Buddhism represents 5% of the world’s population

BUDDHISM

Founded

Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha / Enlightened One) 563-483 BC

God(s)

None (Buddhism is a nontheistic philosophy / religion)

Prophet(s)

The Buddha Himself

Leader(s)

Monks, Nuns, Scholars, Laymen.

Afterlife

None. (As with many other religions / philosophies, over the centuries Buddhism has split in to many different factions (schisms), and taken up many additional cultural beliefs and schools of thought, some of these factions believe in a cycle of rebirth, others treat The Buddha as a deity. The Buddha is quoted as saying he knew nothing of God/s, or an afterlife, and was only interested in relieving suffering from conscious beings) 

Practices

The understanding of human suffering, its causes, and how suffering can be overcome to achieve happiness through living a non-violent, non-extreme life of moderation, meditation and knowledge

Texts

Teaching was initially done orally, followed by various texts and scriptures.

Human situation/

Life's purpose

Buddhism is often said by its critics to be nihilistic (because there is no belief in God/s or afterlife, life itself is pointless - the same criticism is also made of atheism and humanism) As life's purpose is unknown, the focus is on improving life as we know and experience it.

Punishment for heresy

None

(Buddhism is a non-violent belief that throughout history has lived in harmony with all other religions and philosophies.)

Attitude to Women

Historically: Generally one of equality.

Currently: Equality.

Main objectives in theory

Buddhism is a tolerant teaching that takes the individual as the centre of the teachings. Many Buddhist texts are concerned with individuals improving themselves.

Buddha said:

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe anything because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything because it is written in your religious texts. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.

But, after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and the benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.

The Essence of Buddha's Teaching.

Buddha set forth his teaching in the following doctrine

The Four Noble Truths:

1. All things and experiences are marked by suffering/ disharmony/ frustration.

2. The arising of suffering/ disharmony/ frustration comes from desire/ craving/ clinging.

3. To achieve the cessation or end of suffering/ disharmony/ frustration, let go of desire/ craving/ clinging.

4. The way to achieve that cessation of suffering/ disharmony/ frustration, is walking the Eightfold Path.

The eightfold path to the cessation of suffering:

1. Right Understanding of the following facts:

• the truth about suffering ... (The Four Nobel Truths);

• everything is impermanent and changes;

• there is no separate individual self - this is an illusion. (Life is impermanent, a stream of becoming, a series of manifestations and extinctions. The concept of the individual ego is a popular delusion; the objects with which people identify themselves—fortune, social position, family, body, and even mind—are not their true selves. There is nothing permanent, and, if only the permanent deserved to be called the self, then nothing is self.)

2. Right Determination to:

• give up what is wrong and evil;

• undertake what is good;

• abandon thoughts that have to do with bringing suffering to any conscious being; cultivate thoughts of loving kindness, that are based on caring about others' suffering, and sympathetic joy in others' happiness.

3. Right Speech:

• Abstain from telling lies.

• Abstain from talk that brings harm or discredit to others (such as backbiting or slander) or talk that creates hatred or disharmony between individuals and groups.

• Abstain from harsh, rude, impolite, malicious, or abusive language.

• Abstain from idle, useless, and foolish babble and gossip. Abstain from recrimination and negative statements.

• Abstain from harsh speech—practice kindly speech.

• Abstain from frivolous speech—practice meaningful speech.

• Abstain from slanderous speech—practice harmonious speech.

• Speak the truth if it is useful and timely. Practice only necessary speech. Let your speech be filled with loving kindness. Speak that which alleviates suffering.

4. Right Action:

• Peaceful, honourable conduct; abstain from dishonest dealings; take concrete steps necessary to foster what is good.

• Do things that are moral, honest, and alleviate suffering. Do not do things that will bring suffering to others or yourself.

5. Right Livelihood:

• Abstain from making your living from an occupation that brings harm and suffering to humans or animals, or diminishes their wellbeing. This includes: activities that directly harm conscious beings, and activities that indirectly harm sentient beings.

