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Buddhism originated from the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha. He sought to understand the suffering of life and found enlightenment under a bodhi tree, developing the philosophy of Buddhism. The core of Buddhism is the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, which teaches that suffering can be overcome by eliminating craving and following a path of right understanding, thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. Buddhism spread across India and other parts of Asia as Buddha's followers formed monastic communities to live simply and spread his teachings.
Buddhism originated from the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha. He sought to understand the suffering of life and found enlightenment under a bodhi tree, developing the philosophy of Buddhism. The core of Buddhism is the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, which teaches that suffering can be overcome by eliminating craving and following a path of right understanding, thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. Buddhism spread across India and other parts of Asia as Buddha's followers formed monastic communities to live simply and spread his teachings.
Buddhism originated from the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha. He sought to understand the suffering of life and found enlightenment under a bodhi tree, developing the philosophy of Buddhism. The core of Buddhism is the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, which teaches that suffering can be overcome by eliminating craving and following a path of right understanding, thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. Buddhism spread across India and other parts of Asia as Buddha's followers formed monastic communities to live simply and spread his teachings.
dawn, Like bubbles on a fast moving stream, Like morning dewdrops evaporating on blades of grass, Like a candle flickering in a stormy wind, echoes, mirages, and phantoms hallucinations and like a dream. -Siddhartha Gautama Introduction to Buddhism Another major Eastern tradition is Buddhism, contained in the teachings of its founder, Siddhartha Gautama or the Buddha Out of the life experience and teaching of highborn Prince Gautama of the Sakya clan in the kingdom of Magadha, who lived from 560 to 477 BC, sprang the religious philosophy we know as Buddhism. Turning away from Hindu polytheism and palace pleasures. Siddhartha Gautama began search for answers to the riddle of life’s sufferings, disease, old age, and death. He explored Brahminic philosophies, then tried the rigors of asceticism, but all to no avail. Finally, while resting and meditating in a grove of trees, he came to a clear realization that the solution lays in his own mind (Puligandla 1997). From here on, Gautama’s life was devoted to sharing his ”Dharma” or Law of Salvation-a simple presentation of the gospel of inner cultivation 0f right spiritual attitudes, coupled with a self-imposed discipline whereby bodily desires would be channeled in the right directions. Siddhartha Gautama He omitted any appeal to the gods as currently conceived; definitely rejected philosophical speculations; and spurned all recourse to ancient scriptures, outmoded rituals, or priestly incantations. Convinced that the way of escape from pain and misery lay in the transformation of one's mind and that liberation could come only with a sloughing off ofall vain clinging to the things of this life. Buddha set about sharing his discovery with anyone who would listen to him. Teaching of Buddha Has been set forth traditionally in the ”Four Noble Truths" leading to the "Eightfold Path" to perfect character or arhatship, which in turn gave assurance of entrance into Nirvana at death. In the Four Noble Truths, Gautama taught: (1) life is full of suffering; (2) suffering is caused by passionate desires, lusts, cravings; (3) only as these are obliterated, will suffering cease; (4) such eradication of desire may be accomplished only by following the Eightfold Path of earnest endeavor. The Eightfold Path Briefly, these eight steps are: (1) right belief in and acceptance of the "Fourfold Truth”; (2) right aspiration for one’s self and for others; (3) right speech that harms no one; (4) right conduct, motivated by goodwill toward all human beings; (5) right means of livelihood, or earning one's living by honorable means; (6) right endeavor, or effort to direct one’s energies toward wise ends; (7) right mindfulness in choosing topics for thought; and (8) right meditation, or concentration to the point of complete absorption in mystic ecstasy. For Velasquez (1999),"ltems 1 and 2 enjoin us to develop wisdom, items 35 urge us to practice virtue and avoid vice, and items 6-3 tell us to practice meditation. We do this essentially by following three short axioms: cease to do evil, learn to do good, and purify your own mind." The way to salvation, .in other words,‘ lies through self- abnegafiom rigid discipline of mind and body, 'a consuming love for all living creatures, and the final achievement of that state of consciousness which marks an individual‘s full preparation for entering the Nirvana (enlightened wisdom) of complete selflessness. In this state, the effects of the Law of Cause and Effect (Karma) are overcome; the Cycle of Rebirth is broken; and one may rest in the calm assurance of having attained a heavenly bliss that will stretch into all eternity. Before long, the Buddha found himself surrounded by an increasing number of adherents- men like himself, willing to leave the comforts of home, don the robe of the monk and, with staff in one hand and begging bowl in the other, follow their leader as wandering mendicants. These were later organized into the Sangha, or Order of Monks and later of nuns also. With single hearted purpose, this brotherhood of believers dedicated itself to a life of self- purification, in total loyalty to the Buddha, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. It likewise committed itself to a life of poverty whose sole aim was the "evangelization" of India through their dissemination of doctrine of the Middle Way between extreme asceticism and self-indulgence (Puliganla 2007). Monastic Life
Refrain from harming living beings.
Refrain from taking that which is not freely given. Refrain from sexual misconduct. Refrain from wrong speech; such as lying, idle chatter, malicious gossip or harsh speech. Refrain from intoxicating drink and drugs which lead to carelessness. Four States of Sublime Condition The Buddhist practice the four states of sublime condition: love, sorrow of others, joy in the joy of others and equanimity as regards one's own joy and sorrows. Buddhism, similar to Hinduism and other religions is a matter of practice. Death of Buddha A certain unity prevailed in the Order and in the interpretations given to the Dharma during the Bhudda's lifetime. However, after his death, a need was felt for putting the sayings of Buddha into writing, or at least for getting them fixed in the oral tradition. About 477 B.C.,about 500 disciples gathered in the First Council at Rajagaha and together recited and chanted the precepts now found in the Triptaka. Second and Third Order A Century later, in the Second Council at Vesali, in ca. 383 or 373 B.C. it was found desirable to make changes to ease the burden of Buddhist discipline. During King Ashoka's time, about 273 B.C., Buddhism flourished despite sectarian differences In the Third Council in 245 B.C. a serious effort was made to reform and reorganize the Order, after which the more ardent Buddhists embarked upon a program of expansion. Under Ashoka‘s royal patronage, missionaries were sent south to Ceylon and eastward to Burma Siam (Thailand), bearing the orthodox message of original Buddhism (Ramos 2010). We close this section by noting that the freedom of thought and intellectual independence of Buddhism are unique in the history or religions. The Buddha insisted that no one accepts his teaching merely out of reverence for him, but that each human being subjects the teaching to rigorous reflection and analysis and accept it only after all doubts and perplexities are overcome (Puligandla 2007). The subsequent discussions historically present the Western thinking. The readers shall be acquainted with some key notions that have helped in the formation oi the Westerners‘ understanding of one’s self and the world.