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Dharmic Religions Contd from Hinduism
Bhuddism
There were numerous
persons conflicting and questioning the basics and superstitions
of Hinduism, but it was Siddartha who fought against it and
founded the basics of Buddhism.
Buddhism is
another dharmic religion, which is also a philosophy and a
system of psychology. Buddhism is also known as Buddha
Dharma, which means the "teachings of the Awakened
One" in Sanskrit. Buddhism was founded around the
fifth century BCE by Siddhartha Gautama, hereafter referred
to as "the Buddha".
Buddha was born
in the ancient Indian Shakya nation, present day Lumbini (Nepal),
and that he died around age 80 in Kushinagar in India. He
lived around the fifth century BC, according to scholarship.
Classification of present-day Buddhism among scholars divides
present-day followers into the following three traditions
: the Therwada, Mahayana and Vajrayana.
The
Four Noble Truths
According to
the scriptures, the Buddha taught that in life there exists
sorrow which is caused by desire and it can be cured by following
the Noble Eightfold Path. Buddha molded Buddhism’ basic principles
modifying Sanatana Dharma and his own ideas. Birth is suffering,
aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering;
union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from
what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is
suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging
are suffering.
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The
cause of suffering: The desire which leads
to renewed existence-rebirth (the cycle of samsara)
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The
cessation of suffering: The cessation of desire.
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The
way leading to the cessation of suffering:
The Noble Eightfold Path.
The Noble Eightfold
Path
The Noble Eightfold
Path is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth
part of the Four Noble Truths.
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Right Speech - One speaks in a non hurtful,
not exaggerated, truthful way.
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Right
Actions - Wholesome action, avoiding action
that would do harm.
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Right
Livelihood - One's way of livelihood does not
harm in any way oneself or others; directly or indirectly.
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Right
Effort/Exercise - One makes an effort to improve.
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Right
Mindfulness/Awareness - Mental ability to see
things for what they are with clear consciousness.
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Right
Concentration - Being aware of the present
reality within oneself, without any craving or aversion.
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Right
Thoughts - Change in the pattern of thinking.
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Right Understanding - Understanding reality
as it is, not just as it appears to be.
Buddhist
Texts
Buddhist scriptures
and other texts exist in great variety. Different schools
of Buddhism place varying levels of value on them. Some schools
venerate certain texts as religious objects in themselves,
while others take a more scholastic approach. The Buddhist
canon of scripture is known in Sanskrit as the Tripitaka.
Intellectualism
and Buddhist Worldview
According to
the scriptures, in his lifetime, the Buddha had not answered
several philosophical questions. On issues like whether the
world is eternal or non-eternal, finite or infinite, unity
or separation of the body and the self, complete inexistence
of a person after nirvana and then death, nature of the Supreme
Truth, etc, the Buddha had remained silent. The scriptures
explain that such questions distract from practical activity
for realizing enlightenment.
Buddhist
missionaries, however, often faced philosophical questions
from other religions whose answers they themselves did not
know. For those, who have attachment to intellectualism, Buddhist
scholars produced a pretty quantity of intellectual theories,
philosophies and worldview concepts.
Dharmic Religions Contd : Jainism,
Hinduism and
Sikhism
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