Buddhism And Nirvana

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Buddhism has been an Indian practice for thousands of years, its doctrines growing and evolving over centuries. This philosophy is composed of various schools as well as the teachings of Buddha, which can be subdivided into two sects, the Hinayana and the Mahayana. The Hinayana followed the ideal of nirvana, which in turn made the individual independent from the cycle of karma. Buddha is seen as more of an example rather than a godly figure. The Mahayana prefer to address the presence of an Absolute, or the dharmakaya. Here, Buddha is viewed more as a god figure and the concept of nirvana is to be taught to others so that all may understand it. One of the most notorious concepts in Buddhism is the theory of dependent origination, which in turn …show more content…
Through this, everything comprised in the universe is of a relative nature arising from a conditioned state, meaning that nothing comes to fruition independent of the conditions that would support it; all that comprises the universe becomes so from a combination of conditions that are preconceived in order to sustain the development of a new phenomenon. Once the conditions specific to the apparition of the experience are altered or disappear, then the product will cease to exist. In order to become a supportive condition, a phenomenon must also be made up of its own supporting conditions that can grow, change, and desist. In simple terms, the universe, “is nothing more than a set of relations”(--). Because of this constant ebb and flow of the cycle, there is no permanency in the macrocosm. In turn, this dictates that the concept of a soul, which is perpetuated in many philosophies, is non-existent in Buddhism due to it’s inability to remain eternal.
The concept of a soul is practiced, according to those that follow Buddhism, as merely a fictional creation due to personal desire. Subconsciously, it is human nature to retain what is considered to be beautiful and to reject what we deem as ugly; “Being subjected to the forces of greed and hatred, they are misled by delusion, clouded by the illusion of the permanency of the object they cling to or reject”(--). Due to this need to for permanency and meaning in material objects, most humans are unable to see the reality of the universe in that nothing is
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