installed it in Udaygiri.
Jainism and Mahayana Buddhism are very similar; both do not believe in a creator of life, and respect all forms of life and therefore are vegetarian. Both have a goal of realizing the reality of the nature of one’s soul however; Buddhism has the added goal of nirvana while Jainism’s goal is to attain God consciousness by eliminating their karmic bonding.
9. Discuss the main tenets (philosophy) of Taosim as presented inyour text (Smith's book). Explain how these teachings can apply tothe modern world AND/OR to your own personal life. Next discuss themain tenets of Confucianism as presented in your text. Apply theseto the modern world and/or to your own personal life. Finally, andmost importantly, briefly compare and contrast these two traditions(this question directly parallels your post questions).

Confucius’ main philosophy breaks up into five ideals. The first being Jen, which defines the ideal relationship that should pertain between individuals. Within your public life it calls for untiring diligence and in your private life it calls for courtesy, unselfishness, and the empathy to “measure the feelings of others by one’s own.” The second ideal deals with the chun tzu which refers t the ideal term in such relations, it is the opposite of a petty person. This person is endowed with a self-respect that generates respect for others. Li is the third ideal and has two meanings; the first of which is propriety, the proper way things should be done with nothings in excess. Confucius also believed that age merits respect because of the wisdom experience confers. The second or companion meaning of the word li is ritual. When these right behaviors are followed the individual’s entire life becomes choreographed. Te is the fourth idea of the Confucian scheme, literally meaning power where men are ruled. However, the power in which te refers to is the power of moral example. Those who rule need to voluntary cooperation of their subjects, and this will only happen when the subjects believe that their leaders merit their cooperation. When this happens the goodness enters society through their leaders that people respect and admire. The final and fifth idea is wen. Wen refers to “the arts of peace” in respect to music, poetry and painting. “By poetry the mind is aroused; from music the finish is received. The odes quicken the mind. They induce self-contemplation. They teach the art of sensibility. They help the restrain resentment. They bring home the duty of serving one’s parents and one’s prince.” This affects the political dimension as well because the state that is victorious usually has the highest culture. Within the Confucian scheme the one who is always trying to become better is a good man or woman. Because the self is a center of relationships and relationships are ever shifting, never-ending crosscurrents of human relationships human beings are likewise in motion. They are prevailing currents are the Five Constant Relationships which make up the Confucian project. This project is to adjust one’s “wings” at the angle that lets these relationships carry us to empyrean heights toward the goal of becoming a more complete human. The Five Constant Relationships are presented as relatively stable currents in atmospheric conditions that in other respects can fluctuate widely. The essential goal is to expand one’s empathy indefinitely towards all of humanity. If this goal is completed one will transcend selfishness, transcend nepotism, overcome parochialism, and conquers chauvinistic nationalism.

Within the Philosophical Taoism there are both philosophical and vitalizing teachers that teach their students what they should understand and what they should do. Basically the philosophies are on of right and wrong, light and dark, knowledge and truth called the tao (pronounced DOW, meaning “The Way”). They will try to conserve their te by expending it efficiently where the vitalizing Taoists try to increase its supply. It is an attitude toward life where the knowledge that they are in quest of is the kind that empowers life. To live wisely one must conserve life’s vitality by not expending it in useless draining ways. Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu’s recommendations revolve around the concept of wu wei that translates literally as inaction, however in Taoism means pure effectiveness. The Three Jewels (compassion, moderation, and humility) are the basic philosophy on Taosim. They can also be translated or considered as kindness, simplicity, and modesty. They formed the practical, and political side of the teachings.

The terms Tao and De are philosophical terms shared by both Confucianism and Taoism. The basic assumptions of Confucianism that relied on rituals and order are rejected by early Taoist texts. Both support a humanist philosophy emphasizing moral behavior and human perfection. In short Confucianism is based on ethics where as Taoism is a path of behavior. Its lso believed that Confucius was an actual person where Lao-tzu was not.

