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Mythology 979
The Great Ennead. The earliest information scholars
have about Egyptian mythology comes from hieroglyphics (picture writings) on the walls of tombs, such as the
burial chambers in pyramids. These "pyramid texts" and
other documents reveal that from about 3200 to 2250
B.C. the Egyptians believed in a family of nine gods. This
family became known as the Great Ennead, from the
Greek word ennea, meaning nine. The gods of the Great
Ennead were Atum (AH tuhm), Shu (shoo), Tefnut (TEHF
nuht), Geb (gehb), Nut (noot), Osiris (oh SY rihs), Isis (EYE
sihs), Nephthys (NEHF thihs), and Horus (HOH ruhs).
The term Ennead later came to include other deities
as well. One of them was Nun (noon), who symbolized a
great ocean that existed before the creation of the earth
and the heavens. Another of these deities was the sun
god, called Re or Ra. The Egyptians considered Re both
the ruler of the world and the first divine pharaoh.
The first god of the Great Ennead was Atum. He was
sometimes identified with the setting sun. Atum also
represented the source of all gods and all living things.
Re created a pair of twins, Shu and his sister, Tefnut. Shu
was god of the air. Tefnut was goddess of the dew. Shu
and Tefnut married and also produced twins, Geb and
his sister, Nut. Geb was the earth god and the pharaoh
Detail of a papyrus scroll (about 1025 B.C.); Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, Museum Excavations and Rogers Fund, 1930
of Egypt. Nut represented the heavens. Geb and Nut
married, but the sun god Re opposed the match and ordered their father, Shu, to lift Nut away from Geb into
the sky. Shu's action separated the heavens from the
earth. Nut had speckles on her body, and the speckles
became the stars.
The Osiris myth. In spite of their separation, Geb and
Nut had several children. These included three of the
most important divinities in Egyptian mythology—Osiris,
Isis, and Seth.
Originally, Osiris may have been god of vegetation,
especially of the plants that grew on the rich land along
the Nile. The goddess Isis may have represented female
fertility. Seth was god of the desert, where vegetation
withers and dies from lack of water.
Geb retired to heaven. Osiris then became pharaoh
and took Isis as his queen. Seth grew jealous of Osiris’s
position and killed him. In some versions of this myth,
Seth cut Osiris’s body into pieces, stuffed the pieces into
a box, and set the box afloat on the Nile. Isis refused to
accept her husband's death as final. She searched for
Osiris’s remains with the aid of her sister Nephthys and
several other gods and goddesses. Isis finally found the
remains. With the help of other divinities, she put the
Detail of a painting (300’s B.C.) on a Greek vase; the Louvre, Paris
Osiris, Egyptian god of the afterlife, judged the souls of the dead. In this painting, the jackalheaded god Anubis uses a balance scale to weigh a human heart, in the left pan, against objects
representing truth and justice, in the right pan. Osiris, sitting at the right, makes the judgment.
creates eight healing properties, one for each plant.
Scholars have noted many parallels between the Sumerian myth and the story of Adam and Eve in the Bible, in
which eating forbidden fruit brings with it a curse.
Another parallel with Christianity, Islam, and Judaism
is found in the story of Ziusudra (zee oo SOO druh), a
Sumerian king. In this story, the gods decide to destroy
humanity with a great flood. Enki warns Ziusudra of the
disaster. Ziusudra builds a boat and survives the deluge.
After seven days, Utu, the sun-god, disperses the waters
and Ziusudra and his wife step out onto dry land. Ziusudra and his wife make a sacrifice to the gods and are rewarded with eternal life. Ziusudra is sometimes called
the “Sumerian Noah” because his story resembles the
story of Noah in the Bible.
Babylonian mythology. Babylon, a great city on the
banks of the Euphrates River, served as the capital of the
ancient region of Babylonia and as a major religious
center of the ancient world from about 1894 B.C. until
539 B.C. The Babylonians combined old stories about
Sumerian gods with newer stories.
One of the most famous of these Babylonian stories of
mixed origin is the Epic of Gilgamesh. It describes the
adventures of the hero Gilgamesh, who struggles with
the problem of being mortal. The earliest verses were
composed in southern Mesopotamia before about 2000
B.C. Fragments of the story appear in writings found in
Syria and Turkey, showing that the tale was popular
throughout the ancient Middle East. The Epic of Gilgamesh also includes an account of a flood that resembles the story of Noah’s ark in the Bible. Many scholars
believe the Mesopotamian myths and Biblical accounts
are related. See Gilgamesh, Epic of.
