Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
Where does ‘Christ’ of Jesus Christ come from?
Buddha Gautama and Jesus Christ are often compared as founders of two world religions. They are also similar in another important respect – one which gives rise to some misunderstanding. Many people assume that the term ‘Buddha’ forms part of the name for Gautama Buddha. In reality his name was Siddharta Gautama. The term ‘Buddha’ associated with…
Great World Empire of the Past… and the Global Kingdom Promised to Come
Genghis Khan (born Temüjin, 鐵木眞; 1162 –1227 CE) was the founder and first Great Khan of the Mongol Empire. This empire, after his death, became the largest single landmass empire in history. One of the most important conquerors of all time, he was a brilliant and ruthless military campaigner whose armies conquered across Asia, west into…
How did we get the ancient Holy texts we read today?
The Bible and the Tripitaka, or the Three Baskets, share much in common. They are both sacred ancient texts. They were also written in languages that are not common today so they usually need to be translated. The books of the Bible were written in Greek and Hebrew. However, the Buddhist scriptures were originally set…
How does a filthy-rich playboy teach wisdom of Maya?
Maya comes from the Sanskrit meaning ‘that which is not’ and therefore is ‘illusion’. Different sages and schools of thought have emphasized the illusion of maya in different ways. They commonly warn that the material or physical can mislead our soul and thus entangle and entrap it into bondage. Our soul aspires to control and…
What Ancient Prophetic Oracles Speak Today?
The Dalai Lama remains the foremost spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists. Devotees consider him to be a line of incarnation of Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. The 14th and current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso, who lives as a refugee in India. He has become one of the most recognized religious leaders in the world today. He…
What was the History of the Jews?
Jews have a long past, and they have particularly influenced Asian history. Consider just one example. Karl Marx, who conceived and promoted communism as an economic and political theory in Europe was Jewish. His ideas spread from Europe to Asia, which witnessed the Mao-led Communist revolution in China. Then communist takeovers of North Korea and…
Luck of Laughing Buddha but Cursed Like a Preta: How Moses’ Blessings & Curses Echo Today
Budai (布袋; 포대; 布袋; Bố Đại) was a Chinese monk usually identified with good fortune and luck. Statues and stories depict him as jovial and fat because of all the good food he eats. This explains his nicknames “Laughing Buddha” and “Fat Buddha”. His figure appears throughout Asian culture representing both contentment and abundance. People today hope to get some…
The Five Precepts and the Ten Commandments
The Five precepts gives the basic code of ethics for observant Buddhists to respect. They are meant to develop mind and character, enabling progress to enlightenment. Keeping the five precepts forms part of regular devotional practice, both at home and at the local temple. Society upholds the Five Precepts through ceremonies whereby monks lead assemblies reciting…
Riddle of the New Year’s Full Moon Festival
The Lantern Festival (元宵節, 元宵节, Yuánxiāo jié), or Shangyuan Festival (上元節, 上元节, Shàngyuán jié) concludes the Chinese New Year celebrations. The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the first full moon in the new year of the traditional Chinese calendar. The Chinese calendar, and other Asian calendars, combines lunar months and solar years into a lunisolar calendar.…
The Sacrifice Making the Mountain Sacred for All
Mountains create ideal places for sacred sites, serving either as pilgrimage destinations or temple locations. The remoteness of a mountain from everyday life and its height give devotees a sense of nearness to heaven. Therefore, almost every nation has built their national and religious centre on a mountain. Consider some of the following examples: Asian Sacred…
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