Essay Section

Question 1

What are some similarities between the life stories of Buddha, Krishna, and Jesus?

What is each figures’ role in their respective traditions?

Answer 1

Krishna and Jesus had very similar birth stories, both described as divine, both escaped death from evil kings, both hidden by fathers, both had cosmic significance to their births

According to Hindu mythology, Krishna was born on earth so that the balance of good in the world could be restored. Similar to Jesus.
Krishna and Jesus were both saviors of mankind and avatars of God who have returned to earth at an especially critical time in the lives of their people. They were the incarnates of the Divine Being Himself in
human form to teach human beings divine love, divine power, divine wisdom, and lead the benighted world towards the light of God.

Jesus and Buddha:

Both fasted in solitude, both had a ministry start around the same time, both took on disciples and asked them to spread their ministeries after death.

Question 2

Discuss the similarities and differences between Buddhism and Hinduism. Include in your answer each religion’s understanding of karma and dharma; nirvana or moksha.

Answer 2

Similarities: Nirvana v Moksha, cycle of rebrith (samsara) determined by karma (actual actions vs energy of actions (B))

Differences: dharma, amount of deities. Polymorphic monotheism vs nontheistic

Question 3

What are the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eight Fold Path in Buddhism?

Answer 3

Four Noble Truths:

All Life is Suffering
Suffering is Caused by Desire
Eliminating Suffering Eliminates Desire
To Eliminate Desire, You must follow the Eightfold Path

Wisdom:
Right Understanding/Views
Right Thought/Motivation/Intent
Ethical Conduct:
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Mental Discipline:
Right Mindfullness
Right Concentration/Meditation

Question 4

How do the two related to one another, and how to they function to guide the life and the practice of a Buddhist?

Answer 4

The Eightfold Path is a part of the Fourth Noble Truths, it’s the final step necessary to remove desire and then suffering from life.

Question 5

What is your understanding of the Interfaith movement?

Answer 5

The science of interfaith cooperation: by creating positive, meaningful relationships across differences, and fostering appreciative knowledge of other traditions, attitudes improve, knowledge increases, and more relationships occur. These three are mutually reinforcing and backed by social science data, what we call the “interfaith triangle”.

The art of interfaith leadership: people who create and foster opportunities for positive knowledge and opportunities for engagement move others around the interfaith triangle and lead to a community marked by pluralism.

Question 6

What forms does it take on college campuses and in cities across the country?

Answer 6

Although you can have actual IFYC organizations on a campus, that it’s everything there is to it.