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Buddhism

Buddhism is actually an amalgamation of several different sects and paths of Buddhism. First, however, I gained a greater understanding about Vajrayana, or Tibetan, Buddhism (and I had only ever heard of Theraveda and Mahayana before). Next, I learned how the concepts of Buddhism interacted with China, Japan, and other Asian countries so that neither Buddhism, nor those countries, were ever the same again. Last, I achieved more understanding of the type of hold that Buddhism has on the world today.

One of the things that Oxtoby discusses is that followers of Vajrayana Buddhism see Theraveda and Mahayana as the first and second steps or "turnings of the wheel." Vajrayana is the third turning and considered the culmination and perfection of the Buddha's teaching. It is also sometimes known as the Diamond or Thunderbolt Vehicle and considered much more mystical and esoteric than the other forms of Buddhism (Oxtoby, 2002). One of the reasons for this is that traditionally, much of the teaching or meanings in the teaching is considered secret. Additionally, there is much more magic associated with Tibetan Buddhism than with the other two vehicles, such that constructing a prayer wheel or saying a meditation could possible defend someone from their enemies or bring them prosperity (Oxtoby, 2002).

The next topic that Oxtoby covers is how Buddhism interacted with such cultures as those in China and Japan to create a belief system that was markedly different from what it was when it left India. One of the most interesting things to me was that I had never realized that what I had thought of as Buddhism was actually a mix of Chinese adaptation of cultural philosophy, ancestral worship and Daoism with Buddhist beliefs. Oxtoby (2002) points out that the Chinese culture has a need to integrate and synchronize opposites. Traditionally, Chinese culture was into the family, ancestor worship, and prosperity while Buddhism was about se...

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Buddhism. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 08:56, March 29, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1695738.html