type 1-2 page response comparing Western (focus on Judaism and Islam since we already talked a lot about Christianity in class, with the Eastern views of the meaning of life.
Western Religious views of the meaning of life
Judaism
Judaism‘s most important feature is the worshiping of a single, omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent, transcendent God, who created the universe and governs it. Per traditional Judaism, God established a covenant with the Jewish people, at Mount Sinai, revealing his laws and commandments in the Torah. In Rabbinic Judaism, the Torah comprises the written Pentateuch (Torah) and the oral law tradition (later transcribed as sacred writing).
In the Judaic world view, the purpose of life is to serve the one true God and to prepare for the world to come.[23][24] The “Olam Haba“[25] thought is about elevating oneself spiritually, connecting to God in preparing for “Olam Haba”; Jewish thought is to use “Olam Hazeh” (this world) to elevate oneself. [26]
Christianity
Hans Memling‘s The Last Judgment, which depicts St Michael the Archangel weighing souls and driving the Damned towards Hell.
Though Christianity has its roots in Judaism, and shares much of the latter faith’s ontology, its central beliefs derive from the teachings of Jesus Christ, as presented in the New Testament. Life’s purpose in Christianity is to seek divine salvation through the grace of God and intercession of Christ. The New Testament speaks of God wanting to have a relationship with humans both in this life and the life to come, which can happen only if one’s sins are forgiven (John 3:16-21), (2 Peter 3:9). In the Christian view, humankind was made in the image of God and perfect, but the Fall of Adam caused the progeny of the first Parents to inherit Original Sin. The sacrifice of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection provide the means for transcending that impure state (Romans 6:23). The means for doing so varies between different groups of Christians, but all rely on one form or another of subjugation to God’s will.
Under the Christian view, the main purpose in life is to live like Christ did (perfect altruism) to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and mind, and to love fellow human beings as you should be loved.
In the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the first question is: What is the chief end of Man?, that is, What is Man’s main purpose?. The answer is: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy him forever. God requires one to obey the revealed moral law saying: love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbour as ourselves.[27] The Baltimore Catechism answers the question “Why did God make you?” by saying “God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven.”[28]
Islam
In Islam, Man’s ultimate life objective is to seek the pleasure of Allah (the Arabic equivalent for “God”) by abiding by the Divine guidelines revealed in the Qur’an and the Tradition of the Prophet. Earthly life, is merely a test, determining one’s afterlife, either in Jannah (paradise) or in Jahannum (Hell).
For the pleasure of Allah, via the Qur’an, all Muslims must believe in God, his revelations, his angels, his messengers, and in the “Day of Judgment“.[29] Qur’an describes the purpose of creation as fallows: “Blessed be he in whose hand is the kingdom, he is powerful over all things,who created death and life that he might examine which of you is best in deeds, and he is the almighty, the forgiving” (Qur’an67:1-2)and “I only created jinn and man to worship Me” (Qur’an 51:56). Worship testifies to the oneness of God in his lordship, his names, and his attributes. Terrenal life is a test; how one acts (behaves) determines whether one’s soul goes to Jannah (Heaven) or to Jahannam (Hell).
The Five Pillars of Islam are duties incumbent to every Muslim; they are: Shahadah (profession of faith); Salah (ritual prayer); Zakah (charity); Sawm (fasting during Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).[30] They derive from the Hadith works, notably of Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
Beliefs differ among the Kalam. The Sunni concept of pre-destination is divine decree;[31] like-wise, the Shi’a concept of pre-destination is divine justice; in the esoteric view of the Sufis, the universe exists only for God’s pleasure; Creation is a grand game, wherein Allah is the greatest prize.[32][32]
Eastern Religious Views on the Meaning of Life
Hinduism
A golden Aum written in Devanagari. The Aum is sacred in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religions.