10. Having studied Hinduism with its various schools of thought,Buddhism with its various divisions, Sikhism and its variousbranches, Jainism, and Chinese religions, reflect on which religionthus far and, more specifically, which "school within it" has mostimpressed you. Explain why? This is not meant to be an opportunity todiscuss the "faults" of these religions or to discuss your ownreligion but to emphasize what you personally found attractive andWHY!! Offer depth and insight as much as possible.
Prior to this class and all of the reading I have endured (which was a lot) I have been attracted to Buddhism and its teachings. Even to the point to where I practice non-attachment in my day-to-day life (well try to). Now having read and learned as much as I have (thank you professor Diem), I have found myself even more attracted to the Hinduism religion.
This is mainly for the idea of accepting God in all forms in which even how other religions picture God to be. When one religion accepts other religions view on God it leaves less room for debate as to whether or not there is truth within the first religion. (Ie. When the Christian idea of God is accepted by Hindus to be one form of God then by default Christians have to accept at least that small part of the Hindu religion. Otherwise they would be denying their own religion.) Also how they accept the fact that there are many roads that lead towards god. The fact they allow one to pick which one to follow or to take bits and pieces from each to make their own path to God is a very liberal point of view and attracts me even more. Some of these roads describe yoga as a path to God. I myself practice yoga 4 – 5 times a week and not only find it as being a way to manage my stress and keep up with my fitness (its helped me to loose 90 pounds) but does give me a sense of connection to the transcendental. They address the human desires in a different way as well. Most religions have you suppress your desires such as pleasure (in all its forms whether it be food, sex, ext.), and success and put your spiritual needs in front of material things and personal cravings. Hindus however believe there is a time and place for everything. When your younger you should focus on your studies and building your career, once you are an adult and are married you are to be sexually engaged, in your old age there is more of a focus on your spiritual well being. In a small form there is some suppression of desires however, Hinduism just gives you the right time for you to act on them. The only thing that puzzles me is the idea of incarnation that was adopted from one of their sects Buddhism. If a soul does not have a beginning or an end than how has the population of the world increased in size? Wouldn’t the creation of new souls account for that indicating a beginning? The answer to these questions I have not learned yet but at some point I am sure I will.

Wisdom of the Buddah Religous Literature

3. Religious Literature: Read Wisdom of the Buddha: Read chapters 1, 7, 11, 14, 15 (five total). Write up the basic point of each of the five chapters and include this in the Religious Literature section of your website.

Chapter 1 The Twin Verses

Basically runs down a list of how you should think and act, how everything starts with our thoughts. We act on our thoughts. This is where our suffering comes from. The verses within this chapter seem to alternate describing a negative side and then a positive one. The main message is one of having your thoughts and actions in the right place, a positive one. As long as this occurs then happiness and success will follow. If your mind and actions come from an impure place than suffering will follow as a result.



Chapter 7 The Holy One

It seems the goal of this chapter is to explain ways towards nirvana. It defines what it takes to be on the right path and to be considered “holy”. The path is described as one who is able to detach themselves from material things. Having control of your emotions in both good and bad situations will result in having a peaceful life.


Chapter 11 Old Age

This chapter addresses our youth and our old age. Usually it is the mindset of us when we are young that we can conquer the world that nothing bad could ever happen to us. Also because we are so young we tend to think that we have all the time in the world and the spiritual side of life can wait till later. This time within our youth then becomes lost because its not used to acquire any wisdom. This chapter warns us not to wait until old age to gain this wisdom.


Chapter 14 The Enlightened One
The enlightened ones are described in this chapter. They have remained on the right path and their actions to do so are described here as well. They purify their minds by meditating often and because of these actions are noble. They are patient and show restraint when the situation calls for it because they are on a quest for the four noble truths then they will be lead to the Noble Eightfold Path. Chapter 15 Happiness
This chapter teaches the ones on the right path not to fear the negative things in life and they should be happy even though they live amongst those who are suffering. However they need to be wary of those they are around. We should not allow foolish people to influence us that will result us in going down the wrong path. Those that are wise and educated are our examples of ones to follow. This will lead to happiness.

