How should we live in this world? What is the technique for reaching that goal/solution?

For this assignment, you will articulate the ways in which Hindus, Buddhists, and Jews answer the below key questions.

What is ultimate reality? What is the problem of life?

What is the solution to redress the problem? What is our ultimate purpose?

How should we live in this world? What is the technique for reaching that goal/solution?

Format

Length & Layout
1000-1200 words, double-spaced with 1-inch margins on all sides (*Stay within the word count!)

No title page, abstract, or bibliography

Font
Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Tahoma, Times New Roman, or Verdana

12-point in the body, 10-point in the footnote

Sources
Since everything you need to write a good paper is included in this course, you are not asked to do any additional research. However, for each religion, you must cite three (3) different types of sources with which you have already engaged to back up your major points:

Type 1: Prothero readings

Type 2: My Zoom lectures and/or overview videos

Type 3: Primary sources

For primary sources, you must review the Primary Source Reading page for each religion and follow the citation format specified under Citation Guideline. Be sure to consistently and properly cite your sources and include exact pages, paragraphs, chapter and verses, and/or time signatures. Failure to include all three types of sources and/or to cite the sources properly will lower your grade.

More on Citation Format: In-Text (=in the main body)

If you draw on or cite from the textbook, simply cite like this:

Prothero observes, “All humans—male and female, young and old, Asian and American, straight and queer, black and white and brown—tell and retell stories.” (p.5)

Alternately: “All humans—male and female, young and old, Asian and American, straight and queer, black and white and brown—tell and retell stories.” (Prothero, p.5)

For videos/podcasts, cite the speaker (if known), title, and the exact time reference like this:

“The story of Christianity begins about 2,000 years ago” (“Christianity: The Good News,” 02:44).

“The covenant is first and foremost a gift from God” (Akiyama, “Covenant and the Torah,” 05:25).
OR: According to Akiyama, “The covenant is first and foremost a gift from God” (“Covenant and the Torah,” 05:25).

“He looks into his own mind, and into his own experience” (Prothero, “Suffering,” 01:10).
OR: According to Prothero, “He looks into his own mind, and into his own experience” (“Suffering,” 01:10).

Please note: You are not required to consult any sources beyond the course materials provided in Canvas (though you’re welcome to!). In case you draw from any other sources, please cite them in the footnotes following the Chicago Manuel of Style (Links to an external site.).

Structure
The top of the first page (and the first page only) should look like this:

Sp22 – HRS4

Short Paper 1

Kamala Harris*

[*Replace this with your name]

SECTION A: Short introduction
Clearly state which religions you are analyzing with a summary of the main points and structure of your paper.

*Tip* Avoid beginning with vague, overgeneralized, abstract, hackneyed, and/or indefensible assertions like: “Throughout history…,” “All of humanity,” “The Bible is a very complex book,” “People hold various opinions,” or the like. Instead, write something concrete about the topic straight away.

SECTION B: Main Body

This is where you flesh out your argument. Although you can structure this section however you like, I suggest breaking down this section into three main parts like the below. Use the questions I’ve included here to guide your thinking and writing.

What is the fundamental problem? What is ultimate reality?
Is there a God or some kind of “ultimate” being or impersonal force (or both/neither)? What is s/he/it/they like, do, and/or want? Is it something that can be identified with the world we live in, or is it separate? Is it benevolent, malignant, or unknown? How does one gain knowledge of it? Why isn’t human existence as it stands optimal? Why, and in what ways, do people error/suffer/whither? Is there something they don’t understand or fail to see? Why might this be a problem? Do people have the power to do something about it?

What is the solution to redress the problem? What is our ultimate purpose?
If life is less than optimal or problematic in one way or another, is there a solution? What would be the alternate reality or remedy that might solve the problem? If life is optimal, can it stay that way? When and how can it be maintained or threatened? What exactly is meant by the terms used to describe the telos or desired destination or state (e.g., moksha, nirvana, heaven, salvation, liberation, etc.)? What is it that people are looking for, and what might it be like to get there (e.g., heaven, nirvana, etc.)?

