Discussion of the four noble truths of Buddhism Essay -- essays resear

Q2. Outline and discuss the four noble truths: is the Buddhist view of existence optimistic or pessimistic? The question of the Buddhist view of existence being optimistic or pessimistic is one which is many have an opinion on. It could be said that the four noble truths provide the views of the Buddha in the way that life is led and more importantly, should be led. Certainly, the end goal is clearly optimistic, the attainment of spiritual enlightenment, or nirvana. However, the Buddhist view of life as we lead it is often deemed pessimistic as it is so concerned with suffering. As there is more than one school of thought to, â€Å"is the Buddhist view of existence of optimistic or pessimistic?† our understanding of these truths is crucial to the answer. The first noble truth is the full understanding of suffering. In an obvious way, people are aware of suffering and know when they have unpleasant sensations such as hunger, cold, or sickness. However, the first noble truth includes â€Å"awareness of all the ramifications of suffering because it encompasses the very nature and essence of suffering† (Gethin, 1998). This includes knowledge of the subtle as well as the obvious aspects of suffering. The obvious aspect of suffering is immediate pain or difficulty in the moment. Subtle suffering is more difficult to understand because it begins with happiness. In that respect it might be considered a â€Å"pessimistic† view that happiness leads to suffering. However, it is a fundamental Buddhist belief that the â€Å"very nature of happiness must change because it is impermanent.† (Gethin, 1998). To non- – Buddhists situations that might give one greatest happiness may be those which are the most actively desired and pursued e.g. love marriage and children. However, the need to maintain this happiness makes the happiness itself a suffering in Buddhist terms. If a sufferer is not aware of his suffering, s/he will never have the motivation to eliminate it and will continue to suffer. On the other hand if one becomes aware of suffering, one may be able to overcome it. In the same sense with the more subtle forms of suffering, if a person is happy and becomes aware and accepts that the happiness automatically includes the seed of suffering, then s/he will be much less inclined to become involved in the attachment to this happiness. One will then think. And so the first truth is that ... ...sting in contrast to worldly happiness which is exciting for a time, but then changes. In contrast, this ultimate liberation and omniscience is a definitive release from the defilement which is the cause of suffering. Their cessation is the most deeply moving peace. Within that peace all the powers of liberation and wisdom are developed. It is a very definitive release from both suffering and its result and four main qualities of this truth of cessation. First, it is the cessation of suffering. Second, it is peace. Third, it is the deepest liberation and wisdom. Fourth, it is a very definitive release. Cessation is a product of practising the path shown to us by the Most Perfect One, the Lord Buddha. The actual nature of that path is the topic of the fourth noble truth, which is called the truth of the path because it describes the path that leads to liberation. 7211, essay two Bibliography. Cush, D, (1994), Buddhism, Hodder and Staughton, Gethin, R, (1998), The Foundations of Buddhism, Oxford University Press, (pp. 74 –96) Sumedha, Ajahn, (2001), The Four Noble Truths, www.buddhanet.net Francesconni, (2001), The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, www.dharmawest.com

Consultant’s Skills Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the corporate world, there is always a need to structure the best possible process of production. In this integral approach, a consultant’s skills can be utilized in order to provide a different or better insight about the needs of the company as well as to guide it for a better path of development.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A consultant is someone who has gained expertise about a particular field of study, research or work. He provides an advice in order to proceed with a particular action (Wikipedia, 2007). In this aspect, consultants are invited in most company functions to share his thoughts and assumptions about a certain business dilemma. Of course, these assumptions do not always reflect that of an enterprise solution but can also be used for some research and development principles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are several responsibilities that a consultant needs to accomplish for a company. First, he needs to provide the most effective ways of dealing with a problem to the fullest of his knowledge. Second, he should communicate in the best possible way, probably in layman’s terms, what he thinks is the best approach in getting a resolution for a particular concern. Third, he must have quite a number of credible materials or resources that he can present to support his claims. Of course, there should be minimal questions about his skills since the company has hired him to become a consultant. But in order to gain a wider perspective of his talents, supporting materials must be available.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a general classification of consultants, the internal and external ones. The main difference between the two can be identified on the way their skills are used for the company processes. It may be thought that external consultants work as freelancers who may then be regarded as a â€Å"contractor† (Friedl) while the internal counterpart is an in-house consultant engaged in direct company decisions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the aspect of contributions, there might be a slight difference between the two categories. Internal consultants are more exposed to company operations which is of great advantage in sending information efficiently and in a faster way. They can utilize the core skills needed for a resolution (Robertson). On the other hand, external consultants may also provide the same quality of logical problem solving but it would probably take longer since he needs to first see the big picture of the problem before coming up with a solution. References Friedl, S. N.D. â€Å"So you want to be a consultant?† Unixwiz. Retrieved January 11, 2008 from http://unixwiz.net/techtips/be-consultant.html. Robertson, S. N.D. Experiences in Growing Internal Consultants with Object-oriented Skills. The Atlantic Systems Guild. Retrieved January 11, 2008 from http://www.systemsguild.com/GuildSite/SQR/internal_Consultants.html. Wikipedia. 2007. Consultant. Wikipedia-The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 11, 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consultant.

