As I continued reading Baghavad Gita, I noticed how similar these teachings are to some of the Buddhist principles, such as reincarnation, serenity and peace with one’s self. I don’t practice Buddhism and I’m not an expert, but I do know some things about Buddhism. Also, after looking at some images to include in this post, I concluded that the Baghavad Gita must have some type of relation with Buddhist India.
The first part that really stood out was how important reincarnation is. The Krishna uses reincarnation as a way to persuade Arjuna not be a coward. I also remembered about what we have studied in class about rhetoric, and I inferred that this was actually a very effective way of convincing people. The Krishna talks about reincarnation and explains it as simply as changing clothes, "As a man discards worn-out clothes to put on new and different ones, so the embodied self discards its worn-out bodies to take on other new ones."
In addition, I considered how death is taken in the previous reading, The Epic of Gilgamesh. In both these texts, death has a very different meaning. Gilgamesh wished to live eternally, but Krishna talks about a varying view on dying "If you are killed, you win heaven; if you triumph, you enjoy the earth; therefore, Arjuna, stand up and resolve to fight the battle!" (37)
Also, Gilgamesh grieves for his lost friend Enkidu, yet Arjuna is encouraged not to grieve, for "Death is certain for anyone born, and birth is certain for the dead; since the cycle is inevitable, you have no cause to grieve!" (35)
I found it very interesting that discipline is shown as a way find serenity and peace with oneself. Also, discipline is shown as a balance between actions, success and failure, "Perform actions, firm in discipline, relinquishing attachment; be impartial to failure and success- this equanimity is called discipline." (38) As I mentioned in the previous post, this is also a value that applies to society today. Discipline, perseverance and determination are usually the things that get you places. Finally, there was a sentence that drew my attention because I thought it was very accurate, and again, I think it applies to society even more today then all those years ago. "Brooding about sensuous objects makes attachment to them grow; from attachment desire arises, from desire anger is born." (40) I really empathize with the explanation for how anger is born. When I read this part, I thought about how materialistic the world is today and how individualistic it has become, creating a hating and unjust society.
“It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him into evil ways.”
-Buddha
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