Life Of The Buddha Essay

Life of the Buddha Essay
General Essay on Buddhism
Life of the Buddha
Buddhism arose in northern India in the 6th century BCE. The historical founder of Buddhism, Siddharta Gautama (c.560–480 BCE) was born in a
village called Lumbini into a warrior tribe called the Sakyas (from where he derived the title Sakyamuni, meaning 'Sage of the Sakyas'). According to
tradition Gautama's father, Suddhodana was the king of a small principality based on the town of Kapilavastu. His mother, Queen Maya, died seven
days after Gautama's birth. Following the death of Maya, Suddhodana married Maya's sister, Prajapati, by whom Gautama was brought up in great
luxury and sheltered from the harshness of the outside world.
At sixteen the prince married Yasodhara. Yasodhara bore
...show more content...
In the third he identified the four noble truths: the universality of suffering, the cause of suffering through selfish desire, the solution to suffering and
the way to overcome suffering. This final point is called the Noble Eightfold Path, this being eight steps consisting of wisdom (right views, right
intention) ethics (right speech, right action, right livelihood), mental discipline (right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration), which ultimately
lead to liberation from the source of suffering.
Although initially hesitant to share his insight on the grounds that humanity might not be ready for such a teaching, the Buddha decided to
communicate his discovery to those willing to listen. His first converts were the five ascetics with whom he had lived when he himself followed the
lifestyle of the ascetic. To these he preached his first sermon in the Deer Park at Benares, outlining to them the Four Noble Truths. Out of this small
group the community of monks (or sangha) grew to about sixty in size and included Buddha's cousin, Ananda, and his son, Rahula. Later the Buddha
was persuaded by his step–mother and cousin to accept women into the sangha.
The remaining forty–five years of the Buddha's life were spent journeying around the plain of the Ganges, teaching and receiving visitors. At the age
of 79 the Buddha fell seriously ill and died. During his life the Buddha
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Buddhism, Buddhism And Buddhism
Buddhism is one of the largest religions in the world that started in India. Later spreading to China,Burma,Japan , Tibet and other parts of southeast
Asia. Buddhism is a religion that
Is concentrated on spiritualism than religious teachings. Established by the buddha, one must obtain their own spiritual awakening, or nirvana through
meditation. There are three main branches of Buddhism Theravada Buddhism , Mahayana Buddhism and Tantric Buddhism.
About 2,500 years ago, Prince Siddhartha Gautama renounced his empire in search of happiness or panacea for sorrow (dukkha) Gautama, after an
extensive research throughout his empire and meditating on the collected data under a banyan tree,discovered that aspiration or want (kama) was at the
root of sorrow (dukkha) laid down four noble truths to eliminate sorrow, and became the Buddha, the enlightened. Truths "Sanskriti, Mana. "The Four
Noble." (1998)." The four noble truths stated that suffering could not be escaped. Birth sickness, senility and death are all occasions of suffering.
Suffering can be either physical or psychological. One that is living an un– enlightened life is living in suffering. A major cause of suffering is
ignorance. Someone who is manifesting as ego grasping is living an un–enlightened life. There is one only way suffering can be ended and that 's
through the eightfold path." Oxtoby, Willard Gurdon, and Amir Hussain. World Religions: Western Traditions. Willard Gurdon Oxtoby & Amir

