ASIAN 204 Study Guide - Comprehensive Final Guide: Qin Dynasty, Shang Dynasty, Zhou Dynasty

• School: U of M
• Department: Asian Studies
• Course: ASIAN 204
• Professor: Christian De Pee

Document Summary

East asian civilization was never completely isolated from the rest of eurasia. Aryan society: developed a caste system, sacrificial rites, cosmological questions about human relationship with universe. Pain and suffering, frustration and anxiety are ugly but inescapable parts of human life. Suffering and anxiety are caused by human desires and attachments. People can understand these weaknesses and triumph over them. Triumph is made possible by following a simple code of conduct, the eightfold path: eightfold path toward liberation. Take steps recognizing the universality of suffering, deciding to free themselves from it and choosing right conduct, right speech and right livelihood and right endeavor. Right awareness: constant contemplation of one"s deeds and works, fiving full thought to their importance and whether they lead to enlightenment. Mediation on the impermanence of everything in the world. Those who achieve liberation enter nirvana: success was a result of the fact that anyone can follow the eightfold path and reach liberation, buddhism spread quickly.