Buddhism: The Four Nobel Truths, And The Buddha

Image a world filled with compassion, nonviolence, no wars or fighting, no discrimination, mindfulness and wisdom. A world like this is a Buddhist dream. Buddhism was first introduced by Siddhartha Gautama, or commonly referred to as The Buddha (Detrick, Part 1-Slide 2). The Buddha was born a Hindu prince, and left all he had to search for the way to total liberation from suffering. After reaching enlightenment, Buddha began practicing a “Middle Way that rejected both self-indulgence and self-denial” (Fisher, Living 140). Two important teachings by Buddha included The Four Nobel Truths and The Nobel Eightfold Path to liberation which guide Buddhist on how to live. Buddhism has two main division of thought: Theravada: path of mindfulness and

In Jōdo Shinshū or Shin Buddhism in Japan there is a local custom where the small temples are passed from father to son (Starling, 147). This custom allows families to draw closer to each other through Buddhism because the father and other family members need to teach the son about temple life in order for him to become the priest eventually. Ryūichi, a man in line for his family’s temple in Japan, describes running a temple “like team baseball”. When Ryūichi’s grandfather started to fall ill, his father volunteered for ordination and his mother also took a simple ordination to help with daily temple work, and now Ryūichi also comes to the temple to help with rituals (Starling, 150). In addition, Ryūichi’s wife also became ordained to fully emerge in the role of a temple wife, and maybe even serve as a backup priest (Starling 150). Overall, there are many people in the family involved with helping run a temple and living out the Buddhism life-style. With the whole family focusing on running a temple they can come together and lean on each other for help and guidance which can improve family life. Not only does Buddhism greatly improve family life, it can also improve the lives of people in state and national

One global community that greatly appreciates the rise of global Buddhism is women. In other religions women are essentially forbidden to engage in religion, but The Buddha allowed women to study and practice with him (Detrick, Part 2-Slide 26). Not only in religion but also in society, many Western nations allow women to participate and that is why, “…many Buddhist centers in the West are led by women…” (Fisher, Living 178). Western and Asian women Buddhist have come together to fight for the role of women becoming more enhanced in their religion (Fisher, Living 180). One organization, “Sakyadhita (Daughters of the Buddha), the International Association of Buddhist Women, is working to improve conditions for women’s Buddhist education, practice, ordination, and training as teachers of Buddhism” (Fisher, Living 180). This shift in women involvement would not have happened in global communities if the Western nations were not advanced ahead of the East in gender equality. Buddhism has also impacted the way Westerners go about their daily life. Daily life in a Western country is very fast past and controlled heavily by the materialistic world. Therefore, many Western have adapted Buddhism as a way to enhance their peace of mind and find relaxation (Fisher, Living 179). By adapting the Buddhist