Post 7

Having read Smith's work on Chinese religions discuss Confucius' main philosophical ideas and the Confucian project.

Confucius’ main philosophy breaks up into five ideals. The first being Jen which defines the ideal relationship that should pertain between individuals. Within your public life it calls for untiring diligence and in your private life it calls for courtesy, unselfishness, and the empathy to “measure the feelings of others by one’s own.” The second ideal deals with the chun tzu which refers t the ideal term in such relations, it is the opposite of a petty person. This person is endowed with a self-respect that generates respect for others. Li is the third ideal and has two meanings; the first of which is propriety, the proper way things should be done with nothings in excess. Confucius also believed that age merits respect because of the wisdom experience confers. The second or companion meaning of the word li is ritual. When these right behaviors are followed the individual’s entire life becomes choreographed. Te is the fourth idea of the Confucian scheme, literally meaning power where men are ruled. However, the power in which te refers to is the power of moral example. Those who rule need to voluntary cooperation of their subjects, and this will only happen when the subjects believe that their leaders merit their cooperation. When this happens the goodness enters society through their leaders that people respect and admire. The final and fifth idea is wen. Wen refers to “the arts of peace” in respect to music, poetry and painting. “By poetry the mind is aroused; from music the finish is received. The odes quicken the mind. They induce self-contemplation. They teach the art of sensibility. They help the restrain resentment. They bring home the duty of serving one’s parents and one’s prince.” This affects the political dimension as well because the state that is victorious usually has the highest culture. Within the Confucian scheme the one who is always trying to become better is a good man or woman. Because the self is a center of relationships and relationships are ever shifting, never-ending crosscurrents of human relationships human beings are likewise in motion. They are prevailing currents are the Five Constant Relationships which make up the Confucian project. This project is to adjust one’s “wings” at the angle that lets these relationships carry us to empyrean heights toward the goal of becoming a more complete human. The Five Constant Relationships are presented as relatively stable currents in atmospheric conditions that in other respects can fluctuate widely. The essential goal is to expand one’s empathy indefinitely towards all of humanity. If this goal is completed one will transcend selfishness, transcend nepotism, overcome parochialism, and conquers chauvinistic nationalism.



Do the same for Taoism, focusing on philosophical Taoism and Taoist values.

Within the Philosophical Taoism there are both philosophical and vitalizing teachers that teach their students what they should understand and what they should do. Basically the philosophies are on of right and wrong, light and dark, knowledge and truth called the tao (pronounced DOW, meaning “The Way”). They will try to conserve their te by expending it efficiently where the vitalizing Taoists try to increase its supply. It is an attitude toward life where the knowledge that they are in quest of is the kind that empowers life. To live wisely one must conserve life’s vitality by not expending it in useless draining ways. Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu’s recommendations revolve around the concept of wu wei that translates literally as inaction, however in Taoism means pure effectiveness. The Three Jewels (compassion, moderation, and humility) are the basic philosophy on Taosim. They can also be translated or considered as kindness, simplicity, and modesty. They formed the practical, and political side of the teachings.


Finally, compare and contrast these two Chinese philosophies.

The terms Tao and De are philosophical terms shared by both Confucianism and Taoism. The basic assumptions of Confucianism that relied on rituals and order are rejected by early Taoist texts. Both support a humanist philosophy emphasizing moral behavior and human perfection. In short Confucianism is based on ethics where as Taoism is a path of behavior. Its lso believed that Confucius was an actual person where Lao-tzu was not.

Post 6

Utilizing Smith's material on Buddhism discuss the main basic Buddhist teachings/concepts and how Buddha arrived at them.

