Buddhism is a religion followed by about 300 million people around the world. The word comes from 'budhi', 'to awaken'. It has its origins about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35.
The two major sects of Buddhism are Theravada and Mahayana. There are other sects.
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The Triple Gem
1. The Buddha — The self awakened one;
2. The Dharma — The Teaching;
3. The Sangha — The Awakened Community.
The Four Noble Truths
1. The Noble Truth of Dukkha - stress, unsatisfactoriness, suffering;
2. The Noble Truth of the causal arising of Dukkha, which is grasping, clinging and wanting;
3. The Noble Truth of Nirvana, The ending of Dukkha. Awakening, Enlightenment. "Mind like fire unbound";
4. The Noble Truth of the Path leading to Nirvana or Awakening is the Middle Path, which avoids all the extremes
The Eight Fold-Path
1. Right View, Understanding;
2. Right Attitude, Thought or Emotion;
3. Right Speech;
4. Right Action;
5. Right livelihood;
6. Right Effort;
7. Right Mindfulness or Awareness;
8. Right Samadhi "concentration"
The Five Precepts
I undertake to:
1. Abstain from killing living beings;
2. Abstain from taking that which not given;
3. Abstain from sexual misconduct;
4. Abstain from false speech;
5. Abstain from distilled substances that confuse the mind. (Alcohol and Drugs)
The Four Bodhisattva Vows
1. I vow to rescue the boundless living beings from suffering; (Link to 1st Truth)
2. I vow to put an end to the infinite afflictions of living beings; (Link to 2nd Truth)
3. I vow to learn the measureless Dharma-doors; (Link to 4th Truth)
4. I vow to realise the unsurpassed path of the Buddha. (Link to 3th Truth)
(Foundation of the Mahayana Path. "Whatever the highest perfection of the human heart-mind may I realise it for the benefit of all that lives!")
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Buddha Quotes
SpiritualThis little book contained some of the basic teachings and quotes from Buddhism. Explanations and interpretations of the teachings and the history of the religion are not included. If you want to know more about Buddhism, you can find ebooks and app...
