Danhaung: Past ot Present?

After the Chinese took control of Dunhaung and drove out the Xiongnu, it became major town and trade hub, as it split the silk road into the northern and southern routes, and all convoys going east to west had to eventually pass from it, or vice versa for convoys coming from west to east which would meet arrive at Dunhaung from either routes. Ofcourse, trade meant merchants, and merchants traveled from distant lands, carrying different beliefs and traditions. Thus, Daunhuang soon became a center for different practices and religions of the time. By the early fifth century, a cliff near the town became home to many temples, excavated as temples.

During the next centuries, Daunhaung changed hands frequently and it experienced many different rulers, with them many different beliefs and practices, which are evident in the different arts in the caves. Different rulers also meant different socio-political situations for its inhabitants. This made Danhaung a diverse community, with different spoken languages and arts.

The officials and aristocracy developed like their neighbors a fondness for steppe riding and falconry. They would spend their time on horses’ back with their hunting dogs and falcons on their arms. They also spent their time drinking wine either from distant lands of now Iran or local wines, which they developed after merchants and travelers, brought with them grape seeds from the west. Drinking gave way to a certain life styles including games and singing, or probably better referred to as partying. It even seemed that drinking took its toll on the social fabrics of the community and lead to social corruptness and misbehaviors. Its really interesting to imagine how similar they could have been to us, and our modern society!!!! Apology letters for being too drunk and having acted out seems to have been very popular among them! Just as it is now with modern ways o communication which carry the same essence as the apology letters. It seems that they even had social clubs for different purposes and gatherings. Like any religious community, most had close relations with their Buddhist priest and monastery. There is also little known of the children at Daunhuang, but there are some detailes explaining the way they dressed, daughters wore same dresses as their mothers, except with different colors robes and ribbons.

An interesting part of everyday life on the Silk Road and at Daunhuang seems to be music and dancing. It seems that music was a big part of everyday life of individuals and that there were various musical instruments which invited dancing to social gatherings or just everyday life. Makes you wonder that they were not much different than we are today!!! Except ofcourse the obvious differences in cultural activities, bus as human beings, it seems that our everyday lives, in essence is not much different, may be more modern and more activities now… but all together we had the same ideas!!!

REbirth or ETERNAL damnation?

I think the narrative of Buddha's life is more than a simple historical tale or a story of how he came to be known as the "Awakened One". The rides he takes into the city are, at least I believe, a very important part of the story. I think story of his life, resembles his transcendence. His father, the king had kept him with in the castle walls for 29 years and had attempted his best to keep the old and sick away from the public eye. And it is with these trips that Siddhartha learns about old age, sickness and death. Thus, he finally vies to search for liberation from all suffering, or what he later refers to attain nirvana. I think the story is a symbol for his teachings. It signifies that no matter hoe hard one tries to ignore the sad and dark realities of life, it will not make them go away.

The king attempted to shield his son from all the darkness of the real world by keeping him in with in the walls, which probably could be resembled for a barrier between ignorance and reality. I think Buddha's teachings are aimed at breaking this barrier and to aim in achieving liberation from suffering, which can only be attained true enlightenment and pursuit of truth. In the end all of it leads to living a good and ethical life, for one is judged in recarnation according to his previous life and deeds.

Recarnation and rebirth are, I think the most intriguing and probably most controversial in compared to other religions. It is interesting to compare it to doctrines of other monotheistic religions, which dictate that one is judged in the after life according to his actions, and will either suffer eternal damnation or eternal peace in heaven. However, the idea of recarnation aims at guiding individuals to be ethical and live a goood life fore the sake of their life here on earth, rather than ignoring their physical life on kingdom of men and aspire for eternal life in kingdom of god. And, I think in this simple comparison one sees how much more practical is the idea of recarnation and living a goood life for the sake of this life rather than live in fear of eternal damnation and striving for eternal peace regardless of the consequences of your actions in following dogmas that supposedly guarantee your place in heaven.

I think Buddhist teachings, as far as any religion, are most practical in living a good life. They aim at teaching the individual ethics and understanding to live a good life. It guides the individual to aspire for a ethical life and responsibility to all creations in this life and not give hope of peace and prosperity in some other life. Also, I think recarnation embodies the true essence of nature, it is in constant mode of continuation.

Zartosht

I found the mystery in Avestan and Pahlavi texts to be very surprising. That even many parsi priests donot completely understand their holy texts, but yet their tradition and culture has endured for more than 3 millennia!

What amazed me when I was going through the article was the close links between Zorastrianism and other later monotheistic religions. It was very interesting to realize certain practices and rituals, and even certain dogmas and doctrines, of monotheistic religions were originally practiced by Zorastrianism.

One of the major doctrines or rather stories that all monotheistic religions share with Zorastrianism is the Judgement day. They all profess that a savior will come to rid of earth all the wickedness and evil!!! In fact where in Christianity Jesus descends on earth from the heavens and in Islam the last Imam would come back to challenge all evils on earth, In Zorastrianism; Soashyant, Zartosht’s son would be born from the seed of him kept in a lake and a virgin mother!!! (interestingly enough almost the same way Jesus came to being). Even praying 5 times a day, which is one of the 5 pillars of Islam, seems to have originated with Zorastrianism.

I find this interesting because all monotheistic religions, or at least their followers believe their religion to be higher than others and hold their religious doctrines as universal, compared to others. But, its very ironic that they should realize majority of their stories, dogmas and religious doctrines originated with an ancient religion, which they probably referred to as primitive and magic oriented. Even if not the same, their practices are awful similar If not the same, than most probably different adaptations of them.

I know this might be a very ignorant argument, but its most definitely an interesting one!!