Inequality Inequality And Poverty - 1729 Words

Inequality and poverty exist in our society because wealth and opportunity are inherited. If we all entered the world with an equal amount of resources, some would still rise above others but everyone would get the same chance to succeed in life. Since greed is one of the norms of our society, and wealth is passed from generation to generation, there will always be inequality and poverty. The system of wealth and inequality is actually pretty simple. It all boils down to a few things what you start with and how much you earn. Also, what you save and at what rate does your saving return and even greater profit. No one policy can single-handedly beat inequality the roots of the problem extend into the very structure of our economy. However, there are means by which we can change the system of inequality by looking at previous history and the current world today. Today, we live in the richest country in the history of the world, but that reality means little because much of that wealth is controlled by a tiny handful of individuals. The issue of wealth and income inequality is one of the most prevalent issues affecting society today. In my opinion, one of the first and best ways to help reduce inequality is simply redistribution. The objectives of income redistribution are to increase economic stability and opportunity for the less wealthy members of society and thus usually include the funding of public services. The problem with our society is that we give away areShow MoreRelatedPoverty Inequality And Poverty And Inequality875 Words   |  4 Pagesimportant concepts which are poverty and inequality. Both inequality and poverty have mainly negatives impacts in the society therefore, it is almost a prerequisite to have an understanding of both for the sake of reduce them accurately. The first purpose of the essay is to give a thorough understanding of what poverty and inequality are. The second purpose is to display some similarity between poverty and inequality. Poverty Primarily, a simple definition of poverty is highly questionableRead MorePoverty Inequality : Poverty And Income Inequality1526 Words   |  7 PagesPoverty Income Inequality How do we balance the assistance we give the poor but do not discourage work? The labor markets which determine how much workers are paid do not take into consideration how much a family really requires to pay for all expenses like health care, clothes, food, housing, and transportation. The labor markets actually create inequalities of income and as a result create issues leading to poverty. Poverty is measured by the U.S. Census Bureau as a direct result of the OfficeRead MorePoverty and Inequality2265 Words   |  10 Pagesown family and take care of it. Because of the inequality, making more inequality and poverty arises. When women are not educated, although they are given the chance to seek for jobs, they only can do simple jobs that make them have only a low bargaining power over their wages. Although women are earning income, but their purchasing power is still low and have less ability to buy their basic goods. However, in the modern society now, the gender inequality has b ecome lesser and the equality is even improvingRead MorePoverty Inequality : Economic Inequality1509 Words   |  7 PagesCombating Economic Inequality Economic Inequality When you turn on the news nowadays, some of America’s biggest problems are right there flashing across your screen. However, the increasing issue of inequality that our country is facing doesn’t seem to get quite the attention it deserves. The disproportion of lower and middle class families to wealthier families, due to economic inequality, is in dire need of a solution! So how do you fix a struggling economy between the classes? ProfessorsRead MorePoverty Inequality And The Poverty2877 Words   |  12 Pagescause poverty because of the inequality and unfairness they bring. The country is put to blame for the governments and nations decisions. The people themselves can also be put at fault for poverty because of population but, some can not help it. This affects the poverty threshold, the people, and the number of people in poverty. Poverty can be solved with the help of organizations, the government or the president, and happy volunteers who would be willing to do a lot for these people. Poverty is aRead MoreThe Inequality Of Poverty And Poverty1558 Words   |  7 PagesWhy is it that the people in poverty have such a tough time getting out of it? â€Å"Income inequality in the United States is higher than in any other advanced industrial democracy† (Lieberman). In America the poverty gap is continuously increasing throughout the years and no sense of progression is being shown. People in poverty are finding it harder every year to escape their low economic stage . When it comes to poverty it does not mean just having a low income it is a â€Å"condition of having littleRead MoreIncome Inequality And Poverty989 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Income inequality has no necessary connection with poverty, the lack of material resources for a decent life, such as adequate food, shelter, and clothing. A society with great income inequality may have no poor people, and a society with no income inequality may have nothing but poor people† - Robert Higgs. When people think of income inequality they picture poverty and people not having basic necessities. However income inequality is not just a connection to the poor. Income inequality is stronglyRead MoreInequality Between Poverty And Poverty1139 Words   |  5 Pageslast two decades in ending the terms of inequalities and poverty. Many countries are determined to impro ve their economy, and become fully developed just like the United States. In my home country, Kuwait, poverty do not exist, however, inequalities do. Some of the countries that have done well in the recent past include China, India, Brazil, and South Korea. However, poverty and inequalities are still being realized in the wealthy nation. Poverty and inequalities in the society are the two main factorsRead More Poverty and Inequality Essay1855 Words   |  8 PagesPoverty and inequality exist in every developed culture and often are only patched in order for society to continue upwardly. Poverty and inequality in the United States exists for many reasons; reasons that very from the prospective lens. Interpretive theories in particular ask us to question our reality and its constructs. Interpretive theories require us to looks at the world as a social realm, one that we created and constantly change. Interpretive theories study the relationship between powerRead MorePoverty in Americ a and Inequality798 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"Poverty is the worst form of violence.† Mahatma Gandhi’s words still ring true in today’s society. Poverty is nothing to sweep under the rug or put on the back burner. While many statistics state that poverty is decreasing, other sources state the opposite. Poverty is a hot topic in the U.S., foreign countries, and speaks true about many genders, ethnic groups, and children. Poverty is present in today’s U.S. social system. For example, as Lesser states in the Clearinghouse Review, â€Å"Forty-six

