Buddhism and its Philosophical and Ethical Principles

Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Code/Title
Instructor
Date
Responses to Buddhist Philosophy
Philosophical and Ethical Principles
Buddhism is a religion that has its roots in the Far East in modern-day southern Nepal. The argument on whether one should relate and uphold the philosophy and ethics behind this doctrine demands knowledge on its origins. First and foremost, the pioneer of this religion, Siddhattha Gotama, was a prince born in 563 B.C.E. Gotama was oblivious of human suffering as he was prohibited from walking beyond the castle gates. On the day that he left the temple, he became cognizant of the various phases of suffering human beings were accustomed to. Consequently, he denounced his princely and made it his purpose to seek the cause of suffering. He made many journeys around Asia in search of the truth. He interacted with many cultures and found that suffering was predominant among every being.
It was not until one day when he was seated under a tree that he gained enlightenment. He became Buddha, the title for a being that has attained nirvana. In this state, the person is free from delusion, is at peace, liberated from bondage, and is entirely at peace. Conclusively, he found that suffering emanates from within the individual. None begins with the external environment. This mere fact formed the foundation of his message and more so, the Buddhist teachings.
I find that Buddhism is much more relevant than other religions. First, religion perceives suffering as a common denominator among all human beings regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or any other discriminative factor. Every person can admit this to be true. If then this is true, the next step is to increase curiosity and make it a person's goal to find the source of their suffering. Socrates coined the popular phrase "Know thyself" and further expounded by saying that the "unexamined life was not worth living". Although many will consider these phrases from an intellectual level, the intended relevance loses its meaning. In this regard, a person's life demands an intricate introspection into one's strengths and weaknesses. When one follows this process, they will get to acknowledge their source of misery may it be fear, depression, or anxiety. These factors are all relevant to any being on the planet.[Baggini, Julian. "Wisdom's Folly: The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living, Plato". The Guardian, 2015, /theguardian/2005/may/12/features11.g24. Accessed 26 Nov 2019]
Secondly, I support the Buddhist philosophical principles and ethics because most people in the real world are more concerned with how popular their religion is rather than living by its doctrines. In this case, most of these people whether Christians or Islam will constantly proclaim the dominance of their religions. This assertion is never to push the agenda on Buddhism, but rather to place things in perspective just as they are in reality. For instance, Islam is accused of much violence, which is evident in the regions where it is most prevalent. Middle Eastern countries have fallen apart because of war and violence. On the other hand, there are a couple of atrocities labeled against Christians. For instance, the Vatican has been mentioned in the Nazi a...