Buddhism first started when a monk named, Siddhartha Gautama, was enlightened, over 2,500 years ago, and over 300 million people all over the world are Buddhists. For most Buddhists, Buddhism is a way of life, and less of a religion. Buddhism is made up by six important subjects: the four noble truths, the eightfold path, samsara, karma, rebirth, and nirvana. Buddhism has many teachings that need to be understood, and one of those teachings is that, everything is temporary and that nothing lasts forever. Many people suffer, it does not matter if they are rich or poor, known or unknown, they are all equal, but only through Buddhist teachings they can win true happiness.
Gautama showed his followers the way of the Buddha and that can be understood by following the Four Noble Truths, which is then followed by learning the Eightfold Path. The first truth tells us that life is pain; life contains discomfort and suffering for all people, not just one individual. The second truth is believed that suffering is produced by the desire and the hatred for unnecessary, inanimate objects and each other. So, in simpler terms that means, receiving what you want, will not make you happy, because there is always going to be something even better. The third truth lets us know that pain can be healed in time and that pleasure can be achieved; that is saying that, if we give these useless items and ideas, and learn to live each day without the use of technology, then we can become happy. Then we will have more time to help others and do things we need to do in order to survive the right way. The fourth truth is the fact that the Eightfold Path is the way that will lead us to enlightenment and to be one with the universe (White).
The Eightfold ...
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...ow us the way to enlightenment or “nirvana” and he also wanted to find out the true nature of the world. He depended on nothing but his own ability to survive and then after his enlightenment, he requested that everybody else to do the same. But now from beyond the beyond, Gautama is now asking you to join him on his journey and see what Buddhism is all about. It just might shock you (Kozak).
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correlate with the Buddhist belief system through reflection of aspects of Gautama Buddha’s life within
24 Amore, Roy C. and Julia Ching. The Buddhist Tradition. In Willard G. Oxtoby, Ed. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. P. 221
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
Armstrong, Karen. Buddha. New York: Lipper/Penguin, 2004. 66-98. Print.
Buddhism is one of the oldest religions in the world, which began in India. The origin of Buddhism is traced back to the experience of single man, Siddhartha Gautama, later known as the Buddha. Born around 563 B.C.E., legend follows that Siddhartha was the son of a prince in a kingdom near the border of what is now India and Nepal. As such, he was sheltered from the world and lived a life of luxury and comfort. (Molloy 124) However, at age 29 Siddhartha left the royal grounds and witnessed the suffering of ordinary life for the first time. What he saw deeply affected him and caused him to question everything in his materialistic life. Siddhartha made the decision to give up his possessions and embark on a search for enlightenment, an event known as the Great Going Forth. (Molloy 125)
As Dr. Madhu Bazaz Wangu, founder of Mindful Writers Group indicates and professor of religions in India, indicates, Buddhism is a path to spiritual discovery (8). Being that Buddhism is a non-theistic religion; its disciples follow the monotheistic doctrine demonstrating that they believe in only one deity. Siddhartha Gautama, mostly acknowledged as Buddha––the enlightened––, is the one deity Buddhists believe in. As Dr. Wangu writes, Siddhartha practiced severe self-denial and meditation before he could accomplish Nirvana (state of mind that ends the path of suffering) (8). Siddhartha came to the conclusion that to reach Nirvana one should be capable of eliminating desire by doing right and thinking right. This could be done by following the Dharma (the law of Buddhism). Because the Buddha never wrote down any of his teachings, his disciples memorized his words. Nevertheless, hundreds of years later after the Buddha’s death, his teachings were written down. By that time, two different forms of Buddhism had already appeared; Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. As viewonbuddhism.org explains, Theravada Buddhism follows more firmly the Buddha’s teachings while Mahayana Buddhism adapted the Buddha’s teachings more freely. Unlike Theravada Buddhists who teach how to become arhats (perfect saints) to obtain Nirvana, Mahayana Buddhists teach how to become Bodhisattvas, saints who delay Nirvana to help other obtain it as well.
