Life as a Buddhist Essay Example for Free

Life as a Buddhist Essay Many people all around this planet have knowingly or unknowingly met people of the Buddhist community or even seen a Buddhist Temple. In whatever circumstances, hearing of, meeting with the real Buddhists or visiting their temple is not an issue. The fundamental question is, ‘what is Buddhism? ’ An article, The Buddhist Way appearing in the Buddha Net (2008) defines Buddhism as, â€Å"†¦a religion, a series of practices and a way of life based on the teachings of Buddha who, after achieving enlightenment, taught that the nature of the world is constant change. † According to the teaching of Buddha, all things in this world are temporary and the inability to understand life’s nature is the source of people’s unhappiness, trouble and their suffering. Buddhism is therefore a means to correct people’s views, expectations along with their conduct and bring happiness, peace, wisdom, Nirvana and end suffering. Buddha’s teachings are a source of inspiration to people whose religion is Buddhism. Their lives have perhaps been influenced by these teachings (Buddha Net 2008). This essay seeks to explore through the day to day life of Buddhist men, women and children The males were the dominant figures in the Buddhist community. Their responsibility was to take care of the females in their community. They were the voice in their families and no woman could dare go against their wishes. The woman could only manage the affairs of the house in the way that the husband dictated. The males could marry as many wives as their strength allowed (Buddha Net 2008). They could become monks to serve in the Buddhism religion where they were supposed to live a celibate life (Andrew, nd). To understand the situation currently facing the Buddhist woman, it is important to look at the early life of the Buddhist woman. The Buddhist woman seems to have gone through so much than any other living creature. Her life was that of submissiveness and servitude; as a child and youth, a wife and an elderly woman, she had to obey and serve her parents, husband and grown children respectively. They had no right to chose whom to marry and would marry anyone chosen to them by parents. On very rare occasions, they were given an opportunity to choose from a few suitors. Some of the women therefore were forced to elope. Once they were in marriage they were to obey their husbands together with his parents without question. Like objects, they could seldom make decisions; they were ordered on what was to be done by men (Andrew, nd). Women’s role in the Buddhist society was to manage household affairs such as cooking, cleaning the house, bearing and looking after the children. They only ate leftovers after the men had had their fill. Women were treated more or less like objects. Their husbands could beat them up if they were displeased to, an extent of being thrown out from the family house. A woman could not file for a divorce but a man could (Andrew, nd). Their role as said earlier was to bring forth children for their dear husbands and if the woman was barren, another wife was the better option for the husband. As opposed to men, women who committed adultery were put to death. Men could also give away their wives to their men friends. The woman was the most degraded creature in the early Buddhist community whose activates and decisions were under the remote control of men. Many women served as slaves and had to follow whatever their masters said even if it meant the sexual act. They were also beaten up by their master and even murdered without anyone’s alarm. Due to these merciless and regular beatings they occasionally committed suicide. The life of a traditional Buddhist woman was made of a dark cloud of suffering. Andrews in her article Women in Theravada Buddhism joins Janice Willis in saying that women â€Å"†¦were helpmates at best and burdens at worst, but always they were viewed as being inferior, second class citizens† (Andrew, nd). The birth of Buddha also marked the birth of the women’s freedom. At one time Buddha was asked about women by one of his disciples, Ananda and he replied that just like men, they could also become enlightened. Buddha in an effort of lifting the woman figure founded orders for both Bhikkhus (monks) and Bhikkhunis (nuns). The practices and rules that governed the two orders were similar. Buddha also taught anyone; male and females alike (Andrew, nd). However it had not been easy for Buddha to establish the order of nuns. Had it not been for his disciple Ananda’s pleading, the women could not have been ordained. Despite their ordination, Buddha dictated eight rules that placed the nuns as monks’ subordinates. To Buddha still, a woman was a lesser being. It was because of nuns’ ordination that his teachings would last for only 500 years instead of the expected 1000 years. Ordination of women was like a crime that he had committed (Andrew, nd). After the death of Buddha, the one time patriarch society wore back its earlier face. They could not deal with women nuns who were their equal and rules to lower the standards of women in the society were made. No one was against Buddha’s teachings that women could in the same way as men attain enlightment but there were certain limitations made for Bhikkhunis to perhaps increase acceptance of monastic rules in the society. Despite these limitations, many women joined the Bhikkhunis as there was more freedom, no servitude; no doing of household chores and above all they had independence. Once liberated, they taught the same to other women. Bhikkhunism therefore was a way of escaping from the harsh realities of life. All women could not be Bhikkhunis; some established other movements such as the Lay Women (Andrew, nd). The life expectations of a Buddhist child can be drawn from the teaching of Buddha to his own son Rahula. Parents and teachers were supposed to pass these teachings on to their children. A Buddhist child is expected to be truthful. If the Buddhist child wanted to find truth the child must be truthful in the first place. Children are also supposed grow up with their actions as mirrors. They were advised not to perform any action that seemed harmful. Children were supposed to learn from their mistakes and be responsible for their actions. They were also supposed to be compassionate. Buddhist children are also trained to become monks from an early age (Talbot, 2010) Conclusion Just like in any other institution, the Buddhist community has had their own way of life. Each and every group had a place it held in the society. However, it had been a patriarch society that infringed on the rights of women. Men were superior figures but women were expected to be in total submission of their husbands. With the coming of Buddha the status of women was lifted but was not equal to that of men. Women are still below men in communities that practice Buddhism such as in India and Thailand. References Andrew, K. (nd). Women in Theravada Buddhism. Retrieved form http://www. enabling. org/ia/vipassana/Archive/A/Andrews/womenTheraBudAndrews. html Buddha Net. (2008). The Buddhist way. Retrieved from http://www. buddhanet. net/e-learning/buddhism/bs-s01. htm Talbot, M. (2010). Introduction: teaching your children Buddhist values. Retrieved from http://www. tricycle. com/special-section/introduction-teaching-your-children-buddhist-values