Analysis Of The Poem When I Have Fears - 846 Words

In â€Å"When I have Fears,† the speaker is contemplating what would happen if he were to die too early. He lists off what he would be unable to accomplish but the speaker is not dying right at that second. While it could happen at any time, the speaker is just having fears over what would happen when he ceases to be. These poems are included because they had a strong feeling of mortality in them and summarize the concept of what Keats believed it to be. They were not the only two other topic that dealt with mortality but seemed to have a strong presence of it in them. The speaker is addressing the star with an apostrophe: â€Å"Bright star†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The occasion is because the speaker is blissful in his relationship with his lover and does not want their time to end. The sonnet is filled with images, such as the untouched snow or how he is â€Å"pillow’d upon† his lover’s breast. The images help the sonnet be uttered with a dreamy disposition. It’s melancholic—the alternating rhyme scheme helps the speaker tell their dreamy desire to live forever with their love: such as â€Å"breath† rhyming with â€Å"death.† The rhymed words help solidify the image in a reader’s mind. He wants to live a life that goes on without change. He knows the star is lonely, so he does not want to be enitrely like it; he is more so concerned with the immortality aspect it presents. The apostrophe helps add an emotional intensity to the poem. It delves deep into the emotional intensity of wanting to be with your love forever.Show MoreRelatedCombined Experience of Suffering, Death and Love all at Once1541 Words   |  7 Pages In an analysis of Keats’s works, Cody Brotter states that Keats’s poems are â€Å"conscious of itself as the poem[s] of a poet.† The poems are written in the context of Keats tragically short and painful life. In his works, Keats laments the fact that he will never reach his full potential or achieve fame. Keats is still writing his best works before he dies. In a letter to his fiancà ©e right after knowing about his impending death, Keats writes,† â€Å"If I should die,† and I to myself, â€Å"I have left noRead MoreKeats Poems : Homer, Fears, Nightingale, And Urn 733 Words   |  3 Pages The Power of Keats Poems (An Analysis of Keats Poems called Homer, Fears, Nightingale, and Urn) John Keats was a romantic poet in the early 1800s. He lived from 1975 to 1821, a rather short lived life and died at the young age of just twenty-five. Although Keats died at a young age, the years that he lived he created a huge impact on society with his poems. Keats developed an interest in poetry and reading at a young age, setting him up to become an avid poet. John Keats expressed one majorRead MoreGlimpses of Women in Overalls and Mrs Plum1379 Words   |  6 Pagesassignment an attempt at a detailed analysis of Karen Press’s poem Glimpses of Women in Overalls will be made. Following such an analysis I shall articulate how the poem raises comparable concerns with that of Mrs Plum written by Es’kia Mphahlele. I have selected this particular story due to the face that it I believe both works communicative similar themes, therefore I shall explore the comparison below. In order to provide a detailed analysis of the poem Glimpses of Women in Overalls it isRead MoreJudith Wright Essay1246 Words   |  5 Pagesas an environmentalist and social activist. This plays a major role in her various collections of poems, where she explores both national and personal concerns. These include her fight for Aboriginal land rights, as well as personal experiences such as pregnancy and motherhood. Through her poetry, Wright is able to give voice to the interest of social groups who are often denied one.    Wright’s poem â€Å"Woman to Child† primarily focuses on very personal matters. An intense lyric style is used to conveyRead MoreJohn Keats : The Five Senses, Reality Departures, And Nature1628 Words   |  7 Pagesnaturally as Leaves to a tree it had better not come at all† (biography). John Keats was an English-born poet who was known for his sonnets, romances, and epics. He was a well-known romantic poet who was criticized because of his style of poetry. In his poems, Keats uses frequent themes such as death, the five senses, reality departures, and nature. As a romantic poet, John Keats uses imagery and emotion based themes as way to display his beliefs in his poetry. Born in London, England on October 31,Read More Taming the Beast in The Dream782 Words   |  4 Pages Dreams have long been the basis for extensive analysis, their meanings interpreted and reinterpreted. Some people believe that dreams reflect our repressed emotions, providing a necessary outlet for the negative aspects of our reality. Others find answers through dreams, believing that dreams provide simple solutions to seemingly complex issues in our lives. Louise Bogan, in her poem The Dream, describes a dream that expresses both repression and solution. It is a poem about fear, and BogansRead MoreRedemption Song Poem761 Words   |  4 PagesMarley’s â€Å"Redemption Song† is a political poem that needs to be understood contextually for its full meaning to be revealed. Write a 5 paragraph essay (introduction, 3 paragraphs in the body of the essay and a conclusion) in which you discuss the following: 1. The relevance of the history of slavery to understanding this poem. Your answer should include a discussion of the images and repetition that Marley uses to make this point. 