Essay on Buddhism
People around the world speak of American influence in politics, business, and merchandise. The terms 'globalization' or 'global interdependence' are
recently being more understood by most when defining them with relation to corporations, environmental issues, and the modern economy. Can these
terms be used to describe the religious beliefs in Canada? The religious life of North American society does not find its roots here at home. We live in
a Christian domain. Its roots are 2000 years old and lie half way around the world. It is all around us in our homes, schools, workplace, media, and
quite inescapable in our daily lives. In the 21st Century however, basic Christian values are being influenced by...show more content...
Buddhists believe that all things should be looked after: the earth, plants, birds, insects and animals. This is close to the feeling among many people in
recent years that the human race should stop polluting the atmosphere and destroying the surface of the earth by cutting down forests.
"Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: it transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas
and theology; it covers both the natural & spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and
spiritual, as a meaningful unity" (Albert Einstein)
Over 5 million Americans, and over 160,000 Canadians (1991 Census) consider themselves Buddhist. I found over 75 Buddhist organizations in Alberta
alone!
The face of Buddhism in America can be seen everywhere. From corporations taking advantage of the spread of the religion and selling Buddha
figurines in every shopping mall to Hollywood's blockbusters incorporating the ideas. The movie, The Matrix, has a Buddhist underlying with regard
to the themes of choice, and awakening. The Butterfly Effect is completely based on the idea that the entire universe is interconnected over time, a
principle of Buddha's teachings. Hollywood celebrities such as Brad Pitt (Seven Years in Tibet), Richard Gere (a proclaimed Buddhist), and Tom Cruise

Buddhism Reflection Paper
When I switched out of my other class and registered to take Buddhism I honestly did not know what to expect out of taking a world religion as a
class course. But, of course thinking like a young college student I thought to myself " Hey, why not a class like Buddhism just might be interesting to
you and you always been open minded to learning about different religions anyways". The whole idea of enlightenment being the primary goal of
Buddhism was very interesting to me in the beginning of class. I also agreed with the saying that " the "three poisons, "desire, hatred, and ignorance.
These are the state of mind that motivate the performance of the non virtuous deeds that in turn produce suffering"( (Lopez, The story of Buddhism, p
46) because it relates to what goes on in the world and the generation today. In class Mr. Hayes used to turn the light on to represent that when you are
following the path of the Buddha you are awakened and when the light was off you are in the dark or suffering.
"Buddhism as a religion to which ordinary people have turned over the centuries for the means to confront, control, or even escape the exigencies of
life"(Lopez 14). Buddhism is a world religion that has been studied and carried across the world for many centuries.When it comes to the scholarly
approach to studying Buddhism I learned that one must learn to be open minded , disciplined and patient because studying Buddhism can get a bit
tricky. You must be open minded because Buddhism

Essay on Buddhism
Buddhism Many people interpret Buddha as a big fat guy, that will give you luck if you rub his belly. This may be true, but Buddhism is much bigger
than that. Buddhism began in Himalaya region and has been around since the first century. In Buddhism, the nature of God is a man named
Shakyamuni Buddha. In this paper, we are going to look a little more into Buddhism. We will review responses from an actual Buddhism worshipper.
We will also compare Buddhism to other religions. Although the Buddha was apparently an historical figure, what we know about him is sketchy. His
prolific teachings were probably not collected in written form until at least four hundred years after his death. One example of a sacred biography is
Buddhacarita, by...show more content...
I had a very open mind, so when I tried to follow the Catholic religion, I didn't see any results that fulfilled my spiritual life. Therefore, when I started
learning about Buddhism and started to practice it, I seen that it gave me better results and I felt better in my spiritual life.
Q: How long have you followed this religion?
A: "I have followed this religion for six years.
Q: How has this religion affected you in the modern day lifestyle?
A: This religion affects me in a very good way. People believe that a religion gives you rules to live by; however, Buddhism is not like that. In
Buddhism, sin and guilty feelings for doing bad things does not exist. Therefore, your lifestyle doesn't change if you don't want it to change, but it
makes you more conscious about what you are doing. In my personal life, I feel that I am the same whether I do something or not, it's not because of
the religion, not because somebody is going to punish me, but because I really want to do it.
Q: What conflicts do you face from people that do not follow this religion?
A: I have found no conflicts because as I said before, I was not convinced about the Catholic religion so it was very easy for me to change religions.
Nobody gave me problems about changing religions because I was 29 years old; therefore I was mature enough to make my own decisions. I had no
conflicts with society or anyone else.
Q: What is God for you?
A: Buddhist believes in

