Both Buddha and Christianity figures can be analyzed to determine their assertions compared to Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean. Ethics has been encouraged by many religions and philosophers to enable people to interact with ease. For example, Christians focus on the experiences of Jesus, where he taught his followers the Lord’s Prayer and the parable of Good Samaritan (Williams 6). Buddhism has also focused on how people relate and interact in the community, whereby morality has been emphasized. Therefore, one can examine various aspects that have been analyzed by Aristotle, Buddha, and Christians regarding ethical behaviors.
God’s laws that focus on moral behaviors are one of the aspects involved in Sermon on the Mount. Christians primarily use Jesus’s teachings to guide them in everything they do. Consequently, every individual has been mandated to ensure that their actions do not oppress other people. The lessons of the Sermon on Mount relate to Aristotle’s guidance regarding human actions, where just behaviors are encouraged.
Ethics has also been considered in the Buddha’s Sermon at Benares. For instance, the text reveals that a wicked man who reproaches a virtuous one is similar to an individual who looks up and spits at heaven (Niwat 52). Moreover, it inspires people not to revenge but act ethically when others do them wrong. The Sermon at Benares shows the need for people to appreciate others and act justly. The basic idea of Buddha’s preaching in the Sermon is that everyone will face demise, and no person can escape death. Thus, individuals should value and respect others regardless of their differences.
Both assertions relate to Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean since it also focuses on moral behaviors. Aristotle argued that humans should reason their way of virtue to ensure that they set standards for acting in different situations. The philosopher has used the principle of mean to show that various factors impact people’s actions. Thus, individuals can focus on the aspects that can lead to good acts. In essence, the moral practice has been encouraged in Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean, Sermon on the Mount, Buddha’s Sermon at Benares, and Buddha’s Sermon on Abuse.
References
Niwat, Phramaha Phaithun. “The Path to Supreme Happiness.” Journal of International Buddhist Studies College, vol. 4, no. 1, 2018, pp. 47-56. Web.
Williams, Nathan Timothy. Raching the Sermon on the Mount: Learning to Be Kingdom Disciples from Matthew 5-7. 2018. PhD dissertation. Web.