Atomic Bombs and How They Work

There are two types of atomic explosions that can be facilitated by Uranium-235: fission and fusion. Fission, simply put, is a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus splits into fragments (usually two fragments of comparable mass) all the while emitting 100 million to several hundred million volts of energy. This energy is expelled explosively and violently in the atomic bomb. A fusion reaction, on the other hand, is usually started with a fission reaction. But unlike the fission (atomic) bomb, the fusion (hydrogen) bomb derives its power from the fusing of nuclei of various hydrogen isotopes into helium nuclei. Atomic Bombs This article discusses the A-bomb or atomic bomb. The massive power behind the reaction in an atomic bomb arises from the forces that hold the atom together. These forces are akin to, but not quite the same as, magnetism. About Atoms Atoms are comprised of various numbers and combinations of the three sub-atomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons and neutrons cluster together to form the nucleus (central mass) of the atom while the electrons orbit the nucleus, much like planets around a sun. It is the balance and arrangement of these particles that determine the stability of the atom. Splitability Most elements have very stable atoms which are impossible to split except by bombardment in particle accelerators. For all practical purposes, the only natural element whose atoms can be split easily is uranium, a heavy metal with the largest atom of all natural elements and an unusually high neutron-to-proton ratio. This higher ratio does not enhance its splitability, but it does have an important bearing on its ability to facilitate an explosion, making uranium-235 an exceptional candidate for nuclear fission. Uranium Isotopes There are two naturally-occurring isotopes of uranium. Natural uranium consists mostly of isotope U-238, with 92 protons and 146 neutrons (92146238) contained in each atom. Mixed with this is a 0.6% accumulation of U-235, with only 143 neutrons per atom. The atoms of this lighter isotope can be split, thus it is fissionable and useful in making atomic bombs. Neutron-heavy U-238 has a role to play in the atomic bomb as well since its neutron-heavy atoms can deflect stray neutrons, preventing an accidental chain reaction in a uranium bomb and keeping neutrons contained in a plutonium bomb. U-238 can also be saturated to produce plutonium (Pu-239), a man-made radioactive element also used in atomic bombs. Both isotopes of uranium are naturally radioactive; their bulky atoms disintegrating over time. Given enough time (hundreds of thousands of years), uranium will eventually lose so many particles that it will turn into lead. This process of decay can be greatly accelerated in what is known as a chain reaction. Instead of disintegrating naturally and slowly, the atoms are forcibly split by bombardment with neutrons. Chain Reactions A blow from a single neutron is enough to split the less-stable U-235 atom, creating atoms of smaller elements (often barium and krypton) and releasing heat and gamma radiation (the most powerful and lethal form of radioactivity). This chain reaction occurs when spare neutrons from this atom fly out with sufficient force to split other U-235 atoms that they come in contact with. In theory, it is necessary to split only one U-235 atom, which will release neutrons that will split other atoms, which will release neutrons ... and so on. This progression is not arithmetic; it is geometric and takes place within a millionth of a second. The minimum amount to start a chain reaction as described above is known as supercritical mass. For pure U-235, it is 110 pounds (50 kilograms). No uranium is ever quite pure, however, so in reality more will be needed, such as U-235, U-238, and Plutonium. About Plutonium Uranium is not the only material used for making atomic bombs. Another material is the Pu-239 isotope of the man-made element plutonium. Plutonium is only found naturally in minute traces, so useable amounts must be produced from uranium. In a nuclear reactor, uraniums heavier U-238 isotope can be forced to acquire extra particles, eventually becoming plutonium. Plutonium will not start a fast chain reaction by itself, but this problem is overcome by having a neutron source or highly radioactive material that gives off neutrons faster than the plutonium itself. In certain types of bombs, a mixture of the elements Beryllium and Polonium is used to bring about this reaction. Only a small piece is needed (supercritical mass is about 32 pounds, though as little as 22 can be used). The material is not fissionable in and of itself but merely acts as a catalyst to the greater reaction.