Research Paper On Buddhism
Studies of Religion 1 Unit– Buddhism Essay Draft
Buddhist adherents are urged to live good lives according to the Dharma in order to reach Nirvana. This means that their lives are impacted from birth
to follow these teachings which is then further encouraged by their spiritual leader Tenzin Gyatso, his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. With Tenzin
Gyatso's influence as the significant person of Buddhism and quotes from Buddhaghosa and Dogen, this essay will analyse the impact that the Buddhist
teachings of worship (Puja) and bioethics have on individuals and the community of the faith. "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If
you want to be happy, practice compassion." the Dalai Lama.
Puja is the worship of the Buddhist faith....show more content...
Buddhist bioethics is not complicated. Buddhist adherents are encouraged to make right decisions in accordance with the second and fourth step, Right
Intention and Right Action, of the Eightfold Path, the path to Enlightenment. Buddhist adherents are told and taught through the Dharma and the Dalai
Lama that all life is sacred, not matter the circumstance. In a case of euthanasia, a person of the Buddhist faith is encouraged to abstain from killing
in accordance to the first of the Five Precepts. However, the word abstain does not necessarily mean to never consider altogether. In some rare
circumstances an attempt to end one's mortal suffering with a clear mind can be tolerated leaving the Karmic forces of Buddhism to take over the
reincarnation process. Due to this Buddhist bioethics are situational. Buddhists also see suicide as euthanasia and has been tolerated by the Buddha in
only two cases after the victims were of clear mind. The Dalai Lama has also spoken on the topic of euthanasia. He claims that in extreme
circumstances euthanasia may be tolerated but he also has said "I think it's better to avoid it". The quote from Buddhaghosa says that the Eightfold
Path is the path to Nirvana, and the second and fourth steps of the Eightfold Path is Right Intention and Right Action. If in extreme circumstances
euthanasia has been tolerated, however a clear mind must be needed to have

Buddhism Thesis Statement
Bearden L. Brooke
Mrs. Forst
English 2
2 February 2017
All About Buddhism
Religion bashing seems to be very popular in today's world. Instead of acquiring the knowledge needed to argue their points they find it easier to
bash or put down what other people believe in. Why not gain information and the facts you need to argue your points? Bashing can not take place if
people are not properly informed! Have you ever bashed Buddhism? Thought that it was totally absurd. Do you even know what you don't like about the
religion? Buddhism isn't as complex as people like to make it out to be. Thesis statement: Buddhism can be summed up in three simple steps. The name
of the man who found buddhism was named Buddha.(www.aboutbuddhism.org)

Argumentative Essay On Buddhism
Buddhism is considered the world's fourth largest religion, but is it really? Although a large bulk of society rules Buddhism as a religion, its basic
structure and teachings proves that it does not fit in the religious category. Many people argue that it is a religion, mainly because of the unique belief
in the afterlife and various realms of existence within Buddhism. However, there is no god in Buddhism, as anyone who follows the first Buddha's
teachings may become a Buddha themselves. It is the only "religion" that has no supreme spiritual being. It is instead a quest for enlightenment, for
supreme wisdom and intelligence, and to reach Nirvana as a result. It is a quest of self discovery that bypasses the concept of faith. Buddhism cannot
be a religion if it does not meet the criteria to be one.
Religion is defined as the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. Buddhism doesn't have that.
Instead they have the Buddha, which is an enlightened being. The first Buddha was man named Siddhartha Gautama, the prince of the Sakya clan. Key
word; man. Gautama was not some super–immortal being that ruled in the sky requiring rituals and faith. He also had no requirements to even follow
his teachings, his whole philosophy was about bettering yourself, he did not want to be modeled or idealised. There is no doubt he was prophesied
to become either a holy man, or a great ruler, but by no means does that indicate he was a God of

