WHAT THE BUDDHA TAUGHT - Mrs. LE

Professor: Dr. REDICK
PHIL 326
LE, KIM-CHI
Date: April 04, 2008



WHAT THE BUDDHA TAUGHT



BUDDISM AND SOCIAL WELFARE


Those who think that Buddhism is only interested in the ideals, high moral and philosophical thought, and ignore any social and economic welfare of people, are wrong. The Buddha was interested in the happiness of men. To him happiness was not possible without leading a pure life based on moral and spiritual monk engaged principals. But he knew that leading such a life was hard and unfavorable material in the social conditions.
Buddhism does not consider material welfare as an end in itself; it is only a means as an end – a higher and nobler end. But it is a means, which is indispensable, indispensable in achieving a higher purpose for man’s happiness. So Buddhism recognizes the need of certain minimum success – even that of a monk engaged in meditation in a solitary place.
A COSMIC RELIGION.
The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcended a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology. Convering both the nature and the spiritual; it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things, nature and spiritual, as a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description.
Albert Einstein