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Essay / Evolution of Buddhism - 1175
The world as we know it evolves every day; the people who live there evolve, our languages evolve, our religions evolve. The religions that came into existence when humans became civilized are not the same as those practiced today. Everything as we know it shapes changes to adapt to modern standards. One such religion that has evolved from the beginning is Buddhism. The ideology of Buddhism as a whole appeals to more people than some other religious groups. Why is this so? Is it because of the concepts it teaches or the fact that it doesn't focus on a "god" as much as Western religions. Before we get into which concepts in Buddhism were most intriguing, I think it's worth noting the creation of it. At first the Buddha was not a remarkable man. He was a privileged boy who was to become a warrior. He ran away and starved to death under a tree in order to find a solution to end the suffering. The Buddha willingly starved himself to death until he was able to reach this point in his life of enlightenment. The Buddha did not cure people of their illnesses and did not miraculously transform the elements into another. He lived a simple life, traveling and also teaching others how to achieve enlightenment. The Dharma was not a book about his life rather than just his teachings. This is very different from the idea of Jesus in the Christian religion. My view comes from a very biased position which I must acknowledge as I am not as supportive of the Christian religion. The Holy Bible differs from Dharma first because it is a book of stories as well as the teaching of Jesus. Jesus is a highly esteemed man because he was able to heal the sick of their food and turn water into wine. He died...... middle of paper...... only emphasizes that he achieves self-liberation. There's no time to waste for those who also need help getting there. There is one aspect that I don't particularly agree with. As noted earlier at the beginning of this essay, I have been thinking about the idea that Buddha is simply a man. Nothing was there to represent him as a god. In Mahayana practice, they regard him not as a man but as a god. Buddhism is rapidly gaining popularity in the Western world, especially among younger generations. This is because it is the only religion that can be practiced from a non-religious perspective. Buddhism can be seen as a spiritual adventure where the person focuses primarily on nature. Buddhism is full of interesting concepts and has the easiest religious text to read. Of all the religions I have learned throughout my life. Buddhism is the best so far.