Essay on Buddhism in Japan
"Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future; it transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and
theology; it covers both the natural and spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as
a meaningful unity." Albert Einstein (Buddhism)
Buddhism has affected many people. From the Buddha's first followers to my next door neighbor, people everywhere have followed the teachings of
Buddhism. Buddhism was started by a Prince; a prince who wanted more. Many different ways of showing appreciation to Buddha are present in
today's society as well as when Buddhism was first started. There are paintings, carvings, statues and...show more content...
One was an elderly man, another was a man suffering from illness, and finally he saw a dead body surrounded by mourners. Since he had never
seen anything like this before, he asked his charioteer what these things were. He responded to the Prince that these things were natural and
unavoidable, and happened to everyone. Once again Siddhartha asked his charioteer to take him out into the city; this time he was to see the last of
four images that would change his life forever. The last sight he saw was a wandering old holy man with no possessions. His head was completely
shaved and he was wearing a yellow robe. Having seen all these things, Buddha not only became aware of the pain and suffering of humankind, but
was also prompted to do something about it. He left his family in search of the answers to his questions (Buddhism).
Siddhathra traveled throughout the northeastern portion of India, seeking out holy men and teachers who taught him ancient Indian techniques of
meditation. Even though meditation was important to him, his main quest was to find the answer to the problem of suffering. He wanted to know
why they were suffering and how it could stop. So Siddhartha studied the teachings of Hinduism. He was very fascinated by the belief of
reincarnation or Samsara. (This was the belief of the soul, after death, would travel to a new body and be born again.) Depending on the person's
previous life, their soul could enter a body of a higher or lower state of

Zen Buddhism Essay
Zen Buddhism was first introduced to China by a South–
Indian man called Bodhidharma in around 520 CE. Bodhidharma, according to tradition, was a man so epic that he removed his own eyelids in order
to win a staring contest with a rock wall (from his severed eyelids sprang tealeaves, and thus, the connection between Zen Buddhism and tea–drinking).
The main teaching of Zen is that of zazen, or seated meditation, and that only through meditation and action, rather than cogitation, can one achieve
enlightenment (Elwood, 127–132).
There are two main sects of Zen Buddhism: Rinzai and Soto. Rinzai is the older of the two schools, and was introduced to Japan by Eisai, a Tendai
monk who traveled to China and was disappointed to see that...show more content...
If the new tenzo, or cook, makes a mistake...a senior monk will surely give him a tongue–lashing in front of everyone. The cook will be criticized if the
rice is too hard, the soup is too salty, the vegetables have been cut too small, the tea is lukewarm, the faucet is left dripping" (Hori, 13–14).
Hori goes on to say that if Zen Buddhist masters taught rationally, rather than intuitively, a new cook would be taken aside for a while in the weeks
preceding his appointment and shown how to cook properly. However, in not being taught the proper way to prepare meals, and through being forced
to constantly be mindful of his actions and the effects they will have on the reactions of his fellow monks, Zen is effectively being practiced.
Another thing that Rinzai and Soto have in common is their effort to keep monastic life simple to the point of being almost primitive. This includes the
use of wood fires, non–flushing toilets, no running water, no heating or air–conditioning, and often no electricity. (Hori, 14) By not allowing the use of
modern, time–saving innovations, Zen Buddhist monks are forced to spend much more time focused on simple, day–to–day activities, again improving
the general state of awareness that
Zen Buddhism seems to be all about.
Along the same lines, monasteries have strict, often harsh, rules dictating many mundane aspects of everyday life. As we saw in the movie,

Buddhism : Buddhism And Buddhism
Zen Buddhism isn't exactly a "religion", but a way of living. It creates peace within the human mind that allows one to grow, develop and look at the
world more positively. Originating in China in 650 C.E., Zen Buddhism is a combination between Indian Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. Mahayana
Buddhism promotes bodhisattva, which is practicing the way of life in the direction of Buddha. Taoism is a religion developed by Lao–tzu, a Taoist
philosopher, and focuses on obtaining long life and good fortune. It was brought to China by an Indian monk named Bodhidharma. Eventually, Zen
Buddhism began to spread to Japan in the twelfth century CE and Korea in the seventh century CE, and it eventually became very influential and
popular in western society around the mid–twentieth century. Buddhists that practice Zen Buddhism believe that Zen is the way that Buddha attained
enlightenment. Enlightenment for Buddhism is a spiritual state where there is no desire or suffering. This leads to the teachings of The Four Noble
Truths. The Truths are teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha gave in Sarnath after attaining enlightenment. The first Truth is the truth ofdukkha and that it
is inevitable in life. Dukkha is any kind of unhappiness or suffering and all human experience is temporary. They believe that suffering is a result of
extreme desire and attachment. The second Truth states that dukkha is caused by cravings and that unhappiness results in humans wanting to make
their biases and

