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The quote is an extraction from the Heart Sutra.The Heart Sutra is one of the most popular Sultra in Mahayana Buddhism. It is also called the Heart of Perfection of Wisdom. In this Sutra, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is addressing Shariputra, who was one of the historical Buddha disciples.This extract is one of the earliest lines of the Sutra. In it, Avalokiteshvara discusses the five skandhas which, according to research, they are form, sensation, discrimination, conception, as well as consciousness (Nhat,2). According to the bodhisattva, the skandhas are empty, which means that they have been freed from any suffering. Emptiness in the Sutra context means a foundational doctrine in the Buddhism of Mahayana. However, despite being a foundational doctrine, it is the most misunderstood in all Buddhism. Most of the people in Buddhism believe it means nonexistence of anything which is not the case. The teachings of heart Sutra are subtle and profound, and as such, it is impossible to understand them completely. There are about 40 Sutras, and Heart Sutra is just a part of the collection (Nhat,p.29). Several translations have been done to the Heart Sutra, and this extraction is from the most recent. Most Buddhist scriptures do not only require intellect for them to be understood; there is a need for words to be kept in their hearts to help in understanding which happens through practice and reciting it many times.
The Heart Sutra, therefore, is a teaching of emptiness where emptiness according to research in this context, points to the essential part of living beings, which is freedom. Thus, the Heart Sutra can be described as a poem of True Freedom, which means freedom from confusion as well as suffering (Nhat, p.41). Ill-beings in this context, therefore, says those who are not empty and as such, they are no free; consequently, they are still suffering, and they are still in confusion. According to Heart Sutra, Buddha’s teachings are that, nothing has self-existence and that there is a need for interdependence for phenomena to exist which is also referred to as interbeing by Thich Nhat Hanh (Nhat,p.81). Therefore, there is the need for the five skandhas to exists together since they all together make up what is called a ”self”. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Second quote:
Nadeau is an accomplished author of the work of Asian Religions. Nadeau, in his work, deals with the history of Asia, which helps the reader gain a sympathetic understanding of the differences that exist concerning ideas when it comes to Asian religion. The western traditions believe that meditation is in a way linked to a personal relationship with God. Buddhist have set side meditation places in Asia to help in emphasizing how vital mediation is to them. In Asia, meditation comes in many forms. According to research, meditation is not just about getting or being in altered states of consciousness, or experiencing and seeing anything out of the ordinary, religiously, it is about discovering as well as being more fully into the everyday.
According to Nadeau, “Meditation is a “keen awareness of one’s range of experience (thoughts, sensations, emotions, feelings, and perceptions), without assuming their permanence or continuity over time’’ (Nadeau, p.164). Nadeau puts meditation in Asian religion context, which means religion and meditation are interconnected, and none can exist without the other. Meditation, according to Nadeau, is the whole entirety of self. Therefore, for one to be termed as meditating, they have to fully aware of themselves that is emotions, sensation, thoughts, perceptions and well as their feelings. Meditation in Asian religion can be compared to understanding one’s personality. This can be contemplated as self-love, and in religion, love is one of the highest gifts. It is by understanding oneself that brings about joy even in times of suffering and stress (Nadeau, p.164). Having joy which is brought about by meditation is more profound than happiness or pleasure. Joy is found in small things such as meditating as well as a taste of natural and simple things in life. Every religion is about peace, and as long as the religious spirit is flowing within you, the order has to be established within you hence helping one in meditation.
Nadeau, in his work Asian Religion, he focuses on fruits of meditation. He describes Buddhist enlightenment as a state of mind that is very hard to explain or even describe. Nadeau believes that Buddhism goals of religion are not about a place but is a state of awakened consciousness. Nadeau explains The Eightfold Path, which outlines the stages of meditation which leads to the realization of Buddhism goal, which is focused on concentration, mental preparation and enlightened consciousness (Nadeau, p.164). Meditation was initially meant for the monks and nuns by later it became the norm for every Buddhist. Nadeau explains meditation as the questing of the body and mind, which helps to focus attention on the physical as well as the mental activities which includes breathing and thinking, discipline which is described as non-attachment to sensation and thoughts and also a state of insight and contentment which is experienced after meditative practices (Nadeau, p.164).
Third quote:
Catherine Albanese embarks on a journey of telling a story of American metaphysical religion which is the changes which have occurred in the American religious history. Albanese follows the path of American history to say the American religion changes, which start from renaissance Europe, England and later to America (Catherine 101). The story runs from the colonial days to the current 21st century as the country is blending in with other cultures such as African- Americans as well as other cultural elements within the state. Due to different cultural and religion integration which has taken place within the country in her entire existence, belief has drastically changed. Many have abandoned their cultural faith, and others have changed their religious ways, while others have entirely buried their spiritual ideas. Buddhism is one such culture that has been almost forgotten (Catherine, 141). American believes in the Western religious culture which is the modern culture with one central belief which is the reward of religion is a place of eternal life which contrary to Buddhism which believes in the prize being relieved of all sufferings.
Albanese wrote a story that follows the evolving versions of a religion in America that is metaphysical. Among them Freemasonry, Universalism, Mormonism and Transcendentalism. In her work, Albanese also included further incarnations such as Spiritualism, Christian Science, Theosophy, New Thought, Reinvented versions of Asian practices as well as ideas which she describes as having been swept away (Catherine 101). Over time, there has been a mixture of religions bringing about a very wide or rather broad spirituality. It is such combinations which have brought about a practice which is no longer free in the sense that, religions have been intertwined giving rise to a new religious practice which has discarded the old traditions of the original spiritual practices. Due to changes over the years, the metaphysical religion is coming existence which slowly eradicating the older religions such as Buddhism, liturgical churches, as well as the evangelicalism. Albanese describes the metaphysical approach as the third way which she describes as hard to pin down and less documented that the previous existing traditions.
Albanese, however, as she embarks on this work, she does not forget to explain how critical religious affiliates are of significant importance to social networks and also self-definition. One to needs to adhere to a particular set of faith since it demonstrates one’s commitment to a shared set of beliefs, values, morals and rituals and the most crucial part being allegiance to people with like minds or rather co-religionists. Religious believes they are essential to the social aspects of a person. Despite the changes which may have occurred, there are some norms which are hard to abandon. The United States is a pluralist society, which is guided by nationalism and many more secular ideologies which are well understood as an alternative to religion hence giving people numerous choices to choose from (Catherine 101). As such, for one religion to fit in, several changes have to effected to ensure that those in such a religious belief do not feel like outcasts.
Work Cited
Albanese, Catherine L. A republic of mind and spirit: A cultural history of American metaphysical religion. Yale University Press, 2007.
Nadeau, Randall L. Asian religions: A cultural perspective. John Wiley & Sons, 2014.
file:///C:/Users/pc/Downloads/epdf.pub_asian-religions-a-cultural-perspective.epub
Hanh, Thich Nhat. The Other Shore: A New Translation of the Heart Sutra with Commentaries. Parallax Press, 2017.
http://shabd-braham.com/ShabdB/archive/v1i12/sbd-v2-i12-sn13.pdf