Shankara

I really enjoyed this reading. It posed so cool questions. The Atman is clearly ones soul. In the writing it gives universal truths about the Atman or soul or whatever you would like to call it. Its kind of funny how we all have different beliefs and ideas and names for things but when you get down to it its almost all the same. I found that the thought of the Atman being has perfect peace there is no thought or distraction....but from what? The religion I am familiar with calls for you to focus on one thing. Also the Atman is dependent on the circumstances and the social conditions. I find this very sad but true. Just as this writing says we cant be satisfied by the unreal. The Atman is almost described later in the writing as being able to take on almost any state. Its very interesting to see this kind of view on the human soul. It goes to show that there is some sort of standard that humanity sets up for the ideal human condition.

Tu-Shun

Ok so I’m not going to lie at all I didn’t understand what the heck this guy was trying to say. I would like to say that because of this reading I have a better and deeper understanding on life but I cant say that I do at all. The writing left my lost and confused in its abstractness. I sought so hard to find a meaning in what Tu-Shun says but I couldn’t only towards the end did I somewhat have a theory on what he was trying to say. Some times I tend to get frustrated with Religions and or Philosophies......I just want them to say what they mean and not leave it up to the 6 billion people in the world to decide. Anyways I did thought he might be trying to relate the jewels to people and how we all reflect on each other and what we do effects everyone around us. Or maybe the jewels could have been God. At any rate this writing frustrated me. The metaphors were beyond my understanding. I did like the question and answer style, although it would have been nice if my mind could have comprehended the questions and logically agreed with the answers.

Chief Seattle

I found it interesting how in the Chief's speech he compares people to nature and plants and trees. It seems to show a strong sense of concern for what the "white man" has done to Seattle's land. I liked the part in which the Chief talks about how he blames his people for filling their hearts with hatred for the white man. This speech calls out the white man it shows how they had taken advantage of the Native Americans. The Natives understood that it was all lies and could never be the way it had been explained to them. I enjoyed the part where he said "How can your father be our father, and make us prosper and send us dreams of future greatness?" Seattle claims that the white man and the red man must stay separate because the white mans God because he is prejudiced. The Chief realizes that the better option for his people is to go to the land reservation and not fight the white man. Seattle looks at the reservation as the dying place of the tribe. He knows that they have been cut down from a glorious people to being pushed into a sort of captivity. I find this a moving speech there is much emotion in it and it shows a once strong man giving up.

Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha

I loved this reading! It brought up a couple really legitimate points. One of them being "...why shouldn't we conclude that he has given us different religions?" this is not at all my belief but when looking at the audience that this speech is directed to it comes across as very legit. Also another thing is the idea that form of worship don't matter to God or "the Great Spirit" its all about coming to him with a humble attitude and the offering of a sincere heart. This is almost like the way a newer thinking Christian would look at the idea of worship. Its also just an interesting story of how white settlers left their homes all around the world for religious freedom yet to take the freedoms of others on a different continent. What I don't get is how you can have people such as the Native Americans welcome you and accept you for who you are as a people and then turn on them and tell them they are wrong.....I guess as a Christian it is your job to out reach to non believers but this seems totally out of whack. I found this speech insightful and I agree with the speaker 100% however with that being said I don’t agree with the religious views of the speaker.