REL 402 - World's Living Religions
Notes on Buddhism
Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha (Enlightened One), in southern Nepal in the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.
The Buddha achieved enlightenment through mediation and gathered a community of monks to carry on his teachings.
Buddhism teaches that meditation and the practice of good religious and moral behavior can lead to Nirvana, the state of enlightenment, although before achieving Nirvana one is subject to repeated lifetimes that are good or bad depending on one's actions (karma).
The doctrines of the Buddha describe temporal life as featuring "four noble truths" :
- Existence is a realm of suffering
- Desire, along with the belief in the importance of one's self, causes suffering
- Achievement of Nirvana ends suffering
- Nirvana is attained only by meditation and by following the path of righteousness in action, thought, and attitude.
Buddhism was originally primarily an atheistic religion, but it has developed in many places into a religion of worship for its founder, Prince Siddhartha, known as Buddha.
Copyright © 2005 Scott A. Ruthven, all Rights Reserved
