The Sacred Quest - Chapter 2 The Nature of the Sacred PDF

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Book reading notes : class for Adkins, Nina ...

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“Sacred” ● Complex word ○ Used for place, time, events, persons & details ○ Concept considers a variety of things & understandings ● Out of the ordinary ● Sacred ⇔ Holy Bhagavad Gita ‘Song of the Lord’; one scripture of Hinduism

The Concept of Sacred Reality Mircea Eliade: “The 1st possible definition of the sacred is that it is the opposite of profane” → Sacred is out of the ordinary but it manifest through ordinary existence ● Stones, trees, sky, water ○ Serve as mediums ● Sacred as “the REAL” 1. Specially distinctive 2. Some extent, beyond control of human beings 3. Respect to human welfare 4. Determinative of various aspects of sacred reality

Specially Distinctive ●

Sacred is specially distinct & set apart as an object for various forms of worship & devotion Transcendance - “Goes beyond” or “stands over”, as in religious traditions that present a notion of the sacred as transcending ordinary experience Immanence - Describes those notions of the sacred that stress its inherent in the world - Less divide between sacred and natural world (Buddhism and Hinduism) Kami Powers ● Regeneration and growth ● Natural phenomena ● Ancestor spirits → Amaterasu Omikami - Sun Goddess - Clan ancestor to Japanese imperial family (continues to this day) Zen - Form of Buddhism, important in Japan - Stresses “Buddha-nature” → meditation Christianity

- Religious tradition on teachings of Jesus of Nazareth (Christ) Jesus - Jesus of Nazareth, founder of Christianity Incarnation - The ‘becoming flesh’ of sacred in christianity Sunnis - Majority tradition of Islam

Control of Human Beings Sacrifice - “To make holy”, dedicate something to the sacred - An attempt to influence sacred ● Sacred is different for all individuals & varies among religions

Prominent with Respect to Human Welfare ●

Quran: day of Judgement ○ God’s decision has a tangible impact on human welfare (good or bad) ○ Point of God’s creative activity is to put humanity to the test

Special Prominence ● Persons order their lives in ways that agree with notions of sacred reality Dharma - “Law”, “duty”, “teaching” - Caste of Hinduism - Teaching of Buddha in Buddhism Buddhism - Religious tradition founded on the teaching & example of Buddha - 4 Noble Truths - Life is painful and filled with suffering (desires) - There is NO self - Only ONE reality...