The Relevance of Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Relevance of Buddhism - Essay Example The main goal of Buddhism is to reach the ultimate state of Nirvana, which is through the negation of rebirths and end the human suffering, which is attached to the soul. Siddharta Gautama, who died in the year 400BC, taught the attainment of salvation through the application of an ethical code of conduct, unselfish behavior, ceremonies, devotional practices, meditation, reincarnation of worldly matters, study, physical exercises, cultivation of wisdom and the negation of suffering by understanding the true meaning of our natural phenomena. CIA, The World Factbook shows that While Buddhism is quite popular amongst people in the Asian countries; it also has branches across the globe. It is also believed that Buddhism has over 400 million followers across the world. At present, Buddhism is subdivided into two forms and has two main distinct branches. First being the Theravada branch that is a form of Buddhism which is mostly followed in the Southeastern regions of Asia. And second, the Mahayana that is a form of Buddhism which is widely followed throughout East Asian countries. Theravada is a Sanskrit word which means â€Å"way of the elders† (Reynolds, 2009). Founded in India, spreading in the third century BCE, through to Sri Lanka and Burma then to Laos, Cambodia and southern Vietnam and most recently to Indonesia and Australia. It is the oldest surviving Buddhist school and is a closely guarded school that is supposed to be the closest to the original teachings of Buddhism and is the main religion of Sri Lanka. It is widespread in South East Asia, wherein countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Burma, and Thailand have been following its practices for centuries.

The influence of music to the influence of books Essay - 1

The influence of music to the influence of books - Essay Example In contrast, books also, to some extent, relax the reader. You can read whatever book you want to read adventure or love stories which will release you from all mental stress for some time and you will feel good. In a time like the one we are living in, books and music can influence a person positively and he may not give up. We can also see from the history that music (national songs) and books have influenced people to do things that one would never expect them to do. History reminds us of times when sometimes books, sometimes music and sometimes both of them have triggered the dormant passion of nations influencing them to unite and fight for their right. Books and music have sometimes transformed a crowd into a nation and that power has remained with and will always be with books and music. Books build the personality within a person giving him experience to the new fronts as well as carving the mental ability to encourage him to draw closer to the perfection that the world demands.. Books can even be used by those who are looking for answers in life. Many people report finding the perfect book to answer the burning questions in their minds. Music doesn’t answer those types of questions that books do; but music answers feeling or disturbed emotions looking for an outlet. When combined with dance, music comes to life in the dancer and audience. The fame of singing and dancing shows on TV is ample evidence for the more disciplined expressions of music. If a mentally disturbed person gets to listen to the correct type of music, he can unravel many tangles that bother him. Comparatively books answer speculative questions related to facts and figures. They increase the knowledge span of a person by letting him know what he doesn’t and enlightening his mind about the good and the bad