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=== Buddhism ===

=== Buddhism ===

Siddhartha Gautama was a royal Hindu prince who lived from 563 to 483 B.C.  As a young prince he was disturbed by seeing suffering in old people and sick people.  On one occasion, he saw a dead body (corpse) and was deeply upset.  As a Hindu, Prince Siddhartha believed in reincarnation and the possibility of repeated suffering in many lives disturbed him further.  He meditated for a long time under a tree and emerged from it as the “Enlightened One” who founded a new religion of Buddhism.  Once he became the Buddha, his followers referred to him as “Buddha Shakyamuni” (“Shakya” is the name of his royal family and “Muni” means “Able One.”), or “the Buddha” for short.  The term “Buddha” today can also apply to any “Awakened One” in the religion of Buddhism.   

Siddhartha Gautama was a royal Hindu prince who lived from 563 to 483 B.C.  As a young prince he was disturbed by seeing suffering in old people and also sick people.  On one occasion, he saw a dead body (a corpse) and was deeply upset by it.  As a Hindu, Prince Siddhartha believed in reincarnation but the possibility of repeated suffering in many lives disturbed him further.  According to legend, he meditated for a long time under a tree and emerged from it as the "Enlightened One" who founded a new religion of Buddhism.  Once he became the Buddha, his followers referred to him as "Buddha Shakyamuni" ("Shakya" is the name of his royal family and "Muni" means "Able One."), or simply "the Buddha" for short.  The term "Buddha" today can also apply to any "Awakened One" in the religion of Buddhism.   

Siddhartha declared that happiness is found not by improving one’s “karma” under Hinduism, but by embracing Four Noble Truths:  (1) suffering is universal, (2) craving or desire causes it, (3) the cure is to eliminate the craving or desire, and (4) following the Eightfold Path helps eliminate this desire and attain “nirvana”.  Nirvana is a release from suffering to attain inner peace and complete contentment.  The Eightfold Path is a multifaceted guide to nirvana that relies on wisdom (right view and intention); ethics (right speech, action & livelihood); and mind (right effort, mindfulness & concentration).  In other words, the Eightfold Path is a system of meditation that can be followed by anyone at any social or caste level.

Though the above paragraph refers to Buddhism as a "religion", that is disputed by many.  Buddhism has no "God", and could be described as a "belief system" rather than as a "religion".

Forty-nine (49) days after the Buddha’s enlightenment, he began teaching.  He taught the first Wheel of “Dharma” (one’s duty or nature) to achieve protection from suffering.  The Buddha also taught the Hinayana, or Lesser Vehicle, of Buddhism. Later, the Buddha taught the second and third Wheels of Dharma.  Together these teachings became the source of the Mahayana, or Great Vehicle, of Buddhism.  The Hinayana teaching describes how to attain freedom from suffering for oneself alone.  The Mahayana teaching describes how to attain full enlightenment (“Buddhahood”) for the sake of others.  The Buddha encouraged everyone to practice Dharma to improve inner peace and happiness, and improve the quality of life.  Inner peace is considered under Buddhism to be the key to outward peace.

Siddhartha declared that happiness is found not by improving one's "karma" under Hinduism, but by embracing Four Noble Truths:  (1) suffering is universal, (2) craving or desire causes it, (3) the cure is to eliminate the craving or desire, and (4) following the Eightfold Path helps eliminate this desire and attain "nirvana".  Nirvana is a release from suffering to attain inner peace and complete contentment.  The Eightfold Path is a multifaceted guide to nirvana that relies on wisdom (right view and intention); ethics (right speech, action & livelihood); and mind (right effort, mindfulness & concentration).  In other words, the Eightfold Path is a system of meditation that can be followed by anyone at any social or caste level.

What is the practice of Buddhism like?  Buddhists seek a moral life that emphasizes meditation.  The goal of the meditation is to end cravings and desires and attain a release from suffering, or “nirvana”.  Buddhism encourages increased wisdom and understanding.  Buddhists tend not to proselytize aggressively, but fully accept converts.  There are Buddhists in most countries today.

 

What is the practice of Buddhism like?  Buddhists seek a moral life that emphasizes meditation.  The goal of the meditation is to end cravings and desires and attain a release from suffering, or "nirvana".  Buddhism encourages increased wisdom and understanding.  Buddhists tend not to proselytize aggressively, but fully accept converts.  There are Buddhists in most countries today.

Founded in India, Buddhism has grown to become the fourth largest world religion (behind Christianity, Islam and Hinduism, in that order).  A strict version of Buddhism spread in Southeast Asia (e.g., Cambodia and Vietnam).  A more liberal (less strict) version spread into China, Japan and Korea.  Buddhism has a larger following in the U.S. today than Hinduism, but Hinduism is much stronger than Buddhism in India.   

Founded in India, Buddhism has grown to become the fourth largest world religion (behind Christianity, Islam and Hinduism, in that order).  A strict version of Buddhism spread in Southeast Asia (e.g., Cambodia and Vietnam).  A more liberal (less strict) version spread into China, Japan and Korea.  Buddhism has a larger following in the U.S. today than Hinduism, but Hinduism is much stronger than Buddhism in India.