Buddhism was originated in India in the fifth century B.C.E by Siddhartha Gautama. In today estimation there are about three hundred and seventy six million followers, which is the sixth most practiced religion in the world. The founder of this religion was born a Kshatriya, which was the military or ruling class in the caste system. The caste system is a Hindu tradition. Buddhist does not believe in this system. Instead Buddhist believes in the four noble truths. The four noble truths teaches that everyone suffers, selfish desires causes suffering, suffering can be overcome by destroying selfish desires, and if man follows the Eightfold Path, he will destroy selfish desires and end all suffering. Buddhist also believes in Nirvana which is a release from selfishness and pain. Karma is also part of the Buddhist belief. Karma is interpreted in many ways around the world. But in the Buddhist religion Karma refers to the good and bad actions a person does in his or her life. The good actions will bring about good things in the future. Unlike the good actions, if...
The founder of Buddhism was a man called Siddhartha Gautama, born to a wealthy family and destined for greatness; Siddhartha, however, left his family and the palace in search for religious truth and an end to suffering. Siddhartha tried many ways of reaching an enlightened stage; wandering the forest, joining the beggars, fasting, debating with religious leaders, but when none of these methods brought him a greater understanding of the world, Siddhartha sat himself down under a fig tree, and meditated. After forty-nine days of meditation Siddhartha was said to have achieved an understanding of the cause of suffering, he then became known as the Buddha, enlightened one.
Bibliography: Religious Persons and Traditions Buddhism- Plain and Simple
Siddhartha Gautama is famously known as Gautama Buddha and was the founder of the idea of Buddhism. The Buddha was known to possess supernatural powers and abilities. He was born in the holy land of Nepal and his journey began in India when he decided to travel and teach himself about life. In the midst of his journey, he discovered Buddhism after he experienced a profound realization of the nature of life, death and existence. Buddhism became a religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama and since then Buddhism has been popular throughout many civilizations. Buddhism is now one of the most ancient religions in the world, where people follow Buddha, which stand for “awakened one,” and Buddhism which has gained popularity because of the teachings of the Buddha.
"BuddhaNet Basic Buddhism Guide." n.d. BuddhaNet. Buddha Dharma Education Association BuddhaNet. Webpage. 6 March 2014. .
Buddhism, like most other religions, originated in a particular place at a particular time, and its roots are in forms and ideas that were part of the environment in which it developed. The most important of these areas at the time of the Buddha was the valley of the Ganges river which flows from west to east across most of northern India. It was here that the great religions of India first arose and flourished. Only later did they spread to the south. In the time of the Buddha, about 500 B.C.E., this area was undergoing a period of vigorous religious development.
Sach, Jacky. The Everything Buddhism Book: Learn the Ancient Traditions and Apply Them to Modern Life. Avon, MA: Adams Media Corporation, 2003. Print.
Could you imagine, trading in all of your worldly possessions, leaving your family, and going against everything you were raised to do? This is exactly what one of the most influential people in the history of the world had to do in order to reach what Buddhists call “enlightenment”. Siddhartha Gautama, or the Buddha renounced his life of riches to seek enlightenment and along the way created the guidelines to a very popular worldwide religion called Buddhism. What is Buddhism? To answer this question, and for someone to understand the principals of Buddhism, they must first understand the life of the Buddha and his journey to enlightenment.
Buddhism was founded around 520 BC by Siddharta Gautama, who was an Indian Prince. Buddhism emphasizes practice over belief. In reality, however, Buddhism centers on correct understanding of human nature and ultimate reality. The Buddha was, after all, called the "Enlightened One." He taught that the way to eliminate suffering began with understanding the true nature of the world. In Buddhism, the purpose of life is to end suffering. The Buddha taught that humans suffer because we continually strive after things that do not give lasting happiness.