Can someone explain Buddhism to me?

Question

Like, the key elements...

Thank you!

Answer 1

The Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path and the 5 precepts for layman.
Google these for more information.
We believe in karma, ahimsa (non-violence), and loving-kindness. We feel that we are all interconnected to each other and interdependent on each other. A lot of Buddhists are vegetarians.
Also, we are encouraged to study other faiths and use what we find useful from them. Also the Buddha said to question whatever he teaches and only use it if you find it to be true and helpful.
Most Buddhists are agnostics or atheists (Buddha is not God) and many hold a special place for the teachings of Jesus (which were very similar to the Buddha's teachings).
Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Sure!

Buddhism is the following of the Buddha's example. There are many different methods of following the Buddha. These schools, such as Gelug. Zen, Theravāda, etc., have different ideas of how to follow the Buddha and have, in many cases, adapted local customs into their teachings, all follow the same core principals and strive for the same general goal. You could say that all schools of Buddhism have the same end point in mind, but because all people are not the same, we all need different paths to get to our destination.

The main teachings are simple and strait forward:

The Buddha taught that middle path as a means to gain enlightenment. The middle path refers to the practice of non-extremism. The story goes that one day, Siddhartha Gautama, the historic Buddha, was seated beneath a tree by a river in deep contemplation. At the time, Buddha was trying to find enlightenment through near total deprivation of worldly goods, including food and drink, eating only as little as he needed to sustain life. (the story says one grain of rice a day, but this is most likely a metaphor for very little food.) Siddhartha heard a boat floating down the river with a minstrel and his disciple on board. The master was telling the student how to tune his instrument. He explained that if you tighten the string too tight (analogues to total sacrifice of all earthly things) the music sounds weak and the instrument will not play well. If on the other hand, you do not tighten the strings enough and leave them slack, (like living a life of luxury where you surround yourself with as many earthly pleasers as you can.) the music will be weak and the instrument will not play well. The strings of the instrument must be in between tight and loose to get good sound. When Siddhartha heard these words, he understood that his enlightenment would come not from deprivation anymore then it had come from the indulgences he was accustomed to when he was a prince. He would need to lead a balanced life of neither excess or deprivation, a middle road or path.

Upon enlightenment, Siddhartha, now the Buddha, gave forth his teaching. The main teachings are:

The Four Noble Truths: (short version)
1 - There is suffering and it is present in all life.
2 - There is a cause of suffering, that cause is craving.
3 - Suffering CAN be stopped.
4 - The way to end suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path: (short version)

Morality:
1 - Proper Speech
2 - Proper Actions
3 - Proper Livelihood

Non-dualistic state of Consciousness:
4 - Proper Effort
5 - Proper Mindfulness
6 - Proper Concentration

Wisdom:
7 - Proper Understanding
8 - Proper Thoughts

If you need to understand what is meant by proper, I suggest you do some reading. There is a link below that will give you what you need. Enjoy!

I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Buddhism is a tradition that focuses on personal spiritual development. Buddhists strive for a deep insight into the true nature of life and do not worship gods or deities.

Answer 4

Buddhism is really a collection of various philosophies. To many, however, Buddhism is a set of spiritual teachings and practices rather than a religion.

Answer 5

ive bloged about them from the four noble truths, emptyness the 5 lay precepts and about 60 other things so have a look but not one person can speak for all schools of buddhism the dalai lama can only speak for possibly 30/40% of the tibetan buddhists as their are 4 schools and he is the head of one of them (all though he can speak for all of them politically as head of the exiled government) you can get to my blog through my profile if you are interested

Answer 6

Too bad.
The dead Mummy was dead and buried was long gone with time.
Luke 9.60
But left behind ghostly kitchen's ghost stories with ghostly modern history of failures and horrors of the past from the graveyards of different ghostly ancestor's culture and custom in making a mess out there.
Eerily wailing in ghostly kitchen's dialect with ghostly and deadly words.
Look at the living examples in Thailand , Burma getting kick on the butts as casualty of the dead Mummy in not worshiping God.
Luke 6.39-40,41-45,46-49
What do you think?

Answer 7

Now look here.

Bud·dhism (bū'dĭz'əm, bʊd'ĭz'-)
n.
The teaching of Buddha that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct, wisdom, and meditation releases one from desire, suffering, and rebirth.
The religion represented by the many groups, especially numerous in Asia, that profess varying forms of this doctrine and that venerate Buddha.
Buddhist Bud'dhist adj. & n.
Buddhistic Bud·dhis'tic adj.


Buddhism
The philosophical system formed in India in the 5th century BC by Siddhartha Gautama (usually 563-483 BC; an alternative date of death based on Chinese sources is 368 BC), the Buddha or enlightened one. Buddhism teaches salvation through escape from samsara, the endless cycle of birth and rebirth The state of Enlightenment or nirvana is a state of liberation from the passions and frustrations of ordinary living, a radiant state of living in the present, obtained by following the Way, or the eightfold path Two main kinds of Buddhism are recognized. Theravada (or Hinayana, lesser vehicle) Buddhism is found mainly in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. Mahayana Buddhism is found in Nepal and the countries surrounding and including China. Theravada Buddhism is conservative and simple in its forms; Mahayana or greater vehicle Buddhism includes more elaborate rituals, scriptures, and a gallery of saints (bodhisattvas).

The Buddha's own awakening came with realization that neither the way of meditation, nor that of asceticism, provides a way to awareness of a ‘Self’ conceived of as a permanent, unchanging object of yogic contemplation (see atman). Buddhism therefore rejects the desire to constitute oneself as a single ego or self, on which point it is sometimes acknowledged as a precursor of the bundle theory and the no-ownership theory of the self. Rejecting this desire is the beginning of enlightenment. Buddhism rejects any concept of permanent substance, either mental or physical, in favour of a metaphysics of transient states and events. It equally rejects anything resembling the god of monotheistic religions. Philosophically however Buddhism, as much as Christianity, has a long history of diverse schools, representing different attitudes to reality, mind, scepticism, and experience. See also atman, four noble truths, eightfold path, madhyamika, yogacara, Zen.



Buddhism Ringtones
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http://www.answers.com/buddhism?gwp=11&ver=2.1.1.521&method=3

I hope you have enough.

Answer 8

buddhist says to a hotdog seller make me one with everything
the seller says that 2.50 so the buddhist gives him a 20 quid note.
the hot dog seller hads him his sausage in a bun and says next please.
buddists shouts hey where's my change??
seller replies change must come from within

Answer 9

Form is emptiness and Emptiness is form!

Answer 10

its how you behave in this life that affects your next life
if you reach enlightenment you have cracked it