• 
• 1 answer

Typically no, but there are some meditations in the Triptaka and other Sutras that are repeated by some Buddhists while they meditate.

• 
• 1 answer

Nothing is final as of now but people are expecting that notification would come around Aug and bharti will start in Dec 2013.

• 
• 1 answer

A Buddhist would be best to answer, but here goes...

A common theme in religion and science is the inability to project time back infinitely into the past.

Christianity holds that "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth...", before which nothing but God existed.

Modern physics can project back to a singularity (the "big bang"), prior to which we can't give any description, because we can't describe the conditions that led to the singularity.

I'm guessing that Buddhism also has hit this problem - what *can* one say about the time before time began? The answer seems to be that it's a fruitless question.

Time has always been, and didn't "begin" anywhen.

++

I suspect there isn't one simple answer for all Buddhists however here's my thought. As time is relative (from a physics as well as spiritual perspective), beginningless time refers to the entire relative experience. The life of the current universe may be 50 billion years, then the process will begin again - there are countless rebirths of the universe. Time is relative to the physical condition, when the mind is no longer connected to the physical condition the orbit of the earth around the sun (relative time) is unlikely to have any absolute significance.

• 
• 2 answers

Buddha and Buddhism was and is "Antithesis" to brahminism aka hinduism!?. That means, Buddha's teachings are exact Opposite and totally against all the things referred as hinduism. For starters, hinduism is a religion never existed during Buddhas time or prior or after about 1300 years of Buddha!... What existed during Buddhas time was the "invading Aryans", who began to cause chaos and unrest in ancient India by creating meaningless vedic gods, god worshiping and rituals that are absolutely unscientific, meaningless and barbaric. The brahminic vedic teachings are created and founded on the basis of "Discrimination" of one human is superior than the other than the other. However, Buddhas teachings is founded on the principles of "all humans are equal" and every human possess great values and potentials, whereas the braminic vedic beliefs are utterly founded on some fame brahma, who's mouth came brahmans and whos should came this bs and that bs? etc?. Such a barbaric beliefs never heard of anywhere in this world and in any teachings in this world but in brahminism aka todays hinduism. In Buddhism, there is no god, no god worshiping, and no rituals, Buddha taught about human sufferings, happiness, mindfulness and how to treat fellow humans with respect and dignity, this is exactly opposite to the discriminative barbaric hinduism that believes, preaches and practices that brahmins are higher beings and only pure people, rest of all are lower beings and impure?..............such stupidity cannot find any room in Buddhas teachings. Buddhas Monasteries and Sanga or Buddhas teaching places is open to all and everyone. Whereas, the brahminic hindu temples of teachings is open only to hindus, there are numerous discrimination inside and outside hindu temples, the temple priesthood is only given to brahmins, no one else is allowed or permitted to do perform temple rituals or proceedings. The list of things are simply endless with regard to why Buddha and Buddhism is the "antithesis" of hinduism, Buddha began his path to enlightenment because of barbaric brahminisms teachings began to destroy India from within and from outside, so his beginning of finding a newer path to humanity itself based against the very hinduism. Editor, Sakyatimes dot com

• 
• 1 answer

The Buddha didn't use a word meaning "enlightenment" when he talked about the change that came to him under the Bodhi tree, the change that he taught could occur to anyone; he used a word that meant "Awake" and sometimes "liberation" or the word "nibbana" which makes reference to the cooling off/blowing out of a flame. The translation of these terms into the word "enlightenment" seems to have come from the vocabulary of westerners who lived in the Post-Enlightenment era (the 1800s).

What is meant by "awakening" is seeing the world more clearly, as opposed to our natural state in which we drift through life not paying a whole lot of attention to what's going on or how things work; this is an attempt to point out that there is a better way to see the world but it does require paying attention, and is preferable to living in a somewhat unreal dream. What is meant by "liberation" is freedom from suffering (dukkha). What is meant by the cooling of "nibbana" (aka "nirvana") is the pleasant state of equanimity reached when one has gotten good at seeing the world more accurately and therefore learned a way of being that ends self-created problems, leading to calm. That which is "blown out" is the concept of a lasting, separate, changeless self.

• 
• 1 answer

In its earliest days the appeal was in the simple clarity of the insight into human nature that was at the heart of the teaching, an insight that any individual could learn about and work on seeing for themselves -- as opposed to the sometimes arcane and secretive practices of the Brahmins of the time who kept the meaning behind of their practices to themselves. Another reason Buddhism was popular was because it was a moderate practice -- called "The Middle Way" because it avoided the extremes of overindulgence and ascetism that were some alternatives at the time.

• 
• 1 answer

• 
• 1 answer

Lord Buddha is the supreme human being who discovered the ultimate reality about all living beings which called Buddhism.

Gautama Samma Sammbuddha who attained Buddhahood in this aeon(Antah-Kalpa) with infinite intelligence, infinite power, infinite kindness, etc.

Lord Buddha is foremost for all living beings who living in three worlds (Human world, Heaven, Brhama world).

Supreme Teacher who teach how to be happy forever.

The best Supreme Being to whom by worshiping we can be a god or be reach in our next lives.

If superman ever exists he should be a Buddha.