How do we get to the solution? How should we live in this world? To whom should we look up?
Once we know the problem and the solution, how does one get there? Is there just one way, or are there many ways or “paths”? Is “salvation/liberation” something people can achieve, or does it require help from a higher power(s)? How did exemplars chart the path toward that goal, and will they lend a helping hand? If so, when and how?

*Tip* Every claim you make must be supported by specific evidence from the sources (whether primary or secondary), cited correctly. You do not have space to go off topic. Take care not to make unwarranted assertions: demonstrate your point. You do not need to agree with or believe in the topic/interpretation you are analyzing or what other scholars say about it—you only need to be able to explain what the writer is doing based on your close reading of the texts.

SECTION C: Short conclusion
Your conclusion can also be just one or two sentence(s) that sums up what you have shown in the paper.

*Tip* In a well-written piece, the reader should be able to see logical progression, i.e., various points should be related to and built on each other, and the conclusion should naturally flow from the body. Once you write your conclusion, go back and see if your analysis properly supports the conclusion.

The sources that I need on this paper are
-The Book of Genesis

The First Creation Account (1:1-2:3)

1:1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth,

1:2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

1:4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

1:5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

1:6 And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”

1:7 So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so.

1:8 God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

1:9 And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.

1:10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

1:11 Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so.

1:12 The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.

1:13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

1:14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years,

1:15 and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so.

1:16 God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.

1:17 God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth,

1:18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

1:19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

1:20 And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.”

1:21 So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good.

1:22 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

1:23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

1:24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so.

1:25 God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.

1:26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

1:27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

1:28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”

1:29 God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.

1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

1:31 God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude.

2:2 And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done.

2:3 So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.

[…]

Part of the Second Creation Account (2:15-25)

2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.

2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden;

2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”

2:18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.”

2:19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

2:20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner.

2:21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.

2:22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.

2:23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.”

2:24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

2:25 And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden (3:1-24)

3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

3:2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;

3:3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’”

3:4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die;

3:5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.

3:7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

3:8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

3:9 But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

3:10 He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

3:11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”

3:12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.”

3:13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”

3:14 The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.

3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

3:16 To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”

3:17 And to the man he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

3:18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.

3:19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

3:20 The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

3:21 And the LORD God made garments of skins for the man and for his wife, and clothed them.

3:22 Then the LORD God said, “See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—

3:23 therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken.

3:24 He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life.”

The Book of Exodus

Pharaoh oppresses the People Israel (Exodus 1:8–14 NRSV)

1:8 Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

1:9 He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we.

1:10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.”

1:11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh.

1:12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.

1:13 The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites,

1:14 and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.”

Yahweh-God Commission of Moses to Deliver the People Israel (Exodus 3:1–10 NRSV)

3:1 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

3:2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.

3:3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.”

3:4 When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

3:5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

3:6 He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

3:7 Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings,

3:8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

3:9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them.

3:10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”” [ … ]

= = = = = = = = = =

But Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let the People Israel go. So, Yahweh-God sends 9 plagues (marvels) over Egypt. Following each plague the Pharaoh asks Moses and Aaron for help, but then quickly changes his mind after the effects of the plagues subside and refuses to let the Israelites go. After the tenth and the final plague where all the firstborn of Egypt are struck dead by night, Pharaoh finally relents and lets the people go.

= = = = = = = = = =

Pharaoh’s pursuit and Moses divides the sea (Exodus 13:21–14:31 NRSV)

13:21 The LORD went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.

13:22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

14:1 Then the LORD said to Moses:

14:2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall camp opposite it, by the sea.

14:3 Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has closed in on them.’

14:4 I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, so that I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

14:5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his officials were changed toward the people, and they said, “What have we done, letting Israel leave our service?”

14:6 So he had his chariot made ready, and took his army with him;

14:7 he took six hundred picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.

14:8 The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out boldly.

14:9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his chariot drivers and his army; they overtook them camped by the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

14:10 As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the LORD.

