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Buddhism
Buddhism is a tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development. Buddhists strive for a deep insight into the true nature of life such as Ahinsa, Karma, and Dharma.
5,024 Questions
What are the four noble truth taught in Buddhism?
The Four Noble Truths
1. Life means suffering.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.
4. The path to the cessation of suffering.
1. Life means suffering.
To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the world we live in. During our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression. Although there are different degrees of suffering and there are also positive experiences in life that we perceive as the opposite of suffering, such as ease, comfort and happiness, life in its totality is imperfect and incomplete, because our world is subject to impermanence. This means we are never able to keep permanently what we strive for, and just as happy moments pass by, we ourselves and our loved ones will pass away one day, too.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment.
The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and -in a greater sense- all objects of our perception. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a "self" which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call "self" is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.
The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirodha. Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment. This means that suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana. Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas. Nirvana is not comprehensible for those who have not attained it.
4. The path to the cessation of suffering.
There is a path to the end of suffering - a gradual path of self-improvement, which is described more detailed in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth. The latter quality discerns it from other paths which are merely "wandering on the wheel of becoming", because these do not have a final object. The path to the end of suffering can extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirth is subject to karmic conditioning. Craving, ignorance, delusions, and its effects will disappear gradually, as progress is made on the path.
(Note: The four truths use circular reasoning to explain themselves, so they are naturally repetitive)
What is the important feature of Buddhism?
Freedom from Ignorance. As the Buddha taught "The moon reflected in a cup of water is not the moon." "Without doubt, there can be no enlightenment." "All our prejudices, hates, anger, fears, worries, are due to ignorance."
Was Siddhartha the first Buddha?
The Founder of Buddhism was the historical Buddha (which means the Fully Enlightened One), born in Nepal (year 623 B.C.) as Prince Siddhartha of the Sakya Kingdom. The natives of ancient Nepal were the Kirat people (Tamang, Sherpa, Rai, Gurung etc.), better known as the Gurkhas today.
Prince Siddhartha left Nepal (in the Himalayan mountain range) at the age of 29 years old, crossed over to ancient India and eventually gained Enlightenment (Bodhi) at the age of 35 years old, at a place subsequently named as Bodhi Gaya. He became the Buddha.
The key teachings of the Buddha, encapsulated in the Four Noble Truths, are:
1. Living a simple life of love, non-violence and compassion will result in a person getting reborn in heaven, or in good circumstances as a human being. The former is consistent with Christ's Teachings. For the latter, clinical cases of human rebirth have been extensively researched and published by Dr. Ian Stevenson, MD and university Professor.
2. Practising meditation / yoga / Zen together with point 1, will bring about spiritual happiness here and hereafter. This is consistent with Laozi's Teachings.
3. Practising points 1 and 2, together with the initial knowledge of the intrinsic nature of all worldly things (impermanence, insubstantiality and insatisfactoriness) will lead to the end of rebirth, and go beyond heavenly existence. This is termed as Nibbana (Nirvana), which the Buddha has described to us as Highest Happiness, Freedom, Unique and Beyond Space-Time Continuum. Nibbana is not existence nor extinction.
4. The precise method for point 3 is known as the Noble Eight-fold Path.
At the age of 80 years old, the historical Buddha entered into Final Nibbana (Parinibbana). 500 years later (year 57 A.D.), the Buddha appeared in a dream to the Han Emperor Mingdi, which prompted the Emperor to ask his Court the next day about 'a golden man with light shining from his neck'. This account is recorded in China's historical archives. One of the official said he had heard of a holy man in the western region, who had find immortality and whose skin was golden. Subsequently, Han Mingdi sent an expedition to found out more. This marked the spread of Buddha's Teachings from the western region (Himalayas), and also India, into the central plains of ancient China.
2600 years later, Albert Einstein said:
"There is a third stage of religious experience…the individual feels the futility of human desires…beginnings of cosmic religious feeling already appear at an early stage of development, e.g., in many of the Psalms of David and in some of the Prophets. Buddhism…contains a much stronger element of this."
