Buddhism was started in Northeast India by a prince named Siddhartha Guatama. When he was 29 he decided to forego his throne and embark on a quest to end suffering in human life [Heirman]. He found that the way to end suffering was to eliminate human desires. At the age of 35, he decided that he had reached Nirvana “spiritual awakening”. After this, he spent the next 45 years of his life teaching the things that he had found throughout his journey. Because of his efforts a large community was started [Heirman]. The third king of the Mauryan Dynasty supported Buddhism and helped to spread it throughout India. Buddhism eventually spread to other countries. Buddhism eventually spread to Central Asia. After 500 A.D. Buddhism was accepted as a part of the culture [Heirman]. In 1185-1333 the Chan (Chinese Buddhists) ideas were integrated into the Japanese culture. In more recent years
Buddhism traveled to the Western countries [Heirman]. In the modern world there are about 350 million Buddhists [Liu]. As of 2010 there were about 3,860,000 Buddhists in North America [Liu].
It is important to reach Nirvana “a state of spiritual and moral perfection” [Schweiker].
It is good to be honest [Schweiker].
It is bad to kill [Schweiker].
It is bad to drink alcohol or take drugs [Schweiker].
It is bad to steal [Schweiker].
Good to
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The Golden Rule says that we should do unto others what we would want to be done unto us. Buddhists (the people that follow Buddhism) believe that the way to reach Nirvana is to live a good life and do “physical exercises, meditation, charitable deeds, and eliminate all human desires” [Bond]. This means that they believe in doing instead of just believing. Buddhists essentially follow the Golden Rule because they try not to cause harm to other people and focus on themselves. They believe that in order to reach Nirvana you have to be your best person in the life that you are currently
Buddhism is a religion from the East that has spread to many different countries all over the world. It has spread to the West, and has had a great influence and impact, especially in America. However, the Buddhism that is practiced in the United States is not exactly the same as the one that is practiced in Asian countries. If Buddhism differs between the different traditions of the Asian countries themselves, it is obvious that it will differ greatly in America as well. However, even though there are obvious differences, it is important to maintain the core values and fundamental principles the same. This research explores how the three different types of Buddhist practitioners have adopted Buddhism in America, and it describes some differences
Buddhism was founded by one man, Siddhartha Guatama. He was born into royalty around 563 B.C.E. in a Kingdom near the border of India and Nepal. He was raised in wealth and luxury, and at the age of 16, he married a wealth woman and they had a child together. Around the age of 29, he began to realize that all humans were in a cycle of suffering, dying, and then being reincarnated only to suffer and die over and over again. It was then that he decided to leave his wife and child to find a way out of this repeating cycle of life and death. First he studied with teachers, but found he was coming to no conclusions, so he turned to more extreme things such as self-mortification, but he was still left unsatisfied.
Buddhism spread to and throughout China because at the time of the introduction of Buddhism to China, China was suffering from the Period of Disunion. The Chinese needed something to unify them and bring them together. Buddhism came at exactly the right time and its teachings appealed to the Chinese. In 514, nearing the end of the Period of Disunion, there were 2 million Buddhists monks in China teaching Buddhism which helped unite China after the anarchy. Many books were translated to Chinese, temples were set up, and the emperor proclaimed Buddhism the main religion of China. Beautiful temples were built where Buddhism was taught and worshipped and Buddhism in China reached its height during the Sui and Tang dynasties.
Compare And Analysis The Japanese Buddhism And Indo Buddhism Buddhism is a religion and philosophy founded by Siddhartha Gautama in northeast India during the period from the late 6th century to the early 4th century BC. Spreading from India to Central and Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and Japan, Buddhism has played an influential role in the spiritual, cultural, and social life of much of the Eastern world. It is the prevailing religious force in most of Asia (India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Tibet). ‘Buddhism’ is reformulated and re-expressed in different cultures and at different times, adopting and redefining aspects of the cultures in which it has taken root. Today, there are about 300 million followers. (Yamplosky) The Indian religion Buddhism, founded in the sixth century BC, is one of the common features of Asian civilization, and Buddhist institutions and believers are found all over East, South, and Southeast Asia. While Buddhism is now just a minority belief in the country of it’s founding, it remains a significant religious and cultural force in Japan today. Buddhism started in India and made its way to China and Korea. From there, it ended up in Japan. Buddhism went through several different periods before it became Japan's national religion. In indo Buddhism, the temple is the main sanctuary, in which services, both public and private, are performed but Japanese Buddhism is mainly hub of individual activities and services. Similarly to Japanese Buddhism, in Indo Buddhism the monastery is a complex of buildings, located usually in a spot chosen for its beauty and seclusion. Its function is to house the activities of the monks. Images are important features of temples, monasteries, and shrines in both Indo a...
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)
Although the history of Buddhism is difficult to be certain of, many historians believe that Buddhism was around 2,500 years ago in India when Siddhatta Gautama discovered the way to live without suffering. Siddhatta Gautama founded Sangha, the sect of wonder ascetics. Siddhattha Gautama or more commonly known as Buddha was born as a prince that had every luxury at his command but decided to go on a search to look for the solutions to suffering when he was faced with reality. After attaining his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, he delivered his very first sermon to a group of five ascetics and from that day onwards, he taught and preached his teachings to all mankind without taking into account their backgrounds. The population of the disciples of the religion is reaching over 500 million with a majority of it to be found in countries such as Ceylon, China, Tibet, Korea, India, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and scattered everywhere around the world.
