Abstract This is an in-depth juxtaposition and analysis of Oscar Wilde's "The Happy Prince" and a Buddhist tale "The Biography of the Buddha". It details the plots and main characters of both tales and tries to compare them, and find similarities between them. The comparison is done by examining the narrative construction of both stories. It compares both main characters: the prince and Buddha and manages to find many similarities between their characters and behaviorisms. It details Buddhism outlook on life as well as the happy Princes' outlook, both optimistic.
From the Paper ""The Happy Prince? tells the story of a prince, whom, while he was alive, was always happy and lived in a great, walled palace. When he died he was fashioned into a statue of gold and placed where all could see him in the middle of the town square. The story of the Buddha, or Naropa, or Siddartha Gautama, as he is sometimes known, tells the tale of young Brahmin (one step down from the priests in the Indian caste system) who was highly sheltered from the world. One day, he was taken out of the walled confines of his home. There, he witnessed three sights: old age, sickness, and death. Then he sees a holy man and is struck by the obvious "sincerity" of the man's bearing. These sights spurred him to renounce the world and enter into a life of contemplation. The results of these years of contemplation was Buddhism, an epiphany he struck upon when a young girl presented him with a bowl of rice after many years of fasting. (Saunders 23; Mitchell 39-40)"
Abstract This paper highlights the four main philosophies of the Diamond Sutra:
1) Liberation
2) Newton's Third Law
3) Perception of Attributes
4) "Swwshowing the Way"
The paper is built around various quotes from the sutra. An explanation for each quote is given, and the quotes are studies for what light they shed on Buddhist teachings.
From the Paper "This passage is meant to expand the reader's understanding of the multitude of creatures that must be liberated in Buddhist culture. By including all of these categories, the reader can easily understand that humans are not the only creatures that this text must be applied to. Instead, it can be applied to all creatures that are born. This group includes, but is not limited to: bugs, fish, elephants, mice, as well as humans. It also includes creatures that can think and ones that do not have the ability to think at all. No matter how many beings there are, they must all be liberated."
Abstract The paper analyzes the five percepts of Buddhism in the realm of ethics. It puts forward the importance and values of the five percepts for the Buddhist community on the way to enlightenment. More importantly, intertwining with many other concepts of Buddhist ethics, the five percepts are shown as a necessity for all humankind to adopt if we are to achieve a civilized society.
From the Paper "The second percept tells Buddhists "to refrain from taking what is not given". No one wants his/her property to be stolen. Thus, no human being is allowed to take what does not belong to him/her, or what is not given. Stealing and robbing are unethical and necessary to be punished before the social law. From that perspective, Buddhists can no way be allowed to take what is not given."