Robert Oppenheimer said:
"If we ask, for instance, whether the position of the electron remains the same, we must say 'no'. If we ask whether the electron's position changes with time, we must say 'no'. If we ask whether it is in motion, we must say 'no'. The Buddha has also given such answers when asked (about Parinibbana)."
Niels Bohr said:
"For a parallel to the lesson of atomic theory...(we must turn) to those kinds of epistemological problems with which already thinkers like the Buddha and Laozi have been confronted, when trying to harmonize our position as spectators and actors in the great drama of existence."
Most likely not. I believe the old man he met on the road before giving up his previous life was enlightened. which encouraged him to become a buddha which translates into the enlighten one, to teach people how to end suffering. Also there where tons of other people at the time how could have been enlightened at the time that were not recorded in history.However Siddhartha Gautama is probably the most well known.
REALLY!
Well I believe that Siddhartha Gautama wasthe first Buddha. He was a prince, his father gave him everything he wanted. One day he left his royal palace (castle whatever) and wondered around not eating and searching for the answer on why people suffer why where they sad? He believed that if he suffered, he would find the answer. And then a bunch of other stuff happened! LOL
ALL THOUGH, YOUR PROBABLY RIGHT! XD
Only the Buddha was enlightened (awakened) without instruction.
Many have been enlightened by following his teachings.
What does the number 8 mean in Buddhism?
The number 8 is a special number in Buddhism.
It is the special number because the major symbol (the wheel) has 8 strokes.
It also represents the eight folded path and also called the middle path.
What did Siddhartha's mother dream about her son?
One night, while asleep, the Buddha's Mother, Queen Maya, had a dream that she was being carried away by four devas to Lake Anotatta, which is in the Himalayas. After bathing her in the lake, the devas clothed her, anointed her with perfumes, and flowers. Soon after a white elephant, holding a white lotus flower in its trunk, appeared and went round her three times, entering her womb through her right side. When the queen awoke she knew she had been delivered an important message, as the elephant is a symbol of greatness. According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha-to-be was residing as a Bodhisattva, in the Tusita heaven, and decided to take the shape of a white elephant to be reborn on Earth for the last time.
How was the Buddhism of the Japanese nobles different from the Buddhism of the common people?
The Buddhism stays the same, the application by the people differs.
What is a quote from the sacred text of Buddhism?
"He who is muddy is not worthy to wear the muddy robe. He who is not muddy is worthy wear the muddy robe."
"All beings tremble at punishment. To all, life is dear. Comparing others to oneself, one should neither kill nor cause suffering."
What are the Holy Buddhism building?
First off, Buddhism has no "holy" buildings as there is no god worship or traditions in Buddhism. There are are historically significant sites for events in Buddhist history, ancient temples and schools and monuments - but no holy ones.
How old is the buddism religion?
Buddha was about 80 when he died. Buddhism (his teachings) has been around for about 2500 years.
What led the development of Buddhism?
* Resentment of Hindu priests * Dissatisfaction with Hinduism * The migration of the Aryans
Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, was born in Northern India (now Nepal) about 563 BCE to King Suddhodana and his wife Queen Maha Maya, so he was born a Prince. His mother died shortly after childbirth. The hermit seer Asita told his father, the King, that his son would either grow up to be a great ruler or a great holy man. The King didn't want his son to be a Holy man so he made it that the prince was only surrounded by luxury and beauty and hid from him sickness, old age and death. At 16 Siddhartha married his cousin of the same age named Yaśodharā. They had a child named Rāhula which means fetter (think ball and chain).
At the age of 29, Siddhartha left his palace to meet his subjects. Despite his father's efforts to hide from him the sick, aged and suffering, Siddhartha was said to have seen what the real world for the first time and was deeply troubled about the fact that so many people suffer. So he left his wife and child and renounced his throne to find out the answer to why there was suffering. Now it should be noted when Buddhists speak of suffering this includes dissatisfaction (unhappiness) with the way things are. Siddhartha went to study with various gurus to try to find the answer to his question. Theses gurus had him do various types of yoga and meditation to try to help him with his quest. None of them seem to have an answer to his question though.