14:11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt?

14:12 Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

14:13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again.

14:14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.”

14:15 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.

14:16 But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground.

14:17 Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.

14:18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.”

14:19 The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them.

14:20 It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.

14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided.

14:22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

14:23 The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers.

14:24 At the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic.

14:25 He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.”

14:26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.”

14:27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea.

14:28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained.

14:29 But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

14:30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.

14:31 Israel saw the great work that the LORD did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the LORD and believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.”

====================

Then the Israelites rejoice in their victory over the Egyptian army and head toward Mount Sinai (traditionally toward the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula). They experience several crises along the way (e.g., water and food shortage, communal disputes and unrest, etc.) but eventually make their way to Mount Sinai.

====================

Divine Revelation on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1–25 NRSV)

19:1 On the third new moon after the Israelites had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day, they came into the wilderness of Sinai.

19:2 They had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain.

19:3 Then Moses went up to God; the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites:

19:4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

19:5 Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine,

19:6 but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.”

19:7 So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.

19:8 The people all answered as one: “Everything that the LORD has spoken we will do.” Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD.

19:9 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and so trust you ever after.” When Moses had told the words of the people to the LORD,

19:10 the LORD said to Moses: “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes

19:11 and prepare for the third day, because on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

19:12 You shall set limits for the people all around, saying, ‘Be careful not to go up the mountain or to touch the edge of it. Any who touch the mountain shall be put to death.

19:13 No hand shall touch them, but they shall be stoned or shot with arrows; whether animal or human being, they shall not live.’ When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they may go up on the mountain.”

19:14 So Moses went down from the mountain to the people. He consecrated the people, and they washed their clothes.

19:15 And he said to the people, “Prepare for the third day; do not go near a woman.”

19:16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, as well as a thick cloud on the mountain, and a blast of a trumpet so loud that all the people who were in the camp trembled.

19:17 Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They took their stand at the foot of the mountain.

19:18 Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the LORD had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently.

19:19 As the blast of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses would speak and God would answer him in thunder.

19:20 When the LORD descended upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, the LORD summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

19:21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to the LORD to look; otherwise many of them will perish.

19:22 Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves or the LORD will break out against them.”

19:23 Moses said to the LORD, “The people are not permitted to come up to Mount Sinai; for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and keep it holy.’”

19:24 The LORD said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you; but do not let either the priests or the people break through to come up to the LORD; otherwise he will break out against them.”

19:25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–21 NRSV)

20:1 Then God spoke all these words:

20:2 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;

20:3 you shall have no other gods before me.

20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

20:5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,

20:6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

20:7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

20:8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy.

20:9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work.

20:10 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns.

20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

20:12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

20:13 You shall not murder.

20:14 You shall not commit adultery.

20:15 You shall not steal.

20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

20:18 When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance,

20:19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.”

20:20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.”

20:21 Then the people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.”

Book of Psalms
The book of Psalms is a diverse collection of ancient Israel’s hymns that was compiled and edited over several centuries, if not a whole millennia. This should give you a sense of how ancient Israelites thought and talked about their God.

Psalm 1: Opening

1:1 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;

1:2 but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night.

1:3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.

1:4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

1:5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

1:6 for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”

Psalm 19

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

19:1 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

19:2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.

19:3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;

19:4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,

19:5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

19:6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.

19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple;

19:8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes;

19:9 the fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.

19:11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

19:12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.

19:13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;

23:3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

23:4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.

23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long. ”

Psalm 82

A Psalm of Asaph.

82:1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:

82:2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah

82:3 Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.

82:4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

82:5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

82:6 I say, “You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you;

82:7 nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.”

82:8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!”

Psalm 119:41-48

119:41 Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise.

119:42 Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me, for I trust in your word.

119:43 Do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your ordinances.

119:44 I will keep your law continually, forever and ever.

119:45 I shall walk at liberty, for I have sought your precepts.

119:46 I will also speak of your decrees before kings, and shall not be put to shame;

119:47 I find my delight in your commandments, because I love them.

