Buddhism Temple
Psychological Articles as Solutions to Types of Discrimination
Buddhism is the religion founded in India in 525 B.C. by Siddhartha Gautama, later known as the Buddha. For many it’s neither a religion nor a philosophy of life, instead it’s a set of teachings to guide one through practical life. But often it’s described as a religion as well as collection of various ethical philosophies presented by Buddha.
Origin
Siddhartha Gautama, born in the city of Lumbini, raised in Kapilvastu in Nepal, was born a prince. His father King Suddhodana, was told by a wise man that either his son would become a great king or a holy man. The king wanted his son to become a king so he shielded him from all the miseries and hardships of life. But at the age of 29 Siddhartha had his ‘four sights’ that of an old man, of a leper, of a corpse and an ascetic.
Gautama then left his privileged life and became a mendicant. He purposely exposed himself to hardships and ordeals. He then abandoned asceticism and found the Middle Way-the path of moderation. He got his Enlightenment at the age of 35, after 49 day’s meditation, under the sacred fig tree. He came to be known as Buddha and spent the rest of his life teaching his insights or dharma. He died around the age of 80 in India.
Schools of Buddhism
One of the world’s greatest religions, Buddhism is divided into two major schools or sects. The Theravada or Hinayama-with followers in Sri Lanka and S.E. Asia and the Mahayana, in China, Mongolia, Korea and Japan. However a comparatively smaller school, Zen still exists in Japan and Tibet, but has disappeared completely from India, its country of origin, except for a very small group of Tibetan refugees and lower Hindu caste converts.
Beliefs
The essence of Buddhism lies in the ‘four noble truths’:
1. Dukhka:
That means that life is a suffering.
2. Trisha:
That all suffering is caused by attachments.
3. Nirvana:
That is the cessation of all suffering.
4. The right path to the cessation of one’s sufferings.
Eightfold Path
In order to find Nirvana, one has to possess right views, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right mindfulness and right concentration. Buddhism believes that all living beings are trapped in the cycle of birth-death-rebirth. Only when one’s Karma makes him free of this suffering than a person can achieve total freedom or Nirvana.
Practices
Buddhism strongly believes in practicing meditations, self-control and observing moral precepts. The five basic morals to be followed are:
1. not to lie.
2. refrain from stealing.
3. refrain from acting unchastely.
4. always speaking the truth.
5. giving up intoxicants.
The monks have to take an additional five vows:
1. They must not eat at improper time.
2. They must not view entertainments.
3. They cannot use body adornments.
4. They cannot sleep in high, comfortable beds.
5. They cannot receive money.
The Buddha monks follow the monastic order Sangha.
Today, Indian Buddhism has become almost extinct. However while diminishing in India, it’s gaining in worldwide popularity; and is currently the fourth largest religion after Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. In Asia it’s the official religion of many countries and in Europe and America it is regarded as an enlightened and moderate way of living-so its influence is growing all over the world.
The Psychological Article on An Introduction to Buddhism is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of psychological articles on World Religions, Spirtuality, and Solutions to Types of Discrimination. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.
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