Dantes Inferno: Dantes Journey Toward Enlightenment Essay -- Dantes

Dantes Inferno Dantes Journey Toward Enlightenment magic spell reading Dantes Inferno I couldnt help still draw parallels between the journey of the protagonist and the belief system of the Buddhistic religion. Dante believed we must understand sin in front we can reject it, and Buddha believed that before we can reject sin, we must suffer also. Examining these two tenets side by side makes the similarities undeniably apparent they both seem to be purporting the meat that there cannot be pain without pleasure, truth without dishonesty or discernment with suffering.Dantes version of hell is based on that of Medieval Catholicism, which professes to be quite an divergent from the Buddhist faith. Yet the similarities are actually quite prevalent when reviewed from an impartial perspective. The first resemblance I noticed between the two faiths was in regards to the Roman epic poet Virgil, who acts as Dantes wise man and protector while accompanying him on his extraordinary journey with Hell. This immediately made me think of the life sentence guides that Buddhists believe channel them towards salvation.Dante views Virgil as many Christians view God as a father figure, from whom guidance, information, and forgiveness is actively sought. Dante refers to Virgil as Master, Guide, Teacher, Poet in the inauguration yet he eventually begins to refer to Virgil as Lord, implying that he sees Virgil not as a traditional father figure, exactly as a spiritually divine one. This is evidenced even further in Canto XXX, line 130 close, in which Dante needs Virgils forgiveness, which suggests that his clemency bears slightly divine power of atonement.This Christian tendency to have a spirit guide take on the characteristics of a ruling de... ... the truth of the passage that leads to the end of suffering. More simply put, suffering exists it has a cause it has an end and it has a cause to bring about its end. The notion of suffering in Buddhism then, is not intend ed to convey a negative world view, but rather, to connote a pragmatic perspective that deals with the world as it is, and after attempts to remedy it. The concept of pleasure is not denied, but is rather admit as fleeting in that the pursuit of pleasure can plainly sustain what is ultimately an unquenchable thirst.Works Cited1 Carter, John Ross and Mahinda Palihawadana, trans. and ed. The Dhammapada. New York Oxford University Press, 1987, verses 116-119.2 Alighieri, Dante. The prognosticate Comedy of Dante Alighieri Inferno. Trans. Allen Mandelbaum. Notes Allen Mandelbaum and Gabriel Marruzzo. New York Bantam Books, 1980