Evolution of Buddhism

1175 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Differences between buddhism and hinduism

The world as we know it evolves every day; the people who inhabit it evolve, our languages evolve, our religions evolve. The religions that first began when humans became civilized are not the same as those practiced today. Everything as we know it shape shifts in order to fit into modern standards. One of those religions that have evolved from the beginning is Buddhism. The whole ideology of Buddhism appeals to more people than some of the other religious groups. Why is this so? Is it because of its concepts that it teaches or the fact that it does not focus on a “god” as much as western religions do.
Before setting into the concepts of Buddhism that were the most intriguing, I think it is noteworthy about the creation of it. The Buddha was not a remarkable man in the beginning. He was a privileged boy who was to be a warrior. He ran off and starved under a tree in order to find a solution on how to end suffering. The Buddha voluntarily starved himself to near death until he was able to reach that point in his life of enlightenment. The Buddha did not go around curing people of their diseases and miraculasing turning elements into another. He led a simple life traveling around teaching others on how to reach the enlightment as well. The Dharma was not a book about his life rather than simply his teachings. This is very different from the idea of Jesus within the Christian religion. My point of view is coming from a very biased position I must ass because I do not support the Christian religion as much. The Holy Bible first differs from the Dharma because it is a book of stories as well as the teaching of Jesus. Jesus is a man held in high regard for he was able to cure the sick of their aliments and turn water into wine. He died...

... middle of paper ...

...only emphasizes are reaching self-liberation. There is not time to waste on others that need help getting to that spot as well. There is one aspect that I do not particularly agree with. As previously stated in the beginning of this essay, I reflected on the idea of Buddha just simply being a man. Nothing was there to portray him as a god. In the Mahayana practice they view him not as a man but as a god.
Buddhism is quickly growing in popularity in the western world particularly with the younger generations. This is because it is the only religion that can be practiced not from a religious stand point. Buddhism can be embraced as spiritual adventure where the person focus’s mostly on nature. Buddhism is full interesting concepts and has the easiest religious text to read. Out of all the religions I have learned about throughout life. Buddhism is the best so far.

Show More
Related

  • Compare and Contrast the Lives of Buddha and Jesus

    3762 Words  | 8 Pages

    It is said that history is shaped by the lives of great men.  Great men are leaders.  They bring about change; they improve the lives of others; they introduce new ideas, models, and theories to society.  Most of the world's religions were founded, developed, or discovered by great men.  Two particular religions - Christianity and Buddhism - developed in different parts of the world, under different circumstances, and in different social atmospheres.  But each religion is based upon the teachings of a great man.  When one compares the life of Buddha with the life of Jesus, one finds that the two share many things in common.  This essay aims to compare and contrast the lives of Buddha1 and Jesus in two key areas:  conception and birth.  In these two areas, one finds that the Buddha and Jesus share many similarities.

    Read More

  • The Spread of Buddhism and Christianity

    1557 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...m were started from nothing but grew into two of the largest religions in the world. The reasons why Buddhism succeeded in spreading to other countries and people are different from the reasons Christianity spread. Buddhism spread because it adapted to what the people wanted and needed. When the numbers began to dwindle, a new form of Buddhism was there, adapted into what would attract new people, and succeeding at it.

    Read More

  • Buddhism: Annotated Bibliography

    921 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the comparison with other class of Chinese faith , the study of Chinese Buddhism benefits. First, the International range of Buddhism allows for fruitful comparison with developments in other neighboring finish such as India and japan and the contemporary identicalness of Buddhism as a missionary. Buddhism is a way of breakthrough repose within oneself. It is a organized religion that helps us to find the happiness and contentment we seek. Buddhist develop inner peace, kindness and wisdom through their daily practice; and then share their experience with others delivery real number benefit to this humankind .They try not to injury others and to live

