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Christianity, Cults & World Religions
Buddhism
Buddhism
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Religion: Buddhism
Category: World Religion
Founder/Leader:
Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) founded Buddhism about 525 B.C. in India. Buddhism is an offshoot of Hinduism. Buddha was a Hindu born in northern India. He formed a school of religious thought that was primarily designed to reform Brahmanism (Hinduism) and especially to overthrow the caste system. Siddhartha Gautama was born the son of a prince. He grew up in wealth and luxury and married happily. Meditating about the evils of the world led him to abandon his wife, his children, and his wealth and to wander about India as a beggar in search of truth. After many years of wandering and meditation, he found what he thought was truth. The people who followed him called him Buddha, which means the Enlightened One.
Foundational Documents:
The people who followed him called him Buddha, which means the Enlightened One. They later wrote down his sayings and established a canon. The northern school (Great Wheel) regarded Buddha as a god; The southern school (Little Wheel) regarded his as a teacher. The northern school (of India) was the source of the Buddhism which became China's greatest religion (where he was considered a god.) The other entries which follow are from the northern school. Their texts include 'Lotus of True Laws', 'Book of Exploits', 'Lives of Buddha.' The southern school used different texts in their 'Tripitaka.' It included the 'History of Buddhism', 'Questions of King Milinda', 'Commentaries of Buddhaghosa.'
God is...
Many Buddhists do not believe in a God or Supreme Being of any kind. Others speak of the Buddha as a universal enlightened consciousness or as a god. Buddhism is mostly atheistic.
Jesus is...
Buddhists in the West generally view Jesus as an enlightened man. Jesus Christ is not part of this belief system.
The Holy Spirit is...
The Holy Spirit is not part of this belief system
Method of Salvation:
The ultimate goal of life is reach or achieve nirvana which is to eliminate all desires or cravings, and in this way escape all suffering. The Eightfold Path is a system to free Buddhists from desiring anything.
Death and Beyond...
Buddhism does not believe in an immortal self. Karma tells that the acts of a previous existence determines the value of the present existence (the value of reincarnation). People do not have a soul or spirit. However, one's desires and feelings may be reincarnated into another person. There is no heaven or hell. Nirvana is the ultimate goal. Nirvana is a term coming from the Sanskrit languages that means "the act of extinguishing" in other words being released from endless cycles of reincarnation.
Other Beliefs:
Some Buddhist groups talk about an eternal Buddha (life-force). Buddhism has several offshoots include Nichiren Shoshu, Zen, and Tibetan (occultic) Buddhism. Buddhists follow the Eight Fold path to achieve their ultimate goal of a Nirvana.
Eightfold Path
1. Right Belief
2. Right Feeling
3. Right Speech
4. Right Actions
5. Right Means of Livelihood
6. Right Endeavor
7. Right Memory
8. Right Meditation