Buddhism originated around the 6th century BC in India. Buddhism is a teaching of a religious and philosophical nature based on spiritual awakening. The name of the teaching was given by the name of its founder Siddhartha Gautama, who would later be called Buddha Shakyamuni. Buddhism as a term appeared in the 19th century. Before that, the teaching was called dharma (law) or buddhadharma (Buddha's law). Currently, there are about 800 million followers of Buddhism on the planet. They mainly live in the Far East, Central, South and Southeast Asia.
Instructions
Step 1
According to legend, Siddhartha Gautama was of noble birth. The father made sure that his son did not know the need for anything, he lived in luxury. When the prince grew up, he married the girl he loved. They had a son. Thanks to the efforts of his father, Siddhartha did not know that there are diseases, betrayal, stupidity in the world. Once Gautama met a decrepit old man. So he learned that there is old age in the world. Then he saw the funeral procession. This is how Siddhartha learned about death. Another meeting turned out to be fateful. The young man met a beggar who wandered the world and did not want anything from life. The prince, who had spent his whole life away from troubles and hardships, began to think about people and their destinies.
Step 2
At the age of 29, he left home and family and began to live in seclusion. He believed that hermitage would help him understand the meaning of life. At 35 he was nicknamed Buddha, that is, the enlightened one. At 45, he was widely recognized as a preacher of four noble truths.
Step 3
Buddha believed that the cause of people's suffering is in themselves. People are too attached to everything material. Everything in the world is changing, and humanity is opposing this, creating the illusion of stability with the help of things. To achieve enlightenment and see true being, you need to limit yourself, meditate and free yourself from attachments.
Step 4
Over the centuries of the existence of religion, Buddhism has absorbed many rituals and beliefs. There is no certain canonical Buddhism with clearly defined rules. Some followers of the Buddha know themselves and meditate, others do good deeds, and still others serve the Buddha like priests.
Step 5
Buddha preached that there are 4 noble truths to be followed.
1. Everything in the world is suffering, fear, impermanence, anxiety, lack of satisfaction. This is collectively called dukkha.
2. The cause of dukkha - trishna - thirst for sense gratification, people's false desires.
3. It is possible to free oneself from dukkha.
4. Each person must find a path in life that will get rid of dukkha and lead him to nirvana (the eightfold path).
Step 6
In his teachings, Buddha spoke about karma and that everything that exists depends on certain reasons. Buddhism is also based on the doctrine of anatmavada (absence of the soul) and the doctrine of kshanikavada (instantaneousness).
Step 7
In the schools of Buddhism, these principles and doctrines are interpreted in different ways. Common to all schools is the story of the life and enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama, the doctrine of karma and the wheel of samsara, the four noble truths, the eightfold path.
Step 8
You cannot be born a Buddhist, you can become one by acquiring three jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, that is, finding an enlightened one, understanding the teachings of Buddha and joining the Buddhist community. Every Buddhist must destroy three poisons in himself: ignorance of the nature of being, passion and egoism, anger and intolerance.
