The Impact of Buddhism on Indian Society Essay Example for Free

The Impact of Buddhism on Indian Society Essay It has been said that Buddhism came as a reaction to the corruption of the Vedic ideals that were governing the Indian society. The Vedic ideals which were governing society till then had become conventional and lost their inner force. As we have seen in the earlier chapter, the caste system had a high and noble goal; but now it tended to become hereditary, rigid and inelastic. At the same time the teachings of the Vedic Rishis were being applied in a more and more ritualistic and mechanical manner. As already seen, Indian society was graded in such a way that all men could participate in a full life according to their stage of evolution under the control of Dharma. As and when one was ready, one could take up the full spiritual life at the appropriate time. Life was not divided into the spiritual life and the ordinary life for it was a gradual ascension into spirituality. But now with the weakening of the Vedic ideals, spirituality waned and the fulfilment of life became an excuse for the uncontrolled indulgence of desires and worldly satisfactions. A temporary period of negation was therefore necessary. Buddhism with its exaggerated stress on the unreality of this world and worldly desires seemed to satisfy this need. In sum, Buddhism came as a reaction to the lowering of the Vedic ideals. However, Buddhism by its exaggerated emphasis on quiescence and self-abnegation, unwisely created a division in society; it created two distinct classes the monk and the layman, the man of the world and the spiritual man. This division implied that the man of the world was inferior to the monk and thus relegated worldly action to the lowest importance. This division of society into two classes, namely the spiritual seekers and the ordinary man created a disharmony and became the author of confusion in society. As a result, under its influence half the nation moved in the direction of spiritual passivity and negation, the other by a natural reaction plunged deep into a splendid but enervating materialism. The Indian race lost three parts of its ancient heroic manhood, its grasp on the world, its magnificently ordered polity and its noble social fabric. Thus Buddhism weakened Indian society although Buddha himself contributed greatly to Indian spirituality. Buddhism never really took firm root in India; it was outside India, in China and Japan and Tibet that it got established. But the Buddha himself was recognised by Indian religion as one of the Avatars. However, it must be added that the Buddhist influence on art was considerable and it inspired for centuries Indian sculpture and painting. Indeed some of the finest pieces of Indian art have been the direct result of Buddhistic influence; one such example is the painting and sculptures in Ajanta and Ellora. It will not be out of place to note the differences between Hinduism and Buddhism. 1.  Hinduism is based on the Veda while Buddhism rejects the Veda. Veda means revealed knowledge, which one accepts in order to grow in knowledge. Buddhism accepts nothing on trust, but asks to test everything by one’s reason and experience. 2. The first principle that Vedic Knowledge posits is Sat, Being, Pure Existence, Reality. The first principle Buddhism posits is Asat, Non-Being, Non-Reality. 3. This metaphysical position is faithfully translated in the respective logical positions of the two. Buddhist logic considers negation as a simple contrary to affirmation. It is not an entity; it is the lack of entity.  Hindu logic makes of negation a positive statement but on the minus side, just as Hindu mathematics did not consider zero as valueless but gave a special position to it. 4. The Vedic Rishis declared that all existence is built upon delight, all things are born out of delight and move from delight to delight, and delight is their final culmination. Buddhism said misery is the hallmark of things created; sorrow is the marrow and pith and the great secret of existence. In sum, while Buddha was a great spiritual personality, an embodiment of compassion, the religion of Buddhism could not take complete hold of the Indian people.