2. The poem says: â€Å"Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; Read MoreA Poison Tree Analysis Essay977 Words   |  4 PagesRunning head: Analysis of William Blake’s A Poison Tree (1794) Analysis of William Blake’s A Poison Tree (1794) Jayne Courtney Kendall Brandman University Abstract This analysis is going to explore each segment to better understand the meaning the author was trying to express and the lessons that we in these words that transcends through all ages. The exploration and analysis will look further in to what we can take away from this writing and lesson we can learn in order for our soul’sRead MoreA World Of Calamity, By Ross Gay883 Words   |  4 Pagescommon denominators within Gay’s poems such as violence, love, fear, and loss allows the reader to visualize characters’ transformation within his poems. In a world of calamity, Gay has created poems that portray the corporal conforming to gender and sex but also human development. Using a reader-response criticism lens, I will be demonstrating my interpretation of Ross Gay’s poems and the meaning that I believe to be a common interpretation of his work. Within, Gay’s poems, â€Å"It Starts at Birth† and AngelsRead MoreJohn Keats: The Next Shakespeare Essa y829 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Keats can easily be ranked as the top British poet to ever live; or at least in the top five ranking mark. His usage of his poems structures has become famous, just as his poems have become famous. Due to the young death of this famous poet, his literary work was cut short. Ever since he knew he was going to die, when he discovered he had contracted tuberculosis, he had thought that he would never be remembered; so much so that according to the web-site â€Å"Poets Graves† which states the inscription

Customer Mapping Experience of Grocery-Free-Samples for Students

Questions: Discuss about the Customer Mapping experience of grocery Products in a Company named ALDI. Answers: Introduction This is a report, which describes the customer mapping experience of grocery products in a company named ALDI. ALDI has large number of retail outlets in Australia and they have using aggressive marketing strategy to acquire more and more consumers (Aldi.com.au., 2017). The company has been known for the level of customer experience and have received several awards for being the best customer experience providers. The report includes description of the different customers and the research tools that can be used to identify the customer experience mapping process. The report will also include the challenges and the opportunities that the company will have to face to identify the customer personas and mapping of the experience of the various consumers. Customer personas star The three personas that has been chosen for the discussion of the report are innovator, analytical and relationship. There are some personas that are more interactive and social and this type of personas can be recognised as relationship (Homburg, Jozi? Kuehnl, 2017). They are not at all interested in the specification of the product and they are more focused on the usage of social interaction. Therefore, when analysing ALDI these consumer types will have to be loomed with aggressive strategies of promotion. The effect of advertisement and promotion is much more on these customer types. Online marketing media is one of the methods which can attract these consumers effectively. The next customer type is more focused on their experience in the past and they are classified as analytical personas. The rules and procedures that have been established in the market are more comfortable for this kind of personas (Homburg, Jozic Khnl, 2013). Thus, we can say that differentiated products have minimal effect on this kind of consumers. Thus, for this kind of consumers the products will have to standardized and all the compared to the requirements in the market has to be followed.The tradition approach of marketing has to be used in this regard as they are critical about buying a product and they will compare and analyse all the similar products in the market before making the purchase (Arkadan, Macdonald Wilson, 2017). ALDI is known for all their brand of grocery products which have the same quality as their rivals but are cheaper compared to the products sold by their rivals. This feature of the products will have to keep intact if they company wants to acquire thi s kind of consumers. The third type of consumer persona is the innovator and it is relatively easier to grab the attention of this kind of personas. They are quite flexible and independent and very much different from the previous type of consumers. Innovation and creativity are two important aspect for this type of consumers and they prioritize this principles over any other feature of a product (Peppers Rogers, 2016). This kind of consumers can be attracted by the usage innovative ideas in promotion and product. However, various interviews and surveys have shown that this type of consumers are the ones who try innovative and lesser known products. ALDI has the best opportunity to attract these consumers are launching new products which are innovative and have a cheaper price than the rest of the products in the market. Research tools The five tools that can used to enhance the customer experience are as follows: Mobile-customer support: Various surveys show that the information available on the internet is not useful most of the time. Moreover, the availability of right information is minimal so it is the duty of the organization to make sure that the consumers in the company get their deserved customer services (Du Plessis De Vries, 2016). There are many companies who use have specific information channel which can be used by the users through their mobile devices which will help in better experience for the consumers. Mobile support is one of the most important aspect for the success of the organization and good mobile support can definitely improve the consumer experience provided by the company. Live chat: Customer experience can be defined as the ways to satisfy or cater to needs and wants of the consumers. Live is also one of the most