What Are the Beliefs and Values of Buddhism
What are the beliefs and values of Buddhism?
Buddhists follow the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who is known as the Buddha, meaning the enlightened one. Buddhism originated in northern India and is the fourth largest religion of the world. However, Buddhism is more a philosophy or way of life other than a religion because unlike so many other religious traditions, Buddhism is founded on the teaching of a human being and not a god. Philosophy means love of wisdom and the Buddhist’s believe in leading a moral life, being mindful and aware of thoughts and actions and developing wisdom and understanding.
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama was a warrior prince who founded Buddhism and lived from 566 to 483 BC [1]. He was born in Lumbini, in the Himalayas and lived in Northern India. Siddhartha Gautama was a prince of a wealthy, royal family, he was aware of his luxurious life as a prince and was tired of it. He wanted to discover the truth about life and spent many years in meditation, sitting underneath a Bodhi tree in order to discover a way to end suffering for everyone and to release himself from the material values of life. After many years under the Bodhi tree he came to an epiphany and become the “Buddha”. The night he became enlightened was divided into four periods in which he learnt something new each time. Firstly, he gained understanding of all the past, and of what had led him to the point of seeking enlightenment. He then understood the way in which all living things came into this world and pass away. After this, he understood how all the negative feelings and cravings that make people cling to life, bring more suffering and that he had overcome these cravings. Then, at dawn he gained full enlightenment and experienced the peace of Nirvana, which is the point where the three poisons, greed, hatred and ignorance disappear and a sense of happiness and calm is achieved. [2]After he was enlightenment at 35 years old, he travelled around India teaching
Buddhists follow the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who is known as the Buddha, meaning the enlightened one. Buddhism originated in northern India and is the fourth largest religion of the world. However, Buddhism is more a philosophy or way of life other than a religion because unlike so many other religious traditions, Buddhism is founded on the teaching of a human being and not a god. Philosophy means love of wisdom and the Buddhist’s believe in leading a moral life, being mindful and aware of thoughts and actions and developing wisdom and understanding.
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama was a warrior prince who founded Buddhism and lived from 566 to 483 BC [1]. He was born in Lumbini, in the Himalayas and lived in Northern India. Siddhartha Gautama was a prince of a wealthy, royal family, he was aware of his luxurious life as a prince and was tired of it. He wanted to discover the truth about life and spent many years in meditation, sitting underneath a Bodhi tree in order to discover a way to end suffering for everyone and to release himself from the material values of life. After many years under the Bodhi tree he came to an epiphany and become the “Buddha”. The night he became enlightened was divided into four periods in which he learnt something new each time. Firstly, he gained understanding of all the past, and of what had led him to the point of seeking enlightenment. He then understood the way in which all living things came into this world and pass away. After this, he understood how all the negative feelings and cravings that make people cling to life, bring more suffering and that he had overcome these cravings. Then, at dawn he gained full enlightenment and experienced the peace of Nirvana, which is the point where the three poisons, greed, hatred and ignorance disappear and a sense of happiness and calm is achieved. [2]After he was enlightenment at 35 years old, he travelled around India teaching