Buddhism: An Overview
Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (commonly known as the Buddha). As nearly all religions it is comprised of a variety of beliefs, traditions and practices. Many people think of Buddhism as a path of liberation that can be achieved through insight into the ultimate nature of reality (Glasenapp).
Buddha: the Man and Symbol
One of the unique characteristics about Buddhism is that the term "Buddha" can refer to both a historical person and as an achievable goal of enlightenment.
Siddhartha Gautama (The Man): Known commonly as The Buddha, he was thought to have lived and taught in the northeastern region of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 4th Centuries B.C.E.. He is recognized by his followers as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help humans end suffering, achieve nirvana and escape what is seen as a cycle of suffering and rebirth.
Buddha (The Symbol): The word "Buddha" literally means " awakened one" in Sanskrit (a language spoken in India". The term "Buddha" is more than the historical name of the man mentioned above. "Buddha" is seen as an ideal of enlightenment and as a symbol of wisdom, compassion and absolute reality. What's commonly unknown is that anyone can become a "Buddha". Indeed, a "Buddha" is someone who has realized the enlightenment that ends the cycle of birth and death and which brings liberation from suffering.
Siddhartha Gautama (The Man): Known commonly as The Buddha, he was thought to have lived and taught in the northeastern region of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 4th Centuries B.C.E.. He is recognized by his followers as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help humans end suffering, achieve nirvana and escape what is seen as a cycle of suffering and rebirth.
Buddha (The Symbol): The word "Buddha" literally means " awakened one" in Sanskrit (a language spoken in India". The term "Buddha" is more than the historical name of the man mentioned above. "Buddha" is seen as an ideal of enlightenment and as a symbol of wisdom, compassion and absolute reality. What's commonly unknown is that anyone can become a "Buddha". Indeed, a "Buddha" is someone who has realized the enlightenment that ends the cycle of birth and death and which brings liberation from suffering.
The Essence of Buddha's Teachings
Most Buddhist scholars believe that Buddha's teachings boil down to avoiding harming others and helping them as much as possible. This frequently quoted verse sums it all up:
Abandon negative action;
Create perfect virtue;
Subdue your own mind.
This is the teaching of the Buddha.
Abandon negative action;
Create perfect virtue;
Subdue your own mind.
This is the teaching of the Buddha.
Noble Eight-Fold Path
The Noble Eight-Fold Path is one of Buddha's teachings. Buddhists claim that it leads to the cessation of suffering - known as dukkha - and the achievement of self-awakening. Follow this link to learn more about the Eight-Fold Path: Noble Eight-Fold Path
Three Schools of Buddhism
There is disagreement among scholars and theologians as to how many schools or traditions of Buddhism exist today. While some Buddhists tend to classify themselves into as either Theravada or Mahayana, there is growing argument to include Vajrayana Buddhism as well. We will discuss all three of these schools below.
Although there are differences between these three major schools of Buddhism, there are also many common beliefs. They are
Although there are differences between these three major schools of Buddhism, there are also many common beliefs. They are
- All accept the Buddha as their teacher
- All accept the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, the Nobel Eightfold Path, and the Three Marks of Existence in theory. However, in practice these have more importance in some schools than others.
- All believe that regular people can achieve enlightenment
- All consider "buddhahood" to be the highest attainment
Theravada Buddhism
Map showing the spread of Theravada from Sri Lanka
Theravada is primarily practiced in Sri Lanka, Burma, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. It is the oldest surviving Buddhist school and is generally known as a relatively conservative Buddhist tradition. It was founded in India. Theravada scriptures were orally transmitted for a few centuries, before finally being written down during the last century B.C.E. in Sri Lanka. It was the first school to transcribe all of its teachings and concepts into writing.
Mahayana Buddhism
Ruins of Nalanda University in North India
Mahayana Buddhism began to thrive in India during the fifth century AD. During this time centers of learning were created, the most famous being Nalanda University. One distinguishing characteristic of Mahayana Buddhism is that it recognizes all of the Mahayana Sutras. These are a very broad genre of Buddhist scriptures which members of Mahayana Buddhism believe are the original teachings of Buddha. Theravada Buddhists and Vajrayana Buddhists claim that the Mahayana Sutras were not taught by Buddha, but are later compositions.
Vajrayana Buddhism
A Buddhist ceremony in Ladakh, India
Vajrayana Buddhism is the newest of the three major Buddhist Schools coming into form around the sixth or seventh century. From India, it spread to China, Mongolia and Tibet. In China, Vajrayana became obsolete, but several characteristics of the religion continued on in other religious traditions. It flourished in Tibet, where it is the main form of Buddhism. What separates Vajrayana Buddhism from the other two main schools of Buddhism is its emphasis on ritual. Instead of meditation, Vajrayana Buddhists perform rituals that they believe leads to enlightenment.
Timeline: Development of Buddhist Traditions
Below is a power point presentation about various topics within Buddhism.
buddhism_ppt.pptx | |
File Size: | 704 kb |
File Type: | pptx |