popular ways of providing consumers with the best possible shopping experience (McColl-Kennedy et al., 2015). The live chat includes information regarding the consumers can be used for the benefit of the company. This is because of the fact that the information provided by the consumers can be used for improving the customer experience. Self-service management: There are specific queries which the consumers address quite often so answer to these queries are already posted on the website of the companies to help consumers save a lot of time and give them a better experience. Social-media support: social media has become one of the most powerful medium and the consumers generally post their queries and their complaints on these pages. The consumers can use the social media to the advantages to improve the customer experience (Shaw Hamilton, 2016). Omnichannel support: There are lots of traffic in the company website, the company will have to provide the consumers with more number of options to convey their complaints which will help to provide the consumers with a better experience in totality (Peppers Rogers, 2017). The companies will have to provide the consumers with a lot of option to share their problems and queries, this will help to reduce the traffic an ease the pressure for the companies. Customer map The customer is used to portray the experiences of a consumer before, after and during the procurement of the product. Initial consideration and need generation are the factors which analyses the experience before the buying of the product, evaluation and engagement analyses the experience at the time of procurement and the remaining factors analyses the consumers experience after the procurement of the product (Bernard Andritsos, 2017). The customer mapping or three different types of consumers is shown in the analysis. Relationship The relationship personas buy product based on the relationship with the company and the staffs working there. A new product was launched by ALDI and this customer bought the product without any hesitation. However, the staff had to engage in a conversation with the consumer to pursue her to buy the product (Peppers Rogers, 2016). The consumer had a good experience before and during the procurement but the product did not meet her expectation. Innovator The customer in this segment always searches for new and innovative products and very much easy to convince. The consumer readily bought the product; the consumer experience before and during the purchase was satisfactory. However, after the usage of the product the consumer was not happy with the quality of the product and expected better quality from the company. Analytical The consumer was very critical about the product and made lots of queries about the specification and ingredients in it. The consumer experience before the purchase was satisfactory but the consumer was not satisfied with the answers provided by the staff during the process (Lemon Verhoef, 2016). Moreover, the quality of the product sold by the consumer was not at all up to the market standard and was expecting much better-quality product froma reputed brand. Conclusion Thus, it can be concluded from the report that customer experience mapping is one of the important factors which can be used by the company for the improvement of the services offered. The company can identify the shortcomings of their services and the products they offer. This will help the company to rectify their problems and improve their business model. The survey conducted for different consumers personas shows that the company will have to make improvements to the new product they have launched. The comparison of the three personas portray how the selling patterns change with customer types and how the customer experience also varies with different consumers. References Aldi.com.au. (2017).ALDI Australia - ALDI Australia.Aldi.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2017, from https://www.aldi.com.au/ Arkadan, F., Macdonald, E. K., Wilson, H. N. (2017). Customer Experience Management Practices: A Systematic Literature Review. InCreating Marketing Magic and Innovative Future Marketing Trends(pp. 1361-1361). Springer, Cham. Bernard, G., Andritsos, P. (2017). A Process Mining Based Model for Customer Journey Mapping. Du Plessis, L., De Vries, M. (2016). Towards a holistic customer experience management framework for enterprises.South African Journal of Industrial Engineering,27(3), 23-36. Homburg, C., Jozi?, D., Kuehnl, C. (2017). Customer experience management: toward implementing an evolving marketing concept.Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,45(3), 377-401. Homburg, C., Jozic, D., Khnl, C. (2013). Customer Experience Management.IMU Research Insights,19. Lemon, K. N., Verhoef, P. C. (2016, November). Understanding customer experience throughout the customer journey. American Marketing Association. McColl-Kennedy, J. R., Gustafsson, A., Jaakkola, E., Klaus, P., Radnor, Z. J., Perks, H., Friman, M. (2015). Fresh perspectives on customer experience.Journal of Services Marketing,29(6/7), 430-435. Peppers, D., Rogers, M. (2016).Managing Customer Experience and Relationships: A Strategic Framework. John Wiley Sons. Peppers, D., Rogers, M. (2016).Managing Customer Experience and Relationships: A Strategic Framework. John Wiley Sons. Peppers, D., Rogers, M. (2017). Evolution of Relationships with Customers and Strategic Customer Experiences.Managing Customer Relationships: A Strategic Framework, 3-42. Shaw, C., Hamilton, R. (2016). Customer Experience Is a Journey, Not a Destination. InThe Intuitive Customer(pp. 193-200). Palgrave Macmillan U

Thich Nhat Hanhs Engaged Buddhism

