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Difference between revisions of "Buddhism"
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Early texts have the Buddha's family name as "Gautama" (Pali: Gotama), while some texts give Siddhartha as his surname. He was born in Lumbini, present-day Nepal and grew up in Kapilavastu, a town in the Ganges Plain, near the modern Nepal–India border, and he spent his life in what is now modern Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. | Early texts have the Buddha's family name as "Gautama" (Pali: Gotama), while some texts give Siddhartha as his surname. He was born in Lumbini, present-day Nepal and grew up in Kapilavastu, a town in the Ganges Plain, near the modern Nepal–India border, and he spent his life in what is now modern Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. | ||
Gautama was moved by the suffering of life and death, and its endless repetition due to rebirth. He thus set out on a quest to find liberation from suffering. After leaving his family behind, he first studied under two teachers of [[Hinduism|Hindu]] philosophy and learned the art of meditation. Finding these teachings to be insufficient to attain his goal, he joined a group of [[Jainism|Jain]] monks who practiced severe asceticism, which included a strict fasting regime and various forms of breath control. | Gautama was moved by the suffering of life and death, and its endless repetition due to rebirth. He thus set out on a quest to find liberation from suffering. After leaving his family behind, he first studied under two teachers of [[Hinduism|Hindu]] philosophy and learned the art of [[meditation]]. Finding these teachings to be insufficient to attain his goal, he joined a group of [[Jainism|Jain]] monks who practiced severe asceticism, which included a strict fasting regime and various forms of breath control. | ||
When he was unable to achieve enlightenment through either method, he went off on his own and meditated by himself. He sat in meditative absorption under a Bodhi tree near the town of Bodh Gaya and attained enlightenment. On awakening, the Buddha gained insight into the workings of karma and his former lives, as well as achieving the ending of the mental defilements, the ending of suffering, and the end of rebirth in saṃsāra. This event also brought certainty about the Middle Way as the right path of spiritual practice to end suffering. As a fully enlightened Buddha, he attracted followers and founded a monastic order. | When he was unable to achieve enlightenment through either method, he went off on his own and meditated by himself. He sat in meditative absorption under a Bodhi tree near the town of Bodh Gaya and attained enlightenment. On awakening, the Buddha gained insight into the workings of karma and his former lives, as well as achieving the ending of the mental defilements, the ending of suffering, and the end of rebirth in saṃsāra. This event also brought certainty about the Middle Way as the right path of spiritual practice to end suffering. As a fully enlightened Buddha, he attracted followers and founded a monastic order. | ||
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While Buddhism in the West is often seen as exotic and progressive, in the East it is regarded as familiar and traditional. In countries such as Cambodia and Bhutan, it is recognised as the state religion and receives government support. In certain regions such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, militants have targeted violence and destruction of historic Buddhist monuments. | While Buddhism in the West is often seen as exotic and progressive, in the East it is regarded as familiar and traditional. In countries such as Cambodia and Bhutan, it is recognised as the state religion and receives government support. In certain regions such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, militants have targeted violence and destruction of historic Buddhist monuments. | ||
In the Western world, Buddhism has had a strong influence on modern New Age spirituality and other alternative spiritualities. This began with its influence on 20th century Theosophists such as [[Helena Blavatsky]], which were some of the first Westerners to take Buddhism seriously as a spiritual tradition. More recently, Buddhist meditation practices have influenced the development of modern psychology, particularly the practice of Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and other similar mindfulness based modalities. The influence of Buddhism on psychology can also be seen in certain forms of modern psychoanalysis. | In the Western world, Buddhism has had a strong influence on modern New Age spirituality and other alternative spiritualities. This began with its influence on 20th century Theosophists such as [[Helena Blavatsky]], which were some of the first Westerners to take Buddhism seriously as a spiritual tradition. More recently, Buddhist [[meditation]] practices have influenced the development of modern psychology, particularly the practice of Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and other similar mindfulness based modalities. The influence of Buddhism on psychology can also be seen in certain forms of modern psychoanalysis. | ||
[[Category:Religions]] | [[Category:Religions]] | ||