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BUDDHISM - INDIA
Buddhism in India
Gautama (The Buddha) was for a time a practitioner of intense austerity, at one point almost
starving himself to death. He decided, however, that self-torture weakened his mind while
failing to advance him to enlightenment and therefore turned to a milder style of renunciation
and concentrated on advanced meditation techniques.
Eventually, under a tree in the forests of Gaya (in modern Bihar), he resolved to stir no farther
until he had solved the mystery of existence.
Breaking through the final barriers, he achieved the knowledge that he later expressed as the
Four Noble Truths: all of life is suffering; the cause of suffering is desire; the end of desire leads
to the end of suffering; and the means to end desire is a path of discipline and meditation.
Gautama was now the Buddha, or the awakened one, and he spent the remainder of his life
traveling about northeast India converting large numbers of disciples. By the third century B.C.,
the still-young religion based on the Buddha's teachings was being spread throughout South
Asia. By the seventh century A.D., having spread throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia,
Buddhism probably had the largest religious following in the world.
The Buddha did not appoint a successor, and asked his followers to work for personal salvation.
The teachings of the Buddha existed only in oral traditions. The Sangha held a number of
councils in order to reach consensus on matters of Buddhist doctrine and practice.
One purpose was to deal with questionable monastic practices like the use of money, the
drinking of palm wine, and other irregularities; the council declared these practices unlawful.
Following the Buddha's passing, many philosophical movements emerged within Buddhism.
The Early Buddhist Schools were the various schools in which Buddhism split in the first few
centuries after the passing away of the Buddha (in about the fifth century BCE). These schools
have in common an attitude to the scriptures: it accepts the Tipitaka as the final teachings of
the Buddha.
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BUDDHIST BELIEF
Three Keys of Buddhism:
1. Virtue, good conduct, morality. All living things are equal; do unto others as you would
have them do unto you.
2. Concentration, meditation, and mental development as the path to wisdom.
3. Insight and wisdom, which can only be achieved if your mind is pure and calm.
Four Noble Truths:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Suffering exists
There is a cause for suffering
There is an end to suffering
In order to end suffering, you must follow the Eightfold Path.
The Five Precepts:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Do not kill. This is sometimes translated as "not harming" or an absence of violence.
Do not steal (including the avoidance of fraud and economic exploitation).
Do not lie.
Do not misuse sex. (Monks and nuns must be celibate, for the laity, adultery is
forbidden, along with any sexual harassment or exploitation, including that within
marriage).
5. Do not consume alcohol or other drugs. The main concern here is that intoxicants cloud
the mind.
Those preparing for monastic life are expected to avoid an additional five activities:
6. Taking untimely meals.
7. Dancing, singing, music, watching grotesque mime.
8. Use of garlands, perfumes and personal adornment.
9. Use of high seats.
10. Accepting gold or silver.
The Eightfold Path:
1) Right Understanding of the Four Noble Truths
2) Right thinking; following the right path in life
3) Right speech: no lying, criticism, condemning, gossip, harsh language
4) Right conduct by following the Five Precepts
5) Right livelihood; support yourself without harming others
6) Right Effort: promote good thoughts; conquer evil thoughts
7) Right Mindfulness: Become aware of your body, mind and feelings
8) Right Concentration: Meditate to achieve a higher state of consciousness