Dialogue and Interreligious dialogue Interreligious dialogue is a conversation and exchange of valuable ideas between religions and faiths for the purpose of discussing the subject of love, non-violence, and solutions to problems and ills of the present world. Renown personalities who have advocated this noble work, such as Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Merton, the Pope, and other religious personalities, renounced violence, injustice, and human rights.Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on Thich Nhat Hanh’s Engaged Buddhism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, most of these religious personalities like Nhat Hanh and Merton are apolitical or they don’t indulge or involve themselves in political issues. Nhat Hanh for example, when he was advocating for the end of the war in Vietnam, did not want to take sides, that’s why he was constantly misunderstood by the communist government, making his l ife in danger. He was merely advocating for the end of the war by suggesting peaceful means, i.e. talk or dialogue between opposing parties with contrasting ideologies. He suggested that interreligious dialogues could do this, and people in different religions could lead an open communication so that political leaders don’t need to propose war and instead advocate peace. Moreover, Buddhist monks in Vietnam during the war proposed another alternative to the result of the war, other than what North and South Vietnam wanted, and that was to submit to what the majority of the people really wished for (Queen and King, 1996, p. ix). As we later came to know, no side would give in, and so the war continued. Interreligious dialogues have been conducted by Buddhist and Christian monks purposely to talk about religion, peace, and love. A historic event on the subject of interreligious dialogue occurred in 1978 when the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue was convened, which started a seri es of meetings and fruitful discussions between Buddhist and Christian monks. Thomas Merton and Thich Nhat Hanh were both active participants to this kind of dialogue. The duo’s first meeting was in 1966 in the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Kentucky. This was a memorable event for the two and for their supporters who saw in the meeting the start of further religious dialogues amongst the various religions which have fostered love and non-violence. Further progress on the subject of interreligious dialogue was promoted by other well-known personalities on non-violence, for example the Dalai Lama, who suggested a convention for various religious orders to be conducted in Gethsemani.Advertising Looking for dissertation on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This was participated in by monks and nuns from the Buddhist traditions and from the Benedictine orders of the Catholic religion. Thomas Merton was honored in this interreligious meeting as a memorial when he died in an accident years before.1 Interest in interreligious dialogue has been promoted in major religions throughout the world because of the positive results it has brought about for the cause of peace, considering that war is instigated by various groups or countries with different religious orientations. In 1962, the Catholic religion through Pope John XXIII proposed more meetings with the different religions. This was enhanced with moves made by the World Council of Churches, a union of different Protestant denominations, in promoting dialogues and cooperation amongst different faiths. Up to now, interreligious dialogues serve its purpose of promoting peace and non-violence in a world plagued with so many ideologies, different selfish interests, and competition to be master of the world. The importance of interreligious dialogue to Thich Nhat Hanh Interreligious dialogue means the sharing of religious beliefs, ideas , concepts and notions among religions. This is very important in Nhat Hanh’s life as a Buddhist because in doing so, it led to his personal transformation. It is through experience that religion becomes meaningful2. Nhat Hanh learned to appreciate the teachings of Jesus that he now has an image of Jesus beside the images of Buddha in his personal altar. Nhat Hanh learned many lessons and teachings of Christianity but did not compromise his own faith in Buddhism with that of Christianity. He learned to engage with other faiths and deepened his own faith. With his dialogues with other religions, Nhat Hanh experienced personal transformation instead of the widespread fear of losing one’s religious identity. (King, 2001, p. 7)Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on Thich Nhat Hanh’s Engaged Buddhism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nhat Hanh and Thomas Merton deepened their own faiths by studyi ng other religions. They reached out to other faiths, religious communities, and exchanged ideas and religious beliefs with them. Thomas Merton had a one-on-one dialogue with the Dalai Lama, and with this experience he enriched and deepened his spirituality. The same with Nhat Hanh; he welcomes personalities of diverse faiths to his own seminars or workshops and retreats and share religious ideas with them. If he finds something very important in their religious beliefs and teachings, he advises them to return and review their teachings and learn to rediscover or restudy them in order to have more enlightening experience in their own faiths. Robert King (2001, p. 23) suggests that interreligious dialogue can lead us to better understand other religions and allow us to cooperate with them in addressing the social problems of the world today. The many social ills and problems of the world like famine, war, human rights issues, and natural calamities can be addressed through sharing an d collaboration amongst the different religions. Through sharing and exchange of religious ideas, we can also confront the iniquities and injustice that our fellow human beings experience, especially those living in developing and impoverished countries. We can also answer and stop the continuous environmental degradation that is going on through a collaborative effort among religions. Thomas Merton and Thich Nhat Hanh continued their journey of spiritual transformation by practicing the so-called engaged spirituality, and it is just noble that we have to emulate their example. Nhat Hanh for one exemplifies the notion that experience is more important than words3; thus experience with fellow religious people and other human beings is of paramount importance. From the time Nhat Hanh and Thomas Merton met at the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani in Kentucky up to the latter’s death, they continued their dialogue or exchange of correspondence, friendly notes, made comments in each others’ published books, and became close as brothers, understanding each others’ culture and religion. Promoting dialogue among religions of the world then became one of their objectives in life. Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village in France is open to all religions and faith. Here he conducts retreats and workshops, teaching and learning people from other faiths, and inspiring them in the life of contemplation and Buddhism. He asks his listeners to return to their faiths and examine first their own teachings and lessons before having an involved interest in Buddhism. (King, 2001, p. 23)Advertising Looking for dissertation on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More We can also see how Nhat Hanh values dialogue between different faiths. He welcomes everyone’s ideas and does not seem to oppose them, although he makes suggestions. His ideas and philosophies are all about openness to other’s religion and philosophies. His friendship with Thomas Merton became extraordinary in the sense that they agreed in the objective of Christianity and Buddhism which seem to point to one direction. Nhat Hanh was a war activist and was leading the opposition to the Vietnam War. He and Merton had a dialogue, and along with the other monks, discussed the causes and reality of the war. They agreed that the war was a spiritual crisis and the religious and contemplative sectors should be concerned about it. Nhat Hanh became actively involved in protesting and ending the war; he wanted to prepare his country for peace. Together with other religions, especially the Catholic, he organized the youth of Vietnam in bringing about peace. He was also instrumenta l in setting up the Buddhist Peace Delegation in Paris. (Kiblinger, 2005, p. 92) Through the meeting and dialogue, Nhat Hanh and Merton developed a spiritual bond between them. They both defended their stand against the war and their love for peace. Thich Nhat Hanh’s use of Christian topics such as ‘love’ and ‘non-violence’ Thich Nhat Hanh preaches happiness and true love: that both should exist and that happiness can only be attained with true love. This is to follow the teachings of Buddhism which has offered meditations on love. True love can heal and change adverse situations into something worthwhile and meaningful. Thich Nhat Hanh quotes the teachings of Nagarjuana, a Buddhist philosopher, that if we practice the â€Å"Immeasurable Mind of Love†, we can erase anger in our hearts. If we practice the â€Å"Immeasurable Mind of Compassion†, we can blot out anxieties and sorrows in our hearts. If we practice the â€Å"Immeasurable Mi nd of Joy†, we can get away from sadness and joylessness in our hearts. Finally, if we practice the â€Å"Immeasurable Mind of Equanimity† we can erase hatred, aversion, and attachment in our hearts.4 Engaged Buddhism promotes love for others by helping and by being aware of the ills of the world.5 During the Vietnam War, Nhat Hanh was active in ending it through the principle of non-violence. He, along with Thomas Merton, advocated non-violence and agreed that the Vietnam War was caused by a conflict in spirituality. Thich Nhat Hanh, who is the originator and the first to coin the term ‘Engaged Buddhism’, preaches the teachings of Buddha, that these should be studied and followed in order to know the real meaning of love. The Brahmaviharas refers to the four elements of true love, which are love, compassion, joy, and equanimity, and should be constantly practiced if we are to live with the Brahma, the Universal God, in heaven. (Nhat Hanh, 1998, p. 1) The t eachings of Buddha about love are explained wonderfully in the Metta Sutta which is the Discourse on Love. Thich Nanh Hanh explains that we can attain peace in our hearts through the things we do, like being upright or humble, and use words in our speech that express love. We have to live simple lives and learn to be happy by calming our senses, and not to be carried away by the emotions of others. We should learn how to be peaceful and calm within because by doing so we can influence others how to be peaceful and calm too, instead of them to influence us6. The Buddha not only taught love and lived with love, he also wished others (us) to be happy and safe, and our hearts to be filled with joy. Buddha wished peace and tranquility for everyone and everything. Peace for all human beings and all living things is Buddha’s blessing and prayer.7 Promotion of non-violence is one of the tenets of Buddhism, wrote Nhat Hanh. This is also taught in the Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddh ism8. We should not do harm to our fellow human beings, even to animals, nor should we think ill towards them. Anger and ill will should not be felt, if possible, so that harm will not be done on others. Our love of others should be expressed like a mother’s love and protection to her only child, even risking her life for her child. We should have no limit for our love to the world, and this includes the environment and all the living things in the world. Love should be boundless, that means with no boundaries, it should extend up to the remotest corners of the universe. Love knows no barriers or obstacles, and our hearts can learn no hatred and enmity. Whatever we do, whatever is our activity, whether working, or just sitting down, we should express love in our hearts.9 In other words, if we have to express love, we should do and feel it with the noblest intention. It is pure love, and this can only be felt by someone who has attained the Buddhahood. The Buddha also taught h is disciples the ways and methods in practicing love. If we are filled with love, we have to send it to only one direction, this should be done several times, up to four times, and after one direction it can be sent in other directions, either above or below. The mind of love has a wide scope, and can grow far and wide until it can embrace the entire universe. This can also be done with other positive traits such compassion, joy and equanimity.10 We can also do this by being alone, meditating, and looking deeply into our own inner beings. This should be practiced over and over so that our love increases and can spread out to other places and people. We should learn to practice seeing with love because by doing so we forget and blot out anger and hatred in our hearts. While there are these negative emotions in us, we cannot feel real love. The Path of Purification11 tells us that we know our