Compare and contrast the different conception Essay

Compare and contrast the different conception - Essay Example However, there are more profound explanations and awareness that karma includes and this also varies in the three religions of Jainism, Hinduism and Buddhism that all adopt it. The similarities among these important religions as well as their differences give a more insightful explanation of the different dogmas that they carry. Yuvraj Krishan writes that there are three essential features of karma. First, it is an ethical law where good would yield happiness and evil will generate suffering. Second, the soul through the person who does an act has moral responsibility over its consequences and in this sense it has the effect of retributive justice. Third, justice in the second feature is carried through punarjanma or rebirth. This is the most appropriate religious explanation on why there is inequality in the world and why some men had to suffer more from others (3). It is an effect of karma that a person may be born of a lower stature in life or even be reborn as an animal or some other life form as a consequence of karma he had amassed in his past life. Thus, one who has not merited what equates to eternal life will be reborn time and again until he reaches being worthy of such state. In Jainism, the concept of karman is refined where the mind is a product thereof. The tapas or austerity is an important aspect that is considered to be material such that it can be exhausted. â€Å"It is a consequence of the material character of the karmas that intent is not the only ingredient in committing a lapse or offence; the Jainas recognize unintentional lapses† ( Krishan 50). The Jainas are stricter in their observance of the right conduct. They practice penance as the ordinary course of life and this is the most distinguishing feature of Jainism from Hinduism and Buddhism. There are five practices in Jainism that are different for monks and for laymen. For monks they are called mahavratas consisting of what

Mayor Bloombergs Dedication to Arts in Education For New York Citys Essay

Mayor Bloombergs Dedication to Arts in Education For New York Citys Schools - Essay Example The 1970's were a time of fiscal crisis in New York City's public schools. Among the first items to be lopped from the education budgets were classes in the fine arts (Mandell, 2005). While the money would later return, the attitude at the top toward the arts did not change much - Mayor Giuliani even established a "decency commission" to determine what art would and would not be acceptable for public support, and even for public display (Steinhauer, 2005). Mayor Bloomberg, in stark contrast, has demonstrated a serious commitment to the arts in New York City. He has established Percent for Art, a policy that requires the consultation of the arts commission for any significant public-works project. Additionally, he has borrowed sculptures and paintings from galleries and museums across the city and placed them in public areas. He has donated more than $40 million to the Carnegie Corporation, for distribution to 162 cultural organizations in New York City (Steinhauer, 2005). ... Sharon Dunn, the new head of Arts Education for New York City schools, has said that "One of the areas identified as most in need of development is the need to acquaint school administrators with the benefits and elements of arts education." (Mandell, 2005). Under Mayor Bloomberg's leadership, the Department of Education secured a $1 million grant from the Bank of America, aimed at educating the leaders of New York City schools about the importance of culture in learning. Over 400 principals and local superintendents benefited from the Cultural Pass Program, which gave them free admission to 25 cultural institutions in New York City, as well as discounted admission to performances and concerts. According to Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, this program will "better acquaint principals with the many cultural and arts institutions available to their teacher and students across the City" and promote the idea of cultural organizations as "instructional resources" (NYC Department, 2004). Other objections to Mayor Bloomberg's education policy have included the following: an instruction plan that does not cover enough of the arts; insufficient and inequitable distribution of resources, and insufficient facilities and supplies; a shortage of qualified art instructors; and a "variation" in the quality of partnerships between schools and cultural organizations (NYC Council Report, 2003). A lot of these concerns boil down to one issue: money. While the current education budget includes $70 million for Project Arts, and while Mayor Bloomberg is committed to "focus on arts education to ensure that students learn about the arts and fully experience" the cultural life of New York City (Bloomberg, 2005), the City has a mammoth lawsuit to