Religions: Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion consisting of a variety of beliefs and traditions.
It is mostly based on the theories of Siddharta Gautama, whom is called Buddha ... which means The Awakened One.
There are not much historical facts available regarding Buddha. It is mostly accepted that he was the leader of a monastic order, where he lived and taught ... and that he was born in the north eastern region of India.
The story goes that he was a young prince, when an astrologer visited his father and prophesied that he would become somebody great one day. Whom he would have become supposedly depended on his experiences of life outside the palace walls.
His father was determined to see him become a king, so he kept the young prince inside the palace walls.
But at the age of 29 the prince eventually wandered off into the real world outside the palace walls and experienced the suffering of ordinary people in a series of encounters called The Four Sights.
The Four Sights consisted of encounters with an old man, a sick man, a corpse and finally with a holy man.
These 4 experiences moved him to give up the royal life life, and to follow a spiritual quest.
After extensive studies with various religious teachers, he mastered the meditative attainments that he had learned ... but he found that it did not ease or end suffering.
So he moved on to the Shramanas religious culture, where he experienced exposure to pain. He went on a fasting period that nearly killed him. He found that this religion too did not end the suffering ... but he accepted rice and milk from a village girl one day and that changed his life.
From thereon he devoted himself to Anapanasati, a meditation called The Middle Way ... a balance between self-indulgence and self-mortification.
Buddhist Concepts
a. Samsara ... the cycle of birth and death.
It is mostly based on the theories of Siddharta Gautama, whom is called Buddha ... which means The Awakened One.
There are not much historical facts available regarding Buddha. It is mostly accepted that he was the leader of a monastic order, where he lived and taught ... and that he was born in the north eastern region of India.The story goes that he was a young prince, when an astrologer visited his father and prophesied that he would become somebody great one day. Whom he would have become supposedly depended on his experiences of life outside the palace walls.
His father was determined to see him become a king, so he kept the young prince inside the palace walls.
But at the age of 29 the prince eventually wandered off into the real world outside the palace walls and experienced the suffering of ordinary people in a series of encounters called The Four Sights.
The Four Sights consisted of encounters with an old man, a sick man, a corpse and finally with a holy man.
These 4 experiences moved him to give up the royal life life, and to follow a spiritual quest.
After extensive studies with various religious teachers, he mastered the meditative attainments that he had learned ... but he found that it did not ease or end suffering.
So he moved on to the Shramanas religious culture, where he experienced exposure to pain. He went on a fasting period that nearly killed him. He found that this religion too did not end the suffering ... but he accepted rice and milk from a village girl one day and that changed his life.
From thereon he devoted himself to Anapanasati, a meditation called The Middle Way ... a balance between self-indulgence and self-mortification.
Buddhist Concepts
a. Samsara ... the cycle of birth and death.
b. Karma ... the force that drives Samsara [the personal cycle of suffering and rebirth].
c. Rebirth ... a process of a succession of life forms of a being:
1. Naraka [hell] beings whom lived in one or more Narakas.
1. Naraka [hell] beings whom lived in one or more Narakas.
2. Preta ... hungry ghosts that share space with humans.
3. Animals ... a different type of life sharing space with humans.
4. Human beings ... a realm of rebirth where Nirvana is possible.
5. Asuras ... demons, titans and anti-gods.
6. Devas ... gods, spirits and angels.
Although Buddhism remained mostly popular in Asia, it spreaded throughout the world.
Today, the lower estimates of the Buddha followers are around 350 million followers throughout the globe.
Although Buddhism remained mostly popular in Asia, it spreaded throughout the world.
Today, the lower estimates of the Buddha followers are around 350 million followers throughout the globe.
FIN
2. http://siqik.blogspot.com/2013/01/religions-muslim-belief.html
3. http://siqik.blogspot.com/2013/01/religions-buddhism.html
4. http://siqik.blogspot.com/2013/04/religions-scientology.html
5. http://siqik.blogspot.com/2013/05/religions-atheism-and-satanism.html
6. http://siqik.blogspot.com/2013/05/religions-christianity.html
3. http://siqik.blogspot.com/2013/01/religions-buddhism.html
4. http://siqik.blogspot.com/2013/04/religions-scientology.html
5. http://siqik.blogspot.com/2013/05/religions-atheism-and-satanism.html
6. http://siqik.blogspot.com/2013/05/religions-christianity.html
