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Buddhism
Instructions for annotation: Write summaries of main concepts in left column, connect to Siddhartha
in the right column.
Symbol for Buddhism that represents the Noble Eightfold Path
Buddhism is one of the world’s major religions. It was founded
in India about 500 B.C., or shortly afterward, by a teacher called
the Buddha. At various times, Buddhism has been a dominant religious, cultural,
and social force in most of Asia. Today, Buddhism has about 350 million
followers. Most live in Tibet and other regions of China, and in Japan, the Korean
Peninsula, Sri Lanka, and mainland Southeast Asia.
Beliefs and practices
All Buddhists take refuge—that is, seek comfort, guidance, and security—in (1)
Buddha; (2) his teachings, called the dharma; and (3) the religious community he
founded, called the sangha. These elements of Buddhism are known as the Three
Refuges or Three Jewels.
Buddha is a title given to a person believed to have transcended the cycle of
rebirth known as samsara and attained nirvana (enlightenment). The first Buddha
and founder of Buddhism was Siddhartha Gautama, born in the 500’s or 400’s
B.C. in Nepal. Buddhist accounts tell that he was born a prince.
As a young man, after providing for his wife and young son, Gautama resolved to
leave his family and palace life to seek spiritual liberation as a wandering ascetic
(a person who denies himself worldly comforts and pleasures). After traveling
throughout northeastern 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, like 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.
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 sangha sometimes refers to the early and often 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.
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 his 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 increasingly 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.
Buddhist schools. 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.
Source: Juliane Schober. "Buddhism." World Book Student. World Book, March 2010.