    Read More

  • The Four Noble Truths Summary

    1248 Words  | 3 Pages

    A man of noble birth, living in the time before the Common Era, preached a way to extinguish the fire of self-centered delusion. This state of Nirvana can be achieved by understanding The Four Noble Truths, suffering in life, he explains can be avoided by following an Eightfold Path. Sounds simple? This must have been an awaking for people of his time seeking a more personal religion, away from the rigidities of a priest-dominated Hinduism of India. The man, the Buddha, spent the rest of his life teaching the religion he discovered and its doctrine based upon his Dharma (cosmic law and order). The first written evidence of the existence of Buddhism is found over 400 years ago after the life of the Buddha. (Kozak) Historians pose the

    Read More

  • Is Buddhism A Religion Essay

    900 Words  | 2 Pages

    In a quote from the Dalai Lama he says, “My religion is very simply. My religion is kindness.” IN buddhism where the main goal is happiness, that quote seems to explain it all. The fact of the matter is, religion has been around since the beginning of mankind; religion gave people faith, structure, and a way of life. Without it people begin to lose their sense of direction and purpose. In today’s society there are over 4,200 religions, and they continue to aid people in their life and accommodate to their needs of self-knowledge. In comparison to Cao Dai, Eckankar and Jainism, Buddhism is a religion because of its similar beliefs, the way it's practiced, and its head figure.

    Read More

  • Siddhartha Religion

    767 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the world, there are five major world religions, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. In the past few classes, I have been exposed to and absorbed a tremendous amount of information on the religion of Buddhism. According to the dictionary, Buddhism is a religion of which originated in India, was founded by the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, and teaches that life is full of suffering caused by desire and that the way to end this suffering is through enlightenment that enables one to halt the endless sequence of births and deaths to which one is otherwise subject. Buddhism is a way of finding peace within oneself. It is a religion that helps it’s believers to find the happiness and contentment us humans seek. One thing I found

    Read More

  • Compare Buddhism And Christianity

    972 Words  | 2 Pages

    In today’s world, there are various religions that are worshipped by millions of devout followers every year. Of these religions, two of these include Buddhism and Christianity, which have dated back for thousands of years. According to. Experiencing the World 's Religions and The World’s Wisdom: Sacred Texts of the World’s Religions, both Buddhism and Christianity originated through a single enlightened leader and were known as each religion’s teachers: Buddha and Jesus Christ. Both of these prophets became what shaped their respective religions and had a large influence on being bringers of hope to the world and proclaiming peace among the nations.

    Read More

  • Buddhism Essay

    517 Words  | 2 Pages

    Buddhism is one of the worlds major religions with 300 million followers around the world. Buddhism has many beliefs, tradition, and practices based on teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. It is a religion that doesn't involve in having a belief in a God or Gods. many people believe Buddhism is a way of life or a philosophy. Buddhists believe that Buddha is not God and he didn't say he was God, but he was a man that taught people the path to enlightenment that he learned from his own experience. Many believe that Buddhists worship statues of the Buddha, but by bowing to the Buddha statue they are paying their respect and expressing their gratitude for his teachings. There are also different types of Buddhism because it changes from country to country do to different cultures and customs. Buddhism is believed to originate in northern India in 563 BC. It is also believed that the traditions of Buddhism was taught by Siddhartha Gautama also called the Buddha meaning the enlightened one or awakened. Siddhartha Gautama was born to a rich family in Lumbini India. When Siddhartha Gautama reac...

    Read More

  • Comparing Hinduism And Hinduism

    1276 Words  | 3 Pages

    Another way to conclude was that Buddhism was famous only in the subcontinent and later spread throughout the Asian continent. In the process Buddhism evolved through a very complex sectarian, theological and from geographical diversity and traditions of its own that it became one of the major influential religions of the world.

