Is God Happy?

Question 1

wretchedness [retʃɪd]-ness

Answer 1

The first biography of Siddhartha, the future Buddha, reveals that for a long time he was entirely unaware of the wretchedness of the human condition.
*가엾음, 불쌍함; 지독함, 불쾌함.
[ADJ] [FORMAL] You describe someone as wretched when you feel sorry for them because they are in an unpleasant situation or have suffered unpleasant experiences.

Question 2

worldly [wɜ:rldli]1

Answer 2

A royal son, he spent his youth in pleasure and luxury, surrounded by music and worldly delights.
[ADJ] [ADJ n] [mainly LITERARY] Worldly is used to describe things relating to success, wealth, and possessions.

Question 3

decrepit [dɪkrepɪt] 2

Answer 3

One day he saw a decrepit old man.

[ADJ] Something that is decrepit is old and in bad condition. Someone who is decrepit is old and weak.

Question 4

*bring something home to somebody

Answer 4

It was only then that the existence of old age, suffering, and death was brought home to him.
*make somebody realize how important, difficult or serious something is뼈져리게 깨닫게 하다

Question 5

*bring something home to somebody

Answer 5

It was only then that the existence of old age, suffering, and death was brought home to him.
*make somebody realize how important, difficult or serious something is뼈져리게 깨닫게 하다

Question 6

그제서야 늙음, 고통과 죽음의 존재가 그를 그것들이 얼마나 심각한 것인지 깨닫게 하였습니다.

Answer 6

It was only then that the existence of old age, suffering, and death was brought home to him.

Question 7

그제서야 늙음, 고통과 죽음의 존재가 그를 그것들이 얼마나 심각한 것인지 깨닫게 하였습니다.

Answer 7

It was only then that the existence of old age, suffering, and death was brought home to him.

• it was only then that
• bring something home to somebody: make somebody realize how important, difficult or serious something is뼈져리게 깨닫게 하다

Question 8

그것들은 본 순간, 그는 세상에서 물러서서 승이 되기로 그래서 해탈로 가는 길을 추구하기로 결심했습니다.

Answer 8

Upon seeing them he decided to withdraw from the world to become a monk and seek the path to Nirvana.
*upon ~ing ~한 순간
[VERB] If you withdraw from an activity or organization, you stop taking part in it.

Question 9

arduous [ɑ:rdʒuəs]1

Answer 9

after a long and arduous journey, he attained the genuine happiness that lies beyond the earthly condition.
[ADJ] Something that is arduous is difficult and tiring, and involves a lot of effort.

Question 10

scripture [skrɪptʃər] 1

Answer 10

Those who, like the present author, cannot read the early Buddhist scriptures in the original, cannot be certain.
[NOUN] Scripture or the scriptures refers to writings that are regarded as holy in a particular religion, for example the Bible in Christianity.

Question 11

diabolical[daɪəbɒlɪkəl]1 3

Answer 11

if they are aware of the wretchedness of earthly existence, of the dreadful things that happen in the world, its diabolical sides, its evil and pain and suffering—how can they be happy in any recognizable sense of the word?
[ADJ] [emphasis, INFORMAL] If you describe something as diabolical, you are emphasizing that it is very bad, extreme, or unpleasant.

Question 12

serenity [sɪrenɪti] 2

Answer 12

And perfect serenity is tantamount to perfect immutability.
[ADJ] Someone or something that is serene is calm and quiet.
[ADJ] [emphasis, FORMAL] If you say that one thing is tantamount to a second, more serious thing, you are emphasizing how bad, unacceptable, or unfortunate the first thing is by comparing it to the second.
[ADJ] [FORMAL] Something that is immutable will never change or cannot be changed.

Question 13

embodiment [ɪmbɒdimənt]2

salvation [sælveɪʃən]2

Answer 13

Do we really want to say that a stone is the perfect embodiment of salvation and Nirvana?
[NOUN] [FORMAL] If you say that someone or something is the embodiment of a quality or idea, you mean that that is their most noticeable characteristic or the basis of all they do.
[NOUN] The salvation of someone or something is the act of saving them from harm, destruction, or an unpleasant situation.구원

Question 14

transient [trænʃənt]1

Answer 14

We can, of course, experience transient pleasure, moments of wonderment and great enchantment, even ecstatic feelings of unity with God and the universe; we can know love and joy.
[ADJ] [FORMAL] Transient is used to describe a situation that lasts only a short time or is constantly changing.

Question 15

mystic [mɪstɪk]1

Answer 15

But happiness as an immutable condition is not accessible to us, except perhaps in the very rare cases of true mystics.

Question 16

dismal [dɪzməl] 1

Answer 16

Must we, then, accept Schopenhauer’s dismal doctrine that all pleasant feelings are purely negative, namely the absence of pain?
[ADJ] Something that is dismal is bad in a sad or depressing way.

Question 17

purgatory [pɜ:rgətɔ:ri] 1

celestial [sɪlestiəl] 2

Answer 17

If we imagine that hell and purgatory are no longer in operation and that all human beings, every single one without exception, have been saved by God and are now enjoying celestial bliss, lacking nothing, perfectly satisfied, without pain or death, then we can imagine that their happiness is real and that the sorrows and suffering of the past have been forgotten.
[NOUN] You can describe a very unpleasant experience as purgatory.
[ADJ] [LITERARY] Celestial is used to describe things relating to heaven or to the sky.