Background
Buddhism
developed in India, and is based on many of the core concepts of Hinduism..The
Basics
Founder-Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, which means "enlightened
one."
 Geographic Origin-Developed in India.
Currently Practiced-Most common in Southeast Asia and Japan..
Significant Writings-Tripitka, or Three Baskets of Wisdom.
Places of Worship-Buddhism may be practiced individually, but temples
and monasteries do exist.
Significant Religious People-The Dalai
Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan
sect of Buddhism, and is considered to be the reincarnation
of the bodhisattva, or "Buddha-to-be." Buddhist
monks can be identified by their traditional orange robes.
Teachings and Beliefs
Siddhartha was born into the Brahmin caste, and by all account led a
luxurious lifestyle. However, he was troubled by the human misery that he
saw around him everyday. Upon reflection, he deduced that desire was the
root caused of all suffering. This idea has been recorded as the Four
Noble Truths.
Four Noble Truths
Siddhartha's philosophy of the nature of human suffering
and its relation to desire is articulated by these four statements:
- Life
is full of pain and suffering.
- Human desire
causes this suffering.
- By
putting an end to desire, humans can end suffering.
- Humans
can end desire by following the Eightfold Path.
Eightfold Path
The Wheel of Life is one of the most important symbols of Buddhism,
as it represents the endless cycle of life through reincarnation and
because each of its eight spokes represents one of the teachings of the Eightfold
Path.
- Know that suffering is caused by desire.
- Be selfless and love all life.
- Do not lie, or speak without cause.
- Do not kill, steal, or commit other unrighteous acts.
- Do not do things which promote evil.
- Take effort to promote righteousness.
- Be aware of your physical actions, state of mind, and emotions.
- Learn to meditate.
Reincarnation
Buddhists believe in an endless cycle of reincarnation, or samsara,
which is similar to beliefs of Hinduism. However, Buddhists do not believe
that deities are responsible for the phenomenon. In addition, the
Caste
System is rejected by Buddhists who believe instead that one is reincarnated
until they can achieve
nirvana, best described as spiritual
enlightenment.
The concept of reincarnation can best be illustrated using an infinity
symbol:
 Web
Resources
Buddhism
(Ontario Consultants)
Essentials of
Buddhism (Saresh Ramaswamy)
The
Geography of Buddhism (Morehead University)
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