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How Buddhism Began and Who Founded Buddhism?

Buddhism began at around 580 BC in Lumbini a town/city in southern Nepal. Buddha or Siddhartha Gautama the founder of Buddhism left his home at the age of 29 on a search for enlightenment. “After going through a life of self-denial, discipline and meditation, he attained enlightenment, which resulted in the alleviation of all his pain and suffering”. After he attained his goal on enlightenment he went on a journey to teach others the path to enlightenment. Eventual his teachings now known as Buddhism spread to numerous countries around the world.

The Four Noble Truths#1

Life means suffering. “To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and

neither is the world we live in. During our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression. Although there are different degrees of suffering and there are also positive experiences in life that we perceive as the opposite of suffering, such as ease, comfort and happiness, life in its totality is imperfect and incomplete, because our world is subject to impermanence. This means we are never able to keep permanently what we strive for, and just as happy moments pass by, we ourselves and our loved ones will pass away one day, too.”

#2The origin of suffering is attachment.

The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and -in a greater sense- all objects of our perception. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a "self" which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call "self" is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe.

#3The cessation of suffering is attainable.

“The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirodha. Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment. This means that suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana. Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas. Nirvana is not comprehensible for those who have not attained it.”

#4The path to the cessation of suffering.

“There is a path to the end of suffering - a gradual path of self-improvement, which is described more detailed in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth. The latter quality discerns it from other paths which are merely "wandering on the wheel of becoming", because these do not have a final object. The path to the end of suffering can extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirth is subject to karmic conditioning. Craving, ignorance, delusions, and its effects will disappear gradually, as progress is made on the path.”

Important Terms• Nirvana “Is the state of being free from suffering’ or Reaching the

ultimate form of enlightenment. Being at peace with your self.• Karma is the law of moral causation or The law of cause and effect

in Buddhism.• Dharma is "For many Buddhists, the Dharma most often means the

body of teachings expounded by the Buddha. The word is also used in Buddhist phenomenology as a term roughly equivalent to phenomenon, a basic unit of existence and/or experience.”

NirvanaWheel of Karma Wheel of Dharma

Important People

• Buddha- The founder of Buddhism he also laid the basics of the religion and the practices.

Important Writings• Tripitaka, or the Three Baskets- The Tripitaka is a collection

of writings from most of if not all the early Buddhist schools, which originally were memorized and then recited orally by disciples. It was Divided into 3 categories:

1. The Vinaya Piṭaka Which is the rules or code of ethics for Buddhist monks to follow.

2. The Sūtra Piṭaka Which is the different accounts of Buddha’s Teachings.

3. And the Abhidharma Piṭaka which is basically a collection of things related to Karma and other things like elements. This Category contains 7 books in it.

Asoka

• Asoka- Ruler of India. He Converted to Buddhism and helped the religion spread in India and help promoted peace and end wars. He also sent Buddhist missionaries to spread the religion around India.

How Buddhism Spread

• Buddhism Spread through different cultures and Asoka's missionaries, Trade and different cultures.

• There Are two main types of Buddhis Theravada and Mahayana.

Theravada And Mahayana BuddhismTheravada Mahayana

Location Southern (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, parts of Southeast Asia)

Northern (Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, parts of Southeast Asia )

Schools and Sects One surviving school (as many as 18 existed at one time)

Buddhist Scriptures Pali Canon/Tripitaka only Books of the Theravada Tripitaka plus many other sutras (e.g. Lotus Sutra)

Buddhas Historical Buddha (Gautama) and past Buddhas only

Gautama Buddha plus Amitabha, Medicine Buddhas, and others

Bodhisattvas Maitreya only Maitreya plus Avalokitesvara, Mansjuri, Ksitigarbha and Samanthabadra

Goal of Training Arhat Buddhahood via bodhisattva-path

3 Buddha Bodies (Trikaya) Very limited emphasis; mainly on nirmana-kaya and dharma-kaya

Emphasized, including the samboga-kaya or reward/enjoyment body

Original Language Pali Sanskrit

Language of Transmission Tripitaka is only in Pali. Teaching in Pali supplemented by local language. Scriptures translated into local language.

Buddha's Disciples Historical disciples described in Scriptures Many bodhisattvas that are not historical figures

Mantras and Mudras Some equivalent in the use of Parittas Emphasized in Vajrayana; sometimes incorporated in other schools

Bardo (Limbo) Rejected Taught by all schools

Non-Buddhist Influences Mainly pre-Buddhist Indian influences like concepts of karma, sangha, etc.

Heavily influenced by local religious ideas as transmitted to new cultures (China, Japan, Tibet).

Buddha Nature Not taught Emphasized, especially in practice-based schools

Rituals Very few; not emphasized Many, owing to local cultural influences

Important Holidays• Nirvana Day (Mid February)- Masks the Death

Of Buddha• Vesak or Visakah Puja (Buddha Day

April/May)- Important Holiday Celebrates Birth and Death of Buddha.

• Vassa (month period July-October)- People try to live simple and give up bad habits.

Important Rituals

• Meditation- The way of Worship• Offerings- Can be Food, Flowers incense &

more• Pilgrimage- Trip to the holy site. Increases

Karma

Review Questions

• What is the main purpose/focus Of Buddhism?

• Who was the most important Buddhist figure and what did he do that was so special?

• Why is Buddhism an important religion today not only in Asia but in the rest of the World?