What Is Buddhism
What Is Buddhism
What Is Buddhism
Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true nature of reality. Buddhist
practices like meditation are means of changing yourself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and
wisdom. The experience developed within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable
resource for all those who wish to follow a path a path which ultimately culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhahood.
An enlightened being sees the nature of reality absolutely clearly, just as it is, and lives fully and naturally in accordance
with that vision. This is the goal of the Buddhist spiritual life, representing the end of suffering for anyone who attains it.
Because Buddhism does not include the idea of worshipping a creator god, some people do not see it as a religion in the
normal, Western sense. The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are straightforward and practical: nothing is fixed or
permanent; actions have consequences; change is possible. So Buddhism addresses itself to all people irrespective of
race, nationality, caste, sexuality, or gender. It teaches practical methods which enable people to realise and use its
teachings in order to transform their experience, to be fully responsible for their lives.
What is Buddhism?
Buddhism is a religion to about 300 million people around the world. The word comes from 'budhi', 'to awaken'. It has its
origins about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened (enlightened) at
the age of 35.
Is Buddhism a Religion?
To many, Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or 'way of life'. It is a philosophy because
philosophy 'means love of wisdom' and the Buddhist path can be summed up as:
Is Buddhism Scientific?
Science is knowledge which can be made into a system, which depends upon seeing and testing facts and stating general
natural laws. The core of Buddhism fit into this definition, because the Four Noble truths (see below) can be tested and
proven by anyone in fact the Buddha himself asked his followers to test the teaching rather than accept his word as true.
Buddhism depends more on understanding than faith.
What is Karma?
Karma is the law that every cause has an effect, i.e., our actions have results. This simple law explains a number of
things: inequality in the world, why some are born handicapped and some gifted, why some live only a short life. Karma
underlines the importance of all individuals being responsible for their past and present actions. How can we test the
karmic effect of our actions? The answer is summed up by looking at (1) the intention behind the action, (2) effects of the
action on oneself, and (3) the effects on others.
What is Wisdom?
Buddhism teaches that wisdom should be developed with compassion. At one extreme, you could be a good hearted fool
and at the other extreme, you could attain knowledge without any emotion. Buddhism uses the middle path to develop
both. The highest wisdom is seeing that in reality, all phenomena are incomplete, impermanent and do not constitute a
fixed entity. True wisdom is not simply believing what we are told but instead experiencing and understanding truth and
reality. Wisdom requires an open, objective, unbigoted mind. The Buddhist path requires courage, patience, flexibility and
intelligence.
What is Compassion?
Compassion includes qualities of sharing, readiness to give comfort, sympathy, concern, caring. In Buddhism, we can
really understand others, when we can really understand ourselves, through wisdom.