119:48 I revere your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes

Psalm 150

150:1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament!

150:2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness!

150:3 Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!

150:4 Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!

150:5 Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

150:6 Let everything that breathes praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!

-Text 1: “The Buddha’s Sermon in the Deer Park”
From Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta – Samyutta Nikaya (“Collection of Connected Discourses”) 56.11. Here’s an audio book (Links to an external site.) of a slightly different translation by Guy Armstrong (Links to an external site.).)

“The Blessed One addressed the monks in this way:

Par. 1: Monks, there are two extremes which should be avoided by one who has gone forth. What are these? One is attachment to pleasing the senses, which is low, unworthy, and useless. The other is attachment to self-mortification, which is painful, unworthy, and useless. By avoiding these two extremes, O monks, the Tathatgata has gained knowledge of the Middle Way which leads to insight, which leads to wisdom, which brings peace, awareness, enlightenment, and nirvana.

Par. 2: And what, monks, is the Middle Way which leads to insight, which leads to wisdom, which brings peace, awareness, enlightenment, and nirvana? It is the Noble Eightfold Path, which is Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration…. This, O monks, is the Middle Way of which the Tathagata has gained knowledge, which brings insight, which brings wisdom, which brings peace, awareness, enlightenment, and nirvana.

Par. 3: This, O monks, is the noble truth of suffering: birth is suffering, growing old is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering. The presence of things we dislike is suffering, separation from things that please us is suffering, not having what we want is suffering. The five skandhas, which are the basis for desire, are suffering.

Par. 4: Now this, O monks, is the noble truth concerning the origin of suffering: Truly, it is that craving which causes the renewal of existence, accompanied by sensual delight, seeking satisfaction now here, now there, the craving for the gratification of the passions, the craving for a future life, and the craving for happiness in this life. This, then, O monks, is the noble truth concerning the origin of suffering.

Par. 5: Now this, O monks, is the noble truth concerning the cessation of suffering: truly, it is the cessation, in which no passion remains, of this very thirst; it is the laying aside of, the being free from, the dwelling no longer upon this thirst. This, then, O monks, is the noble truth concerning the cessation of suffering.

Par. 6: Now, this, O monks, is the noble truth concerning the way which leads to the cessation of sorrow. Truly, it is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is to say: Right View; Right Intention; Right Speech; Right Action; Right Livelihood; Right Effort; Right Mindfulness; and Right Concentration. This, then, O monks, is the noble truth concerning the cessation of sorrow….

Par. 7: By the practice of loving kindness I have attained liberation of the heart, and thus I am assured that I shall never return in renewed births. I have even now attained nirvana.

Par. 8: When the Blessed One had thus set the royal chariot wheel of truth rolling onward, a rapture thrilled through all the universes. The devas left their heavenly abodes to listen to the sweetness of the truth; the saints who had departed from life crowded around the great teacher to receive the glad tidings; even the animals of the earth felt the bliss that rested upon the words of the Tathagata. And all the creatures of the host of sentient beings, gods, men, and beasts, hearing the message of deliverance, received and understood it in their own language.

Par. 9: And when the doctrine was propounded, the venerable Kondanna, the oldest one among the five monks, discerned the truth with his mental eye, and he said: “Truly, O Buddha, our Lord, you have found the truth!” Then the other monks too, joined him and exclaimed: “Truly, you are the Buddha, you have found the truth.”

Par. 10: And the devas and saints and all the good spirits of the departed generations that had listened to the sermon of the Tathagata, joyfully received the doctrine and shouted: “Truly, the Blessed One has founded the kingdom of righteousness. The Blessed One has moved the earth; he has set the wheel of the Dharma rolling, which no one in the universe, be he god or man, can ever turn back. The kingdom of the Truth will be preached upon earth; it will spread; and righteousness, good-will, and peace will reign among humanity.”

