Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings of Buddha. Buddha taught that 1) life permates around suffering, 2) humanity suffers because of their desires, 3) to overcome desires, one must obtain nirvana, and 4) to obtain nirvana, one must follow the eight-fold path (Right Views, Right Resolve, Right Speech, Right Conduct,
Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration). These are known as
the four noble truths. Buddha accepted the concepts of karma and samsara, but rejected the idea of the Brahman and
atman. Buddha also taught different understandings of reality and psychology which was based on the idea of
anicca; that reality is not permanent and predictable but rather transient and changing. Thus all things flow according to cause and effect. The idea that there is a self, or ego, is an illusion. Buddhism teaches anatman or anatta, No Self. Acting on this illusion of the Self leads to dissatisfaction in existence - Dukkha.
Buddhism
by ♫ Highway to Hell ♫ on Dec 02, 2010 10:56:29
Buddhism is a religion which has its beginnings with
Siddharta Gautama, a prince who gave up material possessions in order to meditate, always searching for the reasons of life. He came up with
the Four Noble Truths and the
Eightfold Path, things which also Buddhists live by. Siddharta became known as the Buddha, and despite those fat, bald little Buddhas you may have seen, looked nothing like them.
Example:
Buddhism generally calls for a passive
way of life,
giving up material possessions in the search for truth and enlightenment. This is usually done through hours and hours of
meditation.
Buddhism
by Buddhabing on Aug 10, 2005 22:46:14
An offshoot of
Brahminism/
Vedism taught by the Indian Prince Gautama
Siddhartha, which declared that there was no permanent self (
Atman) and that liberation from suffering was to be found not by worshipping gods but by escaping from the cycle of birth and death. According to Gautama Buddha, suffering and rebirth are caused by attachment to things which are devoid of independent existence and thus
impermanent.
While generally classified as a religion, Buddhism is probably more accurately described as a spiritual path. However, many Buddhist sects contain strong religious elements.
Buddha himself told his disciples that understanding in Buddhism should be established through personal insight rather than faith or revelation.
Some modern Buddhists, especially in the West, do not accept the ideas of karma and rebirth (after death) at face value.
Example:
Sokka Gakkai
believers who chant for personal gain and belief-free Western
Zen practitioners are Buddhists.
Buddhism
by Jonas Smithson on Aug 15, 2005 12:48:34
Buddhism is a religion (not just a "philosophy") practiced by millions of people, primarily in Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and (increasingly) in the U.S. It is actually the most diverse family of religions, and the only major religion never to have sponsored a
holy war. Founded by
Siddhartha Gautama in northern India in the 6th Century B.C.E., Buddhism teaches that life is suffering, that the suffering is caused by desire and other delusions, and that overcoming these delusions will
extinguish the suffering.
Most Buddhists believe in reincarnation, and strive to achieve Nirvana (enlightenment) and thus get off the 'wheel of rebirth' (in other words, cease being reincarnated). This can be interpreted as "nonexistence," or as graduating to a higher plane of existence -- being reunited with the universe itself.
Example:
Buddhism neither believes nor disbelieves in God; it is simply not considered an important question. But Buddhists do believe in the soul and
afterlife (
reincarnation). Buddhism is the most philosophical,
contemplative, and psychologically oriented of all the major religions.
Buddhism
by Oliver Brody on Jan 06, 2005 09:00:23
the belief
that life is a
cycle that causes suffering.
Suffering is perpetuated by roughly 3 things:
1.birth
2.life
3.death
Through
meditation, one can free themselves of this cycle by reaching
nirvana.
It also extends to the fact that everything in life comes from all other things, and that those things came from something else and etc.
Example:
Example of
the suffering cycle:
-A bird dies, and the
body's nutrients decay into the ground.
-A
berry bush is planted at the same location years later.
-Someone eats a berry from the bush, which in turn is eating the nutrients from the bird.
-This perpetuates life and essentially the suffering cycle.
You can apply this idea towards: space, recycling, and even humans.
Buddhism
by Princess-Z-z-z on Jul 18, 2021 03:50:41
The teaching that existence is suffering, and how to end suffering.
Usually Four Noble
truths, or a bunch of
upper middle class women doing Yoga, who have no idea about anything but recent news and pretty
androgynous statues.
Buddhism
by Parker Kelly AEKY on Mar 20, 2007 10:53:22
A religion were you have to accept 4 things.
1) All compounded phenomena are
impermanent.
2) All emotions are pain
3) all things have no inherent existence
4) Enlightgenment is beyond concepts.
If you accept those four truths, you can rightfully call yourself a
Buddhist. You may eat meat, you may not
shave your head, you may idolize eminem and Paris Hilton, As long as you accept those, you are
buddhist.
Buddhism
by THE OLD SCHOOLER on Sep 19, 2017 11:16:35
A beautiful religion that is misunderstood in the west. Often times shrouded within a haze of mystic stereotypes and unrealistic depictions in Hollywood and movies. A lot of douchebag American scholars have tried to water down the whole religion of Buddhism to a mere philosophy free of all if any abstract supernatural concepts and elements. This of course would be a gross misunderstanding of the 2500 year old tradition as well. Hippies all across Europe and the U.S. and Canada have really given Buddhism a bad rep. Especially since so many of these
ass holes seem to hold to the honest conviction that the teachings of The Buddha are just what ever the hell they make up. Not like that is blatant
cultural appropriation at all. By that I mean the cultural appropriation of Buddhism itself because as a belief system, it is owned by no race. It was founded by an Indian/ Nepalese prince and was spread by early monks from there to Japan to Ancient Greece. Unlike the false notion that Buddhism is some how owned by Asians. Even though they are
the folks who are often the most disrespected when T.V shows like
King of The Hill or Family Guy suddenly decide to start making fun of Buddhism. Even though they don't know their
Naraka from Nirvana.
Example:
Person 1: You know man,
I've been thinking about converting to Buddhism lately.
Person 2: You mean that hippy bullshit that
David Carradine used to smoke pot and beat up bad guys with back in the 70's before he
hanged himself?
Person 1: Sigh...