Analysis of Shawshank Redemption Essay -- Essays on Film, Movies

The movie of the Shawshank Redemption is based on a short story by Steven King. The movie shows how prison life affects prisoners during their sentence in jail and after when they are released. The director concentrates mostly on the personal cost of adapting to prison life and how some convicts, once they conform, lose the ability to survive beyond the barbed wire and iron bars. As a character puts it, ‘These [prison] walls are funny. First you hate them, then you get used to them, then you start to depend on them.’ The director shows us to what extent prisoners can be made to ‘depend on them’. The two episodes that I will analyse are examples of two different ‘paths’ prisoners can take once released from prison. One is to survive and live their life, another is to give up and end it. In the movie Red, a prisoner at Shawshank says, ‘get busy living or get busy dying’. This quote plays an important role in the movie because Red and Brooks, two important characters who get out of jail have to make the choice to either ‘get busy living or get busy dying’. Red and Brooks are characters with many similar traits and have gone through many of the same circumstances. Both entered the confines of Shawshank Prison youths but left its walls as old men. They have seen many prisoners come in and out. They spent decades behind the dull enclosure and got used to it. They have adapted themselves to the concepts of routine, forced conformity, power abuse and have lost all elements of individuality within themselves. Red says â€Å"you come here for your life and that’s exactly what they take from you†. The episodes of the release of both men contri... ...ds hug, the camera pulls back, revealing the wide, distant horizon of the blue Pacific with no end in sight. No longer are the Red and Andy confined by walls and iron bars nor watched on by guards. Both are free. Brooks had attained the limits at prison, he had become institutionalised and once released had found the only way out was death. Red, on the other hand, had hoped, and hope had led him to freedom, to happiness, to redemption. Through the themes and the cinematic decisions applied in these two episodes the director has made these vital to the understanding of the movie. He has given two examples of the extreme situations to which prisoners go depending on their emotions. One of the emotions is yet one of the main themes of the movie, hope, and in my opinion it has been brought up extremely effectively.

Coffee Benefits Essay

Several studies comparing moderate coffee drinkers (about 2 cups a day) with light coffee drinkers (less than one cup a day) found that those who drank more coffee were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease later in life. [2][3] [edit] Reduced risk of gallstone disease Drinking caffeinated coffee has been correlated with a lower incidence of gallstones and gallbladder disease in both men[4] and women[5] in two studies performed by the Harvard School of Public Health. A lessened risk was not seen in those who drank decaffeinated coffee. [edit] Reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease A study comparing heavy coffee drinkers (3. 5 cups a day) with non-drinkers found that the coffee drinkers were significantly less likely to contract Parkinson’s Disease later in life. [6]. Likewise, a second study found an inverse relationship between the amount of coffee regularly drunk and the likelihood of developing Parkinson’s Disease. [7] [edit] Cognitive performance Many people drink coffee for its ability to increase short term recall and increase IQ[8]. Likewise, in tests of simple reaction time, choice reaction time, incidental verbal memory, and visuospatial reasoning, participants who regularly drank coffee were found to perform better on all tests, with a positive relationship between test scores and the amount of coffee regularly drunk. Elderly participants were found to have the largest effect associated with regular coffee drinking. [9] Another study found that women over the age of 80 performed significantly better on cognitive tests if they had regularly drunk coffee over their lifetimes. [10] [edit] Analgesic enhancement Coffee contains caffeine, which increases the effectiveness of pain killers, especially migraine and headache medications. [11] For this reason, many over-the-counter headache drugs include caffeine in their formula. [edit] Antidiabetic Coffee intake may reduce one’s risk of diabetes mellitus type 2 by up to half. While this was originally noticed in patients who consumed high amounts (7 cups a day), the relationship was later shown to be linear. [12] [edit] Liver disease Coffee can also reduce the incidence of cirrhosis of the liver[13] and has been linked to a reduced risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, a primary liver cancer that usually arises in patients with preexisting cirrhosis. [14] The exact mechanism and the amount of coffee needed to achieve a beneficial effect are as yet unclear. [15] [edit] Cancer Coffee consumption is also correlated to a reduced risk of oral, esophageal, and pharyngeal cancer. [16][17] In ovarian cancer, no benefit was found. [18] In the Nurses Health Study, a modest reduction in breast cancer was observed in postmenopausal women only, which was not confirmed in decaffeinated coffee. [19] [edit] Cardioprotective Coffee reduces the incidence of heart disease, though whether this is simply because it rids the blood of excess lipids or because of its stimulant effect is unknown. [citation needed] [edit] Laxative/diuretic Coffee is also a powerful stimulant for peristalsis and is sometimes considered to prevent constipation; it is also a diuretic. However, coffee can also cause loose bowel movements. Practitioners in alternative medicine often recommend coffee enemas for â€Å"cleansing of the colon† due to its stimulus of peristalsis, although mainstream medicine has not proved any benefits of the practice. [edit] Antioxidant Coffee contains the anticancer compound methylpyridinium. This compound is not present in significant amounts in other food materials. Methylpyridinium is not present in raw coffee beans but is formed during the roasting process from trigonelline, which is common in raw coffee beans. It is present in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, and even in instant coffee. [20] http://ezinearticles. com/? Coffee-and-Its-Antioxidants-Healthier-Than-You-May-Realize&id=1235899 Did you know that coffee is chock full of antioxidants, an anticancer agent? If you’ve always thought coffee is bad for you, think again. Aside from keeping you alert and awake, coffee can also keep you young and fighting cancer. So, continue reading for answers to some frequently asked questions about coffee and its antioxidants. What are antioxidants? Antioxidants are any vitamin or nutrient that can help prevent cancer or damage to the heart and other tissues caused by free radicals. By neutralizing free radicals, they prevent cell degradation. Antioxidant rich foods include blueberries, raspberries, dates, chocolate and, of course, coffee. What type of antioxidants are in coffee? The antioxidants found in coffee are called polyphenols. More specifically, the compound is methylpridinium. The antioxidant isn’t present in raw, green coffee beans, but is actually created during the roasting process. How much coffee is enough? Research has shown that people who drink one to two coffees a day have half the risk of developing liver cancer when compared to people who didn’t drink coffee. Meanwhile, drinking 4 to 6 cups of coffee can reduce your risk for type-2 diabetes by as much as 50 percent. However, despite the reduced risk for these diseases and other cancers, like oral, esophageal, and pharyngeal cancer, doctors don’t recommend you start drinking 10 cups a day. Coffee is still a stimulant and a diuretic and if drunk in excess can cause heart problems, anxiety and possible dangerously elevated blood pressure. Can I get these antioxidants from other sources? The specific antioxidant compound of methylpridinium is only found in substantial amounts in coffee. While other food sources like cranberries, dates and other antioxidant-rich foods contain different types of antioxidants, coffee is the primary source for this particular compound. (For other sources of antioxidants try bananas, dry beans, blueberries, pomegranates, lychees and the other foods listed above.) A recent study also found that the vast majority of North Americans get most of their antioxidants from beverages and, in particular, coffee. The average adult takes in about 1300 milligrams per day through coffee and the next source is tea at a mere 294 milligrams per day. Again, while coffee is one of our highest sources of antioxidants – a great cancer-fighting and prevention agent – coffee drinkers should always practice moderation. A cup or two a day may keep a number of common diseases away, but too much coffee can also cause problems. So balance is always a necessity.