Reflection Paper About Buddhism
In this paper, I have chosen to consider the convictions of Buddhism, particularly on one of the most seasoned surviving branch of Buddhism, which is
Theravada. In this reflection paper, I will examine how I attend at Buddhist religion, my essential learning of Buddhism, the manners of being in a
sanctuary, what I know have shown me from a youthful age. Also, I will express my own sentiments, perspectives and individual experience
particularly on Karma. Buddhism is an exceptionally spellbinding, quiet, human–focused religion. Like numerous different religions with age,
Buddhism is one of the most established religions out there, dating the distance back to
560 B.C.E. Getting from Hinduism, a polytheistic religion, Buddhism...show more content...
The teachings I have learned from seminars, conferences, and weekly Dharma service discussions have taught me that each and every individual is
different. There are aspects of our life that intertwine us, but the events, people we have met, and places we have visit separate us from being
identical. I learned that there are reasons why some one may have say a rude comment, or why someone chooses to be extremely quiet in school.
We should not judge them for this, as we most likely express some of these habits ourselves.
But if we can learn to identify and express understanding towards one another, then we will only better ourselves and the world as a whole. There are
three missions of the Arizona Buddhist
Temple is to encourage Sangha: to learn the joyful and compassionate teachings of Buddha, to practice these teachings in their daily lives, and to share
the teachings with other. On a typical
Sunday, Buddhist format are:
В¬Ringing of the "Bansho" and "Bansho Meditation"
В¬Calling for the "Kansho" and response Hai"
В¬Ringing of the Kasho
В¬Opening Remarks
В¬Sutra Chanting
В¬Sanbutsuka
В¬Reading of the Tree Treasusres
В¬Howa (Dharma Talk)
В¬Sanbutsuka
В¬Buddhist Reading
В¬Announcements

В¬Closing Remarks
Some Definitions:
Kansho – referred to a "ritual bell" because it is rung just to prior to the beginning of the ritual. The

Buddhism: An Informative Essay About Buddhism
There are so many different religions in the world, and its keep expanding every day. Each religion as it own characteristic also gives its followers
instruction to believe what is right and what is wrong in their daily. Religion is the self–consciousness and self–perception of each person who neither
finds themselves nor has lost themselves. With the purpose of this assignment, I decided to do the research about Buddhism. The reason I picked
Buddhism is it had a very rich historical background, as I known Buddhism is not a system of faith and worship, nor does it require blind faith, but
must rely on knowledge of the truth. Buddhism is not just kept in scriptures, nor is it a topic for people to study from the literary and historical point

Essay on Buddhism
Buddhism
In reading this account on Buddhism, the goal is, for you (the reader) to understand a fascinating belief system, that has been around since before
Christ ever set foot on this earth. This will provide a connection to the minds and hearts of the people who live and die in this sacred world, so that an
understanding may be arroused and ultimatly give an acceptance as well as a clear path to minister to these people. The most important aspect of
reaching out to people of other cults or religions could possibly be an understanding and common ground with your neighbor. Therefore, knowing
Buddhism and learning about it will help give you a stepping stone in you mission on spreading the gospel of...show more content...
He did these things for six or seven years in order, so he believed, to attain truth. One day while on his pilgrimage of enlightenment he came to the
realization that his life as an ascetic was of no greater value than that of his previous existence as a prince. His self–torturing acts were then viewed by
him as vain and fruitless, just as a life with worldly pleasures would be described as. Once he discovered the importance of the "middle way", (the
way to truth, which averts both worldly pleasures and extreme austerities) he abandoned his life of extreme austerities and moved on in his search for
truth. (Mead 30)
Later on in his life, it is not certain exactly when, Gautama sat under a particular fig tree in Gaya, which now is christened the Bodhi–tree. Gautama sat
at the foot of that tree and meditated, he meditated until he became enlightened. At the point of enlightenment he discovered the "Four Noble Truths",
which became the focal point of his teachings, and of his Buddhist philosophy. This marked perhaps the most important point in his spiritual journey,
where he became the Buddha or "the Enlightened One".
With his newly found title as the Buddha he decided to set out and share the enlightenment he experienced and the "Four Noble Truths" to all who
would be willing to receive

