Can someone explain Buddhism?

Question

I'm interested in all religions, and I like to research them. Hopefully, I can somehow use my research to promote tolerance and respect for other religions. However, so far I've found little on Buddhism, though what I've found seems pretty interesting. Can someone explain it to me?

serious, helpful answers please...

Answer 1

Buddhism teaches people how to understand themselves better. Some see it as a religion, other people think it is a philosophy. The teachings of the Buddha - a man who lived between about 563 and 483 BCE - tell us how to live a good life. The Buddha was a rich prince. He gave up everything to work out how best to live. His teachings, started in India and slowly spread, after his death, through most of Asia, to Central Asia, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and the East Asian countries of China, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan.

The Buddha's teachings are about suffering and how to overcome it. Overcoming suffering allows a person to be truly happy. Buddha taught that if people make good decisions they will be happy and have peace of mind.Buddha taught that life is imperfect and that we will suffer(Dukkha). He taught that we suffer because of desire, and he showed that we can end our suffering by letting go of desires. The letting go of craving and desire and the ending of suffering is called Enlightenment (Nirvana meaning "ending", like a fire going out.)

"To avoid all evil.
To do good.
To purify one's mind.
This is the teaching of all the Buddhas."

--Dhammapāda, XIV, 5

Buddhism teaches non-harm and moderation or balance, not going too far one way or the other. Buddhists often meditate, or think deeply, while sitting in a special way. They often chant and meditate while walking. Buddhists sometimes do these things to understand the human heart and mind. Sometimes they do these things to understand the way the world works. Sometimes they do these things to find peace.

Buddhism does not say if gods exist or not, but one can read about many gods in Buddhist books. Buddhists do not believe that people should look to gods to save them or bring them enlightenment. The gods may have power over world events and they might help people, or they might not. But it's up to each person to get to enlightenment. Many Buddhists honor gods in ritual. Many believe the gods are just stories that teach us about parts of ourselves.

What is a Buddha?

Buddha is a word in the very old Indian languages Pāli and Sanskrit which means "one who woke up". The word "Buddha" often means the historical Buddha named Buddha Shakyamuni (Sidhartha Gautama), but "Buddha" does not mean just one man who lived at a certain time. It is used for a type of person, and there have been many. There were Buddhas a very long time ago, and there will be for a long time in the future.

A Buddha is a human being who has woken up and can see the true way the world works. This knowledge totally changes the person. Some say this puts them beyond birth, death, and rebirth. Others think this represents the final extinction of desire. This person can help others become enlightened too.

To learn more, read: Buddha.

Who was the first Buddha?

According to Buddhism, there were countless Buddhas before Gautama Buddha and there will be many Buddhas after him. In short, he is not the first, nor will he be the last.

However, counting from the present kalpa (the beginning of our present universe) Buddha Gautama is considered the fourth Buddha. The first is Gakusandho Buddha, second Gonakamano Buddha and the third Gassapo Buddha. The last Buddha of this kalpa will be Mettaya Buddha. Then the universe will renew itself and from then begins a new kalpa.

Old stories say that Siddhārtha Gautama was born around the 6th century BCE. He was the one who would become the first Buddha in written history. Some Buddhists believe that Siddhārtha Gautama was a perfect person.

He was born a prince, but he wanted to learn the answer to the problem of human suffering, or pain. He gave up all his money and power, and became a monk without a home. He walked from place to place, trying to learn the answers to life.

At last he found enlightenment while sitting under a big tree called the Bodhi Tree. He was the first person to teach Buddhism to the people, and Buddhists love him for that.

After Siddhārtha Gautama died, his students taught the Buddha's teaching to more people. After a time, they wrote down all the things that he had said.

To learn more, read: Siddhārtha Gautama.

What do Buddhists believe?

The Three Jewels

Buddhists often talk about the Three Jewels, which are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. The Dharma is the way the Buddha taught to live your life. The Sangha is the group of monks and other people who meet together, like a congregation

Buddhists say "I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha." This means that these three things keep them safe. They give themselves up to the community and teachings inspired by the Buddha.

To learn more, read: Three Jewels.

Four Noble Truths

The Buddha's first and most important teachings are the Four Noble Truths.

1. Everything in life is painful. There is no way to avoid pain. Nothing in life is ever good enough.
2. The reason for this pain is our desires. We want more and more, so we feel pain.
3. There is hope. There is a way to end pain.
4. The way to end pain is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path.

To learn more, read: Four Noble Truths.

Noble Eightfold Path

The Buddha told people to follow a special way of life called the Noble Eightfold Path if they want to understand the Four Noble Truths and end suffering. These are:

1. Right View
2. Right Thought
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Job
6. Right Effort (or Right Working)
7. Right Mindfulness (or Right Awakeness)
8. Right Concentration (or Right Deep-thinking)

Five Precepts

Most Buddhists follow five precepts, or rules, that say what not to do. These are similar to the Ten Commandments in Christianity, or the Yamas and Niyamas in Hinduism.

These are the Five Precepts.

1. I will not hurt a person or animal that is alive.
2. I will not take something if it was not given to me.
3. I will not have sex in a way that is not right.
4. I will not lie or say things that hurt people.
5. I will not take intoxicants, like alcohol or drugs.

In some types of Buddhism, when a person wants to be a monk, he will follow other precepts also.

Answer 2

There lived a man known as Buddha, who was similar in nature to Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato. He was merely a thinker/philosopher.
It is believed that he only became large in size due to malnutrition.
Many people follow his ideologies, but there is nothing contained in them that actually leads to eternal life.
Buddha lived and died long ago, and he is STILL DEAD.

I recommend that you get a little more intense in your pursuit of Jesus Christ; HE is the only GOD that ever came in the flesh and died for the forgiveness of your sins.
Not only did HE die for your sins, but HE was resurrected after 3 days and was seen by over 500 people before he ascended into Heaven where HE sits at the right hand of the Father.
Over 300 prophecies were foretold about Jesus. ALL BUT ONE of those have been fulfilled, but HE will return to fulfill the last prophecy.
The prophecies told about Jesus were NOT just things like: "He woke up this morning and ate breakfast". No these were much more complex prophecies.
The likelihood that Jesus would have fulfilled only 48 of the 300+ prophecies is 1:10(to the 62nd power).
Now compare what Buddha, or any one else for that matter, ever did to match up with Jesus Christ & ask yourself who is the real ONE to follow.......

Answer 3

The practice of Buddhism is very much about becoming a better human being. To be a better human being means being able to help others as well as oneself, avoiding negative patterns of behavior and embracing positive ones.

Answer 4

It's about enlightenment. Enlightenment cannot be taught, only the way to enlightenment can be taught. So it's about meditation {being still}. You can find the truth of yourself, but you must do it, no one can do it for you. You don't have to "believe" anything, as the truth is within you.

Answer 5

Here's a good place to start. It gives a good overview, and is pretty much objectively written:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/buddhism.htm

Answer 6

Buddha taught exactly the same thing as Christ---to negate your ego & stop pretending that you are separate from your fellow man---Buddha taught that through the path of understanding--Christ taught it through the path of submission.

Answer 7

this is a good site to understand Buddhism

http://www.buddhanet.net/

Answer 8

a non-theistic philosophy

Answer 9

Yes the main tenet is that you rub his belly and that brings you good luck...

Answer 10

Here? Now? No.