Text 2: The Dhammapada
Translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (taken from “Dhammapada: The Path of Dhamma,” (Links to an external site.) by Access to Insight). You can also listen to Gil Fronsdal read these chapters in English:

Chapter 2: Vigilance (Links to an external site.)
Chapter 3: The Mind (Links to an external site.)

Chapter 2: Appamada Vagga
(“Awareness/heedfulness”)

21: Heedfulness: the path to the Deathless.
Heedlessness: the path to death.
The heedful do not die.
The heedless are as if already dead.

22: Knowing this as a true distinction,
those wise in heedfulness rejoice in heedfulness,
enjoying the range of the noble ones.

23: The enlightened, constantly absorbed in jhana,
persevering, firm in their effort:
they touch Unbinding (nirvana),
the unexcelled rest from the yoke.

24: Those with initiative, mindful, clean in action,
acting with due consideration, heedful, restrained,
living the Dhamma: their glory grows.

25: Through initiative, heedfulness, restraint, and self-control,
the wise would make an island no flood can submerge.

26: They’re addicted to heedlessness—dullards, fools—
while one who is wise cherishes heedfulness as his highest wealth.

27: Don’t give way to heedlessness or to intimacy
with sensual delight—for a heedful person,
absorbed in jhana, attains an abundance of ease.

28: When the wise person drives out heedlessness
with heedfulness, having climbed the high tower of discernment,
sorrow-free, he observes the sorrowing crowd—
as the enlightened man, having scaled a summit,
the fools on the ground below.

29: Heedful among the heedless,
wakeful among those asleep,
just as a fast horse advances,
leaving the weak behind: so the wise.

30: Through heedfulness,
Indra won to lordship over the devas.
Heedfulness is praised,
heedlessness censured—always.

31: The monk delighting in heedfulness,
seeing danger in heedlessness,
advances like a fire,
burning fetters great & small.

32: The monk delighting in heedfulness,
seeing danger in heedlessness
—incapable of falling back—
stands right on the verge of Unbinding (nirvana).

Chapter 3: Citta Vagga
(“The Mind”)

33: Quivering, wavering,
hard to guard, to hold in check: the mind.
The sage makes it straight—
like a fletcher, the shaft of an arrow.

34: Like a fish pulled from its home in the water and thrown on land:
this mind flips and flaps about to escape Mara’s sway.

35: Hard to hold down, nimble, alighting wherever it likes: the mind.
Its taming is good. The mind well-tamed brings ease.

36: So hard to see, so very, very subtle,
alighting wherever it likes: the mind.
The wise should guard it.
The mind protected brings ease.

37: Wandering far, going alone, bodiless,
lying in a cave: the mind.
Those who restrain it:
from Mara’s bonds they’ll be freed.

38: For a person of unsteady mind,
not knowing true Dhamma,
serenity set adrift:
discernment doesn’t grow full.

39: For a person of unsoddened mind,
unassaulted awareness,
abandoning merit and evil, wakeful,
there is no danger no fear.

40: Knowing this body is like a clay jar,
securing this mind like a fort,
attack Mara with the spear of discernment,
then guard what’s won without settling there,
without laying claim.

41: All too soon, this body will lie on the ground cast off,
bereft of consciousness, like a useless scrap of wood.

42: Whatever an enemy might do
to an enemy, or a foe to a foe,
the ill-directed mind can do to you even worse.

43: Whatever a mother, father or other kinsman might do for you,
the well-directed mind can do for you even better.

-An Outline
Chapter 1: Background from the Mahabharata – The Battlefield of Kurukshetra

