Taking a Look at Buddhism

Buddhism is considered as one of the three most widespread very important world religions. Buddhism was founded by the historical Buddha Gautama, in the 5th century B.C.E. Buddhism begun around 2,500 years ago by a young prince named Siddharthe Gautama. Living as a prince, he went on a religious endeavor seeking to improve human suffering. Gautama earned the title Buddha meaning “The Enlightened One”, when he found the answers to life's suffering. Buddhism rotates around the teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Path. The Buddha addresses that if these beliefs are followed, Buddhists will reach enlightenment called nirvana, and thus freed from the worries of the physical world.

Siddhartha was the son of a king of a north India kingdom. He lived a rich life and was destined to become a powerful king. At the age of 29, Siddhartha confronted a sick man, an old man and a dead man. These encounters forced the young prince to reevaluate his pampered life. He came to notice that wealth and luxury did not grant him happiness. He was determined to come to a deeper understanding of life so he left the palace, leaving his father, wife and child behind. He traveled for six years, studying under many different yoga masters and spiritual teachers. He tried many forms of meditation and yoga, including severe methods of fasting during which he nearly died. Once he found the Middle Path and achieved enlightenment.

He began his quest to find the answer to the problem of pain and human suffering. The development of Buddhism was developed in phases. Starting with phase one; the historic Buddha that proposed the teachings and his students preserved the teachings. Phase two; this was the interpretations of the teachings, this...

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...tand them. The first truth is that nothing is lost, matter turns into energy and energy turns into matter. If we destroy something around us, we destroy ourselves. If we cheat another, we cheat ourselves. Understanding this truth, the Buddha and his students never killed. The second universal truth is that everything is continuously changing. It is smooth in some places, but later on snags out of nowhere. As soon as we think we are safe, something unexpected happens. The third universal truth explained by the Buddha is that there are constant changes due to the law of cause and effect.

Buddhism is a very important way of life for those in Southeast Asia. There may be some variation of power between women and men but this does not rise above the power and beliefs of those that are followers of Buddha. This is not only a religion; it is viewed as a way of life.