A major figure in Babylonian mythology is Marduk
(MAHR duhk). He was son of the god Ea (AY uh), the
Babylonian name for the Sumerian god of wisdom Enki.
Marduk was originally a warrior-god of the city of Babylon. As Babylon emerged as a powerful city in Mesopotamia, Marduk became the most important god of the
area. He was called the "great lord, the lord of heaven
and earth." Babylonian stories describe how he rose to
power, taking over the roles of many Sumerian deities.
Marduk’s power was said to lie in his wisdom, which he
used to help the good and punish the wicked.
Babylonian creation myths differ from Sumerian creation stories. The Babylonians believed the universe
arose from the fierce female sea monster called Tiamat
(TEE ah maht), rather than from the gentle ocean goddess Nammu of Sumerian mythology. Scholars believe
Tiamat may be the basis for Leviathan, a giant sea serpent described in the Bible, and also the inspiration for
Typhon, a monster from Greek mythology. According to
the Babylonian myth, the god Ea kills Tiamat’s mate,
Apsu, leading Tiamat to wage war against all the gods.
Marduk later defeats Tiamat and uses parts of her shattered body to create Earth.
The Greek gods, after defeating the Titans, fought a
war against the giants. The
giants were born from the
blood of Uranus, father of the
Titans. In this scene, Zeus,
center, strikes at the giants
with a thunderbolt. Hercules,
kneeling, aims an arrow at a
giant. Athena, lower left, attacks another giant with her
spear. The war against the giants was a popular theme in
Greek art.
Egyptian mythology
The Nile River plays an important part in Egyptian
mythology. As the Nile flows northward through Egypt,
it creates a narrow ribbon of fertile land in the midst of a
great desert. The sharp contrast between the fertility
along the Nile and the wasteland of the desert became a
basic theme of Egyptian mythology. The creatures that
live in the Nile or along its banks became linked with
many gods and goddesses.
Spread of Greek
culture
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980 Mythology
Mythology 981
The mythical Trojan horse
was built by the Greeks after
10 years of war with Troy. The
Greeks hid soldiers inside and
left the horse at the walls of
Troy. Believing the horse was
a gift, the Trojans pulled it
into the city. After dark, the
soldiers climbed out and
opened the city gates to let in
the Greek army.
The Building of the Trojan Horse (about 1760), an oil painting by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo;
Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, CT, Ella Gallup Sumner and Mary Catlin Sumner Collection
body together, restoring Osiris to life. Osiris then became god of the afterlife.
Seth had become pharaoh of Egypt after killing Osiris.
But Horus, son of Osiris and Isis, then overthrew Seth
and became pharaoh. Thus, the forces of vegetation and
creation—symbolized by Osiris, Isis, and Horus—triumphed over the evil forces of the desert, symbolized
by Seth. But more important, Osiris had cheated death.
The Egyptians believed that if Osiris could triumph over
death, so could human beings.
Other Egyptian divinities included Hathor, Horus's
wife; Anubis (ah NOO bihs); Ptah (puh TAH); and Thoth.
Hathor became the protector of everything feminine.
Anubis escorted the dead to the entrance of the afterworld and helped restore Osiris to life. The Egyptians
also believed that Anubis invented their elaborate funeral rituals and burial procedures. Ptah invented the arts.
Thoth invented writing and magical rituals. He also
helped bring Osiris back to life.
Many animals appear in Egyptian mythology. The falcon and the scarab, or dung beetle, were two animals
that symbolized the sun god. The Egyptians considered
both the cat and the crocodile to be divine.
Between 1554 and 1070 B.C., various local divinities
became well known throughout ancient Egypt. Some of
them became as important as the gods and goddesses
of the Ennead. The greatest of these gods was Amun.
His cult (group of worshipers) originally centered in
Thebes. In time, Amun became identified with Re and
was frequently known as Amun-Re. Amun-Re became
perhaps the most important Egyptian divinity.
The influence of Egyptian mythology. The divinities of ancient Egypt and the myths about them had
great influence on the mythologies of many later civilizations. Egyptian religious ideas may also have strongly affected the development of Judaism and Christianity.
During the 1300's B.C., the pharaoh Amenhotep IV
chose Aten as the only god of Egypt. Aten had been a little-known god worshiped in Thebes. Amenhotep was so
devoted to the worship of Aten that he changed his own
name to Akhenaten. The Egyptians stopped worshiping
Aten after Akhenaten died. However, some scholars believe the worship of this one divinity lingered among the
people of Israel, who had settled in Egypt. These schol-
ars have suggested that the cult of Aten may have inspired the Jewish and Christian belief in one God. See
Akhenaten.
