RELG 402 - World's Living Religions
Notes on Buddhism
Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha (Enlightened One), in southern Nepal in the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.
Siddhartha Gautama was born into a Hindu royal family, and was protected from contact with the outside world until he was a young man.
The Buddha achieved enlightenment through meditation and gathered a community of monks to carry on his teachings.
Buddhism teaches that meditation and the practice of good religious and moral behavior can lead to Nirvana, the state of enlightenment, although before achieving Nirvana one is subject to repeated lifetimes that are good or bad depending on one's actions (karma).
The doctrines of the Buddha describe temporal life as featuring "four noble truths" :
- Existence is a realm of suffering
- Desire, along with the belief in the importance of one's self, causes suffering
- Achievement of Nirvana ends suffering
- Nirvana is attained only by meditation and by following the path of righteousness in action, thought, and attitude.
Buddhism was originally primarily an atheistic religion, but it has developed in many places into a religion of worship for its founder, Prince Siddhartha, known as Buddha.
Theravada Buddhism is one of the earliest forms of Buddhism, and is dominant in much of southeast Asia, including Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand. Its main focus is upon the attainment of nirvana and the extinguishing of the unenlightened self. Nirvana is considered to be accessible to monks and nuns - lay people may collect merit by giving food to monks and nuns, but must hope for another cycle of reincarnation as an ascetic before they can attain nirvana.
Mahayana Buddhism or the "Great Vehicle" arose in opposition to Theravada Buddhism (which it describes as the "Lesser Vehicle"). Mahayana Buddhism claims to be a better path, in that it allows for more participation by lay people. It stresses the role of the bodhisattva - a person who is enlightened, but who delays his own nirvana so as to be able to help others along the path to enlightenment.
Vajrayana Buddhism (Thunderbolt, or Diamond vehicle) has incorporated shamanistic and tantric practices, and is associated with Tibet. It also spread to Mongolia
Zen Buddhism or Chan Buddhism developed in China, then spread to Korea and Japan. Zen uses koans to startle the disciple with sudden questions designed to bring in a new way of thought. For example "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
Pure Land Buddhism is also associated with Japan, and focuses on taking refuge in the Buddha Amida (the Buddha of Boundless Light), who will bring the devotees to the "pure land" when they die.
Copyright © 1999 Shirley J. Rollinson, all Rights Reserved