Cosmic Justice :: Creative Writing Short Stories

Cosmic Justice The particular Evil which the space turtle sensed came from one Dr. Quincey P. Mandra, who after a long life of being victimized (at least as he saw it) through one means or another, decided that the time had arrived for him to become a Mad Scientist and wreak his revenge on humanity and creation in general by taking over the world and making it his plaything. (As can be seen, Dr. Mandra was rather narrow of vision, as any self-respecting Mad Scientist these days would have planned to take over the universe, or at least our particular galaxy. Perhaps this was why the elder space turtle seemed unconcerned.) He had already constructed his Evil Headquarters, which he had named The Citadel of Doom (Insert lightning and thunder here). He thought that it was a name that rolled rather nicely off the tongue. It had all that an Evil Mad Scientist could need: attractive art deco living quarters for himself, barracks for his troops, dank dungeons, torture chambers, mutated guard-beasts, booby traps, and lots and lots of insidious machinery that bleeped and buzzed and crackled and made other science fictiony noises. He still needed one thing however...Hordes. Every Evil Mad Scientist needs hordes of mindless drones to do his Evil Bidding.  ³Where will I find Hordes? ² he mused.  ³Where can I find great masses of mindless individuals ready to be indoctrinated and follow a charismatic leader with little or no regard for consequences or even common sense? ² He rejected Congress immediately.  ³I do need some degree of intelligence in my hordes. Overly stupid hordes have been the downfall of many a Mad Scientist. Besides I do want some combat ability. Some, hell! I want soulless killing machines! ² This naturally brought the armed forces to mind, but he rejected them as too fanatical even for him.  ³Frat boys! Hmm...maybe frat pledges. By the time they reach full frat boy status they ¹ve consumed way too much alcohol to be worth anything.

Bulacan Sweets Essay

Success, they say, is sweeter when earned the hard way. For entrepreneur Lydia Veneracion, 60, her Bulacan Sweets was nurtured with hard work and perseverance. Over the last 24 years — and still going strong — Bulacan Sweets’ specialties like pastillas and candied fruits have become household names. Starting with only 10 kinds of sweets and candies in 1970, Bulacan Sweets is now manufacturing and selling over 200 products. It has also expanded its product lines and now engages in the canning and bottling of Bagoong, Lechon Paksiw, taba ng talangka (crab fat paste) and binagoongan (shrimp paste). From only one display shelf in 1970, it now has 13 outlets in most shopping malls in Metro Manila. â€Å"I was happy if I earned P100 per day during that time,† Veneracion says of her business, which has since grown into a multi-million-peso venture. Veneracion recalls she only had P1,000 as capital in 1970 when she started her business in an aprtment in Retiro Street (now Amoranto Street) n La Loma, Quezon City. Today, she has a candy factory, a kitchen and a laboratory. She says she used to buy pastillas and other candies from her relatives in her hometown of San Miguel, Bulacan. At that time, she only had two helpers to assist her in making some of the products she sells. Bulacan Sweets now employs over 60 workers. She takes pride that most of her sales ladies can afford to go to school during their spare time. Natural Interest Making candies has always interested Veneracion. She inherited her love for cooking and food preparation from her grandmother, also a Bulakeà ±a. At an early age, she learned how to make fruits like mangoes and kamias into mouth-watering candies. Veneracion, who used to work as a government nurse in the 1960’s, opted to retire early when her four children were growing up. Setting up a store then was just a hobby to ease the boredom she felt while wating for her children to rturn from school. Lucky for her, husband Lorenzo  Veneracion — now a Regional Trial Court Judge of Manila — has always been supportive of her endeavor. The growth of the Bulacan Sweets business exemplifies Filipino entrepreneurship, partnership and creativity. Veneracion relates that during the first two years of her business, the store only had a handful of buyers. It was her husband who helped in the initial marketing of their products when he used direct mail to attract customers. She remembers her husband sending letters to people listed on the telephone directory. It so happened that one of the letters reached a writer of a national daily. The writer who dropped by her store was so impressed with her products that she featured her in her column. â€Å"The next day, I was shocked when so many people flocked to our store. I even sold all the items in the glass shelf,† Veneracion relates. As sales continued to grow, the Veneracion couple visited several provinces nationwide to include regional delicacies in their product lines. â€Å"We have to do this because our customers were asking for these products,† Veneracion says. Bulacan Sweets doesn’t only offer delicacies from Bulacan, but also sells pili nuts from Bicol, vinegar from Ilocos, broas from Quezon, bokayo from Pangasinan and pure honey from Palawan. The creativity of the people behind Bulacan Sweets is evident with the stores’ colorful boxes and artfully-wrapped products, which have set a trend in the packaging of native delicacies. These artistic wrappers have become so popular that they are now sold separately. Veneracion hires the services of an expert designer to create beautiful wrappers for the sweets. Preserved fruits in the bottles are also distinctively prepared with their handcrafted designs. Fruit preserves, too, are shaped creatively. Several hotels and catering businesses are also ordering Bulacan Sweets products for their customers. To improve her products, Veneracion takes time to attend seminars here and overseas. She recently attended a seminar in Japan to get ideas on the latest technology n the food sector, including the packaging of delicacies. She is also part of a nationwide organization called Integrated Manufacturers of Food Products Philippines that aims to help food manufacturers improve their products and find solutions to problems nagging the industry. Veneracion says the main problem of her business is the expensive price of sugar and sometimes, the lack of fruit supply, which are th e main ingredients of her products. Sweet Dreams To preserve the continuity of the business, Veneracion has asked her daughter — Loli, a graduate of hotel and restaurant management — to help her in the business. She adds that she wants the business to be a family tradition. Both mother and daughter help each other to assess the market situation and decide on the need to open new outlets. The Bulacan Sweets owner, meantime, has for her most fervent wish the sale of her products nationwide, and even in overseas markets. Although Bulacan Sweets has yet to have an overseas outlet, its products are now sold in the United States and some countries in Asia. Regular distributors are selling the products overseas under different brands. The products also reach foreign shore because many balikbayans are buying them as pasalubong to their friends and relatives overseas. Veneracions says she hopes to continue with the sweet success of her products by ensuring quality produce in excellent packaging. More importantly, she recognize s the value of good customer relations. For someone in the business for the last 24 years, the Bulacan Sweets entrepreneur knows what it takes to make a success story.