practice of meditation has achieved some form of success in our mind if we feel: we are rela xed in our sleep, we do not experience nightmares anymore, we are at peace and at ease with the world when we are awake, we don’t experience depression anymore, and we feel we can love and be loved by everybody. (Nhat Hanh, 1998, p. 17) Thich Nhat Hanh’s ideas and reflections on non-violence is widely accepted and admired throughout the world, and he has been acclaimed as one of the best sources on the topic of peace and reconciliation. We should be concerned and engaged to the suffering of the people, especially those who are caught in the middle of war. We have to attend to the victims of war and violence because by doing so we follow and practice the teachings of Buddha. Suffering is a part of being a Buddhist. Suffering can be felt in heaven and on earth. We suffer when we know and feel compassion to the victims of suffering. Thich Nhat Hanh says that we should not avoid suffering, instead we have to know and understand it. He describes suffering as being the Nobl e Truth. Nhat Hanh explains how violence should be met and solved by way of non-violence. Terrorism cannot be met and solved with anger. You have to understand the causes of terrorism. You cannot solve violence with violence. Terrorists are angry at something, at some causes, and in order to calm them down, you have to understand what causes them to be angry.12 The war in Iraq and Afghanistan is caused by anger met with anger. Nhat Hanh explains that the terrorists who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, were angry at the American people. But then, the United States met anger with anger. They retaliated by attacking Iraq and Afghanistan. You cannot solve terrorism with violence. This is just like solving terrorism with terrorism. Thich Nhat Hanh’s ‘mindfulness’ and ‘interbeing’, and the Tzu Chi Foundation ‘Mindfulness’ and ‘interbeing’ seem to be obscure words in the vocabulary of a non-Buddhist but to a real E ngaged Buddhist, these are words he/she has to encounter, understand and live with in order to reach the state of a fulfilled Buddhist. That may not be far from what a Buddhist aspires for. An Engaged Buddhist can always aspire to being alone in meditation, but he has to care for the world, to be aware of the suffering and the injustice people are experiencing. The Order of Interbeing is a religious order in Buddhist tradition composed of religious persons like priests and nuns, and also laymen and laywomen, whose vow or mission as religious people include studying, practicing, and observing the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing. This discipline or way of life promotes the tenets of Buddhist morality and the religion’s social awareness principles. The Vietnam War, which according to Thich Nhat Hanh is a war of ideologies13, was only starting and the Vietnamese people were concerned of their safety and future in the midst of chaos. During the war, no on e seemed to think about religion but the members of the Order of Interbeing experienced calm and serenity in the midst of war and violence. However, they were not lost from the happenings of the world. They continued to help the victims of violence, organized rallies, wrote and published articles and books against the realities of war. They still observed their Day of Mindfulness at each weekend.14 We should care for the victims of war and violence by easing their pain and suffering. A Buddhist who does this becomes one with suffering. According to Thich Nhat Hanh, the discipline for the Order of Interbeing is the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings which is itself the precepts in the Brahmajala Sutra. These are concerns of our lives and not mere ideas, i.e. we have to act and not just be concerned with words15. The trainings are interrelated or interconnected. The mindfulness training leads us to the understanding of the interbeing, which means we cannot be selfish and look only for our own selves but we have to connect ourselves with others. We have to be aware of ourselves, of our minds, and of the world around us. Through this discipline and training, we can lead happy lives, aware of the world, seeking and providing solutions to the problems of everybody or of the world. We are also able to work for peace in our own simple ways without engaging in war. Practicing the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings is a way of becoming a community leader and an organizer in the community. This is a way of involving one’s self, one’s energy and time, for the concerns of the community. This is real Engaged Buddhism (Nhat Hanh, 2008, p. 161). The Tzu Chi Foundation is a great example of Engaged Buddhism, and the people who founded and served in the Tzu Chi Foundation must be observing and practicing the Order of Interbeing. The name that is synonymous with Tzu Chi is its founder Chen Yen. Tzu Chi Foundation founder Cheng Yen is a venerable nun who was asked by about thirty women not to leave Taiwan. She consented to the request of the women only if they commit themselves to the cause of the mission she and her followers were advocating and have dedicated their lives. It was a mission of charity for the distress people of the community – Cheng Yen asked them to be involved in Engaged Buddhism. The thirty women consented and committed themselves, and thus started the Tzu Chi Foundation which has now grown so large. It has now over five million members worldwide, owning hospitals, television station, a university with a medical school, with millions of followers all ready to help anyone in need. (Huang, 2009, p. 1) Cheng Yen came from a poor family. She left home at a young age of 24 to become a nun. She personally shaved her head, started serious meditation and studied the Lotus Sutra. Solitary meditation without the formalities of ordination was her way of following the tenets of the Taiwanese Buddhism. (O’Neill, 2010, p. 9) A cert ain monk, named the Venerable Yinshun, decided to be Cheng Yen’s tonsure master for her to be formally ordained in 1963. It was Yinshun who first advocated the Humanistic Buddhism, or what was formally named ‘Buddhism of the Human Realm’. Cheng Yen thought of an organization to help alleviate the plight of the poor by helping them in their medical needs, education, and guide them to rise from poverty. Cheng Yen was challenged by some Catholic nuns, in one of their interreligious dialogues, that Buddhism was not concerned of the world around us and was only concerned of their own selves. Cheng Yen was not only challenged, she did far beyond the call of a Buddhist nun. Cheng Yen thought of organizing the Buddhists who had remained in their homes or monasteries and were not in touch to the world. Tzu Chi therefore is a form of engaged Buddhism because it involves the Buddhists in social and charitable work, disaster relief, and environmental concerns. (Balfore et al . 