Buddhism: history, beliefs, and practices

¶ … Buddhist Overview of Religion

In many ways, Buddhism is both a religion and a philosophy. Westerners tend to regard this religion based on its philosophical value for the simple fact that many of the core aspects of Buddhist tenets and traditions are contrary to conventional Western thought. It is critical to note that like most religions, Buddhism helps to identify a point in the cosmos of the believer, has a conception of a man who typifies the religion, and has numerous methods for helping believers to achieve a state of bliss or perfection. However, the core conception of Buddhism is that in order to achieve a higher state of being and uniformity with divine forces, adherents have to abnegate most secular aspirations -- as well as the very concept of desire itself. This rejection of desire ultimately functions as a way for believers to become one with the universe and the way deigned by Buddha as a propagation of the path to achieving such harmony (Suzuki, 1970, p. 94). Nonetheless, it is based on a carefully wrought history and traditions of considerable salience.

The history of Buddhism begins with the origins and conversion of the individual destined to become Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who lived sometime between the sixth and the fourth century B.C. Tradition has it that the prince lived a sheltered existence within the royal luxury of his father's castle, but abruptly became an ascetic and renounced his royal claims after experiencing suffering, cold, and hunger outside of the castle walls. Soon thereafter he founded a monastery and was able to overcome all of his own earthly desires and worldly constraints, which helped him to transition to his status as Buddha. It is critical to note that the Buddha was simply regarded as a wise man who could help others to achieve a state of enlightenment or nirvana along their respective spiritual paths, and is not the central deity in this religion. In fact there is no central deity, as adherents believe they need to achieve a state of harmony with the universe and universal forces of balance.

It is also critical to note that the spread of this religion has evolved over time. Whereas it was initially concentrated in India, migration of adherents and the presence of travelers facilitated Buddhism taking root throughout parts of Asia including, most prominently, China and Japan, in addition to India. Today there are numerous different scions of Buddhism, most of which follow the same core principles that are ingrained in this religion and remain as some of its fundamental traditions. For instance, if there were a goal or a desire of this religion, it would be to achieve a state of nirvana. Nirvana is the highest form of spiritual enlightenment that a person can achieve and is considered a form of perfection (Suzuki, 1970, p. 84). It entails becoming one with the universe, propagating balance and completion, and ridding oneself of all desire. Buddha reached this state initially and guided others to do so. Buddhist tradition contends that adherents can reach this state both while alive and deceased (although adherents believe that people die only to be born again, and that the universe follows a similar cycle of recreation and destruction).

In fact, this sense of uniformity with the universe is another concept in Buddha referred to as big mind. This notion is one that prior to birth, individuals were in harmony with the universe and therefore, one of the goals of their existence is to reconnect with the uniform and cohere to its oneness. Another extremely revealing tradition in Buddhism is zazen, which is the practice of meditating as a way to transcend the physical and to connect with the cosmos on a higher scale (Suzuki, 1970, p. 95). Meditation -- as augmented by mantras and chanting -- is a key practice to reaching a state of nirvana.

Poh Than Jao Wat is a statue located in Wat Chalong, a Buddhist temple found in Phuket, Thailand. This temple has immense importance ascribed to it and a lengthy history, some of which involves the aforementioned statue. The section of the temple in which Poh Than Jao Wat is located contains multiple statues, including those of a former resident of this city named Ta Khee-lek. Poh Than Jao Wat is thought to bring good fortune to those that visit the temple and this particular statue quartered within it; Khee-lek is said to have won multiple lotteries after visiting and meditating near this statue (Wilkinson, 2015).

In addition to garnering worldwide acclaim for housing this particular statue, the temple of Wat Chalong is well noted because of its historical and social eminence. It is difficult to gauge the temple's initial date of construction, although it has been situated in its present location since early in the 19th century. Nonetheless, this temple is the biggest and most acclaimed temple in this particular city in Thailand. Its history is linked to the Chinese Rebellion which took place during the end of the 19th century. Specifically, there were people in Phuket who helped to quell this uprising. One of the most noted of those in Phuket who accomplished this task is Luang Poh Cham. Subsequently, there is a statue bearing his likeness and that of the likeness of Luang Poh Kluam within the temple. The latter is a former abbot of the temple. The temple is dedicated to these abbots (Wilkinson, 2015). The statues of the aforementioned abbots and others are located close to one another in a section regarded as the domicile of Luang Poh Cham. The temple is alternately referred to as Wat Chaitararam and is located within a couple of kilometers of Phuket City.

There are a couple of things that one should expect when assisting with the sort of Buddhist service that takes place in the Wat Chalong temple, which contains the Poh Than Jao Wat statue and many others. Basic necessities include removing one's shoes and dressing in appropriate attire. Since this temple is a place of worship, is inappropriate to wear clothing that showcases more of one's body than one needs to show. Thus, clothing that bears any more than the neck and one's forearms is discouraged. Additionally, it is vital to observe one's positioning in regards to the likeness of Buddha positions in the temple. People should not stand in positions in which they are higher than these Buddha representations (Wilkinson, 2015).