Guide to the Zhou Dynasty The Confucian Age of China

The Zhou Dynasty (also spelled Chou) is the name given to a historical period roughly consisting of the last two-fifths of the Chinese Bronze Age, traditionally marked between 1046 and 221 BC (although scholars are divided on the starting date). It is broken into three periods: Western Zhou (ca 1046-771 BC) The Zhou ruling dynasty was founded by King Wen, and solidified by his successor King Wu, who conquered the Shang Dynasty. During this period, the Zhou were based along the Wei River in Shaanxi Province and ruled much of the Wei and Yellow River valleys as well as portions of the Yangzi and Han river systems. The rulers were kin-based, and the society was strictly tiered with a strong aristocracy in place. Eastern Zhou (ca 771-481 BC) About 771 BC, the Zhou leaders were forced eastward out of their previous strongholds near Mount Qi and into a reduced area near their capital city of Luoyang. This period is also called Springs and Autumns (Chunqin), after a history of that name which documented the Eastern Zhou dynasties. The Eastern Zhou rulers were despotic, with a centralized administration and a ranked bureaucracy. Taxation and corvee labor were present. Warring States (ca 481-221 BC) About 481 BC, the Zhou dynasty fragmented into separate kingdoms, the Wei, Han and Zhao kingdoms. During this period, iron working became available, the standard of living rose and the population grew. Currency was established enabling far-flung trading systems. The Warring States period ended when the Qin dynasty reunited China in 221 BC. Zhou Sites and Historical Documents Historical documents dated to the Zhou include the Guo yu (the oldest known history of China, dated to the 5th century BC), the Zuo Zhuan, the Shangshu and the Shi Jing (poetry and hymns). Capital cities of the Zhou which have been identified archaeologically are relatively rare, but probably include Wangcheng (in present-day Xiaotun), Doumenzhen, Luoyang, Hao-Ching and Zhangjiapo, where some 15,000 tombs were identified and 1000 excavated during the 1980s.Bronze vessel hoards, deposited when the Zhou fled the west, have been identified in Qishan county of Shaanxi province, such as at several sites in the modern town of Baoji. These beautiful vessels (the two you illustrated here are from Baoji) often have inscriptions which contain genealogical data, which allowed researchers to reconstruct lineage data for the various Zhou royal families. Sources Falkenhausen, Lothar von. 2007. Chinese Society in the Age of Confucius (1000-250 BC). Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, Los Angeles. Shaughnessy, Edward L. 2004. Western Zhou Hoards and Family Histories in the Zhouyuan. pp 255-267 in Volume 1, Chinese Archaeology in the Twentieth Century: New Perspectives on Chinas Past. Xiaoneng Yang, ed. Yale University Press, New Haven. Taketsugu, Iijima. 2004. An investigation of the Western Zhou capital at Luoyang. pp. 247-253 in Volume 1, in Volume 1, Chinese Archaeology in the Twentieth Century: New Perspectives on Chinas Past. Xiaoneng Yang, ed. Yale University Press, New Haven.