Zen; Buddhism's trek through history, politics, and America Zen, or Zenno (as it is known by the Japanese word from which it derives), is the most common form of Buddhism practiced in the world today. All types of people from intellectuals to celebrities refer to themselves as Buddhist, but despite its popularity today in America, it has had a long history throughout the world. "Here none think of wealth or fame, All talk of right and wrong is quelled. In Autumn I rake the leaf-banked stream, In spring attend the nightingale. Who dares approach the lion's Mountain cave? Cold, robust, A Zen-person through and through, I let the spring breeze enter at the gate." -Daigu (1584-1669, Rinzai) (DailyZen) Zen Buddhism's history begins where Buddhism's history began. It originated on the continent of Asia around 500 B.C.. The founder of Buddhism; Gotama Siddhattha, a former price in what is now known as India, is known as "The Buddha," which roughly translates to " one who is awake" (Merit 102). "At the age of twenty-nine, deeply troubled by the suffering he saw around him, he renounced his privileged life to seek understanding. After six years of struggling as an ascetic he finally achieved enlightenment at age thirty-five" (DailyZen). In 475 A.D. a Buddhist teacher, Bodhidharma, traveled to China and introduced the teachings of Buddha there. In China Buddhism mixed with Taoism, and the result was the Ch'an School of Buddhism, and from there Ch'an spread to Japan where it is called Zen Buddhism (DailyZen). The Buddhist Religion has always been passed down from teacher to student, and through the use of books and sacred works such as the Malind-panha, Pali Tipitaka, and the Pitaka series (Merit 102). These books and teachers taught students of the religion the philosophies of the practice. They taught of Satori, or enlightenment, which is the main goal of the Zen Buddhist, which is to achieve peace of mind despite external turmoil ( Archer ninety-six). One way to reach enlightenment is through meditation. Zaren is sitting in meditative absorption as the shortest yet most steep way to reaching enlightenment (Zen 233). The Buddhists stressed the fact that existence is painful. They believed that suffering was a result of false human attachments to things that were impertinent, "including the attachment to the false notion o...
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.
The story of Buddhism begins in the 6th century B.C.E., a time during the period known as the Axial Age. All over the world new ideas and movements were sprouting such as Platonism in Greece and Confucianism in China. During this time India was split into kingdoms and in the palace of the Shakya clan a prince was born and named Siddhartha. Soon after a soothsayer approached the king and declared that the baby boy would go on to have great success as eith...
Western society was introduced to Buddhists and thus became important aspects to their lives such as politics, economics and culture. Modern ways of thinking, democracy and socialism have influenced not only the Buddhist community, but also others across the world (“Buddhism”). Buddhism continues to reshape itself and its traditions. Different influences have changed the core elements of Buddhism and its meaning. However, with today’s high stress of modern life, people become interested in Buddhism for its meditation and inner-peace. People search for monks to teach them self-discipline and to deepen their spiritual energy (“About Buddhism”). Many temples have been built in the United States to spread Buddhist teachings and to expand the Buddhist community. With every temple comes different practices since a majority of the Buddhists come from different backgrounds which they brought from all of over
Buddhism was founded by the teachings of Guatama Siddhartha who was born around 6th century B.C. in Nepal. The spread of Buddhism took many centuries, and didn't reach Japan until 6th century A.C. (Buddhanet). Although there are many sects of Buddhism, the...
The founder of Buddhism is a man by the name of Buddha Shakyamuni who lived and taught in some two and a half thousand years ago. Ever since then people from all over the globe have followed his pure spiritual path he revealed. The Buddhist way of life of peace, loving kindness and wisdom is just as relevant today as it was in ancient India. Buddha explained that all our problems and suffering is a result of confused and negative states of mind, and that all our happiness and good fortune are a result of peaceful and positive states of mind
...e time of his death, Followers of Siddartha Guatama, “Buddha” established communities of monks in the northern region of India. Also during the reign of Asoka the Great, an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty and his encouragement, help spread Buddhism throughout south India and into Sri Lanka. Eventually Buddhism largely declined in India, but later returned in the twentieth century as conveyance for overcoming caste divergence, which initially made life difficult for the “untouchables.” Buddhism eventually spread around the world to countries, such as England, Switzerland, Nepal, Mongolia, Singapore, Australia, Vietnam, Japan, and the United States. As a final result Buddhism is thus significant today and its perceptions, as in the sixth century BCE, when the one who became Shakyamuni Buddha relinquished a life of luxury to save all awakened beings from affliction.
The key ideas of Buddhism are the four noble truths, the eightfold path, karma and reincarnation. In the 4 noble truths there are Suffering, Cause of suffering, Cessation of suffering, Path that leads to end of suffering. ‘The truths teach that all life is suffering and that this is caused by craving and aversion’. In the Noble Eightfold Path, there are eight elements which will help to lessen the sufferings and these eight elements are the right view, thinking, mindfulness, livelihood, concentration, diligence, action, speech. In Karma, Buddhists believe that for every one thing we do, every action we take, there will be a consequence in the future’ For Buddhists, karma is used to explain inequality and is a reminder that they must take responsibility for their actions.
Buddhism began with a man named Shakyamuni, also known as the Buddha, who was born between 563 BCE to 483 BCE in Nepal. In Buddhist history, Shakyamuni was born into a royal clan, but he abandoned his royal power and wealth in pursuit of truth and enlightenment.