Examination of Buddhism and its religious practices

¶ … religion of Buddhism. First, just like Christianity and many other world belief systems, there are many different sects and factions in the Buddhist religion. In fact, many scholars believe Buddhism is not a religion, but more a way of life and ideas, because unlike many modern religions, Buddhists do not believe in one central God-figure.

Buddhism has a long history in the world. One author notes, "Buddhism was founded in Northern India by the first known Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. In 535 BCE, he attained enlightenment and assumed the title Lord Buddha (one who has awakened)."

It is also the fourth largest religion in the world, after Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. From India, it has spread to all areas of the globe, and today is still especially prominent in Asia and Indonesia, although it is gaining ground in America, as well.

Siddhartha Buddha is the acknowledged founder of Buddhism and he was the first enlightened Buddha in the world. After his enlightenment, he shared his ideas and tenets with others, and some of them became enlightened as well. As more discovered the words and beliefs of Buddha, the religion spread and gained acceptance. This is one of the major differences between Buddhism and western religions. Buddha is not the only Buddha, there have been many, and there is not one God or Supreme Being in the religion. Thus, many people categorize it as a belief system rather than a religion, although it is usually referred to as a religion. In fact, Buddha's ideas were not referred to as Buddhism until many centuries after his death, when the western world began to use the term to refer to the man and his followers who adhered to his teachings.

The Buddha's first teachings were the Four Noble Truths, which he taught to others in Sarnath, India. The Four Noble Truths regard human suffering and the cure for this suffering. They are Dukkha, which acknowledges suffering exists, Samudaya, which acknowledges there is a cause for suffering. Nirodha, which acknowledges there is an end to suffering, and Magga, which offers the solution to suffering - following the Eightfold Path, which is another of the basic tenets of Buddhism.

Buddhism also offers five methods to live by, called the Five Precepts. These rules are somewhat similar to the Ten Commandments, because they offer Buddhists the things they can do to live rich, rewarding, and spiritual lives. The Five Precepts are Do not kill or harm another. Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not misuse sex. This refers to men of the religious order and laypeople as well. Buddhist monks are celibate, and Buddhism does not condone adultery or "harassment" within marriage. Finally, do not consume alcohol or other drugs.

It is clear these are quite similar to the Ten Commandments, but they are simpler and more streamlined, which could describe the entire Buddhist religion, as well. It is simpler and more streamlined than many other religions, and it is often based on inner peace and harmony, rather than the input and guidance of others.

Finally, the Buddha's Eightfold Path to enlightenment and to end suffering of the Four Noble Truths consists of:

Panna: Discernment, wisdom:

1) Samma ditthi Right Understanding of the Four Noble Truths

2) Samma sankappa: Right thinking; following the right path in life

Sila: Virtue, morality:

3) Samma vaca: Right speech: no lying, criticism, condemning, gossip, harsh language

4) Samma kammanta Right conduct by following the Five Precepts

5) Samma ajiva: Right livelihood; support yourself without harming others

Samadhi: Concentration, meditation:

6) Samma vayama Right Effort: promote good thoughts; conquer evil thoughts

7) Samma sati Right Mindfulness: Become aware of your body, mind and feelings

8) Samma samadhi Right Concentration: Meditate to achieve a higher state of consciousness."

All of these teachings are used as the major sources of information and enlightenment in the Buddhist religion, and lead Buddhists on a path of moral and spiritual awakening and understanding.

These are the basic premises of Buddha's teachings, but there are many other aspects of Buddhism that blend together to form this complex belief system. For example, another important concept is "dharma," which basically means the underlying "universal law which governs both the physical and moral order of the universe. Dharma is neither caused by nor under the control of a supreme being, and the gods themselves are subject to its laws."

Some experts call "dharma" the "natural law" of order and regularity that govern all life. Dharma is related to "karma," another basic Buddhist principle that governs reincarnation and rebirth. Karma is the idea that a person must perform moral deeds throughout his life to attain a higher level of reincarnation and rebirth. Karma governs these moral deeds, and a person must "pay" in the next life if they do not act morally and spiritually in this life. Thus, karma governs more than one life, and is an important concept in the religion.

Buddhism differs from many of the world's major religions in many ways. For example, monks are the holy men of the religion, but they do not act as priests or officials of the church. In fact, many rituals, such as baptism and marriage, are considered family rituals and are not presided over by monks. They do attend funerals, because Buddhists believe death is simply the gateway to another life, and the beginning of a rebirth for another life here on Earth. A central tenet of the Buddhist religion is reincarnation and rebirth, which can occur repeatedly. A person may come back as the same person again and again, or they may come back as many different people, which is more common. However, this does not mean that a person does not have to "pay" for their sins on earth. One writer notes, "Rebirth is thought to take place among all forms of sentient life, and the worlds into which beings can be reborn include a range of heavens and hells."

If, during these many lives, a person reaches a plateau, where they live selflessly and with love for others, they can reach a state of Nirvana, or perfection. However, many of the Buddhist sects' different beliefs have blended together to form central beliefs that all sects practice, and some western customs, such as the marriage ceremony, have found their way into Buddhist culture and religion.

While these generalizations apply to most forms of Buddhism, it is important to remember there are several different sects of Buddhism, and each has small aspects they alter or do not subscribe to. Some of the diverse sects include Zen Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Theravada Buddhism, which some call Southern Buddhism. Sometimes it is spelled "Therevada." Each of these sects shares core beliefs, but they have evolved separately, due to their location and differences in belief systems. For example, Tibetan Buddhism evolved in Tibet, and is isolated from other sects just as Tibet is isolated with the rest of the world, and Theravada Buddhism is the most popular form of the religion in Southeast Asia.