Flood In Bangladesh

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Chittagong, the second largest city in Bangladesh, has been stricken by a flash flood. This city is located on the banks of Karnaphuli River, so understandably, the flooding is quite severe. Each year in Bangladesh, about 18% of the country is flooded. Sadly, this takes the lives of 5,000 individuals, and destroys more than 7,000 homes (George, 1). This was a flash flood, so there was nothing the residents could do to prepare for it. With many individuals missing, thousands of them dead, and countless homes destroyed, the residents of Chittagong are in a state of shock, and depression. As well, almost everyone is out of work. The buildings in which people worked in are destroyed, so justifiably, the economy is at an all-time low. This country…show more content…
Theravada Buddhism focuses on the teachings of the Buddha. Included in this: “teachings on life as a monk, key teachings on the path to enlightenment, and teachings on Buddhist philosophy” (Khimjee, lesson 9). Whereas on the contrary, Mahayana Buddhists remain sacred, but they also implement newly composed texts. These include: “that enlightenment is possible for all Buddhists, not just monks, and that bodhisattvas can help people achieve enlightenment” (Khimjee, lesson 9). The main key difference between the two, is that Mahayana Buddhism believes that those who decide to practice Buddhism, regardless if they are monks or not, are able to achieve enlightenment. I believe that the best form of Buddhism for individuals in Chittagong, would be Mahayana Buddhism. The reason being, is because prior to the natural disaster, only 00.06% of the population practiced Buddhism (Barua, 1). Meaning, Buddhism will be a fairly new concept for the majority of the population. So, with Mahayana Buddhism, everyone can feel a sense of enlightenment, even though they are not monks. This is very important, as they need all the kindness, love, and support they can get since the tragedy of the…show more content…
This town has gone through a tragedy, and we need to come together to incorporate Buddhism into their lives, thus giving them a new mindset, and a brighter future. Regardless of the specific religion individuals follow, Sulak Sivaraska once said: “Our common enemies are consumerism, oppression, and militarism. Buddhists and Christians should join hands in working for peace and social justice, and in liberating themselves from our geocentricity, selfishness, and intolerance, so that we can act as normal people without fear, insecurity, or feelings of superiority or inferiority” (Sivaraska, 91). Giving the members of the community a clear understanding of Buddhism, and looking at the two forms of it, will help them decide which one they want to follow. As well, implementing various models of development will help redevelop the economy, and possibly even make it stronger than before. Focusing on worldview & moral codes to achieve enlightenment is a priory, and lastly, having the option of two different villages will allow individuals to go wherever they are most comfortable, and practice Buddhism in their own way. Making sure all of this gets done is extremely important, as we want nothing but the best for this city, it’s residents, and for the Buddhist community as a

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