Buddhism began with a man (male human being), who was born around 563 B.C. in what is now Nepal, who woke up. Siddhartha was his given name and Gautama was his family name. At the age of sixteen he married a neighboring princess, Yasodhara and had a son, Rahula. At this point in his life he was a man who seemed to have everything anyone could want: social standing (his father ruled the petty kingdoms that comprised India), appearance, wealth, a wife, a child, and a throne he would soon inherit. In his twenties however he was discontent, which leads him to leave his life, as he knew it. He left the palace for four days and runners were told to remove any unpleasantness during his ventures. However he ended up seeing an old man broken-toothed, a body racked with disease, and a corpse. On the fourth day out he met a monk with a shaven head and learned from him a path that renounces the world. This is a summary of the legend of The Four Passing Sights that impounds the truth that it was the body’s inescapable involvement with disease, decrepitude, and death that made him despair of finding fulfillment on the physical plane. At age twenty-nine Gautama heard his calling of a truth-seeker and discarded his royal attire, shaved his head, and entered the forest to seek enlightenment. Six years followed and his journey went through three phases, which began with his seeking out two of the foremost Hindu masters and learning what he could from them. The second phase was to join a band of ascetics and give their way a try. Within each austerity he would out do his teachers and eventually grew so weak that his companions had to rescue him with warm rice gruel, otherwise he would have died. This event inspired him to come up with the principle of The Middle Way between extremes of asceticism and indulgence. The final phase of his journey was to combine thought and mystic concentration that resemble Hinduism’s raja yoga. He sat down one evening under the Bodhi tree and vowed not to move or leave until he had gained his goal of enlightenment. Mara the Evil One tried to disrupt Gautama’s concentration by parading voluptuous woman (which did not work) and assailed him with torrents of flaming rocks, which turned into blossom petals when they entered the field of his yogic concentration.
Gautama’s meditation depended until his mind pierced the world’s bubble, collapsing it to nothing; only to find it restored with the effulgence of true being. The Great Awakening had arrived and Gautama had become the Buddha. Mara tried then to tempt Buddha into entering Nirvana because he could not expect people to understand truth as profound as he had discovered. However Buddha answered, “There will be some who will understand,” and Mara was vanquished forever. Buddha then founded an order of monks and accepted in return the resentment, queries, and bewilderment his stance provoked. He saved himself from burning out under these pressures by going through a pattern of withdrawal and return. Each year was divided between nine months of teaching and three months in retreat with his monks within the rainy season. Also he would meditate three times a day. After a forty-five year ministry at the age of eighty (within the year 483 B.C.), Buddha died after eating some poisoned mushrooms that were put into a dish by accident. Buddhism has earned a subtitle “a religion of infinite compassion” from Buddha’s his combination of a cool head and warm heart. He would respond to every problem cool, dispassionate analysis. Because he had experience a royal lifestyle and a pour poppers lifestyle he moved easily among kings and potentates. There was constant pressure during his life to turn him into a god however he rebutted insisting he was human in every respect. He was also known as a rebellious saint. He preached a religion devoid of authority, devoid of ritual, that skirted speculation, devoid of tradition, and devoid of the supernatural. Buddhism is based on The Four Noble Truths. The First Noble Truth is that life is dukkha, or suffering because life as it is typically lived is out of joint. This has earned the religion as being pessimistic. What causes life’s suffering is answered in The Second Noble Truth. Tanha is commonly translated as desire, the desire for private fulfillment. The Third Noble Truth gives a cur to our suffering that is overcoming tanha. The Forth Noble Truth describes how the cure can be accomplished which is through the Eightfold Path.
Right knowledge which says we need to have some an idea of where we are and in which direction to proceed which the Four Noble Truths provide the idea of where we are.
Right aspiration, which counsels us to decide what we really want (true enlightenment).
Right speech that basically means to speck the truth.
Right behavior: Do not kill (strict Buddhists are vegetarians), Do not steal, Do not lie, Do not be unchaste, and Do not take drugs or drink intoxicants.
Right livelihood prescribes joining the monastic order and following its discipline.
Right effort that can be explained as moral exertion.
Right mindfulness, which is liberation from unconscious, mechanical existence.
Right absorption whose techniques are similar to that of Hinduism’s raja yoga.

