Buddhism Project?

Question

I have a school project on buddhism, and i need help on the evolution of buddhism and the main religious documents. Can you help me find resources on the 2? Thanks

Answer 1

The Buddhist philosophy is based on the free will to search inside yourself, whatever you think is physically and mentally good for you and what isn't (hence it's flexibility). Buddha himself encouraged people to search their own spirit before embracing his knowledge and he always stated he does not want people to follow him because of simple superstitions or blind belief. Buddhism is a religion that respects the right of everyone to choose their own path in life, therefore it is tolerant to the other religions, teaching people to live together in harmony, regardless of race, belief or nationality. It recognizes all humans as being equal, preaches upon universal love, kindness and compassion, not only in relation to other humans, but to animals and plants too. Because man and nature share the world, Buddhism states that it is up to us to contribute to the well being of the counter-part in order for us to reach happiness ourselves. The religion sees life as a constantly changing process and the goal of those that practice it is to take full advantage of this asset. Because life is changing so quickly and so often, man can change too, from evil to good, from heartless to compassionate, but only with the help of his own mind and spirit, and Buddhism developed many ways for humans to shape them. The most important of these methods is meditation, a way to induce positive state-of-minds, calmness, concentration, positive consciences and emotions (like friendship, love, compassion, etc.). Through meditation and moral behavior, anyone can reach Nirvana, a state of transcendental enlightening, although it is not enough to do these during a single life, each individual soul being the subject of many lives, in all of which, it gathers up karma. The karma is defined by actions, bad or good, that we do intentionally, with sense of what is right or wrong. Basically each person's karma represents his good and bad deeds, added up throughout all of his lives, the level of his karma, determining the nature of his present life. When, after the passing of several lives, a soul gathers enough good karma, the chain of births and reincarnations is finally broken, the soul then rising into the state of Nirvana, the heavenly rest.

Answer 2

Buddhism since the beginning of it's inception really has not evolved. They still use the lessons they were taught by Buddha thousands of years ago.
You might want to look up the history of Guatama Siddartha though. And how he became the Buddha.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Buddhist_topics

Here's a really long list of topics to help you.

Answer 3

http://www.ishwar.com/buddhism/

Answer 4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism

Answer 5

Budda was born in a small republican tribal community in the north of Bengal under the Himalayas, in what now is overgrown jungle country on the borders of Nepal.
The little state was ruled by a family, the Sakya clan, of which this man, Siddhattha Gautama , was a member.
Somewhere between 600 and 500 B.C.
Enlightened one. "There was no literature except the oral tradition of the VEDANTIC epics, and that was chiefly monopolized by the BRAHMINS," they were living in the snowy Himalayas, remember.
Channa when they came across a broken down man, Channa said "Such is the way of life."
When the passed another man suffering from a loathsome disease, "Such is the way of life" Channa his charioteer said.
The third vision was of an unburied body, swollen eyes, mauled by passin birds and beasts, "That is the way of life."
We all will die one day, such is the way of life.
His wife gave birth to his first born son. "This is another tie to break,"
BORN < living and dying and to be reborn, without one or the other the cycle is incomplete. The KARMA
A time of strongly marked class distinctions the Brahmins, the privledged class , the noble Atyans and the darker common people,the HAMITIC peoples, Gautama was an Aryan.
His teaching was The Aryan path, the Aryan Truth.
The Pali language.
He was good looking, 29, lived an aristocratic life of his time.
Married at 19 to a beautiful cousin.
Channa was his charioteer, Mara was the Tempter of Mankind .
So he chose to rid himself of all worldly entanglements, was free to pursue his search for wisdom.
Met hermits and teachers in a hilly spur into Bengal northward from the Vindhya Mountains close to the town Rajar.
Lived with the wise men in a warren of caves.
The instruction like the style of the Socratic discussions in Athens a coupe of centuries later.
He is said to have sat all day and night in profound thought.
Under a tree. BO TREE
the Eightfold Path, the Four Truths and so on.
Buddism reached China about 64 a.d.Taoism and Confucius followed the teachings ruling class ,teachings of Lao tse.
"Om Mani padme hum", "the jewel is in the lotus." (one example of 'The Corruptions of Buddhism'). i.e giant golden gilded buddha statues and temples,Selling flags, ect.
In India the Brahmins grew more powerful by the 11th century , except for Orissa, Buddhist teaching was extinct in India..
Much of Buddism's gentleness
and chairty became incorporated with Brahminism.
Buddha at 80 decided to end his earthly existence and go into PARANIRVANA, the highest state of absolute bliss, His last words "All bodies are composed and so they will one day decompose. You can by own effort be freed." (c.480 BC).
Nirvana is the ultimate goal, to become intellectual BODHI, enlightment, by means of MOKSHA, liberation from illustions and desires.Nirvana is not heaven.Illusion has be replaced by real knowledge.A monk who has become ARAHATA bhuddist who has attained the highest level of self contol so that he is exempt from having to be born again.

DUHKHA; liberation from suffering
SUKHA; the way to definate happiness
MOKSHA; from the repeated imprisonment (SAMSARA) of the self in a succession of bodies, symbolized by the DHARMACHAKRA, the wheel of destiny, to which all human beings are chained by their desire, TRISHNA, or TANHA in Pali , also referred to as LOBHA, greed. Thus jealousy, anger and so, hatred DOSHA (dosa)as when a man feels passion for a woman KAMA.
All these harmful emotions are a result of MOHA, stupidity, and AVIDYA, ignorance, entangle ment of the illusionary world images of MAYA.
ASHTAPATHA, the eigthfold Path, obey Buddha-dharma, the law of Buddha or the Buddha-sasana, the teaching of Buddha.
Askora (264-227 B.C.) his son,one of the greatest monarchs in history, domination extended from Afghanistan to mAdras.
kora was thought to have corrupted Buddhism by attracting insincere and mercenary adherents.i.e. selling trinkets prayer flags and golden buddha temples "flag flaps" ect. The real Buddha way had none of this 'paraphernalia' Buddha made its way into Central Asia, through Afghanistan , Turkestan and so reached China, about A.D.64 in the reign of the Emperor Ming-Ti of the Han dynasty.The Pandit Kasyapa was the aposle of China and followed by other great teachers.Re-emerged in the Tang dynasty.
Askora taught the GAUTAMA, 35 of his inscriptions survive today, missionaries spread the word, to Kashmir,to Ceylon, to the Sluecids and the Ptolemies.
It was one of these missions which carried the cutting of the Bo Tree. The scared tree at Anuradhapura," he is said to have sat all day and night in profound thought, and then he rose up tp impart his vision to the world".
Askora's name is still honoured from the Volga to Japan.
As famous as Constantine or Charlemagne.
the PANCHA SILA
5 precepts
1. Refrain from injuring living things.
2.Refrain from taking that which is not given.
3. Refrain from all forms of 'KAMA', sexual desire
4.Refrain from falsehood, in word and deed.
5.Refrain from worldy enjoyments: no drugs, no drink, no sloth.
The Buddhist would rise himself to the state of 'BRAHMAVIHARA', divine dwelling by observing the 4 rules. METTA, KARUNA, MUDITA, UPEKKHA (UPEKSHA).