Chapter 2: The Gist of the Gita – Self Realization

Chapter 3: Karma Yoga – Selfless Service

Chapter 4: Sanatana Dharma – The Renewal of Wisdom

Chapter 5: The Superiority of Karma Yoga

Chapter 6: Dhyana Yoga – The Practice of Meditation

Chapter 7: Jnana Yoga – Wisdom from Realization/Knowledge

Chapter 8: Attaining the Supreme

Chapter 9: The Royal Path – Panentheistic Nature of the Lord

Chapter 10: Divine Manifestations throughout History

Chapter 11: The Cosmic Vision – Visvarupa

Chapter 12: Bhakti Yoga – The way of Love/Devotion

Chapter 13: Nature, the Enjoyer, and Consciousness

Chapter 14: The Forces of Evolution: The Three Gunas

Chapter 15: The Supreme Self

Chapter 16: Two Paths – Divine and Demonic

Chapter 17: Three Types of Faith – Shraddha

Chapter 18: Concluding Remarks – Freedom and Renunciation

Chapter 2: Self-Realization

Sanjaya

1 These are the words that Sri Krishna spoke to the despairing Arjuna,

whose eyes were burning with tears of pity and confusion.

Krishna

2 This despair and weakness in a time of crisis are mean and unworthy of you, Arjuna.

How have you fallen into a state so far from the path to liberation?

3 It does not become you to yield to this weakness. Arise with a brave heart and destroy the enemy.

Arjuna

4 How can I ever bring myself to fight against Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of reverence? How can I, Krishna?

5 Surely it would be better to spend my life begging than to kill these great and worthy souls!

If I killed them, every pleasure I found would be tainted.

6 I don’t even know which would be better, for us to conquer them or for them to conquer us.

The sons of Dhritarashtra have confronted us; but why would we care to live if we killed them?

7 My will is paralyzed, and I am utterly confused. Tell me which is the better path for me.

Let me be your disciple. I have fallen at your feet; give me instruction.

8 What can overcome a sorrow that saps all my vitality?

Even power over men and gods or the wealth of an empire seem empty.

Sanjaya

9 This is how Arjuna, the great warrior, spoke to Sri Krishna.

With the words, “O Krishna, I will not fight,” he fell silent.

10 As they stood between the two armies, Sri Krishna smiled

and replied to Arjuna, who had sunk into despair.

Krishna

11 You speak sincerely, but your sorrow has no cause.

The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead.

12 There has never been a time when you and I and the kings gathered here have not existed,

nor will there be a time when we will cease to exist.

13 As the same person inhabits the body through childhood, youth, and old age,

so too at the time of death he attains another body. The wise are not deluded by these changes.

14 When the senses contact sense objects, a person experiences cold or heat, pleasure or pain.

These experiences are fleeting; they come and go. Bear them patiently, Arjuna.

15 Those who are unaffected by these changes, who are the same in pleasure and pain,

are truly wise and fit for immortality. Assert your strength and realize this!

16 The impermanent has no reality; reality lies in the eternal.

Those who have seen the boundary between these two have attained the end of all knowledge.

17 Realize that which pervades the universe and is indestructible;

no power can affect this unchanging, imperishable reality.

18 The body is mortal, but that which dwells in the body is immortal and immeasurable.

Therefore, Arjuna, fight in this battle.

19 One believes he is the slayer, another believes he is the slain.

Both are ignorant; there is neither slayer nor slain.

20 You were never born; you will never die.

You have never changed; you can never change.

Unborn, eternal, immutable, immemorial, you do not die when the body dies.

21 Realizing that which slay or cause another to slay?

22 As one abandons worn-out clothes and acquires new ones,

so when the body is worn out a new one is acquired by the Self, who lives within.

23 The Self cannot be pierced by weapons or burned by fire;

water cannot wet it, nor can the wind dry it.

24 The Self cannot be pierced or burned, made wet or dry.

It is everlasting and infinite, standing on the motionless foundations of eternity.

25 The Self is unmanifested, beyond all thought, beyond all change.

Knowing this, you should not grieve.

26 O mighty Arjuna, even if you believe the Self to be subject

to birth and death, you should not grieve.

27 Death is inevitable for the living; birth is inevitable for the dead.

Since these are unavoidable, you should not sorrow.

28 Every creature is unmanifested at first and then attains manifestation.

When its end has come, it once again becomes unmanifested.

What is there to lament in this?

29 Th e glory of the Self is beheld by a few, and a few describe it;

a few listen, but many without understanding.

30 The Self of all beings, living within the body, is eternal

and cannot be harmed. Therefore, do not grieve.