There is also some basic Buddhist concepts like nirvana that is used to name life’s goal. This is the state in which the bundles of private desire have been consumed and everything that restricts the boundless life is exhausted. Buddha also had denied anatta (no soul). It signified a spiritual substance that in keeping with the dualistic position in Hinduism retains its separate identity forever. Buddhism believes that the body houses no ghostly wraith that animates and outlasts it. They also believe in impermanence. Buddha believed that we would stop clutching for permanence only if we believed in its non-existence. Buddhism has split into two main groups one being considered a fulltime job where one should become a monk and was called Hinayana however was changed to Theravada meaning the Way of the Elders. This way claims to represent original Buddhism as Gautama himself taught it. And then the Mahayana, meaning the Big Raft and maha meaning great, this version of Buddhism was for laypersons and claimed to be “Buddhism for the people.”




In what way is it similar to Hinduism and in what way very different?

Gautama’s final phase of his journey he met his goal of enlightenment by a technique that is resembles Hinduism’s raja yoga. Combining thought and mystic concentration while meditating under the Bodhi tree. Within the Eight Fold Path the Eighth Path (Right absorption) has the techniques we have already encountered in Hinduism’s raja yoga and leads to basically the same goal.

Unlike Hinduism (which came slowly over time), Buddhism appeared overnight. Buddhism denies anatta (no soul). It signified a spiritual substance, which in keeping with the dualistic position in Hinduism retains its separate identity forever. Buddhism rejects these ideas however believes that the body houses no ghostly wraith that animates and outlasts it. Buddhism disagrees with Hinduisms view of reincarnation where some sort of soul migrates from body to body. Buddhists believe that nothing in the next incarnation will be identical with what is in the current reincarnation but it will still be that same person. Hinduism believes in a creator of life namely God however Buddhism has a more atheistic view and does not believe in a creator.

Smith believes that Buddhism was not necessarily defeated by Hinduism however accommodated with it. By the year 1000 A.D. the differences between the two softened to the point where separate institutions seemed unnecessary.

