Spiritual leaders established rituals and customs to bring the public to an understanding of their beliefs, so followers are more capable of practicing their moral values in their daily lives. In regards to Buddhism, Buddhists incorporate offerings, meditation, and devotion as part of their custom. Offerings allow the people to be more involved in the Buddha's teaching of being selfless, and this act shows that they are willing to present and give up 'materials' to the higher beings. Meditation was taught as a means of healing oneself to arrive at the highest level of freedom, so one can finally be released from worldly strangulations. In the context of religion, meditation helps people to be cleansed in respect of the higher Selves, so the upper beings are not caged in sufferings. On the other hand, in society, meditation simply helps people to release themselves from daily anxiety, and the roles of these rituals in society and in religion have the same underlying meaning and should not be seen as different roles. In Confucianism, customs and teachings are found to be more practical, and these customs focus on developing entities in the present. Confucianism emphasizes on morality and strong interpersonal relationships in hopes of evading moral sterility. Confucians have always been aware of the easily corrupted society, so these rituals are set to constantly remind the people to be present in a virtuous manner. Unfortunately, the tension in social and political realities are still intensifying despite the great extent these teachings have transcended over time. Religion focuses on improving the welfare of society, however, it does this by encouraging individuals to achieve religious prosperity. Society's ideal welfare solely depends on how individuals view the idea of divine providence, and committing to healthy religious practices can only create positive outcomes in terms of career, marriage, family, and health.
PoliticsJan 30, 2019
Philosophical Journal 1
An insight to how religious customs play significant roles in society, and how religions, such as Buddhism and Confucianism, could improve one's quality of life. Written by Celine Arthur (2019).
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