31 Considering your dharma, you should not vacillate.

For a warrior, nothing is higher than a war against evil.

32 Th e warrior confronted with such a war should be pleased, Arjuna,

for it comes as an open gate to heaven.

33 But if you do not participate in this battle against evil,

you will incur sin, violating your dharma and your honor.

34 The story of your dishonor will be repeated endlessly:

and for a man of honor, dishonor is worse than death.

35 These brave warriors will think you have withdrawn from battle out of fear,

and those who formerly esteemed you will treat you with disrespect.

36 Your enemies will ridicule your strength and say things that should not be said.

What could be more painful than this?

37 Death means the attainment of heaven; victory means the enjoyment of the earth.

Therefore rise up, Arjuna, resolved to fight!

38 Having made yourself alike in pain and pleasure, profit and loss,

victory and defeat, engage in this great battle and you will be freed from sin.

39 You have heard the intellectual explanation of Sankhya, Arjuna;

now listen to the principles of yoga.

By practicing these you can break through the bonds of karma.

40 On this path effort never goes to waste, and there is no failure.

Even a little effort toward spiritual awareness will protect you from the greatest fear.

41 Those who follow this path, resolving deep within themselves to seek me alone,

attain singleness of purpose. For those who lack resolution,

the decisions of life are many-branched and endless.

42 There are ignorant people who speak flowery words and take delight

in the letter of the law, saying that there is nothing else.

43 Their hearts are full of selfish desires, Arjuna. Their idea of heaven

is their own enjoyment, and the aim of all their activities is pleasure and power.

The fruit of their actions is continual rebirth.

44 Those whose minds are swept away by the pursuit of pleasure and power

are incapable of following the supreme goal and will not attain samadhi.

45 The scriiptures describe the three gunas. But you should be free from the action of the gunas,

established in eternal truth, self-controlled, without any sense of duality or the desire to acquire and hoard.

46 Just as a reservoir is of little use when the whole countryside is flooded,

scriiptures are of little use to the illumined man or woman, who sees the Lord everywhere.

47 You have the right to work, but never to the fruit of work.

You should never engage in action for the sake of reward, nor should you long for inaction.

48 Perform work in this world, Arjuna, as a man established within himself – without selfish

attachments, and alike in success and defeat. For yoga is perfect evenness of mind.

49 Seek refuge in the attitude of detachment and you will amass the wealth of spiritual awareness.

Those who are motivated only by desire for the fruits of action are miserable,

for they are constantly anxious about the results of what they do.

50 When consciousness is unified, however, all vain anxiety is left behind.

There is no cause for worry, whether things go well or ill.

Therefore, devote yourself to the disciplines of yoga, for yoga is skill in action.

51 Th e wise unify their consciousness and abandon attachment

to the fruits of action, which binds a person to continual rebirth.

Thus they attain a state beyond all evil.

52 When your mind has overcome the confusion of duality,

you will attain the state of holy indifference to things

you hear and things you have heard.

53 When you are unmoved by the confusion of ideas

and your mind is completely united in deep samadhi,

you will attain the state of perfect yoga. […]

Chapter 3: Selfless Service

Arjuna

1 O Krishna, you have said that knowledge is greater than action;

why then do you ask me to wage this terrible war?

2 Your advice seems inconsistent.

Give me one path to follow to the supreme good.

Krishna

3 At the beginning of time I declared two paths for the pure heart:

jnana yoga, the contemplative path of spiritual wisdom,

and karma yoga, the active path of selfless service.

4 One who shirks action does not attain freedom;

no one can gain perfection by abstaining from work.

5 Indeed, there is no one who rests for even an instant;

all creatures are driven to action by their own nature.

6 Those who abstain from action while allowing the mind to dwell

on sensual pleasure cannot be called sincere spiritual aspirants.

7 But they excel who control their senses through the mind,

using them for selfless service.

8 Fulfill all your duties; action is better than inaction.

Even to maintain your body, Arjuna, you are obliged to act.