My Trip to the Hsi Lai

A Summary on Buddhism
Buddhism began with a man (male human being), who was born around 563 B.C. in what is now Nepal, who woke up. Siddhartha was his given name and Gautama was his family name. At the age of sixteen he married a neighboring princess, Yasodhara and had a son, Rahula. At this point in his life he was a man who seemed to have everything anyone could want: social standing (his father ruled the petty kingdoms that comprised India), appearance, wealth, a wife, a child, and a throne he would soon inherit. In his twenties however he was discontent, which lead him to leave his life, as he knew it. He left the palace for four days and runners were told to remove any unpleasantness during his ventures. However he ended up seeing an old man broken-toothed, a body racked with disease, and a corpse. On the fourth day out he met a monk with a shaven head and learned from him a path that renounces the world. This is a summary of the legend of The Four Passing Sights that impounds the truth that it was the body’s inescapable involvement with disease, decrepitude, and death that made him despair of finding fulfillment on the physical plane. At age twenty-nine Gautama heard his calling of a truth-seeker and discarded his royal attire, shaved his head, and entered the forest to seek enlightenment. Six years followed and his journey went through three phases, which began with his seeking out two of the foremost Hindu masters and learning what he could from them. The second phase was to join a band of ascetics and give their way a try. Within each austerity he would out do his teachers and eventually grew so weak that his companions had to rescue him with warm rice gruel, otherwise he would have died. This event inspired him to come up with the principle of The Middle Way between extremes of asceticism and indulgence. The final phase of his journey was to combine thought and mystic concentration that resemble Hinduism’s raja yoga. He sat down one evening under the Bodhi tree and vowed not to move or leave until he had gained his goal of enlightenment. Mara the Evil One tried to disrupt Gautama’s concentration by parading voluptuous woman (which did not work) and assailed him with torrents of flaming rocks, which turned into blossom petals when they entered the field of his yogic concentration. Gautama’s meditation depended until his mind pierced the world’s bubble, collapsing it to nothing; only to find it restored with the effulgence of true being. The Great Awakening had arrived and Gautama had become the Buddha. Mara tried then to tempt Buddha into entering Nirvana because he could not expect people to understand truth as profound as he had discovered. However Buddha answered, “There will be some who will understand,” and Mara was vanquished forever. Buddha then founded an order of monks and accepted in return the resentment, queries, and bewilderment his stance provoked. He saved himself from burning out under these pressures by going through a pattern of withdrawal and return. Each year was divided between nine months of teaching and three months in retreat with his monks within the rainy season. Also he would meditate three times a day. After a forty-five year ministry at the age of eighty (within the year 483 B.C.), Buddha died after eating some poisoned mushrooms that were put into a dish by accident. Buddhism has earned a subtitle “a religion of infinite compassion” from Buddha’s his combination of a cool head and warm heart. He would respond to every problem cool, dispassionate analysis. Because he had experience a royal lifestyle and a pour poppers lifestyle he moved easily among kings and potentates. There was constant pressure during his life to turn him into a god however he rebutted insisting he was human in every respect. He was also known as a rebellious saint. He preached a religion devoid of authority, devoid of ritual, that skirted speculation, devoid of tradition, and devoid of the supernatural. Buddhism is based on The Four Noble Truths. The First Noble Truth is that life is dukkha, or suffering because life as it is typically lived is out of joint. This has earned the religion as being pessimistic. What causes life’s suffering is answered in The Second Noble Truth. Tanha is commonly translated as desire, the desire for private fulfillment. The Third Noble Truth gives a cur to our suffering that is overcoming tanha. The Forth Noble Truth describes how the cure can be accomplished which is through the Eightfold Path. 1. Right knowledge which says we need to have some an idea of where we are and in which direction to proceed which the Four Noble Truths provide the idea of where we are. 2. Right aspiration, which counsels us to decide what we really want (true enlightenment).3. Right speech that basically means to speck the truth. 4. Right behavior: Do not kill (strict Buddhists are vegetarians), Do not steal, Do not lie, Do not be unchaste, and Do not take drugs or drink intoxicants. 5. Right livelihood prescribes joining the monastic order and following its discipline. 6. Right effort that can be explained as moral exertion. 7. Right mindfulness, which is liberation from unconscious, mechanical existence. 8. Right absorption whose techniques are similar to that of Hinduism’s raja yoga.
There are also some basic Buddhist concepts like nirvana that is used to name life’s goal. This is the state in which the bundles of private desire have been consumed and everything that restricts the boundless life is exhausted. Buddha also had denied anatta (no soul). It signified a spiritual substance that in keeping with the dualistic position in Hinduism retains its separate identity forever. Buddhism believes that the body houses no ghostly wraith that animates and outlasts it. They also believe in impermanence. Buddha believed that we would stop clutching for permanence only if we believed in its non-existence. Buddhism has split into two main groups one being considered a fulltime job where one should become a monk and was called Hinayana however was changed to Theravada meaning the Way of the Elders. This way claims to represent original Buddhism as Gautama himself taught it. And then the Mahayana, meaning the Big Raft and maha meaning great, this version of Buddhism was for laypersons and claimed to be “Buddhism for the people.”
My Trip to the Hsi Lai Temple