6. Right Effort:

• Foster good and prevent evil.

• Work on yourself—be engaged in appropriate self-improvement. The essence of right effort is that everything must be done with a sense of proper balance that fits the situation. Effort should be balanced between trying too hard and not trying hard enough. Trying hard to progress too rapidly gets poor results, as does not trying hard enough.

7. Right Mindfulness or wakefulness:

• Foster right attention.

• Avoid whatever clouds our mental awareness.

• Systematically and intentionally develop awareness.

8. Right Concentration:

• Developed by practicing meditation and/or mental focusing. Proper meditation must be done continuously while awake, and should include work on awareness of body, emotions, thought, and mind objects.

Five basic precepts:

1. Abstain from killing living beings (from destroying/taking life)—or practice love.

2. Abstain from taking the not-given (from stealing)—or practice generosity, practice giving.

3. Abstain from sexual misconduct—or practice contentment.

4. Abstain from false speech (from lying)—or practice truthfulness.

5. Abstain from taking intoxicating drinks—or practice awareness and mental clarity.

Main objectives in practice

As above.

Major

benefits to the human

condition

The bringing of comfort, order, education and a peaceful structured society to the individual.

Many outstanding works of art and architecture around the world.

Buddhists have always recognized the importance of community life, and over the centuries there has developed a distinctive symbiotic relationship between monks (and in some cases nuns) and the lay community. Moreover, both the monastics and the laity have engaged in a variety of common and complementary religious practices that have expressed Buddhist orientations and values, structured peaceful Buddhist societies, and addressed the practical concerns of individuals.

Despite historically often being seen as a threat in some lands to their kings, emperors and rulers for more than two millennia - being completely banned in many communist countries, Buddhism has been a powerful religious, political, and social force, first in India, its original homeland, and then in many other lands. It remains a powerful religious, political, and cultural force in many parts of the world today.

In the Western world, particularly in the United States and Canada, the growth of new Buddhist communities—which include both Buddhist immigrants from different parts of Asia and indigenous converts—has been very rapid indeed. There is every reason to expect that the appeal of Buddhism will continue far on into the future.

Major detriments to the human condition in deaths.

Unaware of any Buddhist inspired aggressions or wars.

However Buddhists have taken up arms and killed in defensive encounters. Buddhist monks and laymen fought bravely against invading Japanese armies under Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1592 and again in 1597.

Buddhists struggled against colonialism throughout Asia, although mostly peacefully, have fought communist incursions, and undergone imprisonment and death when persecuted by other religious / political regimes. Especially so in the South Vietnamese detention/death camps where between 1955-1960 under the fanatical Catholic President Ngo Dinh, president of South Vietnam, an estimated half a million were sent.

An estimated 2 million Buddhists died at the hands of the Cambodian Marxist Khmer Rouge government of Pol Pot between 1975-1979 and many of the professional and technical classes were exterminated.

In some parts of the world today Buddhists are fighting and killing defensively against Islamic fundamentalist inspired aggressions.

Other Major detriments to the human condition.

Through the different factions of Buddhism that have developed over the millennia, some have developed beliefs in afterlives, rebirths, hells etc., probably for cultural reasons, which are far away from the original teachings.

Some criticize Buddhism for promoting what they see as nihilism.

Some Marxist groups have criticized Buddhism for causing Tibet to have an undeveloped, agrarian economy.

Notes

·         The 14th Dalai Lama states: "From one viewpoint, Buddhism is a religion, from another viewpoint Buddhism is a science of mind and not a religion. Buddhism can be a bridge between these two sides. Therefore, with this conviction I try to have closer ties with scientists, mainly in the fields of cosmology, psychology, neurobiology and physics. In these fields there are insights to share, and to a certain extent we can work together."

·         Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche states: "If you are interested in 'meeting the Buddha' and following his example, then you should realize that the path the Buddha taught is primarily a study of your own mind and a system for training your mind. This path is spiritual, not religious. Its goal is self-knowledge, not salvation; freedom, not heaven. And it is deeply personal."