Detail of a marble relief from a
Greek coffin; the Louvre, Paris
Painting (420 to 410 B.C.) on a Greek cup; courtesy of
the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Pierce Fund
The Muses were Greek goddesses of the arts and sciences.
They included Terpsichore (dance), holding a lyre; Urania (astronomy), with a globe; and Melpomene (tragedy), with a mask.
The centaurs, in Greek mythology, were part human and part
horse. In one myth, pictured here, a centaur attempted to carry
off Deianira, the wife of Hercules. But Hercules rescued her.
Cronus married his sister Rhea, who bore him three
daughters and three sons. But Cronus feared that he,
like Uranus, would be deposed by his children. He
therefore swallowed his first five children as soon as
they were born. To save her sixth child, Zeus, Rhea
tricked Cronus into swallowing a stone wrapped in baby
clothes. Rhea then hid the infant on the island of Crete.
After Zeus grew up, he returned to challenge his father.
He tricked Cronus into drinking a substance that made
him vomit his children. The children had grown into
adults while inside their father. Zeus then led his brothers and sisters in a war against Cronus and the other Titans. This war, called the Titanomachy, lasted 10 years.
Zeus and his followers finally won the war. They exiled
the Titans in chains to Tartarus, a dark region deep within the earth.
The victorious gods and goddesses chose Zeus as
their ruler and agreed to live with him on Mount Olympus. The divinities who lived on Olympus became
known as Olympians. Gaea, upset that her grandchil-
Greek mythology
The earliest record of Greek mythology comes from
clay tablets dating back to the Mycenaean civilization,
which reached its peak between 1400 and 1200 B.C. This
civilization consisted of several cities in Greece, including Mycenae. The clay tablets describe Poseidon as the
chief Mycenaean god. Poseidon later reappeared as a
major figure in Greek mythology. The god Zeus, who
would become the chief god in Greek mythology,
played a lesser part in Mycenaean myths.
About 1200 B.C., the Mycenaean civilization fell. In the
1100's B.C., Dorians from northwestern Greece moved
into lands that had been held by the Mycenaeans. In the
next 400 years, the Dorian and Mycenaean mythologies
combined, helping form classical Greek mythology.
The basic sources for classical Greek mythology are
three works that date from about the 700's B.C.: the Theogony by Hesiod and the Iliad and the Odyssey, attributed to Homer. Hesiod and Homer rank among the
greatest poets of ancient Greece. The Theogony and the
Iliad and Odyssey include most of the basic characters
and themes of Greek mythology.
The Greek creation myth. The Theogony includes
the most important Greek myth—the myth that describes
the origin and history of the gods. According to the Theogony, the universe began in a state of emptiness called
Chaos. The divinity Gaea (GAY uh), or Earth, arose out of
Chaos. She immediately gave birth to Uranus, who became king of the sky. Gaea mated with Uranus, producing children who were called the Titans.
Fearing his children, Uranus confined them within the
huge body of Gaea. Gaea resented the imprisonment of
her children. With Cronus, the youngest Titan, she plotted revenge. Using a sickle provided by Gaea, Cronus attacked Uranus and castrated him—that is, removed his
sex organs. Cronus then freed the Titans from inside
Gaea and became king of the gods. During his reign, the
work of creating the world continued. Thousands of divinities were born, including the gods or goddesses of
death, night, the rivers, and sleep.
Greek and Roman divinities
Many gods and goddesses of Greek mythology held similar positions in Roman mythology. For
example, each mythology had a goddess of love. The Greeks called her Aphrodite. The Romans
called her Venus. This table lists the most important Greek gods and their Roman equivalents.
Greek
Roman
Position
Aphrodite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Apollo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Artemis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Asclepius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Athena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cronus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Venus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Apollo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Diana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aesculapius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Minerva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saturn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Demeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dionysus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Eros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gaea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hephaestus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ceres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bacchus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cupid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Terra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vulcan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Juno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goddess of love
God of light, music, and poetry
God of war
Goddess of hunting and childbirth
God of healing
Goddess of wisdom and warfare
In Greek mythology, ruler of the Titans and father of Zeus;
in Roman mythology, also the god of agriculture
Goddess of agriculture and fertility
God of wine, fertility, and wild behavior
God of love
Symbol of Earth and mother and wife of Uranus
Blacksmith for the gods and god of fire and metalworking
Protector of marriage and women. In Greek mythology,
sister and wife of Zeus; in Roman mythology, wife of
Jupiter
Messenger for the gods and protector of commerce,
thieves, and travelers
Goddess of the hearth
God of sleep
God of the underworld
God of the sea. In Greek mythology, also god of earthquakes and horses
Wife and sister of Cronus
Son and husband of Gaea and father of the Titans
Ruler of the gods
Hermes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mercury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hestia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hypnos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pluto, or Hades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Poseidon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vesta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Somnus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pluto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Neptune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rhea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Uranus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Uranus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Zeus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jupiter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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668 Buddhism
Budget 669
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The Daibutsu (Great Buddha), a bronze statue, stands in Kamakura, Japan. The statue’s restful expression reflects the Buddhist ideal of detachment from all desires and worldly things.