Siddhartha left these various gurus and joined in with a group of ascetics. Asceticism is a path in which you deprive the body in order to conquer and control the mind. He practiced asceticism fiercely, almost to the point of death. At that point he realized that neither giving in to pleasure, as he did when he was a prince, nor trying to punish the body, was the proper path to finding the answer. So he sat down and meditated under a pi-pal tree. During this meditation he discovered the root of all suffering and the path to how to overcome suffering and became enlightened.
After his enlightenment he meets up with his ascetic friends, who by now were critical of him for leaving the path of asceticism. But he explains to them what he had discovered and they were instantly converted. From there The Buddha taught for 45 years until his death at 85 converting many to his teachings and now Buddhism is the 4th largest religion in the world.
What are the major belief or practices of Buddhism?
The major belief (or teachings) of Buddhism is the Four Noble Truths. The major practice of Buddhism is the Five Noble Precepts.
What was emperor ashoka beliefs?
Emporer Ashoka's policies after he adopted a Buddhist framework were in themselves representative of Buddhist beliefs. His policies were decidedly non-violent, engendering compassion, mercy and public welfare. He developed a program of public works including universities, resthouses for travellers, irrigation projects, hospitals, among other works. All of these projects were based on the basic tenets of Buddhism: non-violence, compassion and charity.
What did Buddha say how sin can be forgiven?
The short answer is no. The long answer is that The Buddha is not a god and us Buddhists do not believe in sin. We believe that people can do unmoral things but sin is a god-based concept and Buddhists do not believe in any omnipotent god or gods.
What is Gautama's dissatisfaction with what teachings?
He was dissatisfied with the unjust effects of the caste system.
What are Buddhists sacred rules called?
"Sacred Rules" implies "God given" rules. There is no ruling deity to hand down or enforce such regulations in Buddhism, every person is responsible for their own progress towards enlightenment. Buddhists do have the Eightfold Path which are eight statements or suggestions that would help a person lead a more skillful (less painful) life.
I believe it is Buddhism, they believe that everlasting peace (Nirvana) could be achieved by leading life the simplest way, and I think like some other things like begging (for they believe that it is like lowering yourself or something) and yeah, so basically you have to be really simple and I think like meditate.
Why was Siddhartha Gautama so important to Buddhism?
The Buddha was a man who lived in ancient India. He had an experience in which he saw the fundamental, underlying nature of reality. That experience was known as his enlightenment. He is important because he taught for the rest of his life, which was another 45 years or so. During that time, he taught both what he perceived when he gained enlightenment, and he taught the steps he had taken to become enlightened.
Which is not one of the four Nobel Truths?
The Four Noble Truths are:
- All life is suffering
- All suffering is caused by desire
- There is an escape from suffering and desire
- The escape is the Eightfold Path
Anything that is not one of the above is not one of the Nobel Truths.
What country is Buddhism least evident?
This is quite hard to answer without a definition of influential. Many Buddhists practise alone without any external signs of being a Buddhist. So for example if the President of a large country was a Buddhist would this make Buddhism influential even if he was the only Buddhist?
What Buddhist year are in now?
The Buddhist calender is used mostly in Thailand, Burma, Laos and other South East Asian countries. There is a 543 years difference between the Buddhist calendar and the Gregorian calendar. Year 2011 in Europe is year 2554 in Thailand.
The difference being is that the Buddhist calender starts at the birth of The Buddha, which is supposed to be about 563 BCE, but the exact date is in question.
Answer:
Buddhism does not have a specific year numbering system like the Christians dating from the birth of their jesus Christ, Judaism's dating from the creation of the world or the Moslems dating from the year of Muhammad's arrival at the city of Medina.
How did changes in Buddhism influence art in India?
to have faith in a higher power that created the world we live in today for the creation of the world is a work of art.
