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Buddhism: A Simple Life

            Festivals and traditions are a common element of all religions. They bring communities together in unity to celebrate their values and their beliefs. Different religions celebrate their festivals in many diverse ways. Traditions and festivals may be similar between one religion to the next, however the significance of these can be incredibly different. Buddhism is a religion that follows this notion. It is a prominent religion in terms of their traditions and festivals and the beliefs behind them. However Buddhism does have some distinct similarities with other religions. Buddhism is unlike and similar to other religions in terms of the way in which they celebrate festivals, the attitude towards their traditions and the nature of their beliefs.
             The way in which Buddhists celebrate their festivals is quite unlike the religious celebrations of other religions. The festivals celebrated by the Buddhists contain a joyous celebration of colour and feasting. These festivities can be seen in the festival of Loy Karthong in which Buddhists set bowls of candles into the water. Although there seems to be great excitement, true Buddhists do not hold elaborate celebrations. True Buddhists do not hold large feasts; rather they devote festival days to prayer and performing good deeds. On a typical festival day people often go to a temple or monastery and offer food and clothing to the monks. While at the temple they listen to the Dharma preach. In the afternoon they perform good deeds towards those less fortunate. Occasionally, people will also help animals in distress by setting them free from confinement. In the evening people will often participate in a ceremony which pays respect to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. The day is usually ended with chanting and meditation of the Buddha's teaching. This is typically the way in which Buddhists celebrate festivals. There is no jazz or anticipation of receiving gifts, as there is in many other cultures.


Essays Related to Buddhism: A Simple Life

1. Buddhism

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2. Buddhism

He described life to be one and indivisible. ... Buddhism denies that man has an immortal soul. ... Buddhism is a natural religion. ... There is much dissatisfaction in one's life. ... Buddhism is a simple religion that focuses on changing the evil of man and society into a good entity. ...

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3. Buddhism and Hinduism

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4. buddhism

Thus is born the basic principle of Buddhism. ... It differs from other religions in that Buddhism is not based on the belief in a divine power, such as Christianity or Islam; on the contrary, Buddhism is more a way of life and a learning process than a set of divine commands. ... The simple revelation of this truth can be overwhelming to some, however it is essential to understand that that is just the way things are. ... Right Living- to lead a pure and holy life. ... Buddhism, like any other religion, contains a set of moral behaviors to guide one in making life-altering judgments. ...

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5. Buddhism In Japan

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6. Buddhism Compared to Consumerism

Here people dance, drink alcohol, and sometimes take drugs, which is against the Buddhism religion. ... Buddhists fear reincarnating back as a woman, whereas consumerists believe they only have one shot at life and need to get it right the first time by getting everything they can as soon as possible. ... Men also hold more power in a consumerist society as they are the dominant sex like in Buddhism. The major difference I found between Buddhism and consumerism is that Buddhists value a simple lifestyle, and consumerists value possessions. So, Buddhism is about enlightenment of the ...

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7. Why Buddhism is the Best Philosphy

Later in his life Siddartha Gautama became an ascetic. ... Their mission was to get everyone to be able to live a peaceful life. ... The Four Noble Truths say that satisfaction is the key to a good life. ... They learned Buddhist morals and themes in Buddhist schools that were taught by Buddhist monks that dedicated their whole life to studying Buddhism. ... Buddhism's goal as a religion is to life a happy life. ...

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8. Chan and Zen Buddhism

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9. Tibetan Buddhism

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