Buddhism (also known as Buddha Dharma, meaning approximately Law of the Awakened One) is a religion, a practical philosophy, and arguably a psychology, focusing on the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni (Siddhārtha Gautama), who lived in ancient India most likely from the mid-6th to the early 5th century BCE. Buddhism spread throughout the Indian subcontinent in the five centuries following the Buddha's passing, and propagated into Central, Southeast, and East Asia over the next two millennia. Today, Buddhism is divided primarily into three traditions: Theravāda (Sanskrit: Sthaviravāda), Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna. Buddhism continues to attract followers worldwide, and, with about 708 million adherents, it is considered a major world religion. Buddhism is the fourth-largest religion in the world.

When used in a generic sense, a Buddha is generally considered to be a person who discovers the true nature of reality through years of spiritual cultivation, investigation of the various religious practices of his time, and meditation. This transformational discovery is called bodhi - literally, "Awakening" (more commonly called "Enlightenment"). Any person who has become awakened from the "sleep of ignorance" by directly realizing the true nature of reality is called a Buddha. Śākyamuni is said to have been only the latest of many of these; there were other Buddhas before him and there will be others in the future. According to the Buddha, any person can follow his example and become enlightened through the study of his words "Dharma" and putting them into practice, by leading a virtuous, moral life, and purifying his mind. Concisely put the aim of Buddhist practice is to put an end to this mass of suffering we call existence. "I teach one thing and one thing only: suffering and the end of suffering" (The Buddha). To achieve this state, adherents train and purify the mind by following the Noble Eightfold Path, and the Middle Way, eventually arriving at an understanding of the true nature of all things, thus ending (nirodha) all ignorance and unhappiness and attaining liberation: (Pāli nibbāna).

Gautama the Buddha

---

More on [ Buddhism ]

Buddhism - Twitter Search

RT @ahkonlhamo: RT: @onBuddhist #Buddhism Being Buddhist doesn't make Buddha happy, being constantly mindful & content may make you beco ...
AreneAlexandra (Maria Windolph) Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:28:26 -0000
RT @ahkonlhamo: RT: @onBuddhist #Buddhism Being Buddhist doesn't make Buddha happy, being constantly mindful & content may make you beco ...
in view of recent comments by B Hume that Christ offers something unique,link here 2 know more about Buddhism: http://short.to/12o2g
db10doug (Doug Blankenship) Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:28:13 -0000
in view of recent comments by B Hume that Christ offers something unique,link here 2 know more about Buddhism: http://short.to/12o2g
RT @GregoryTucker: Buddhism is hot on the trail of BS, sometimes forgetting to include itself. Truth picks no favorites, not even in robes!
MonkMojo (Monk Mojo) Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:27:12 -0000
RT @GregoryTucker: Buddhism is hot on the trail of BS, sometimes forgetting to include itself. Truth picks no favorites, not even in robes!
RT: @onBuddhist #Buddhism Being Buddhist doesn't make Buddha happy, being constantly mindful & content may make you become one.
ahkonlhamo (jetsunma ahkon lhamo) Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:22:27 -0000
RT: @onBuddhist #Buddhism Being Buddhist doesn't make Buddha happy, being constantly mindful & content may make you become one.
A Buddhist on the Brit Hume brouhaha:"Both Christianity and Buddhism are aimed at the alleviation of human suffering" http://bit.ly/6AesAF
michaelkress (Michael Kress) Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:20:14 -0000
A Buddhist on the Brit Hume brouhaha:"Both Christianity and Buddhism are aimed at the alleviation of human suffering" http://bit.ly/6AesAF
Christian nationalism is a helluva drug RT @QueerjohnPA RT @buzzflash: Family Research Council Slanders Buddhism http://bit.ly/56PlKd #p2
ludovicspeaks (Ludovic) Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:17:22 -0000
Christian nationalism is a helluva drug RT @QueerjohnPA RT @buzzflash: Family Research Council Slanders Buddhism http://bit.ly/56PlKd #p2

Subscribe to Buddhism RSS feed