I was fortunate enough to visit the His Lai Temple (meaning coming West) in Hacienda Heights. This temple’s construction was completed in 1988 and belongs to the International Buddhist Progress Society. As you turn towards the temple from Glenmark Drive you are presented with a huge gateway identifying the temple as part of the International Buddhist Progress Society. It has a long set of stairs leading up towards the gate. On the back of the gate in Chinese characters lists the four great vows of Buddhism: “Save all sentient beings, eradicate all worries, ceaselessly study the Dharma, and Continually ascent to Enlightenment.” Once beyond the gateway you are confronted with another long set of stairs that lead up to the lower parking lot and then another long set of stairs that lead you up to the upper parking lot. Once again another long set of stairs above the upper parking lot will lead you to the Bodhisattva Hall. This Bodhisattva Hall is dedicated to the enlightened beings that have vowed to unselfishly serve others in liberating them from suffering, in short there are “Buddha’s in training.” There are five statues that are mainly gold in color, from the right they are: Samantabhardra Bodhisattva (which is supposed to help us achieve more discipline in our daily life), Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva (who vowed to help all beings in hell and to not attain Buddhahood until hell has been emptied of all beings), Maitreya Bodhisattva (is the Future Buddha and is sometimes called the Happy Buddha and his large belly represents prosperity and magnanimity), Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) Bodhisattva (A female Bodhisattva that represents the fullness of compassion and love. She holds a vase in her right had that flows limitless compassion to help those who are suffering.), and Manjusri Bodhisattva (who represents great wisdom). Underneath the three statues is where followers place their offerings to the Bodhisattvas. Covering all of the walls including the wall beneath and above the altars is of the Diamond Sutra. Once you walk through the hall you will enter the courtyard that is surrounded be beautiful gardens.To the right you will experience the Avalokitesvara Garden with Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) Bodhisattva sitting on a giant rock as the main focal point of this garden with ponds and foliage surrounding her. Also surrounding the pond are the four Deva Kings, and the four Dragon Kings of the Four Seas. The flowing water is supposed to be like the dharma water flowing everywhere to purify people’s mind. When you walk towards the left of the courtyard we saw the Arhats Garden where they are eighteen Arhats. They have overcome greed, anger and ignorance and are an inspiration for many Buddhist followers.The main courtyard itself is named the “Way to Buddhahood.” In the center are symmetrical rectangles that symbolize rice paddies with grass that is growing around the edges. In each corner there is a lion whose roar is supposed to represent bravery, strength, and courage awakening us from ignorance. If you continue to walk through the center of the courtyard you are presented with another set of long stairs leading to the Main Shrine.The Main Shrine is also referred to as the “Precious Hall of the Great Hero” and is where most of the religious services are conducted. It is the most important place within the His Lai Temple. Once you walk in the hall has many red velvet chairs and three monumental statues representing three Buddhas or manifestations of enlightenment. Sakyamuni Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) is in the center and is the founder of Buddhism. To the right is the Medicine Buddha who heals the afflictions of mind and body. On the left is Amitabha (infinite light) Buddha and is the teacher of the Western Pure Land. Covering the walls are over ten thousand Buddha statues that represent the multitudes of beings that have attained enlightenment and became Buddhas. I had a friend with me when I visited the temple by the name of Taz. It was great to have a friend because I didn’t feel “alone in a strange land.” I had met a gentleman by the name of John who began to talk with me about Buddhism. He had told me that Buddhism was the same as Christianity that Buddha had a child just as God did. This is true, that Buddha had a child just like God did namely Jesus. However, Buddhists don’t believe in a creator where as in Christianity God is the creator of life. His conversation conflicted what I have learned and grew an urge to say something but out of respect did not. I just nodded my head silently acknowledging his ignorance and used my friend Taz as a reason to leave the conversation. Two o’clock was around the corner and we proceeded behind the Main Shrine to the Meditation Hall for a Beginners meditation class. In the center of the hall was a fully gold painted Buddha sitting in lotus position on top of a lotus flower. Against the walls are wooden sitting areas with meditation cushions and towels to keep your knees from getting cold. We began by bowing to Buddha to ask for guidance on our journey and proceeded with a walking meditation fluctuating from fast to slow speeds alternating back and forth. Folding our hands and letting them swing at are sides as we were told to “go with the flow.” After a while we then were instructed to take our meditation cushions outside and were told to sit in a cross-legged position or lotus if we could get into it comfortably. He instructed us to go through different breathing exercises like reciting to ourselves to say the word relax as we exhaled to reciting the partial word “re” as we inhaled and “lax” as we exhaled. After the full hour experience, which by the way cost ten bucks, I was left feeling extremely relaxed and peaceful. Although I think almost any one would after being in silence for one hour. The experience was all in all, pardon the pun, enlightening. I was raised a catholic and noticed some similarities; they have a religious service every Sunday, a gathering hall, community events and services. The temple was absolutely beautiful but found it a little bouji and felt a little out of place. I will probably visit it again to attend another meditation class or maybe find a temple closer to home. The feeling of serenity is definitely a nice way to end my weekend and enter the new week feeling renewed.