About Buddhism

The Great Buddha Statue located in India. A traditional representation of the Buddha. 

Buddhism is one of the prevalent religions throughout the continent of Asia, and throughout the world. With over 500 million followers comprising 7% of the world population, it is the fourth largest religion in the world.  It is both a religion and a philosophy that was developed from the teachings of the Buddha, which in Sanskrit translates to the “Awakened One”. There are a variety of Buddhist schools that vary on their views of the path to liberation, the importance of various writings and scriptures, and the emphasized methods of practice. Despite the existence of a wide variety of schools, they are united in agreement on the idea that suffering is inherent in human life and desire because the things that we desire are transient.

This is a traditional Tibetan Mandala, one of the forms of art most closely associated with Buddhism because of its ability to serve as a reminder of impermanence when created using sand. 

The Origins of Buddhism

Buddhism arose in Northern India between the 6th and 4th century B.C.E. Buddhism originated as a religious sect in Northeast India that developed as a result of discontent with various aspects of Hinduism. The original Buddhist sect was in part defined by the presence of a charismatic leader, as can be found in most prevailing religions of the modern day. It is believed by historians that the historical Buddha lived sometime between 560 B.C.E. and  370 B.C.E. The Buddha lived in northern India, and was born a warrior in a ruling clan. He grew up in a life of luxury, but when he first witnessed suffering, he was so harrowed that he made the decision to  denounce his family and wealth. He began practicing meditation followed by extreme self-denial and suppression of his appetites and desires. He eventually realized that mortification was not going to free him of suffering, so he began meditating under a tree where he eventually achieved enlightenment, and discovered what are now known as the Four Noble Truths. He then took on the role of charismatic leader, and spent the remainder of his life spreading his findings and message, and establishing monastic orders.

As time went on Buddhism split into a variety of different schools, the first two being Mahayana and Hinayana. These different schools developed as a result of Buddhism’s introduction to different geographical regions, cultures, and general schools of thought as it propagated out to new geographical regions and forward in time. Throughout the evolution of Buddhism, the core ideas and beliefs of the religion remained intact and consistent

This is an image of a group of young monks in traditional Buddhist Saffron robes performing a sitting meditation. Sitting meditation is the practice most commonly associated with Buddhism.

Fundamental Buddhist Principles and Practices

The goal of Buddhist practice is to follow the “path” taught by the Buddha in order to dispel the ignorance that leads to this desire and suffering. According to Buddhist thought, everything is impermanent including people. Because nothing in our world is permanent, there can be no permanent idea of self, like that which exists in most societies and schools of thought. Instead, there are 5 constituents of human existence that describe what we usually think of as components of self, such as sensations, feelings, and thoughts, while acknowledging that all components are constantly changing with no underlying self that has inherent and unchanging attributes.  

Buddhism is generally centered on the Four Noble Truths which represent the fundamental realities of the world that we live in. The Four Noble Truths are:

1. The existence of suffering

2. This suffering arises from our desires for impermanent states

3. This desire and therefore suffering can be ended

4. Desire and suffering are ended by following a path to enlightenment, most commonly the eightfold path.

The eightfold path is a series of practices that a Buddhist must follow in order to achieve enlightenment. The eightfold path teaches that through discipline, restraint, and mindfulness, one can free himself of craving and clinging to the impermanent, and reach enlightenment. The eightfold path consists of:

• Right View

• Right Thought

• Right Speech

• Right Action

• Right Livelihood

• Right Effort

• Right Mindfulness

• Right Contemplation.

By following the Eightfold Path, one can rid themselves of the delusions of the world, and reach enlightenment. There are also a series of moral values that are emphasized by Buddhism. The most emphasized moral values are the Five Offenses or Precepts that should not be performed:

1. Killing

2. Stealing

3. Sexual misconduct

4. Lying

5. Intoxicants

Monastic Buddhists and Monasteries have additional rules that they are expected to abide by, however, all buddhist are held to the moral code that prohibits The Five Offenses.

Although the exact practice of Buddhism differs between the various schools, there are again some fundamental practices that are core to all schools of Buddhism. The first of these practices is respect and reverence to the Buddha, demonstrated through displays of respect to the Buddha, meditation on the ideas and teachings of the Buddha, and giving gifts to relics of the Buddha. The second fundamental component of Buddhist practice is the interaction between Monks and non-monastic Buddhists. Monks offer the general population of Buddhists a higher level of spiritual awareness and enlightenment, while non-monastic Buddhists give monks material items, primarily food, in a similar fashion to a sacrifice or offering to  a religious figure.  

Independent of the exact school of Buddhism practiced, there are some fundamental ideas and practices that unify all modern variants of Buddhism. The most fundamental of these unifying beliefs and practices are the understanding of the Four Noble Truths, the belief that following the Eightfold Path will lead to Enlightenment, the moral code that prohibits the Five Precepts, and the practice of veneration of the Buddha and interaction between Monks and laypeople.