Robert A Trone, Intro to Humanities, Spring 2014 March 30, 2014 What is the dilemma faced by Arjuna, the

warrior, in the Bhagavad Gita? Who shows him the way out of the dilemma? What is the advice Arjuna receives? Is this advice satisfying to you? Why or why not?

Arjuna faces a dilemma that very few would relish I think, it is one thing to do battle, maim and kill when the enemy is a total stranger, much different than you. But as Arjuna has Krishna drive his chariot to the midpoint of the battlefield he grapples with a much more challenging battle about to unfold. There he recognizes

fathers, grandfathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons and comrades. His despair so affects him that his limbs go weak, his face withers; he trembles so horribly that he cannot even stand. His comment to Krishna pretty much sums up his state of mind I see no blessings from slaying kinfolk in battle. (Allen, PhD & Bauman, PhD, p. 840) With a smile on his face, Krishna enlightens Arjuna. He explains that his grief is unnecessary, the learned do not grieve for those who have died, nor for those whose lives have not fled. He goes on to further teach Arjuna that all those on the battle field have always existed and there will never be a time when they do not exist. He goes on to remind Arjuna his warrior code does not allow him to hesitate as there is nothing greater then a warrior fighting a just war especially when it comes to him unsought. Finally he tells Arjuna that those that cast off the body, remembering him, become part of his body. Finally he assures Arjuna that those who are devoted to him will never perish. (Allen, PhD & Bauman, PhD, pp. 842-843) For me this advice is satisfying and what I would have fought for in Arjunas situation. Krishna: He who thinks the self (soul) can be a slayer and he who thinks the self is slain are both mistaken. The self (soul) does not kill, nor is it killed. For the self is never born and never dies, nor may it ever become non-existent. When two enemies go head to head in battle the false sense of bravado is gone. Soldiers must function

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and do terrible things for a just cause. The ones that can do their job, kill and suffer only get through it because they have a belief in something greater that themselves. That those, both friend and foe, are not really lost, but merely they go onto a better place. (Allen, PhD & Bauman, PhD, p. 841)

The Hindu and Buddhist religions single out one common thing that is the root of all human problems; what is that thing? How do each of these religions separately address that thing? What do they have to say about it and how do they suggest alleviating the problems that arise from it?

I am not sure that Hinduism and Buddhism specifically single out one thing as the root of all human problems?
Hinduism

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna expounds on the Evil Man by stating that Desire,

wrath, and greed, these are the triple gates of hell that destroy the self; therefore one should abandon these three. But immediately following Krishna comments on the one thing that seems to fill all four texts as the underlying root that brings man low, that being desire. He who walks under the guidance of desire, forsaking what is written concerning right and wrong, does not archive happiness, nor reach the supreme way. He speaks of this yet again stating that Filled with insatiable desire, possessed of hypocrisy, pride and lust, they seize mistaken ideas and from deluded motives. (Allen, PhD & Bauman, PhD, p. 844) The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad alludes to what will happen in the next reincarnation if we are controlled by our desires; We live in accordance with our deep, driving desire. It is this desire at the time of death that determines what our next life is to be. We will come back to earth to work out the satisfaction of that desire. Yajnavalkya also states to King Janaka that As a person acts, so he becomes in life. Those who do good become good; those who do harm become bad. Good deeds make one pure; bad deeds make one impure. So we are said to be what our desire is! (Allen, PhD & Bauman, PhD, p. 846)

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Hinduisms Solution The Hindu path to self and Brahman is not to be without desires, because that is an impossibility; but rather for us to keep our sensory desires under control and engage in work free from attachment. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad goes on to clarify this by stating But not those who are free from desire; they are free because all their desires have found fulfillment in the self (Brahman). When all the desires that surge in the heart are renounced, the mortal becomes immortal. Katha Upanishad goes on to tell us the rewards if we overcome our worldly desires; There are two selves, the separate ego (desire), and the indivisible Atman (permanent self). When all desires that surge in the hearth are renounced, the mortal becomes immortal. When all the knots that strangle the heart are loosened, the mortal becomes immortal.
Buddhism

In The Longer Discourse to Saccaka, Gotama expounded on his three similes stating: So it is with any priest or contemplative who does not live withdrawn from sensuality in body and mind, and whose desire, infatuation, urge, thirst and fever for sensuality is not relinquished and stilled within him. The Sermon at Benares also preaches the evils of desire; There is devotion to indulgence of pleasure in the objects of sensual desire, which is inferior, low, vulgar, ignoble, and leads to no good; and there is devolution to self-torment, which is painful, ignoble and leads to no good. And again with; The origin of suffering, as a noble truth, is this: It is the craving that produces renewal of being accompanied by enjoyment and lust, and enjoying this and that; in other words, craving for sensual desires, craving for being, and craving for non-being. (Allen, PhD & Bauman, PhD, p. 861) Buddhisms Solution What I viewed as Gotamas solution to combating desires in The Sermon at Benares was referred to as the Middle Way. If one followed this path one would avoid the two extremes, those being devotion to indulgence of pleasure and devotion to self-torment. In so accomplishing this one would be given vision, it gives knowledge, and it leads to peace, to direct

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acquaintance, to discovery, to nibbana. Gotama then poses the question to Bhikkhu by stating And what is that Middle Way? where he immediately goes o to answer his own question by stating; It is simply the noble eightfold path, that is to say, right view, right intention; right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. Ultimately both religions are so similar that their approach to nibbana, Self and Brahman differs in how one reaches this exalted step. My impression is that in Hinduism one must give up all desires, for in doing so you will be exalted. Follow this be Buddhisms Middle Way that does not require one to relinquish their desires; but merely to focus them on good deeds and living.
How are the ideas you encountered in the eastern religions this week similar to or different from ideas you've encountered

One would have to never been exposed to either religion to not see several similarities between the Eastern Religions and those of Christianity. I saw this especially true with the parallels between Christianity and Buddhism.

before in other religions or other systems

of ideas. [In your answer be specific about what ideas/concepts and how those relate to specific ideas/concepts from other areas

For instance in describing Siddhartha Gautamas (Buddha) birth our material tells us that he is born of a Virgin or immaculate birth much as Jesus was to have been born. The similarities are even more striking when one sees that both Buddha and Jesus are visited by Three Wise Men at birth. Finally both struggle for the path to enlightenment and salvation; suffer so that others might not by their teachings; there gospels are not structured around a caste system, but rather include all. Furthermore their teachings are so similar one might say that if you are a Christian you might also be Buddhist. For example Buddhas Four Noble Truths and Eightfold path are composed of elements that are seen

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in both Judaism and Christianity. The following is an example of one of the parallels I noticed: Buddha

He who inflicts pain or innocent and harmless persons, will soon come to one of these ten states: He will have cruel suffering, loss injury of the body, heavy affliction, or loss of mind, or a misfortune coming from the kind, or a fearful accusation, or loss of relations, or destruction of treasures or lighting-fire will burn his houses; and when his body is destroyed, the fool will go to hell
Jesus (Sermon on the Mount)

You have heard that the ancients were told, You shall not commit murder and whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother you good-for-nothing shall by guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says You fool shall be guilty at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come presenting your offerings.
These two sermons above are what I have been taught from birth to be known as the Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity. This states that one should treat others as one would like to be treated themselves or inversely One should not treat others in a way that they would not want to be treated.