Brief Essay On Buddhism
Buddhism is one of the oldest known religions worshiped by more than 300 million people around the world currently. Buddhism was originated
around 2,500 years ago when prince Siddhartha Gautam also known as the Buddha himself was enlightened at the age of 35. Basically, Buddhism
is a practice and philosophy of Gautam Buddha that believes life is full of suffering, these suffering is caused by our desires and wants, our
suffering ends when those desires and wants ends, and that state of mind is achieved when the lifestyle laid by Buddha is followed which is also
known as the four noble truth. A Buddhist monk's life is set in these beliefs of simplicity and dedication towards their religion. Usually, Buddhist
monk lives and takes a vow of chastity and devotes their life helping others where as demonstrating Buddhist values at the same time. Monk must be
at least 21 years of age before taking a vow to being a monk and following the philosophy of Buddha. First of all monks must be familiarized with
Eightfold path, which is also believed as the way to end all of the sufferings. The eightfold path consists of the right understanding, speech, intention,
effort, mindfulness, concentration, action and livelihood. Monks live very simple life and...show more content...
Usually, the lives of monk differ according to the monastery, the monastery have their own rules, which the monks follow. Usually in the temples at
Buddhist countries like Thailand, monks wake up very early in the morning and start meditating followed by chanting. Meditation can be also
defined as mind and body practice where individual trains the mind to feel calmness and physical relaxation or control mind by focusing on breath or
body sensation or on phrases known as mantras. To meditate properly a quite location with as few distractions as possible is required as well as
comfortable body posture is

Persuasive Essay On Buddhism
In the United States there are over four million buddhists, one thousand temples, study groups, or Buddhists associations (Monroe 108). This number
has come from just one man searching to find happiness and eventually enlightenment. Buddha's story is how buddhism became a religion all over the
world. It teaches a peaceful manner, reveals the key to happiness for the mind, and eliminates the desire in life. Not just the history of buddhism is
important, but how it has spread through the world and what it looks like today.
Buddhism is a religion that is all about finding enlightenment and nirvana. People want to find nirvana, a state of mind in which one is released
from fear and desire, so they no longer have to go through reincarnations (Monroe 110). Buddhism is a peaceful religion that doesn't believe in
violence. They believe that all live are sacred and deserve to enjoy life whether it be a human or an animal. Buddhists live by a moral code of
conduct with a proper control of emotions and thinking. There is a list of the Five Precepts for Right Living. The first one is do not kill, second do
not steal, third do not lie, fourth do not consume alcohol, and fifth do not indulge in sexual excesses outside of marriage (Monroe 111). All buddhist
search for enlightenment, however deny the existence of an afterlife. They do not believe there is a heaven nor a hell to punish their sins or reward
their good deeds (Monroe 108). This means there is no salvation in an afterlife but

Essay on Buddhism
Buddhism is probably the most tolerant religion in the world, as its teachings can coexist with any other religion's. However, this is not a
characteristic of other religions. The Buddhist teaching of God is neither agnostic nor vague, but clear and logical. Buddhism was created by
Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in the sixth century B.C. in what is now modern Nepal. Siddhartha grew up living the extravagant life of a
young prince. His father was Suddhodana and was the ruler of the Sakya people. According to custom, he married a young girl named Yasodhara at
the age of sixteen. His father had ordered that he live a life of total seclusion, but one day Siddhartha ventured out into the world and was confronted
with the harsh reality of...show more content...
For the re– mainder of his eighty years, the Buddha preached the dharma in an effort to help other people also reach Enlightenment. The Buddha
objectively examined the phenomena of life. Studying effects and tracing their causes, he produced a science of living which ranks with any other
science known to man. He de– scribed life to be one and indivisible. Man, he declared, can become Buddha, Enlightened, by the principle of
Enlightenment within. This process is simply to become what you are, to de– velop to the full innate Buddha–Mind by destroying the igno– rance, sin,
and evils of human nature. According to the Buddha, all forms of life can be shown to have three characteristics in common; impermanence, suffering,
and an absence of a permanent soul which separates itself from other forms of life. The Buddha also pointed out that nothing is the same as it was only
a moment ago. Everyone and everything are constantly changing. There is no rest within the universe, only a ceaseless becoming and never–ending
change. Buddhism denies that man has an im– mortal soul. The Enlightenment which dwells in life does not belong to only one form. Man is always
changing and entirely mortal. Buddhism is a natural religion. It does not violate either the mind or the body. The Buddha became aware that men are
born and die according to their good or evil