The Care For Our Veteran Service Men And Women Has Been...

The care for our veteran service men and women has been inadequate since the founding of our nation. The intent of this section is to provide an over view on the history of the military and the policies that have affected our veterans. Additionally, I will address the gaps in current mental and healthcare policies affecting veterans today. Historical Policies The United States of America, officially became a country on July 04, 1776. However, the U.S. Army, previously known as the â€Å"Continental Army†, was established on June 14, 1775, almost thirteen months before the country was formed. In 1789, with the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, Congress assumed the responsibility of paying veterans pensions (based on rank), by passing the†¦show more content†¦Disabled veterans were also beginning to be compensated for home health aides, which included either a nurse or a housekeeper whichever seemed to be more beneficial for the veteran. Up to this point the services and pensions were granted to servicemen discharged because of illness or a disability attributed to military service. In 1890, The Dependent Pension Act broadened the scope of eligibility, providing pensions to veterans incapable of manual labor (Veterans Administration, 2005). This was the first step in addressing the needs of our veterans, however, stipul ations for eligibility were added, which required the veteran to be honorably discharged in order to be granted benefits. On April 06, 1917, the United States entered into World War I. Shortly after the war began, Congress passed the War Risk Insurance Act of 1914 to insure American ships and their cargoes. This act is important because in 1917, Congress amended the War Risk Insurance Act, by adding provisions which established courses for rehabilitation and vocational training for veterans with dismemberment, sight, hearing, and other permanent disabilities. Additionally, the eligibility for the vocational rehabilitation benefits for veterans was established retroactively to April 6, 1917, the date the United States entered World War I (Veterans Administration, 2005). In 1919, Armistice Day was proclaimed by President Wilson toShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesHartman Strom, Political Woman: Florence Luscomb and the Legacy of Radical Reform Michael Adas, ed., Agricultural and Pastoral Societies in Ancient and Classical History Jack Metzgar, Striking Steel: Solidarity Remembered Janis Appier, Policing Women: The Sexual Politics of Law Enforcement and the LAPD Allen Hunter, ed., Rethinking the Cold War Eric Foner, ed., The New American History. 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