2000) From this experience, Cheng Yen felt a self-transformation, suggesting that Tzu Chi is a religious transformation by itself. Moreover, Tzu Chi is a part of Taiwan’s history, and has become a new religion combining many religious traditions of Taiwan that include Japanese and Chinese Buddhism and even Catholicism. (Huang, 2009, p. 215) Tzu Chi Foundation has become a global organization helping humanity lift up from sickness, suffering, and poverty. It does not only help Taiwanese or Chinese but anyone who is in dire need of medical attention, and other needs such as food. It also helps people during natural calamities, like earthquakes such as the magnitude 9.0 in Indonesia, resulting in deaths of 80,000 men, women and children.16 Without the philosophy behind Humanistic Buddhism, which is related to Engaged Buddhism or Applied Buddhism, Tzu Chi Foundation would not have been formed. References Balfore F. et al. (2000). Cheng Yen. Businessweek, 07/24/2000, Issue 3691, p72-72, 1p, 1. ISSN: 0007-7135. Huang, C. J. (2009). Charisma and compassion: Cheng Yen and the Buddhist Tzu Chi movement. United States of America: President and Fellows of Harvard College. pp.1-2, 215. Kiblinger, K. B. (2005). Buddhist inclusivism: attitudes towards religious others. United States of America: Ashgate Publishing Company, p. 91. King, R. H. (2001). Thomas Merton and Thich Nhat Hanh: engaged spirituality in an age of globalization. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group Inc. King, S. B. (n.d.). Socially engaged Buddhism: dimensions of Asian spirituality. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Kotler, A. ed. (1991). Peace is every step: the path of mindfulness in everyday life. New York: Bantam Books, p. 42. Li, J. (2005). In the wake of tragedy: Tzu Chi Foundation brings the circle of giving to international relief efforts. Harvard Asia Pacific Review. Cambridge: Summer 2005. Vol. 8, Iss. 1; pg. 23, 1 pg. Nhat Hanh, T. (1975). The miracle of mindfulness: a manual on meditation. Revised edition. Boston: Beacon Press, p. 42. Nhat Hanh, T. (1995). Living Buddha, living Christ. New York: Riverhead Books. p. 140. Nhat Hanh, T. (1997). Editor’s introduction. In F. Eppsteiner (Ed.), Interbeing: fourteen guidelines for engaged Buddhism (p. VIII). California: Parallax Press. Nhat Hanh, T. (1998). Teachings on love. United States of America: Unified Buddhist Church Inc., pp. 11-12. Nhat Hanh, T. (1999). Going home: Jesus and Buddha as brothers. New York: Riverhead Books. p. 64. Nhat Hanh, T. and D. Berrigan (2000). The Raft is not the shore: conversations toward a Buddhist/Christian Awareness. Boston: Beacon Press. p. 112. Nhat Hanh, T. (2002). The Fourteen precepts of Engaged Buddhism. California: Parallax Press. Social Policy, 2002. Nhat Hanh, Thich (2003). Spiritual reflections on war and peace: A talk by Thich Nhat Hanh – Peace Forum, March 19, 2003, p. 8. Nhat Hanh, T. (2008). Happiness: essential mindfulness practices. Lon don: Accessible Publishing Systems PTY, Ltd. p. 161. Nhat Hanh, T. (2008). A History of Engaged Buddhism, A Dharma talk. Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociologyof Self Knowledge, VI, 3, Summer 2008, 29-36. O’Neill, M. (2010). Tzu Chi: serving with compassion. Singapore: John Wiley Sons Pte. Ltd. p. 9. Polinska, W. (2007). Christian-Buddhist dialogue on loving the enemy. Buddhist-Christian Studies 27. University of Hawaii Press. Queen, C. S. and S. B. King (1996). Engaged Buddhism: Buddhist liberation movements in Asia. United States of America: State University of New York Press. p. ix. Footnotes 1 See also Arnold Kotler, ed. (1991). Peace is every step: the path of mindfulness in everyday life. New York: Bantam Books, p. 42. 2 Thich Nhat Hanh, Living Buddha, living Christ. New York: Riverhead Books, p. 34. 3 See The Raft is not the shore: Conversations toward a Buddhist/Christian Awareness, by Thich Nhat Hanh and Daniel Berrigan, 2000, p. 112. 4 These teachings were ta ken from Mahaprajnaparamita Shastra, which is a commentary on the Buddha’s teachings, written by a great master. Hanh, Thich Nhat (1998). Teachings on Love. United States of America: Unified Buddhist Church, Inc. 1998. p. 1. 5 See also Christian-Buddhist dialogue on Loving the enemy, by W. Polinska, 2007, p. 89. 6 Thich Nhat Hanh, (1975), The miracle of mindfulness: a manual on meditation. Revised edition. Boston: Beacon Press, p. 42. 7 Thich Nhat Hanh (1998). Teachings on love. United States of America: Unified Buddhist Church Inc. 11-12. 8 See also The Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism, by Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, 2002, p. 39. 9 Discourse on love (Metta Sutta). Thich Nhat Hanh, p. 11. 10 Thich Nhat Hanh quoting Madyana Agama, Sutra86. 11 Bhikkhu Nanamoli, trans., The Path of Purification: Visuddhi Magga, The Classic Manual of Buddhist Doctrine Meditation, as cited in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Teachings on love, p. 16. 12 Thich Nhat Hanh, Spiritual reflections on war a nd peace: A talk by Thich Nhat Hanh – Peace Forum, March 19, 2003, 8. 13 See History of Engaged Buddhism, A Dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hahn, Hanoi, Vietnam, May 6-7, 2008. p. 30. 14 Editor’s Introduction, F. Eppsteiner, in Thich Nhat, Hahn, Interbeing: fourteen guidelines for engaged Buddhism (p. VIII). California: Parallax Press. 15 See also Thich Nhat Hanh, Going home: Jesus and Buddha as brothers. New York: Riverhead Books, 1999, p. 64. 16 See the article, In the wake of tragedy: Tzu Chi Foundation brings the circle of giving to international relief efforts, by Judith Li, Harvard Asia Pacific Review. 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