    Read More

  • Buddhism versus Bartleby the Scrivener

    1769 Words  | 4 Pages

    Buddhism is currently the fourth most popular religion in our society today, following Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. Its major ideologies are based on the philosophies of Siddhartha Guatama, also known as “Buddha”, who began his teachings in 598 BCE at the age of 35, according to Buddhist texts. A Buddhist’s foremost aspiration is the obtainment of Bodhi, or enlightenment through meditation and Anapana-sati (awareness of the breath). Buddhism shares many ideologies with India’s Hinduism and Yoga such as non-harming, non-violence, and self-awareness. In many instances, people regard Buddhism as a way of life rather than a religion, for it has no clear belief in the idea of a God or Gods. Its structure is built upon a hierarchy much like Christianity where superior orders such as Lamas or the Dalai Lama are said to be chosen by nature through the process of reincarnation rather than by a council like Christianity’s Pope. Though these “higher level” Buddhists are rare (not everyone is a reincarnation of an ancient Buddhist “priest”), all are permitted to follow “The Middle Way” either as a Buddhist monk or the simple attendance of a weekly teaching session from time to time. Throughout the last few hundred years the Buddhist population has blossomed into a healthy 381,611,000 and over fifteen different sects including Zen, Mahayana, and Theravada.

    Read More

  • Key Differences Between Christianity and Buddhism

    1825 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout the history of humankind, man has always searched to find answers to the many existential questions. Numerous different religions and denominations have developed around the world over time. Though, most wonder about the origin and purpose of our existence. Buddhism was founded on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama about 2,600 years ago in India. After he had experienced that everyone was subject to “birth, sickness, death, and old age”, he tried to find a way to break from the cycle of rebirth (Bloom). Siddhartha Gautama experimented with a number of methods to find the cause of suffering which led him to what he called the Middle Way – a path between “licentiousness and extreme mortification” (Bloom). Once he achieved enlightenment, he turned into ‘the Buddha – the enlightened or awakened one’. Christianity is one of the largest and most prevailing religions of the world and largely based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians trust that Jesus was sent by God to save humanity. Therefore, the faith of the followers of the Christian belief is primarily based on the preaching of Jesus and later the spreading of those by his disciples. Although Buddhism and Christianity show several parallels, their three key differences are that Buddhists do not believe in one divine being, and have different views about both the purpose of life and the concept of afterlife.

    Read More

  • Buddhism : Buddhism And Buddhism

    1715 Words  | 4 Pages

    Buddhism prevailed as a religion indigenous to west India and comprises of varieties of traditions, beliefs and practices based on the teachings of Buddha. There are many reasons why Buddhism became so popular and entered into many civilizations. Buddhism began to be popular throughout Asia alongside India. Buddhism has blossomed in the contemporary world, especially in the West. It is an issue to wonder what Buddhism offers that other religions cannot and has become so significant worldwide. Buddhism has become an idea that is widespread and the teachings of Buddha have made a real difference in many civilizations like India, China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and surprisingly Buddhism has come to make a significant difference in American culture.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Buddhism And Christianity

    896 Words  | 2 Pages

    Buddhism and Christianity are different religions. Both have numerous similarities as well as differences that one might find really interesting to look at in details. These two religions have certain beliefs, values and traditions which are really compatible. On the other hand, some of these values, beliefs and traditional practices are quite contradicting and conflicting. This makes the study of these two religions an inevitable and pleasurable task. Theology historians have raised adequate concerns and issues relating to connections between Buddhism and Christianity. They claim that there is strong comparability between the characters of Jesus and Buddha, especially their lives and teachings.

    Read More

  • Buddhism: The Most Relevant Religion

    922 Words  | 2 Pages

    wBuddhism One of the most influential and prominent religions, Buddhism is quite possibly the most relevant religion in existence. Buddhism is a non-theistic religion, originally founded by Siddhartha Gautama in the late 6th Century BCE, somewhere in North India. My aim will be to provide you with a deeper insight as to why Buddhism is dynamic, living and still profoundly relevant to date. A living and dynamic religion is one which holds it’s original and core beliefs whilst being able to adapt to modern and changing circumstances. This gives adherents the ability to practice their religious beliefs within their own context.

    Read More

  • Buddhism Philosophy Essay

    597 Words  | 2 Pages

    Buddhism is the philosophy of being awake and conscious in life. Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, shared his wisdom with the world and believed that the path to enlightenment was a process of elimination. These eliminations can be conquered through a process called Zen. He believe it was the only way to get rid of the burdens human’s carry of, ignorance, desire and suffering. Buddhism is almost the complete opposite of our western world because our society requires us to act a certain way in order to thrive or even survive.

    Read More

More about Evolution of Buddhism

Open Document