Roxas, John jake H.

BSED ENG 3a
EL 114: Survey of Afro-Asian literature
Sharing insights

1. How does the description of Paradise and Hell in The Spider’s thread
compare with your concepts of two places?
~ In The Spider’s thread, Paradise is described as a lotus pond and a place
full of peace and bliss while hell is said to be a pool of blood and needle
mountains. The description based on the story is different from the concept
of what I think Heaven and hell are, from my understanding or concept
paradise is in heaven up above full of clouds while hell is a place full of
surging flames.

2. Why was Kandata in hell?

~ Kandata was in hell because he was a sinner, specifically a thief,
murderer, and an arson.

3. Why did Buddha decide to help Kandata? How did he help Kandata?
~ Buddha decided to help Kandata because he thought there might still be
lingering goodness in Kandata like how he spared that spider so as a test
and to help, Buddha used a spider’s thread as a way for Kandata to escape
hell.

4. Why did the spider’s thread break?

~ I think that the spider’s thread snapped because of Kandata’s selfish
desire and fear of not being able to escape because of the thread snapping
by the weight of other sinners trying to climb up which is very ironic.

5. Would Kandata have been saved had he behaved more generously to

his fellow sinners? Explain.
~ Personally, I think that he still wouldn't be saved if he had let the sinners
go up because technically speaking they are sinners, probably evil people
full of malicious desire, if he let those people go up to paradise who knows
what chaos can ensue and would just cause him to sin more but there is
still a possibility of him being saved, because Buddha has the control and
once he climbed up Buddha can probably severe the thread.

6. In what way do our counter-value work against us? Give examples. In

what way do our counter-value work for us? Cite examples.
~ To be honest, I am really not familiar with counter value but based on my
understanding of what I’ve searched about it, counter values are beliefs or
values that contradict what value we have, this means that counter value
can work against us if it affects us negatively by making us dishonest,
impulsive or pessimistic while it can work for us if we can learn moderation,
caution and assertiveness.