Organization of Buddhism Essay

Buddhism is the organized religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama Buddha in Indian about 500 B.C. Buddhism is the chief religion of Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Kampuchea, Laos and China. Buddhism is one of the oldest and biggest religions of the world. Its central deity was Buddha, the Enlightened One. It was founded by Siddhartha Gautama who was born 563 B.C. in Kapilavastu, just inside the borders of what is now Nepal.Buddhism beganin India as a revolt against Hinduism. The origin of the religion is described in the article Buddha. Buddha himself did not leave any writings, and his teachings were not written down until several hundred years afte rhis death. Like Christianity and Islam, Buddhism is a missionary religion. Within three hundred years after Buddhas death, it had spread throughout India and reached Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Monks and travellers carried it to other parts of Asia. Japan adopted it about the seventh century A.D. near the same sequence t he religion reached Tibet. Here it was combined with native religions. The two major divisiobs of Buddhism probably developed in Indian monasteries before 100 A.D.A. The Life of BuddhaSiddhartha Gautama was born in Kapilavastu, India (now Nepal) in about 563 BCE. At his birth, legend says, a wise military personnel told his father that Siddhartha would either become a great ruler or a great holy man, depending on what he saw of life. Determined that his son should rule after him, his father did all he could to shield Siddhartha from the problems of the outside world. Siddhartha grew up in great luxury in his fathers palace. He married a beautiful princess and had a son. Despite this, he felt that something was abstracted from his life.At the age of 29, Siddhartha had an experience that changed his life. On a secret chariot ride outside the palace, he saw a sick man, an old man and a dead man. It was the first time that he had seen people suffering. Then he saw a holy man who was ha ppy and content, despite macrocosmness poor. Siddhartha vowed to give up his luxurious life and become like the holy man. That night, he left the palace and began his search for the answer to the suffering he had seen. afterward many years of fasting and hardship, Siddhartha came to the village of Bodh Gaya. Sitting under a great tree, he closed his eyes and began to meditate. There, at last, he gained enlightenment and became the Buddha. He realized that people suffered because they always wanted more than they had.The Buddha spent the rest of his life as a monk. He traveled around India with a radical of followers, teaching people how to overcome suffering. He died, aged 80, in the town of Kushinagara in India.B. Its HistoryBuddhismBuddhism began in India as a revolt against Hinduism. The origin of the religion is described in the article Buddha. Buddha himself did not leave any writings, and his teachings were not written down until several hundred years after his death.Like Ch ristianity and Islam, Buddhism is a missionary religion. With 300 years after Buddhas death, it had spread throughout India and reached Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Monks and travelers carried it to other parts of Asia. Japan adopted it about the seventh century A.D. About the same time the religion reached Tibet. Here it was combined with native religions and developed into Lamaismo Buddhism agree to Buddhism, liberation is attained through understanding and practice of the 4 Noble Truths1. There is suffering in life.2. Suffering is caused by desire for pleasure, instauration, and prosperity.Suffering and conversion cease when one ceases such desires, leading to enlightenment, or nirvana, a blessed state in which peace, harmony, and joy are attained.4. The way, or path, to Nirvana is the multiple Path, summarized as proficient understanding Right thoughts Right speech Right conduct Right occupation Right meditation Right mindfulness Right effortThe Eightfold Path is also called the Mid dle Waybecause of its fury on avoiding such extremes as following sensuous pleasures on the one hand, and self-punishment on the other. The Buddhist must at all times observe the senior high moral principles described in the Eightfold path, which emphasizes nonviolence and the brotherhood of all.Perhaps the best-known Buddhist scriptures are the Tripitaka (Three Baskets), first written down in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in authoritative edition was prepared by the Sixth Buddhist Council at Rangoon, Burma, in 1954-56. The three Pitakas are about four times as long as the Bible.C. Other Beliefs of BuddhismBuddhisms beliefs and teachings are derived from Hinduism although on that point may be some slight variations in some concepts. Karma is a Sanskrit word of activity. The action refers to volitional acts (thoughts, deeds or spoken words that are in the control of a person) as well as the forces that arise resulting line these acts. The law of Karma describes the connection between actio ns and the resulting forces, like good action results to good Karma while bad action results to bad Karma. Good actions are described in a Buddhist belief in the Noble Eightfold Path. A Noble Eightfold Path is a path of life that has eight stages or phases.This path consists of the right views, right aspiration, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. Furthermore, the law of Karma states that there is a connection between the moral quality of mans action to the resulting condition or states. The life he has now is largely dictated by what he state and did in his past life while his next life will be determined by what he is doing and saying now. In other words, the Karma of past, reach and future events are connected by the law of cause and effect. For example, if one does something wrong like hurting or killing another human being he will have to suffer the negative consequences of these actions in his present life or another lifetime.Similarly, if he does something right he will fuck the positive consequences of that deed in his present or subsequent lifetimes. It is important to note that the law of Karma is final. No one (including divine intervention) or nothing send packing stop the law of Karma from operating in a persons life. In other words, mans destiny is dictated only by the law of Karma itself. Rebirth as the name implies, is a process of being born over and over again (unless a person attained Nirvana or release from the cycles of birth).In simpler terms, rebirth is nothing more than a movement from ones old body at death to a new body at birth or conception. Rebirth is necessary for the execution of Karma which needs more than one lifetime to be completed so that it can be rightly said that rebirth is nothing more than the transmission of ones karma. Only when all accumulated karma is paid for and desire is rooted out from a persons life that one can enter the stream that leads to Nirvana. But as long as there is delusion, greed, and aversion, which consequently fuels the desire to live, man generate karma.The Buddhists idea of Rebirth, like Karma, is derived from an Indian philosophy of Hinduism. However, the Buddhist concept of rebirth is different from Hinduism because in the Hinduism theory of rebirth there is a transmigration of mortals while the Buddhist denies the existence of self or soul (the immortal version of self). In Buddhism the idea of self or soul is merely an illusion for perceptions, consciousness, mind and body that makes up self is changing. The Buddhists argue that how can there be a self when in fact its report card is not permanent. Furthermore, Buddhists explained that the body is mortal and when it dies, consciousness and all mental activities cease, hence there is no more self and consequently there is no soul.According to Buddhism, liberation is attained through understanding and practice of the Four Noble Truths. First, is th at there is suffering in life Second, suffering is caused by desire for pleasure, existence and prosperity Third, suffering and rebirth cease when one ceases such desires, leading to enlightenment, or Nirvana, and joy are attained Fourth, the way or path, to Nirvana is the Eightfold Path summarized as right understanding, right thoughts, right speech, right conduct, right occupation, right effort, right mindfulness and right meditation.