-Buddhist Shrines and Images

Buddha images have been the object of Buddhist devotion and identify for over 2000 years. They are the inspirational focus for devotees to express their reverence and gratitude for the Buddha's Dharma or Teachings. The reasons for the Buddha image on the shrines are for reminding of the qualities of perfect wisdom and perfect compassion of the Buddha and it also serves to inspire followers to develop the qualities and remember the greatness of the Buddha and His Teachings.

- Prostration

 Prostrating before an image of the Buddha expresses deep veneration, and also helps to overcome egoistic feeling to become more ready to listen to the Teaching of the Buddha. As Buddhists prostrate before the Buddha images, they remember the qualities of the Buddha and develop respect for those qualities such as loving-kindness, compassion, virtue, patience, concentration and wisdom. Showing respect to the Buddha and his qualities inspires followers to develop these extraordinary qualities ourselves.

-Making offerings to the Buddha

 Buddhists make offerings not because the Buddha needs them but because the Buddha is an enlightened being, and they don’t make offerings to win the Buddha's favor. The Buddha developed universal loving-kindness and compassion long ago and won't be swayed by flattery and bribery the way we are. We make offerings to create positive energy and develop good qualities such as giving with a respectful attitude and gratitude. The offerings are reminders of  certain teachings of the Buddha.

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/observances.htm

·         Theravada Buddhism-Is the oldest form of Buddhism. It upholds the monastic path and adheres to the oldest surviving recorded sayings of the Buddha. The original texts were set in the Pali language. Theravada recognizes the primacy and humanity of the historical Buddha. The Buddha was an exemplary figure. It is the most dominant form of Buddhism today in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. It focuses on life events of Buddha.

·         Mahayana Buddhism- is a philosophical movement that proclaimed the possibility of universal salvation, offering assistance to practitioners in the form of compassionate beings called bodhisattvas. The goal of this religion was to open up the possibility of Buddhahood to all sentient beings. Buddha was interpreted as a transcendent figure who all could aspire to come.

http://education.asianart.org/explore-resources/background-information/what-are-main-branches-buddhism

1.)    Truth of Suffering- identifies the presence of suffering

2.)    Truth of the cause of suffering- pleasure, material goods, and immortality are the cause of suffering

3.)    Truth of the end of suffering- This has two meanings.  The first is an end to suffering in Earthly life.  The second is the end of suffering when one has reached Nirvana, where suffering and the birth cycle ends.

4.)    Truth of the path that leads to an end of Suffering- There is an 8 step path, Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.

Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama around 560 B.C. He was a Hindu, born into the Warrior caste. His father was the king of a small village, and his mother was Queen Maya. His mother had a dream where an elephant touched her right side, and she conceived. The Brahmins believed that she would bear a great king or holy man. 

As she was travelling, she stopped at to rest, and her son walked out of her side. Soon after, Queen Maya died, and Buddha was raised as a prince by his father, who shielded him from all the suffering in the world. When he was a teenager, he ordered his charioteer to take him to where his father didn't allow. He encountered much suffering on this trip, and later became a holy man, leaving behind his wife. He came up with the Four truths, which is a way to achieve Nirvana, or total bliss. He died from food poisoning at the age of eighty.

Throughout Pope John Paul's career he traveled the world because in the bible Jesus said to spread his word to the entire world. So, he did what Jesus told him to do and traveled preaching God's word to all of those people in the countries he visited.  He was able to take one hundred and four trips abroad to sixty seven different countries.  Some of these countries were even under communist rule that would outlaw religion in every way.  An explicit example of this is through his visit to Cuba.  Pope John Paul II outlawed atheism during a mass that Fidel Castro was attending.  All of the Pope's travels totaled equivalent to twenty nine total trips around the world, or three round trip travels to the moon.  He explicitly targeted teens throughout the world, telling them to live chastly, do not do drugs, and strive to be saints.  All of Pope John Paul II's travels are based on the idea that Jesus Christ told Christians to travel the world spreading God's word,

Born in 337 A.D., St. Ambrose had a very successful secular career by the time he was 33. He was a lawyer, the Governor of Milan, and a personal friend of the Emperor. He also owned a large estate, afforded to him by his position. When the Bishop of Milan died, around 374 A.D., a great number of heresies were threatening the early Church, including Arianism. The late Bishop was a supporter of Arius, and there was great controversy, even rioting, over who would take his place: an Arian or a Catholic? When Ambrose was speaking, trying to convince people to decide without violence, people began shouting "Ambrose for Bishop!" Ambrose fled, and then appealed to the Emperor on the grounds that he, Ambrose, was not even baptized yet; however, this was fruitless, and Ambrose gave in. He took the office of Bishop, and began a life of poverty, giving his wealth away to the poor. He used his skill as an orator and lawyer to combat the Arian heresy.

St. Ambrose contributed to the Church numerous written works (over 100), including a defense of the doctrine of the Incarnation. He also composed a number of religious songs and hymns.

1. 
Q: Why did the early Christians change their Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday?
A: Early Christians changed their Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday because Sunday is associated with the Resurrection, so every Sunday is celebrated as a "little Easter."

2.
Q: How is the Christian calender different from the civil calender?
A: The Christian calender is different from the civil calender because the new year begins on the first Sunday of Advent, instead of January 1st.

3.
Q: What are the special events in the Christmas cycle?
A: The special events in the Christmas cycle are Christmas, the birthday of Jesus, and Epiphany, a celebration of Jesus revealing different aspects of himself.

4.
Q: What are the special events in the Easter cycle?
A: The special events in the Easter cycle are Easter, the day of Christ's Resurrection, and Pentecost, the birthday of the Church.

5.
Q: What are two sacraments that most Christians celebrate?
A: Most Christians celebrate Baptism and the Eucharist. 

6.
Q: Name some of the characteristics of prayer.
A: Some characteristics of prayer are completely unique to the person praying. Some prayers are formal, others are informal, and can be verbal or silent. Some are said at certain times of day.