what is buddhism?

Question

what exactly do buddhists pray to? what are their beliefs?? What is Buddhism?

Answer 1

From a lay Buddhist perspective:Buddhism is the eternal Truth!

Just look at the 4 noble truths, the 8 folds noble path,dependent origination and the three characteristics of existence.
In the 4 noble truths,the Buddha explained:what is suffering;causes of suffering;cessation of suffering and the path to cessation of suffering.
The teaching of the Buddha can be summed up as:do no evil;do good;and purify one's mind.
The first two are common to all religions.What is so great about Buddhism is the third aspect of the Buddha's teaching!PURIFY ONE'S MIND!
No one can purify our mind except ourselves!
How to purify one's mind?THE NOBLE 8 FOLDS PATH!
Hope this is of help to you

Answer 2

what exactly do buddhists pray to?
There is no reliance on a creator god or deities (although some practitioners may have a need for this). Instead of "praying" for something to happen, Buddhists "meditate" or focus on establishing an understanding on how things happen, then applying that understanding unto daily living.

With 'understanding' comes 'clarity' and with clarity, the way a person conducts him/herself through speech, bodily actions and thoughts becomes skillful and unselfish: kindness, compassion, understanding, patience, tolerance, love, etc. are embodied.

what are their beliefs??
"Blind" beliefs are discouraged. The teacher with whom "Buddhism" is attributed to, Siddhartha Gautama, taught sincere seekers to be discerning, to not "believe" simply because it's tradition or that someone else said so. He challenged those willing to apply his teachings to "come and see" what he taught---meaning to "test drive" it. If you're interested in what this entails, read about: 1) the reason he taught and what specifically he was trying to "extinguished"; 2) 4 Noble Truths and the Noble 8-fold path (as mentioned above). If what you read peeks your interest, it might be helpful to visit a monastery or sangha near you to ask more questions.


What is Buddhism?
A series of guidelines and practices that enable us to better understand the nature of the human condition (ourselves) so that we may be able to cope and handle the trials and tribulations that is part of this condition.

Answer 3

Buddhists do not pray to anyone or anything.

Their beliefs is that practising sitting meditation, and reading or chanting the assorted sutras; that they can become enlightened (also known as Kensho or Satori.) and become a Buddha

They also follow the teachings of the Buddha

The four noble truths, the eight fold path, and the 10 percepts.

Answer 4

1st question-We do not pray to the Buddha....but we respect him...He is like a teacher-like figure to us...And Buddhist are the one who admired and learn from the teaching and thinking from Buddha.Buddha has empathies that he wasn't a god or Saviour or anything....He is just a normal man like us...He believe that if he can get the enlightenment....then others people like us also capable of doing it...get it?..It is more like a teaching to live our life than a religion.
2nd question-What is their belief?It is a tough question....but unlike other religion....we believe more in 'realistic truth in living" rather myth and legend....we believe what we done in this life will be be reflect in our next life....It called...(I forget the name... ),anyway,basically we believe good beget good, bad beget bad.that is truth and simple enough....
3rd question-Buddhism is a thinking philosophy of how a person should behave and live in the world.If you really want know the philosophy,then it is really hard....commonly it is known as "Life is a illusion"....but it is almost the same concept as the movie matrix...but don't be alarm,the movie has over simplified the meaning of Buddhism....we Buddhist do not believe we are living in world like Matrix....instead, we believe we are in prison of our own mind....to put it simply, "Buddhists do not think reality is an illusion but that our version of what we think reality is, is the illusion."for e.g.When you have sex with a beautiful girl...of course you feel pleasure and happy...but you may thought that happiness come from the girls....but actually....You are only have sex with your mind,happiness come from your mind...get it?....If you get that enlightenment....You could feel same happiness even there is no one with you....same apply to rich and power....Those thing does exist(unlike matrix)...just that they isn't seem like what we think of them to be....they were "EMPTY"(the origin of emptiness...hard to really explain..).