• 
• 1 answer

Buddhist practice their beliefs by meditating on a regular basis in order to keep a clear mind and spirit, they treat their selves with kindness as well as others, and treat their bodies as their temples by eating healthy. Buddhism is a path that is a practice of spiritual development that shows a person the true insight and the nature of life. The belief is that all of us have monkey like minds jumping from one thought to another, but we can retain them through meditation. Not all Buddhist believe in God, but some do. Although there is great debate on weather it is conflict of beliefs. Some Buddhist believe in rebirth. That one will die and raise from the ground again. All Buddhist believe in non violence and the practice of meditation. The teachings of Buddha are to show ways of ever lasting happyness. India is known to be one of the most important places for Buddhism. It is also the birth place of Budda.

May I add that many Buddhist see 'letting go' of fixed views also an important part of Buddhism and the ultimate goal of meditation.

• 
• 1 answer

Sacrements and rituals are means of the mind seeking external help in its purification. The clinging mind ussually always trys to find assistance from some external thing. Instead of internal purification via mindfulness, good emotional boundries, and such.

The end of suffering, or a healthy mind never ever comes from external rituals. Only principles of mindful understanding, mindful intention, mindful speech, mindful action, mindful effort, ......etc. has ever purified the heart and mind.

The heart of wisdom is looking with in, external rituals are 99% a waste from the Buddha's stand point. So there are no sacraments in Buddhism.

• 
• 1 answer

• 
• 1 answer

Walk, Breathe, and Sleep.

• 
• 1 answer

• 
• 1 answer

The written language if Nepal in 500 BCE was Sanskrit, the language of the court in north India. Pali was the probable spoken language.

• 
• 1 answer

Although Buddhism is the perfect way of life, that depends on individuals attitudes & how they capable of committing on the teachings. Basically Buddhism teaches how to live simply & peacefully as a good human. But its teachings are quite deep. It helps you to be a kind, merciful, pleasant & wise person. Buddhist meditation is now world renowned method of stress relief. It is not easy to just explaining by few paragraphs. Learn Buddhism. No matter whether you are a christian or an Islamic or whoever. Retain your religion, but you can practice Buddhist teachings. You yourself will understand how peaceful it is."May all living beings be happy"

• 
• 1 answer

Buddhism died out in India for several reasons. The ones most often cited are the effects of the Buddha being co-opted into the pantheon of Hindu gods (where is he now seen as an avatar of Vishnu) and a campaign by Islamic believers to destroy the centers where new disciples could learn from old masters.

• 
• 1 answer

The Buddha, originally Siddhartha Gautama, was born in what is today Northeastern India. He was born a prince and what he was exposed to on the streets caused him to see death, injury, depression, and poor people. He was later enlightened under the Bodhi Tree, becoming the Buddha.

• 
• 1 answer

• 
• 1 answer

Gotama is known as the illustrious one or enlightened one inwhich most people look up to him, the Samana's are just a group of boys that detached themselves from there belongings and live in the woods.

• 
• 1 answer

Neither. If you are thinking of this in the concept of a Abraham's religion (Christianity, Islam, or Judaism), in which a prophet or messiah is a spokesman or embodiment of God.

For Buddhist, The Buddha was an enlightened person who fully understood the world and how we are to live in it, in peace, harmony and without suffering. He is our teacher and mentor.

Hindus have adopted The Buddha as as avatar of Vishnu; that is, an embodiment of Vishnu, akin to how Jesus was the embodiment of the God of Abraham.

Buddha never claimed to be a God or taught of a God. He was asked by a follower before His death; if there is God and why He didn't teach of a God. He said 'I taught you, how not to suffer. So why do you need a God? If you learn my teachings, then you can become your own God'. He taught you that your God is within you. So therefore, all you need is Nirvana and perfect Dhamma. He saw man and women suffering over a God in his younger days. So He taught you, not to worry over these things. Because it will lead to a long road. He took for many years, before coming into enlightenment. When He was younger, He would ask to why there was suffering, death and hunger. It is said that He went to almost every Brahman to learn their teachings. He would ask them all as to why there was hunger, suffering and death. All said that is a part a life. So He wanted to teach man and woman, no matter who you are, no matter, rich or poor, not to suffer. Since women could not learn from Brahmans during his time.

• 
• 1 answer

• 
• 1 answer

• 
• 1 answer

"cz it's the basis of life.Without karma you can't make dharma.

• 
• 1 answer

Historically Siddhartha Gautama, The Buddha, established the precepts and teachings that are the basis of Buddhism. Today there is no singular authority or central council that governs or oversees the religion or makes pronouncements as to what it correct and proper. There are some leaders for some sects of Buddhism. like the Dalai Lama, but he is only one of many teachers.

Any person who attains sufficient wisdom in the teachings (dhrama) from a qualified teacher can be give permission to teach others. This is called being given transmission. That new teacher can then go off and found a new temple and teach others. So leadership is diffuse and non-hierarchical.

BTW, the Term Buddhism was not coined until sometimes in the 1830's by the British. There is no equivalent term in either Pali or Sanskrit. Followers just said that they were folowers of the Dharma, or the Bodhidharma.

• 
• 1 answer

I answer this question in view of ordinary good Buddhist in Thailand which is Hinayana Buddhism and not as a buddhism expert, the Buddhism does not have rigid class or race like India .In general we respect people in our society by seniority both in our social life and in temple, secondly we respect people who has higher "seela" or morality for example we respect monks and religious persons than normal people. In the past only men who had passed his monkshood would be granted for marriage or would be regarded as full adult. In the temple the monk will respect each other and even respect seniority in years of monkshood than ages, and in this case there is hierarchy of position of monk same as in Christianity in order to take care all the monks and Buddhism according to the principles of Buddhism and present social life.