India for six years, Gautama experienced nirvana and
discovered the Four Noble Truths. These central teachings state that (1) suffering is part of life; (2) there are
causes of suffering, such as emotional attachment, ignorance, and selfishness; (3) there is a state of
transcendence of suffering; and (4) there is a path that
leads to that state. Eventually, Gautama decided to teach
his message and founded a community of followers. After others learned of his discovery, they called him the
Buddha, which means Enlightened One. See Buddha.
The dharma. The Buddha preached that existence
was a continuing cycle of death and rebirth. Each person’s position and well-being in life was determined by
his or her behavior in previous lives. For example, good
deeds may lead to rebirth as a wise and wealthy person
or as a divine being in one of the Buddhist heavens. A
person’s evil deeds may lead to rebirth as a poor and
sickly person or even in one of the Buddhist hells.
The Buddha also taught that as long as individuals remain within the cycle of rebirth, they will encounter suffering. However, they can transcend this cycle by following the Middle Way and the Noble Eightfold Path. The
Middle Way calls for moderation and the avoidance of
both self-indulgence and extreme self-denial. The Noble
Eightfold Path includes (1) knowledge of the truth; (2) the
intention to resist evil; (3) saying nothing to hurt others;
(4) respecting life, morality, and property; (5) holding a
job that does not injure others; (6) striving to free one’s
mind of evil; (7) controlling one’s feelings and thoughts;
and (8) practicing proper forms of concentration.
After the Buddha’s death, his followers collected his
teachings in a set of texts called the Tripitaka (Three Baskets). The first part, the Basket of Discipline, deals with
the rules for living as a
monk. The second part,
the Basket of Discourses,
consists of sermons. The
third part, the Basket of
the Higher Dharma, contains philosophical discussions of doctrine. Later
Buddhist traditions have
added their own
scriptures.
The sangha. The word
The wheel, shown, is an important symbol of Buddhism.
sangha sometimes refers
It is called both the wheel of
to the early and often
the law and the wheel of life.
idealized Buddhist community believed to have
existed during the time of the Buddha. It included
monks, nuns, and laymen and laywomen. Since that
time, the word has come to refer almost exclusively to
ordained monks. The monastic community has played
an important role in preserving and spreading Buddhism. The discipline of monastic life often is considered essential to those who practice the path to nirvana.
In most Buddhist countries, monks are expected to live a
life of simplicity, meditation, and study, and to refrain
from sexual relations. Some Buddhists become monks
for life, but others join the sangha for short periods.
Lay Buddhists also have an important role in the life of
the sangha. They are expected to honor the Buddha, to
follow basic moral rules, and to support the monks.
They pay special honor to images of the Buddha and
other objects associated with him.
Lay Buddhist kings have shaped history in important
ways. In the 200's B.C., the Indian emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism. Ashoka and his descendants created close relations between religion and government in
many Buddhist countries, including Sri Lanka and countries in Southeast Asia. In A.D. 1956, B. R. Ambedkar, an
Indian layman, led a mass movement in which more
than 1 million Hindus in India converted to Buddhism.
Cameramann International, Ltd.
Buddhist monks chant before a statue of the Buddha on an altar decorated with flowers. The monks chant in rhythm to the
sound of a metal drum played by the monk standing at the right.
Meditation, in many forms, is central to Buddhism.
Among the best-known types of meditation is Zen, practiced in Japan and elsewhere in East Asia. Zen originated
in China, where it is called Chan. It is associated with the
Mahayana tradition. Zen emphasizes a close relationship
between a master and disciples, and the attainment of a
state of spiritual enlightenment called satori. Many followers of Zen believe that satori comes in a sudden
flash of insight. Others believe that it must be achieved
gradually through a long process of self-discipline,
meditation, and instruction.
Vipassana or insight meditation has become popular
in Asia and among Western converts to Buddhism.
