they are suffering, death and starvation
they are suffering, death and starvation
While understanding the Four Noble Truths and living in accordance with the Eighfold Path could be described as the basic teachings of Buddhism, the Dalai Lama suggests that learning to live skillfully is the basic lesson of Buddhism.
Asoka was the name of the king who spread Buddhism.
The dhamma.
Buddhism grew from the teachings of Siddhartha Gautam, the Buddha (hence BUDDHism). Some of his main teachings were karma, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Paths.
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama is the Buddha and the founder of the teachings that comprise Buddhism.
Perhaps the best book to learn about the theory and practice of Zen Buddhism is Philip Kapleau's THE THREE PILLARS OF ZEN. Two excellent anthologies of the Buddha's teachings are BASIC TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA, Glenn Wallis, ed. (Modern Library) and IN THE BUDDHA'S WORDS, Bhikkhu Bodhi, ed. (Wisdom). .
Buddhism is a variety of beliefs and practices based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama
The religious symbol for Buddhism is the teachings of the Buddha or the Three Noble Jewels.
There are really only 2 distinct types of Buddhism, though there are subgroups to them. The two major groups are Theravada and Mahayana. Theravada is call the "teachings of the Elders" and is most closest to the original teachings of the Buddha. Mahayana incorporates teachings of later Buddhas and Bodisatvas into the Buddhas original teachings. All the differnt lineages of Buddhism fall within one of these two groups but all teachings agree as to what the Buddha taught and to what the objective of Buddhism is.
I am assuming that what you are asking is how does Buddhism today compare to what the Buddha taught. Buddhism over the years has been enriched by each culture that has been exposed to; changing the nature of practice just slightly each time. So Chan Buddhism (China) is slightly different in practice then is Zen Buddhism (Japan, Korea). But the teachings have always remained the same. Now when I speak of practice, it is the methods used to teach the Dharma (the teachings). The biggest change in Buddhism since the Buddha is the development of Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism, to which is the tradition I practice, added teachings from later Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to The Buddha's original teachings in regards to living a compassionate life to help all other beings. So Buddhism adapts the methods but never the message or teachings.