What Is Buddhism? Essay
What is Buddhism?
Buddhism is a path of teaching and practice. Buddhist practices such as meditation are means of changing oneself in order to develop the qualities of
awareness, kindness, and wisdom. The experience developed within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable
resource for all those who wish to follow the path of spiritual development. Ultimately, the
Buddhist path culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhahood.
Who was the Buddha?
The word Buddha is a title not a name. It means 'one who is awake' in the sense of having 'woken up to reality'. The title was first given to a man
called Siddharta Guatemala, who lived about 2,500 years...show more content...
How do you become a Buddhist?
To become a Buddhist in the full sense means committing oneself to the central ideas of Buddhism. The Buddhist path is open to all equally: men and
women, young and old, people of all nationalities, races and backgrounds.
Rebirth
Rebirth in the Six Realms
Buddhism teaches that birth, death and rebirth are part of the continuing process of change. The is similar to the continuous process of growth, decay,
and replacement of cells in ones' body. According to medical experts, after every seven years, all the cells in one's body are replaced by new ones.
At the moment of death, and the body can no longer survive, the mind is separated from the body. At that time, the craving for lives causes one to seek
a new existence, and the karma done previously determine the place of one's rebirth. There are six realms which one may be reborn after death. They
are the realms of gods, the demigods, human beings, animals, hungry ghosts, and the hells. In general, wholesome actions like good conduct, charity, a
and mental development, are the cause of rebirth in the happy realms of gods, demigods, and human beings. On the other hand, unwholesome actions

like immoral conduct, miserliness and cruelty cause

Buddhism Reflection Paper
Reflection Paper 1: Beliefs of Buddhism
In this paper, I have decided to reflect on the beliefs of Buddhism, specifically on one of the oldest surviving branch of Buddhism, which is
Theravada. In this reflection paper, I will be discussing how I became a Buddhist, my basic knowledge of Buddhism, the etiquette of being in a temple,
what my parents have taught me from a young age. Additionally, I will express my own opinions, views and personal experience specifically on
Karma and the 5 Precepts.
Originally, I was born in Thailand and growing up in Cambodia for the first five years of my life their, therefore it is clear that I would naturally
follow the beliefs of Theravada Buddhism. Furthermore, I also come from a family of...show more content...
From my life experiences, I would say it depends on the situation you find yourself in. I personally find it hard to stick to them because these days it
is east to get influenced by the environment you're in. My aims in life aren't based on these rules; hence I don't really find myself sticking to them.
Even though I do break these rules, I still believe I am a good Buddhist.
For Monks and Nun's on the other hand, it is necessary for them to follow the last five rules. In Buddhism, I was taught that they used to be
common people but the fact that they have sacrificed everything to become monks they should take the rules very seriously and follow a very
strict life. From some of the Monks I've seen in Cambodia, I can tell it is very difficult for them to stick to these rules too For me, I get distracted
so easily and it is very easy for me to get influenced by modern technology. Today, I would see some Monks with smartphones, using them as iPods;
some would have access to Facebook etc. some would even receive money privately or get involved in violence. I find this so disappointing, as it
makes me doubt in everything I have believed but also I view monks so differently after seeing and hearing stories about how some Monks have been
behaving.
To conclude, it is clear that my beliefs in Theravada Buddhism mainly comes from the influence

Life Of The Buddha Essay

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Life Of The Buddha Essay