Faith, Religion & Theology
World Religions and Global Responsibility Questions and Answers
2. Buddhism- Explain the following Buddhist notions: Four Noble Truths, anicca and anatta, Nirvana, karuna, the Eightfold Path. Buddhism’s contribution to global responsibility revolves around its understanding of the person as anatta and as able to be enlightened. Explain. -Four Noble Truths:
1. “Everyone’s life contains dukkha [suffering]. Life isn’t all bad, but it is not what we’d life it to be.”
2. “Dukkha [suffering] is caused by tanha [selfishness]. Putting oneself before everyone and everything else.”
3. “To stop tanha [selfishness], we have to stop dukkha [suffering].”
4. “To stop dukkha [suffering], try to follow Buddha’s instructions and example, contained especially in what he called ‘the Eightfold Path.’” -Anicca: “When we look into the first and second truths and ask just why selfishness (tanha) causes suffering (dukkha) in our lives, the answer is that Buddha called anicca: the fact that everything that exists is related to everything else and is constantly in process of change.” -Anatta: “If everything that exists is anicca- changing and interrelated then we humans beings are anatta, which literally means ‘no selves.’” Buddhism has no principal of identity. -Nirvana: To realize anicca and anatta is nirvana- bliss and enlightenment. Literally, nirvana means to blow out the candle of false self. -Karuna: Compassion for all feeling of reality. -Eightfold Path:
“Steps 1 and 2 urge you to take the message of Buddha seriously: give it a change; try it out; you’ll probably like it.” (Creed)
“Steps 3, 4 and 5 represent the ethical component of Buddha’s message.” (Code)
“Steps 6, 7 and 8 all boil down to one thing: meditation.” (Cult/Ceremony) ***Bliss only happens through meditation***
Interrelationship rather than individualism. “…we cannot be happy by trying individually to compete against and win over each other. Rather, each of us, and each nation, is a
2. Buddhism- Explain the following Buddhist notions: Four Noble Truths, anicca and anatta, Nirvana, karuna, the Eightfold Path. Buddhism’s contribution to global responsibility revolves around its understanding of the person as anatta and as able to be enlightened. Explain. -Four Noble Truths:
1. “Everyone’s life contains dukkha [suffering]. Life isn’t all bad, but it is not what we’d life it to be.”
2. “Dukkha [suffering] is caused by tanha [selfishness]. Putting oneself before everyone and everything else.”
3. “To stop tanha [selfishness], we have to stop dukkha [suffering].”
4. “To stop dukkha [suffering], try to follow Buddha’s instructions and example, contained especially in what he called ‘the Eightfold Path.’” -Anicca: “When we look into the first and second truths and ask just why selfishness (tanha) causes suffering (dukkha) in our lives, the answer is that Buddha called anicca: the fact that everything that exists is related to everything else and is constantly in process of change.” -Anatta: “If everything that exists is anicca- changing and interrelated then we humans beings are anatta, which literally means ‘no selves.’” Buddhism has no principal of identity. -Nirvana: To realize anicca and anatta is nirvana- bliss and enlightenment. Literally, nirvana means to blow out the candle of false self. -Karuna: Compassion for all feeling of reality. -Eightfold Path:
“Steps 1 and 2 urge you to take the message of Buddha seriously: give it a change; try it out; you’ll probably like it.” (Creed)
“Steps 3, 4 and 5 represent the ethical component of Buddha’s message.” (Code)
“Steps 6, 7 and 8 all boil down to one thing: meditation.” (Cult/Ceremony) ***Bliss only happens through meditation***
Interrelationship rather than individualism. “…we cannot be happy by trying individually to compete against and win over each other. Rather, each of us, and each nation, is a