Quote:
Originally Posted by THEWAULRUS  Buddhism translates to the teachings of the awakened one. ( It’s referring to Buddha) It is a very peaceful religion. You have to purify your mind by meditating, and living a virtuous and moral lifestyle. In Buddhism, the goal is to reach a certain state of mind called Nirvana. (Nirodha) The religion follows the Four Noble Truths. They basically state that everything is suffering and you must rid yourself of humanly possessions and worldly attachments in order to reach Nirvana. The religion is currently practiced around India and Tibet. This is one of the most peaceful religions in the world. No wars have been started that involved this religion. |
There are a couple of clarifications I’d like to make:
Buddhism doesn’t say that everything is suffering; it says that there can be a lot of suffering in life. Suffering is caused by desire and clinging to things, as well as our actions. It’s like hey life can suck, but here’s a way you can make it better.
While Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths, Buddhists follow the Eightfold Path (which was also taught by the Buddha).
Furthermore, the goal is not so much to reach Nirvana but to alleviate the suffering of yourself and others and to become enlightened. Once you become enlightened you can then enter Nirvana. Nirvana has several definitions, one of which is to become one with your karma.
Here are some other points about Buddhism and its teachings:
Buddhists do not worship the Buddha. He is a teacher that they strive to emulate.
Buddhism is more laid back. It’s not like “THOU SHALL NOT….” It’s more like, “If you do something bad sooner or later it will come back to bite you in the ass.”
Buddhism has the very interesting element of being non-theistic. The Buddha did not discuss God even when asked to, nor is there any discussion about how we got here. God is irrelevant to Buddhism. Another interesting element is that questioning is OK. There is a sutra about how one should not believe something because a priest, sage, etc. said so or just because it is written down in holy books.
Buddhism is much more compatible with science. I don’t know of any of the Buddha’s teachings that have been disproved. It also seems to have an increased longevity and greater adaptability. Take homosexuality for instance; in regards to sexuality, Buddhism has an admonition against “sexual misconduct.” It is thus open to interpretation and that interpretation can change based on the culture that adopts the teachings (which it has).
Buddhists do not believe in reincarnation, they believe in rebirth. This may seem like semantics, but there is a distinct difference.
In regards to Buddhist history, Buddhism grew out of Hinduism sort of like Christianity grew out of Judaism.
Buddhism is far more widespread than you imply; and though it originated in India, there is actually only a very small Buddhist population there. There are two major branches of Buddhism, as well as multiple sects. Tibetan Buddhism is probably the most familiar to people because of the Dalai Lama; however, it is also very different from the other versions. Zen, which is one sect that originated in Japan, is very different from Tibetan, for instance. As Buddhism spread, it integrated beliefs and traditions from the cultures it was incorporated into; which is why the Buddhism practiced in Japan is so different than what is practiced in Tibet.
That’s enough on Buddhism for now…