Many laypersons and monks in the Theravada tradition
practice this kind of meditation. The goal of vipassana is
to gain a personal intellectual understanding of the truth
of Buddhist teachings. It employs many techniques, including mental discipline and controlled breathing.
spiritual leader called a guru and a small group of disciples. The disciples spend much time reciting spells
called mantras, performing sacred dances and gestures,
and meditating. Many deities (gods and goddesses) and
guardian spirits inhabit the universe of the tantra. Attempts to visualize these deities and spirits, and the use
of magic, are important aspects of tantric teachings and
rituals. Followers generally keep many of their beliefs
and practices secret from outsiders. Some branches of
Vajrayana Buddhism stress sexual symbolism.
Juliane Schober
Related articles in World Book include:
Lamaism
Bodhisattva
March (month)
Buddha
Meditation
Dharma
Nirvana
Feasts and festivals
Painting (Asian painting)
Hawaii (picture: A Buddhist
Sculpture (Asian sculpture)
monk)
Zen
Karma
Korea, South (picture)
Buddhist schools
Additional resources
Various Buddhist schools, known as yana (vehicles),
developed in India and other Asian countries. These
yana include the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana
traditions. According to some scholars, a fourth vehicle
to enlightenment exists in the adapted traditions of
Western converts and Buddhists living outside Buddhist
countries. The various schools share much in common
but also differ in important ways.
The Theravada. The word theravada means teachings of the elders. The Theravada school is the only one
of the early Buddhist schools that has survived. Today, it
is the dominant religious tradition in Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar (also called Burma), Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
The Theravadins view the Buddha as a historical figure.
They emphasize the virtues of monastic life and the authority of the Buddha’s teachings, collected in the Tripitaka. For Theravadins, the ideal Buddhist is a kind of
saint called an arhat, who has mastered the teachings of
the Buddha.
The Mahayana. The word mahayana means great vehicle. Most followers of the Mahayana live in Japan, the
Korean Peninsula, and Tibet and other regions of China.
Mahayanists visualize the existence of multiple Buddhas
with superhuman qualities. They focus on Buddhas in
the heavens and on people who will become Buddhas
in the future. Mahayanists believe that these present and
future Buddhas are able to save people through grace
and compassion. Most Mahayanists accept many of the
Theravada scriptures, but they believe that their own later scriptures reveal a higher level of truth. The Mahayana ideal of practice is a bodhisattva, a person who
vows to become a Buddha by leading a life of virtue and
wisdom. At the highest level, a bodhisattva postpones
entering into nirvana to work to relieve suffering
through acts of compassion.
The Vajrayana. The word vajrayana means diamond
vehicle. This school is also called the Mantrayana, meaning vehicle of sacred recitation, or tantric Buddhism. It is
based on texts called tantra that emphasize meditation,
recitation, and ritual. Major centers of Vajrayana Buddhism are in the Himalayan regions, in Mongolia, and in
Japan, where the tradition is called Shingon. Vajrayana
Buddhism accepts most Mahayana doctrines, but it
gives special attention to a close relationship between a
Buswell, Robert E., Jr., ed. Encyclopedia of Buddhism. 2 vols.
Macmillan Reference, 2004.
Mitchell, Donald W. Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience. 2nd ed. Oxford, 2008.
Wilkinson, Philip. Buddhism. DK Pub., 2003. Younger readers.
Budge, Don (1915-2000), was an American tennis
champion. In 1938, Budge became the first man to win
the world’s four major tennis championships, later
called the grand slam, in the same year. He won Wimbledon in England, and the United States, French, and
Australian championships. Budge was known for his
powerful shot making. Many tennis historians rank his
backhand stroke as the finest in the sport’s history.
John Donald Budge was born on June 13, 1915, in
Oakland, California. He played on the United States team
that won the Davis Cup in 1937. He turned professional
in 1939 and won the U.S. Pro Championships in 1940 and
1942. He retired in 1941. Budge died on Jan. 26, 2000.
Tony Lance
Budgerigar. See Parakeet.
Budget is a financial plan that helps people make the
best possible use of their money. It identifies sources of
income and assists in planning expenditures. Income
and expenses may vary, and so most budgets consist—at
least in part—of estimates.
Individuals, families, businesses, governments, and
various organizations all use a budget. A child may have
only a few dollars to budget. A government budget may
involve billions of dollars. But all budgets resemble one
another in certain ways.
Budgets help individuals or groups achieve certain
goals. These goals vary, but most people hope to make
their income go as far as possible by spending money
wisely. Most people, businesses, and governments have
limited funds to spend, and so they must decide which
expenses are most important. By preparing a budget,
they can ensure that enough money is set aside for
items with the highest priority. Also, a budget may reveal a need for more income. It thus may cause individuals to work longer hours and governments to raise taxes.
Personal and family budgets
A personal or family budget can plan spending on a
weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. Some people keep two