9 Selfish action imprisons the world.

Act selflessly, without any thought of personal profit.

10 At the beginning, mankind and the obligation of selfless service

were created together. “Through selfless service,

you will always be fruitful and find the fulfillment of your desires”:

this is the promise of the Creator.

11 Honor and cherish the devas as they honor and cherish you;

through this honor and love you will attain the supreme good.

12 All human desires are fulfilled by the devas,

who are pleased by selfless service.

But anyone who enjoys the things given by the devas

without offering selfless acts in return is a thief.

13 Th e spiritually minded, who eat in the spirit of service,

are freed from all their sins; but the selfish,

who prepare food for their own satisfaction, eat sin.

14 Living creatures are nourished by food,

and food is nourished by rain;

rain itself is the water of life,

which comes from selfl ess worship and service.

15 Every selfless act, Arjuna, is born from Brahman, the eternal,

infinite Godhead. Brahman is present in every act of service.

16 All life turns on this law, O Arjuna.

Those who violate it, indulging the senses

for their own pleasure and ignoring the needs of others,

have wasted their life.

17 But those who realize the Self are always satisfied.

Having found the source of joy and fulfillment,

they no longer seek happiness from the external world.

18 They have nothing to gain or lose by any action;

neither people nor things can affect their security.

19 Strive constantly to serve the welfare of the world;

by devotion to selfless work one attains the supreme goal of life. […]

Chapter 11: The Cosmic Vision

Arjuna

1 Out of compassion you have taught me the supreme mystery of the Self.

Through your words my delusion is gone.

2 You have explained the origin and end of every creature,

O lotus-eyed one, and told me of your own supreme, limitless existence.

3 Just as you have described your infi nite glory, O Lord, now I long to see it.

I want to see you as the supreme ruler of creation.

4 O Lord, master of yoga, if you think me strong enough to behold it,

show me your immortal Self.

Krishna

5 Behold, Arjuna, a million divine forms,

with an infinite variety of color and shape.

6 Behold the gods of the natural world,

and many more wonders never revealed before.

7 Behold the entire cosmos turning within my body,

and the other things you desire to see.

8 But these things cannot be seen with your physical eyes;

therefore I give you spiritual vision to perceive my majestic power.

Sanjaya

9 Having spoken these words, Krishna, the master of yoga,

revealed to Arjuna his most exalted, lordly form.

10 He appeared with an infinite number of faces,

ornamented by heavenly jewels, displaying unending

miracles and the countless weapons of his power.

11 Clothed in celestial garments and covered with garlands,

sweet-smelling with heavenly fragrances,

he showed himself as the infinite Lord,

the source of all wonders, whose face is everywhere.

12 If a thousand suns were to rise in the heavens at the same time,

the blaze of their light would resemble the splendor of that supreme spirit.

13 There, within the body of the God of gods,

Arjuna saw all the manifold forms of the universe united as one.

14 Filled with amazement, his hair standing on end in ecstasy,

he bowed before the Lord with joined palms and spoke these words.

Arjuna

15 O Lord, I see within your body all the gods and every kind of living creature.

I see Brahma, the Creator, seated on a lotus;

I see the ancient sages and the celestial serpents.

16 I see infinite mouths and arms, stomachs and eyes,

and you are embodied in every form.

I see you everywhere, without beginning, middle, or end.

You are the Lord of all creation, and the cosmos is your body.

17 You wear a crown and carry a mace and discus;

your radiance is blinding and immeasurable.

I see you, who are so difficult to behold,

shining like a fiery sun blazing in every direction.

18 You are the supreme, changeless Reality,

the one thing to be known.

You are the refuge of all creation, the immortal spirit,

the eternal guardian of eternal dharma.

19 You are without beginning, middle, or end;

you touch everything with your infinite power.

The sun and moon are your eyes, and your mouth is fire;

your radiance warms the cosmos.

20 O Lord, your presence fills the heavens

and the earth and reaches in every direction.

I see the three worlds trembling before this vision

of your wonderful and terrible form. […]

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