Buddhism

About the symbol

The circle is an important image in Buddhist iconography.

The Dharma Wheel (wheel of life) has eight spokes, signifying each of the steps in the Eightfold path.

Founder / Major Figures

• The historical Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama, is said to have been born in India in 635 BCE (before the common era).
• "Buddha" is a title of honor, meaning "Enlightened One."

Major Beliefs

Buddhists speak of the Three Treasures of Buddhism:

• The Buddha
• The Dharma
• The Sangha (the community of monks and nuns)

To become Buddhist is to seek refuge in the Three Treasures.

Scripture / Sacred Writings

The Dharma (the sermons and teachings of the Buddha).

Worship and Spiritual Practice

The Buddha was silent on the subject of God, and Buddhists consider whatever energy there is behind the existence of the universe as nameless.

When Buddhists gather in their meeting place they do not worship in the sense of praying to a god to ask for divine help. Their spiritual exercises include the following, practiced at different times and on different occasions, and depending on the branch of the religion to which they belong.

The Three Refuges, accompanied by three bows.

1. I seek refuge in the Enlightened One (Buddha).
2. I seek refuge in the true teaching.
3. I seek refuge in the community.

The Four Noble Truths

1. The truth of suffering both physical and mental, which is the basic fact of life.
2. The truth of the cause of suffering, which is desire. Whatever one desires and cannot obtain causes pain and suffering.
3. The truth of the cessation of suffering, which will come about when a person gives up all desire and craving.
4. The truth of the path to the ending of suffering, by means of the Noble Eightfold Path:
   • Right belief
   • Right thought
   • Right speech
   • Right action
   • Right livelihood
   • Right effort
   • Right mindfulness
   • Right meditation

The Five Precepts, ceremonially read, which summarize Buddhist moral standards, in which followers undertake to abstain from:

• Taking the life of any living being
• Taking anything that is not given
• Sexual misconduct and other forms of overindulgence
• Bad speech
• Taking intoxicants

Burning of incense to the Buddha in appreciation.

Chanting of words from the teaching.

Prayers and offerings to the Buddha and to revered exemplary figures from ancient times; these prayers may be understood as aspirations of the devotees as they place themselves in the light of the objects of their devotion.

Disciplined meditation in both a seated position and walking.

Movements and Branches

The original tradition within Buddhism focused on an intense dedication to achieving enlightenment centered on a monastic life.

In the first century CE (common era), a movement developed to reformulate the teachings of Buddha to accommodate a larger number of people. This new movement named itself Mahayana, or the Greater Vehicle, since it was inclusive of more believers.

The original movement referred to itself as Theravada, or the way of the Elders.

Mahayana Buddhism developed north into China and from there into Japan, Tibet, and Korea. Today it includes several strands, including Zen and Tantric Buddhism.

Theravada Buddhism developed in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, and Cambodia.

One significant difference in the two movements is in the way each sees the bodhisattva, or spiritual guide. The bodhisattva is one who has reached enlightened understanding, and delays final enlightenment to help others along the spiritual path. In Mahayana Buddhism all practicing Buddhists are apprentice bodhisattvas. Mahayana Buddhists take a vow not to enter nirvana but to strive to reach enlightenment to save all beings from suffering.

Another difference is that Mahayana Buddhism is more like a religion than a philosophy. Theravada Buddhists do not technically worship the Buddha, although they honor his memory. Mahayanas may set up images of the Buddha in their temples and homes.

Today many Western Buddhists tend to see the two schools not in opposition but rather as complementary to each other.

History

The historical Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama, is said to have been born in India in 635 BCE. He lived a privileged and protected life until at the age of 29 he went outside the palace, where he encountered suffering for the first time.

He left the palace and studied and practiced a life of self-denial. But he only reached enlightenment (nirvana) after he seated himself at the foot of a bodhi tree and meditated until he awoke to the nature of the changing world and of suffering.

After his enlightenment he taught throughout North India for forty-five years. He taught many ways to appreciate life and the path to overcoming suffering. Peace and happiness, according to Buddhism, are attainable with loving kindness, compassion, and the understanding gained through wisdom.

The Buddha was an original thinker, a genius of spiritual psychology, and his teachings diverged from Hinduism, the prevalent thought of his culture. He saw human beings as free moral agents, autonomous in their ability to work out their own destiny by adhering to certain principles.

That destiny is understood as achieving "Buddhahood," that is the enlightenment of the great teacher, by devotion, self-discipline, and the practice of compassion.

Buddhism spread outward from India early in its history and developed with great vitality in other Asian countries. It came to the United States in the 19th century and has grown to over 1,000 centers.

Today in America there are numerous monasteries for monks and nuns, with outreach activities into neighboring communities, educational institutions and charitable organizations, all taking inspiration from the Buddha.

Buddhism has about 400 million adherents worldwide. It has a thoroughly pluralistic makeup as a religion and continues to maintain close ties with its Asian origins.

Calendar

The Buddhist calendar is calculated differently in different parts of the world.

The most common Buddhist calendar is lunar and begins in December or January. Every third year a leap month of thirty days is inserted into the calendar.

Theravada Buddhists begin the New Year based on when the sun enters Aries, sometime between April 13-18.

Mahayana Buddhists celebrate the Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and death according to the Gregorian calendar.