Basics of Buddhism The Four Noble Truths The Four Noble Truths comprise the essence of Buddha's teachings, though they leave much left unexplained. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering. The Four Noble Truths are a contingency plan for dealing with the suffering humanity faces -- suffering of a physical kind, or of a mental nature. The Third Noble Truth, the truth of the end of suffering, has dual meaning, suggesting either the end of suffering in this life, on earth, or in the spiritual life, through achieving Nirvana. THE BASIC TEACHING OF BUDDHA Following the Buddha's FootstepsInstilling Goodness SchoolCity of Ten Thousand BuddhasTalmage, CA 95481 As a child, Siddhartha the Buddha, was troubled by some of the same thoughts that children today have. They wonder about birth and death. They wonder why they get sick and why grandfather died. They wonder why their wishes do not come true. Children also wonder about happiness and the beauty in nature. Because the Buddha knew what was in the hearts of children and human kind, he taught everyone how to live a happy and peaceful life. Life in the Palace Buddhism is one of the major religions in the world. Soon after Prince Siddhartha was born, the wise men predicted that he would become a Buddha. At the age of sixteen, Prince Siddhartha married a beautiful princess, Yasodhara. The Four Sights Soon Siddhartha became disillusioned with the palace life and wanted to see the outside world. Renunciation Leaving his kingdom and loved ones behind, Siddhartha became a wandering monk. Enlightenment
Sacred Texts: Buddhism Sacred-texts home Journal Articles: Buddhism OCRT: Buddhism Buy CD-ROM Buy Books about Buddhism Modern works Southern Buddhism Northern Buddhism JatakaLinks Modern works The Gospel of Buddha: Compiled from Ancient Records by Paul Carus [1909]A modern retelling of the Buddha's work and life. Buddha, the Word by Paul Carus Amitabha by Paul Carus [1906]Buddhist concepts of God, non-violence, and religious tolerance. The Buddhist Catechism by Henry S. The Creed of Buddha by Edmond Holmes (2nd. ed.) [1919]A Pantheist looks at contemporary Western views of Buddhism. The Life of Buddha by Andre Ferdinand Herold [1922], tr. by Paul C. A Buddhist Bible by Dwight Goddard (1st ed.) [1932]An edited (but not watered-down) collection of key Zen documents, a favorite of Jack Kerouac. The Smokey the Bear Sutra by Gary Snyder.A much beloved short poem about the relationship between Buddhism and ecology, written by one of the 'beat' era poets, simultaneously funny and profound. Southern Buddhism Jataka BBS Files
Dharma Talk on "Compassionate Love" by Ven 5 Minute Introduction • What is Buddhism? Buddhism is a religion to 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 Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35. • Is Buddhism a Religion? To many, Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or 'way of life'. (1) to lead a moral life, (2) to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and (3) to develop wisdom and understanding. • How Can Buddhism Help Me? Buddhism explains a purpose to life, it explains apparent injustice and inequality around the world, and it provides a code of practice or way of life that leads to true happiness. • Why is Buddhism Becoming Popular? Buddhism is becoming popular in western countries for a number of reasons, The first good reason is Buddhism has answers to many of the problems in modern materialistic societies. • Who Was the Buddha? • Was the Buddha a God? • Do Buddhists Worship Idols?
BEGINNER'S GUIDE ... © 1995 Dharman Craig PressonAll Rights Reserved “Zen is not what you think!” -- anonymous Preface The purpose of this little book is to assure that all studentsunderstand the mechanics of Zen practice and the basic teachings ofBuddhism. Part 1: Practice Sitting, Breathing, Walking Seated meditation (J. zazen, Ch. The Sitting Posture (asana) There are several good postures for zazen: four cross-legged, onekneeling, and one using a straight chair or camp stool, as illustrated[Add illustrations of full lotus, half-lotus, sukhasana, Burmese, seiza,and chair sitting]. Breathing One may be given specific instructions by a teacher regarding theproper focus of awareness during zazen. Do not force or control the breath in any way. Walking (Kinhin) Walking meditation may be practiced between sessions of sitting.This relieves the legs of cramps and “pins and needles”, andallows one to begin the process of carrying one’s practice off thecushion and into daily activity. Part 2: Theory The Buddha The Dharma
Buddhism Basics Buddhism is a major Asian religion that began in India in the 6th century C.E., spread to China, and then to the rest of the world. It is centered around the teachings of a man named Siddhartha Gautama who came to be known as "the Buddha" after he achieved enlightenment into true reality when he was about 35 years old. Siddhartha Gautama, or the historical Buddha, was born a Hindu and grew up in Hindu culture. Therefore, Buddhist philosophy contains some basic Hindu ideas, much like Christianity contains some Jewish ideas. Buddhism, like any other major world religion, contains different groups within it. Theravada means "doctrine of the elders" and is one of the earliest forms of Buddhist religion. Mahayana means "great vehicle" which is a term that arose, to an extent, in opposition to Theravada. Vajrayana means "thunderbolt" or "diamond" vehicle and is a form of Buddhism prominent in Tibet and in other areas which feature tantric and shamanistic practices.
Essentials of Buddhism - core concepts Buddha Teachings Following the Buddha's FootstepsInstilling Goodness SchoolCity of Ten Thousand BuddhasTalmage, CA 95481 As a child, Siddhartha the Buddha, was troubled by some of the same thoughts that children today have. They wonder about birth and death. They wonder why they get sick and why grandfather died. Because the Buddha knew what was in the hearts of children and human kind, he taught everyone how to live a happy and peaceful life. Life in the Palace Buddhism is one of the major religions in the world. Soon after Prince Siddhartha was born, the wise men predicted that he would become a Buddha. At the age of sixteen, Prince Siddhartha married a beautiful princess, Yasodhara. The Four Sights Soon Siddhartha became disillusioned with the palace life and wanted to see the outside world. On his fourth trip, he saw a wandering monk who had given up everything he owned to seek an end to suffering. Renunciation Leaving his kingdom and loved ones behind, Siddhartha became a wandering monk. Enlightenment
Buddhism and the Brain Credit: Flickr user eschipul Over the last few decades many Buddhists and quite a few neuroscientists have examined Buddhism and neuroscience, with both groups reporting overlap. I’m sorry to say I have been privately dismissive. But science isn’t supposed to care about preconceived notions. Despite my doubts, neurology and neuroscience do not appear to profoundly contradict Buddhist thought. Buddhists say pretty much the same thing. When considering a Buddhist contemplating his soul, one is immediately struck by a disconnect between religious teaching and perception. Mr. Although I despaired, I comforted myself by looking at the overlying cortex. The next day Mr. One year later he came back to the office with an odd request. When we consider our language, it seems unified and indivisible. Consider how easily Buddhism accepts what happened to Mr. Both Buddhism and neuroscience converge on a similar point of view: The way it feels isn’t how it is. How did Buddhism get so much right?