Hinduism is a diverse religion: there are some tenets accepted by most Hindus, but no doctrines that are universally accepted by all.[36] Most believe that the ātman (spirit, soul) — the person’s true self — is eternal.[37] In part, this stems from Hindu beliefs that spiritual development occurs across many lifetimes, and goals should match the state of development of the individual. There are four possible aims to human life, known as the purusharthas (ordered from least to greatest): Kāma (love and sensual pleasure), Artha (wealth), Dharma (righteousness, morality), and Moksha (liberation from the reincarnation cycle).[38][39][40]
In all schools of Hinduism, the meaning of life is tied up in the concepts of karma (causal action), samsara (the cycle of birth and rebirth), and moksha (liberation). Existence is conceived as the progression of the atman (similar to the western concept of a soul) across numerous lifetimes, and its ultimate progression towards liberation from karma. Particular goals for life are generally subsumed under broader yogas (practices) or dharma (correct living) which are intended to create more favorable reincarnations, though they are generally positive acts in this life as well. Traditional schools of Hinduism often worship Devas which are manifestations of Ishvara (a personal or chosen God); these Devas are taken as ideal forms to be identified with, as a form of spiritual improvement.
Advaita and Dvaita Hinduism
Later schools reinterpreted the vedas to focus on Brahman, “The One Without a Second”,[41] as a central God-like figure.
In monist Advaita Vedanta, atman is ultimately indistinguishable from brahman, and the goal of life is to know or realize that one’s atman (soul) is identical to Brahman.[42] To the Upanishads, whoever becomes fully aware of the ātman, as one’s core of self, realises identity with Brahman, and, thereby, achieves Moksha (liberation, freedom).[37][43][44]
Dualist Dvaita Vedanta and other bhakti schools have a dualist interpretation. Brahman is seen as a supreme being with a personality and manifest qualities. The ātman depends upon brahman for its existence; the meaning of life is achieving Moksha through love of God and upon his grace.[43]
Buddhism
Early Buddhism
Buddhism is a nondual worldview, in which subject, object, and action are all seen as illusory. Buddhists believe that life is suffering or frustration. The suffering is caused by attachment to objects material or non-material. The meaning of life is to end suffering through detaching oneself from cravings and conceptual attachments. Suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana. Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, Fabrications, and ideas.[47]
The eight-spoked Dharmacakra
Theravada Buddhism is generally considered to be close to the early Buddhist practice. It promotes the concept of Vibhajjavada (Pali), literally “Teaching of Analysis”, which says that insight must come from the aspirant’s experience, critical investigation, and reasoning instead of by blind faith. However, the Theravadin tradition also emphasizes heeding the advice of the wise, considering such advice and evaluation of one’s own experiences to be the two tests by which practices should be judged. The Theravadin goal is liberation (or freedom) from suffering, according to the Four Noble Truths. This is attained in the achievement of Nirvana, or Unbinding which also ends the repeated cycle of birth, old age, sickness and death.
Mahayana Buddhism
Mahayana Buddhist schools de-emphasize the traditional view (still practiced in Theravada) of the release from individual Suffering (Dukkha) and attainment of Awakening (Nirvana). In Mahayana, the Buddha is seen as an eternal, immutable, inconceivable, omnipresent being. The fundamental principles of Mahayana doctrine are based around the possibility of universal liberation from suffering for all beings, and the existence of the transcendent Buddha-nature, which is the eternal Buddha essence present, but hidden and unrecognised, in all living beings.
Philosophical schools of Mahayana Buddhism, such as Chan/Zen and the vajrayana Tibetan and Shingon schools, explicitly teach that boddhisattvas should refrain from full liberation, allowing themselves to be reincarnated into the world until all beings achieve enlightenment. Devotional schools such as Pure Land buddhism seek the aid of celestial buddhas – individuals who have spent lifetimes accumulating positive karma, and use that accumulation to aid all.
Taoism
Taijitu symbolizes the unity of opposites between yin and yang.
The Taoists‘ cosmogony emphasizes the need for all sentient beings and all man to return to the primordial or to rejoin with the Oneness of the Universe by way of self-correction and self realization. All adherents should understand and be in tune with the ultimate truth.
All things were originally from Taiji and Tao, the meaning in life for the adherents is to realise the temporal nature of the existence, and all adherents are expected to practise, hone and conduct their mortal lives by way of Xiuzhen and Xiushen, as a preparation for the spiritual transcendence thereafter. “Only introspection can then help us to find our innermost reasons for living…the simple answer is here within ourselves.”[53]
Confucianism
Confucianism recognizes human nature in accordance with the need for discipline and education. Because mankind is driven by both positive and negative influences, Confucianists see a goal in achieving the good nature through strong relationships and reasoning as well as minimizing the negative energy. This emphasis on normal living is seen in the Confucianist scholar Tu Wei-Ming‘s quote, “we can realize the ultimate meaning of life in ordinary human existence.”[54]
