DOCUMENT-BASED QUESTION: Daoism-Buddhism Directions The following question is based on the accompanying documents. (The documents have been edited for the purpose of this exercise). The question is designed to test your ability to work with and understand historical documents. Write an essay that: • Has relevant thesis and supports that thesis with evidence from the documents. • Uses all or all but one of the documents. • Analyzes the documents by grouping them in as many appropriate ways as possible and does not simply summarize the documents individually. Takes into account both the sources of the documents and the authors’ points of view. Essay Prompt Analyze the similarities and differences between the two religions, and what makes these religions unique. Based on the following documents, discuss classical empires. What types of additional documentation would help determine the benefits and difficulties of running classical empires? Historical Background Buddhism and Taoism are both mainly centered in eastern China, and many people are confused between the two. Not very many people understand what
Buddhists stand for, but many people only know they live to find meaning, and to reach nirvana. Taoists look to end the sufferings in life. Document 1 Document 2 Document 3 Document 4 Document 5 Document 6 Document 7 Document 7 Document 8 Citations http://www. sacred-texts. com/bud/btg/btg03. htm http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Taijitu http://www. wadsworth. com/religion_d/special_features/popups/maps/matthews_world/content/map_91. html http://www. diffen. com/difference/Buddhism_vs_Taoism http://www. accesstoinsight. org/lib/authors/bogoda/wheel397. html http://www. chebucto. ns. ca/Philosophy/Taichi/taoism. tml http://www. chebucto. ns. ca/Philosophy/Taichi/taoism. html http://www. buzzle. com/articles/taoism-beliefs. html & http://buddhismbeliefs. org/ ———————– Robert Bogoda, A Simple Guide to Life, 1994 To make the best use of our human potential, we need not only a practical aim in life, but a life plan for achieving that aim. The preceding two sections of this essay show the groundwork for developing a proper sense of values, the values essential for gaining happiness, success, and security within the mundane life and for progressing towards the ultimate goal of the Buddhist path, Nibbana.
While we walk along the path to liberation, as laypeople we have to live in the world, and our immediate objective will be to make our life in the world both a means to worldly success and a stepping-stone to final liberation. [pic] Lama Surya Das, Buddhism Plain and Simple This picture depicts the god of Buddhism, Buddha. In this picture he can be seen as a calm, wise, and intelligent man. He seems like he just might be meditating. This is the way of Buddha, being wise, kind, and finding meaning in life. This is the way many Buddhists believe they should be.
Tai Chi Chuan, Taoism and the Philosophy The religious current of Taoism evolved its own pantheon of deities that were worshipped in temples by the various sects. These Taoist deities, like the Buddhist or Hindu pantheon, represented different qualities and attributes and various ceremonies, depending on circumstances were conducted to appeal to them. Unlike most religions, Taoism has more than one religious figure. In fact, they have about 27 deities, which all stand for different individual things, such as pure ones, immortals, the 3 officials, and many more.
Tai Chi Chuan, Taoism and the Philosophy A Taijitu, the main symbol of the Taoist spirituality. Please note however, that the true Taijitu symbol shows the white (or red) spiral on the top, so that the dividing line creates a backwards S shape. Yin and yang are not opposing forces (dualities), but complementary forces, unseen (hidden, feminine) and seen (manifest, masculine), that interact to form a greater whole, as part of a dynamic system. Everything has both yin and yang aspects as light could not be understood if darkness didn’t exist, and shadow cannot exist without light. pic] Paul Carus, Buddha, the Gospel, 1909 All compound things shall be dissolved again, worlds will break to pieces and our individualities will be scattered; but the words of Buddha will remain for ever. The extinction of self is salvation; the annihilation of self is the condition of enlightenment; the blotting out of self is Nirvana. Major beliefs of Taoism Major beliefs of Buddhism Taoism has the same worldview as Confucianism or ancient Chinese folk religion. Its philosophy operates within the same paradigms. It celebrates man’s association and interdependency with nature.
Moving on to a wider plane, the relationship between religion and the universe takes the form of veneration, which lies beyond the confines of time and space, ancestor worship and belief in the sovereign. The principles on which the system thrives even today include Ch’i, Feng Shui, interdependency between life and death, the Eight Immortals and the Ultimate Reality. Life exists in itself – there is no inherent meaning attached to life. However – as all human beings (and animals) wish for happiness and not to suffer – the purpose of life may be said to end that suffering.
Buddhism teaches that in an interconnected world, all actions have consequences (karma). The consequences of acts undertaken in this and earlier lifetimes will be felt in a next one, in a process known as reincarnation. It is a Buddhist aim to educate oneself and meditate in order to escape from this cycle of rebirth, to enter Nirvana. | |Buddhism |Taoism | |Geographical predominance: |Tibet, Sri Lanka, North America. |Asia, North America. |Goal of religion: |To gain enlightenment and nirvana. |To gain balance in life. | |Place of origin: |Nepal, India. |China | |Principle: |Desire leads to suffering. |Taoists believe that life is good. Taoism | | | |lays emphasis on the body. | |Status of Adam: |N/A. |N/A. | |Place of worship: |Pagodas, Temples. Temple, shrine | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Warren Matthews, World Religions, [pic] In this map, Daoism, or Taoism, along with Buddhism, are mainly in the eastern portion of China. Most likely, location doesn’t have anything to due with your religion, but what is either forced on you, or which you would like to choose.