Buddhism

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Part of a on Buddhism

History of Buddhism Timeline of Buddhism Buddhist councils

Foundations Four Noble Truths Noble Eightfold Path The Five Precepts Nirvāna · Three Jewels

Buddhism In Depth Three marks of existence Skandha · Karma · Dharma Samsara · Rebirth · Shunyata Pratitya-samutpada · Cosmology

Major Figures Gautama Buddha Sariputta · Moggallana Ananda · Mahakashyapa

Buddhahood · Bodhisattva Four stages of enlightenment Paramis · meditation

Buddhism by Region Southeast Asia · East Asia Tibet · India · Western

Schools of Buddhism Theravada · Mahāyāna Vajrayāna · Early schools

Texts Pali Suttas · Mahayana Sutras Vinaya · Abhidhamma

Buddhist Culture List of Buddhist Topics This box: [ view] • [ talk] • [ edit]

Buddhism (also known as Buddha Dharma, meaning approximately Law of the Awakened One) is a religion, a practical philosophy, and arguably a psychology, focusing on the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni (Siddhārtha Gautama), who lived in ancient India most likely from the mid-6th to the early 5th century BCE. Buddhism spread throughout the Indian subcontinent in the five centuries following the Buddha's passing, and propagated into Central, Southeast, and East Asia over the next two millennia. Today, Buddhism is divided primarily into three traditions: Theravāda (Sanskrit: Sthaviravāda), Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna. Buddhism continues to attract followers worldwide, and, with about 708 million adherents, it is considered a major world religion. Buddhism is the fourth-largest religion in the world.

When used in a generic sense, a Buddha is generally considered to be a person who discovers the true nature of reality through years of spiritual cultivation, investigation of the various religious practices of his time, and meditation. This transformational discovery is called bodhi - literally, "Awakening" (more commonly called "Enlightenment"). Any person who has become awakened from the "sleep of ignorance" by directly realizing the true nature of reality is called a Buddha. Śākyamuni is said to have been only the latest of many of these; there were other Buddhas before him and there will be others in the future. According to the Buddha, any person can follow his example and become enlightened through the study of his words "Dharma" and putting them into practice, by leading a virtuous, moral life, and purifying his mind. Concisely put the aim of Buddhist practice is to put an end to this mass of suffering we call existence. "I teach one thing and one thing only: suffering and the end of suffering" (The Buddha). To achieve this state, adherents train and purify the mind by following the Noble Eightfold Path, and the Middle Way, eventually arriving at an understanding of the true nature of all things, thus ending (nirodha) all ignorance and unhappiness and attaining liberation:

1. ↑  Sarvabuddhavishayavatarajñanalokalamkarasutra as cited by Elías Capriles in [The Four Schools of Buddhist Philosophy]: Clear Discrimination of Views Pointing at the Definitive Meaning. The Four Philosophical Schools of the Sutrayana Traditionally Taught in Tibet with Reference to the Dzogchen Teachings. Published on the Web.
2. ↑  Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Dream Yoga And The Practice Of Natural Light. Edited and introduced by Michael Katz, Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, NY, ISBN 1−55939−007−7, p. 42
3. ↑  Dr. A. Berzin. [Alaya and Impure Appearance-Making]
4. ↑  Elías Capriles. [Buddhism and Dzogchen]: the Doctrine of the Buddha and the Supreme Vehicle of Tibetan Buddhism. Part 1 - Buddhism: a Dzogchen Outlook. Published on the Web.
5. ↑  Thanissaro Bhikkhu. [Refuge: An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha]. Third edition, revised, 2001

External links

• [Introduction to Buddhism]
• [What Is Buddhism and What Is Not: The Four Pillars of Buddhism]
• [Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery - Sri Lanka]
• [About Buddhism - the Teachings of Buddha]
• [E-Sangha Buddhism Portal]
• [His Holiness The Dalai Lama teachings on Buddhism]
• [Hongaku Jodo, a major American movement of Pure Land Buddhism]
• [Access to Insight] Readings in Theravada Buddhism.
• [Ashoka the eDharma university] Very high-quality online courses.
• [BuddhaNet]
• [BuddhaChat.org] - A Buddhist's learning community.
• [Buddhism.about.com]
• [Buddhist Studies WWW Virtual Library]: the Internet guide.
• [DharmaNet]
• [Encyclopedia of Religion Buddhism article]
• [Essentials of Buddhism]
• [Photographic & Tactile exhibition by Doug Blane at The Open University 2006]
• [ReligionFacts.com on Buddhism] facts, glossary, timeline and articles.
• [Tathagatagarbha Buddhism] five of the main "tathagatagarbha" sutras in full (or in part)
• ["Nirvana Sutra Buddhism": full text and discussion of the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra]
• [Journal of Global Buddhism] by Charles S. Prebish, Pennsylvania State University (USA) and Martin Baumann, University of Lucerne (Switzerland)
• [link] by Radhika Abeysekera The Appeal of Buddhism in the West
• [Zen Guide: Comprehensive Guide to Zen and Buddhism] Principles, Practice Guides, Active Discussion Forum, Organization Directory, full text of key Sutras and other books.

 

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