Buddhism
- Submitted by: SandraKay
- Views: 338
- Category: History: Religion
- Date Submitted: 09/28/2012 01:07 PM
- Pages: 4
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The Dhammapada is classified as the words of Buddha regarding how we should go about our lives. It mainly centers on the value of ethics and the spreading of love for all mankind. It “consists of 423 verses in Pali uttered by the Buddha on some 305 occasions for the benefit of a wide range of human beings”. This is a book divided into 26 chapters with each stanza arranged in terms of subject matter accordingly.
I would choose this verse to reflect on: (Dhammapada 6) to determine the link between Buddhism and consumerism:
Some do not understand
that we are perishing here.
Those who understand this
bring to rest their quarrels.
Reading these 4 simple lines (or two whole thoughts) already gives me an inkling of what Buddha wants to say. It’s something everyone finds hard to do, especially us people who are overly concerned with what we are doing in this very materialistic and physical world. It’s about forgiving people who wronged us, and loving instead of retaliating even if we are the ones hurt. This is really hard to do, come to think of it. But according to Buddha, this is not only important, but should be the way and the choice we choose, in order to live a full and harmonious life.
In all, I think what this verse wants to say is that some people, or for the matter, most of us does not think too widely and is just more concentrated on the physical aspects of life. People do things that would put them ahead of others. This is of course, not to generalize, but there are really a lot of people who think they are successful when they have all the material things they want, they have a lot of money to spend, a lot of possessions to show off, a successful career sometimes, or even a family that has everything covered, from houses to doctor degrees. Sometimes, in this race towards achieving the best, and being on the top, with the whole world under their feet, they forgot that everyone is equal regardless of these things because yes, we’re all humans, and more...
I would choose this verse to reflect on: (Dhammapada 6) to determine the link between Buddhism and consumerism:
Some do not understand
that we are perishing here.
Those who understand this
bring to rest their quarrels.
Reading these 4 simple lines (or two whole thoughts) already gives me an inkling of what Buddha wants to say. It’s something everyone finds hard to do, especially us people who are overly concerned with what we are doing in this very materialistic and physical world. It’s about forgiving people who wronged us, and loving instead of retaliating even if we are the ones hurt. This is really hard to do, come to think of it. But according to Buddha, this is not only important, but should be the way and the choice we choose, in order to live a full and harmonious life.
In all, I think what this verse wants to say is that some people, or for the matter, most of us does not think too widely and is just more concentrated on the physical aspects of life. People do things that would put them ahead of others. This is of course, not to generalize, but there are really a lot of people who think they are successful when they have all the material things they want, they have a lot of money to spend, a lot of possessions to show off, a successful career sometimes, or even a family that has everything covered, from houses to doctor degrees. Sometimes, in this race towards achieving the best, and being on the top, with the whole world under their feet, they forgot that everyone is equal regardless of these things because yes, we’re all humans, and more...