Theravada and Mahayana

There are two major traditions of Buddhism such as Theravada and Mahayana. In Theravada Buddhism, the goal is to become an enlightened saint who has attained nirvana while Mahayana Buddhists hope to become bodhisattvas, altruistic enlightened saints who delay nirvana so they can help others attain it.

Theravada Buddhism

Theravada is one of the two major traditions of Buddhism: the other is Mahayana. Whereas Mahayana is sometimes referred to as Northern Buddhism, Theravada is called Southern Buddhism for its prominence in the more southern countries of Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, among others. The name comes from the Pali language and is translated as “doctrine of the elder monks.” Theravada claims to be the oldest school of Buddhism and the one that remains closest to the Buddha's original teachings, having descended from the Buddha's own disciples. According to the book, “The Pali Canon constitutes the definitive core of Theravada Buddhism. Theravada is the name of one, albeit a prominent one, of the schools of Buddhism that took form in India during the centuries following the death of Buddha in the early fifth century B.C.E.” (Bresnan 213)

There are some 

Mahayana Buddhism

different between Theravada and Mahayana. Unlike Theravada Buddhists whose goal is to become enlightened saints who have attained nirvana, Mahayana Buddhists hope to become bodhisattvas, altruistic enlightened saints who delay nirvana so they can help others attain it. Mahayana is one of the two main traditions of Buddhism, the other being Theravada. From Sanskrit, maha means “great” and yana means “vehicle.” The Mahayana tradition also teaches that even a layperson can attain enlightenment. The schools within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition differ in how to achieve this goal, but believe that enlightenment is attainable in a single lifetime. In my opinion, I think the thing that make two traditions is different is the goal, the belief and opinions.

Work Cited

Bresnan, Patrick. Awakening: an Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought. Fifth ed., Pearson, 2013.

Hindu spiritual Pathway and Veda

 

Karma Yoga

According to the video "Hindu Spiritual Pathway", there are 4 yoga paths for the integral development of body, mind, and soul. First of all, Karma yoga is the path of action and suits people with active temperaments. Performing actions selflessly – without thinking of success or reward – purifies the heart and reduces the ego. Karma Yoga is the best way to prepare oneself for silent meditation. Second, Bhakti Yoga is the yoga of devotion and is perfect for people who are emotional by nature. Through prayer, worship, and ritual, one comes to see the Divine as the embodiment of love. Chanting mantras is an essential part of Bhakti Yoga. Jnana Yoga is the yoga of wisdom or knowledge is most suitable for intellectual people. The philosophy of Vedanta teaches analytical self-inquiry into one’s own true nature, with the goal of recognizing the Supreme Self in oneself and in all beings. Raja Yoga is the science of controlling body and mind. The asanas (body postures) and pranayamas (breathing exercises) from Hatha Yoga are an integral part of this yoga path. The main practice of Raja Yoga is silent meditation, where bodily and mental energies are gradually transformed into spiritual energy. 

Raja Yoga

According to chapter 2 of the book " Awakening: An introduction to the History of Eastern Thought." The Vedas were organized into four great collections such as the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda. The author mentions Yajna- the Vedic Sacrifice. Moreover, the author also tells something about Soma, "the all-important ingredient to the Vedic priests is Soma- a major part in many of their sacred rituals. Soma was a drug, a very powerful drug that produced states of ecstasy and of wildly expanded consciousness." (23, Bresman)

Besides, the author also mentioned the Vedic Pantheon. there are some principal Gods of the Vedic Pantheon such as Agni, Indra, Varuna, Sarasvati, Surya, Ushas, Rudra, Yama,... The myth of Indra -- the favorite Vedic god -- is a further instance of that transition from the physical to spiritual meaning to which we have referred; though Indra is by no means so spiritual a being as Varuna. It is also a good instance of the fact that, as the comparative mythologists express it, the further back the myths are traced the more "atmospheric" do the gods become. First, of the merely physical Indra. His name is derived from Indu, drop-sap. He is thus the god of rain. The naParjanyanya means rain-bringer. Indra shatters the cloud with his bolt and releases the imprisoned waters. His purely physical origin is further indicated by the mythical expression that the clouds moved in Indra as the winds in Dyaus -- an expression implying that Indra was a name for the sky. VARUNA is also a sky-god: according to another account, a water-god. The name is derived from Var, to cover, or to overarch: and so far Varuna means the vault of heaven.

Works Cited

Pumpkin TV. “Hindu Spiritual Pathways.” Films On Demand, 2006.

Bresnan, Patrick. Awakening: an Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought. Fifth ed, Pearson, 2013.

The different sources in absorbing knowledge of humanity

Sources: the book "Bresnan Chapter 1: India Before the Vedas", the video "The Unvoiced Civilization"

The text and video are similar but different at the same time. Indus: The Unvoiced Civilization talk more in detail about the street in Mohenjo-daro, how it nine meters wide, and ran from north and south. Its explain the comprehensive water and drainage system, how there was a system to drain dirty water from the second story into the gutters = below, there were wells belonging to individual households. It also states that there is a belief of over 700 such wells in the city. The waters from the bath were used to flush the waste into the gutters. In effect, Mohenjo-daro was the first city to had a flush toilet system until the Roman. But they were very vague about what the bath was for as compare to the text. 

Mohenjo-daro

The text provides very thorough details of the Indus civilization geography, while the video is some detail but it is very brief. In the video it said that there were many merchants in the Indus. The merchants used the seals to identify and secure their goods, an early example of record keeping. In the video, it talks in very details about Dholavira the first Indus city of the Indus civilization. Dholavira was also well-equipped with a sophisticated water system. The water system runs both above and underground. 

Dholavira water management system

There is evidence of a reservoir (water tank), and there is believe that there 16 reservoirs around the city. There is evidence suggesting the people of Dholavira have constructed a dam. The water was dammed up and channeled through the aqueducts into the reservoirs. Even if the water flow over the side of the dam, the system was designed so that the water would be diverted into the reservoirs. The reservoirs were constructed using the natural bedrock as their base so that there was a gradual slope. The water fills up each reservoir in turn, starting with the highest reservoirs and ascending to those on the lower levels. This was how the people of Dholavira, despite the lack of rainfall, manage to save enough water to cultivate their crops and survive throughout the years. With all this reservoir full, Dholavira must have looked like a city floating on water.

Bresnan, Patrick. Awakening: an Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought. Fifth ed., Pearson, 2013.

Films for the Humanities & Sciences (Firm). Indus. [Videorecording] : The Unvoiced Civilization. Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 2003. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat01047a&AN=lrois.b1278860&site=eds-live&scope=site.