God(s)
Buddha-one who has achieved a state of perfect enlightenment
Buddhism was founded by an Indian prince named siddharta Gautama around the year 500 BCE. According to tradition, the young prince lived an affluent and sheltered life until a journey during which he saw an old man, a sick man, a poor man, and a corpse. Shocked and distressed at the suffering in the world, Buddha left his family to seek enlightenment through asceticism. But even the most extreme asceticism failed to bring enlightenment.
Finally, Gautama sat beneath a tree and vowed not to move until he had attained enlightenment. Days later, he arose as the Buddha - the enlightened one. He spent the remaining 45 years of his life teaching the path to liberation from suffering and establishing a community of monks .
Buddhism was founded by an Indian prince named siddharta Gautama around the year 500 BCE. According to tradition, the young prince lived an affluent and sheltered life until a journey during which he saw an old man, a sick man, a poor man, and a corpse. Shocked and distressed at the suffering in the world, Buddha left his family to seek enlightenment through asceticism. But even the most extreme asceticism failed to bring enlightenment.
Finally, Gautama sat beneath a tree and vowed not to move until he had attained enlightenment. Days later, he arose as the Buddha - the enlightened one. He spent the remaining 45 years of his life teaching the path to liberation from suffering and establishing a community of monks .
holy book(s)
Tripitaka
The sacred book of Buddhism is called the Tripitaka. It is written in an ancient Indian language called Pali which is very close to language that the Buddha himself spoke. The Tripitaka is a very large book. The English translation of it takes up nearly forty volumes.
The sacred book of Buddhism is called the Tripitaka. It is written in an ancient Indian language called Pali which is very close to language that the Buddha himself spoke. The Tripitaka is a very large book. The English translation of it takes up nearly forty volumes.
Symbol(s)
Two Golden Fish
It is believed that the symbol of the two golden fish actually belongs to the pre-Buddhist era, where the two fish represented the holy Indian rivers of Ganga and Yamunarespectively.
These rivers in turn stand for the breathing pattern of the human body. In Buddhism however, the symbol of golden fish represents happiness. This is because the fish have complete independence when they are in water. Just as the fish procreate at a rapid rate, the symbol of golden fish also signifies fertility.
It is believed that the symbol of the two golden fish actually belongs to the pre-Buddhist era, where the two fish represented the holy Indian rivers of Ganga and Yamunarespectively.
These rivers in turn stand for the breathing pattern of the human body. In Buddhism however, the symbol of golden fish represents happiness. This is because the fish have complete independence when they are in water. Just as the fish procreate at a rapid rate, the symbol of golden fish also signifies fertility.
Wheel Of Life
The wheel symbolizes the spiritual change that it brought about by the teachings of Lord Buddha. His first religious teaching, which took place at the Deer Park in Sarnath is said to be the ‘first turning of the dharmachakra’.
The wheel symbolizes the spiritual change that it brought about by the teachings of Lord Buddha. His first religious teaching, which took place at the Deer Park in Sarnath is said to be the ‘first turning of the dharmachakra’.
Divison(s)
Theravada is believed to be the oldest form of Buddhism. The term itself comes into use later, but the Theravada tradition upholds the monastic path and adheres to the oldest surviving recorded sayings of the Buddha, collectively called the Pali canon. These original texts were set down in the Pali language by monks in Sri Lanka in the first century CE. Prior to this codification, teachings had been transmitted orally, and concern arose that original texts must be preserved in light of the growing heterodoxy that was developing in India.
Mahayana is a philosophical movement that proclaimed the possibility of universal salvation, offering assistance to practitioners in the form of compassionate beings called Bodhisattva. The goal was to open up the possibility of buddhahood (becoming a Buddha) to all sentient beings. The Buddha ceased to be simply a historical figure, but rather was interpreted as a transcendent figure who all could aspire to become.
Vajrayana Buddhism, also known as the "Diamond" or "Thunderbolt Vehicle," is a form of Buddhism that developed in India in the 5th century C.E. Although it is sometimes debated whether it is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism or if it is a distinct path beside Mahayana and Theravada—this is how the tradition understands itself, as the final "turning" of the Buddha's teachings—it is generally accepted that Vajrayana Buddhism emerged out of the Mahayana in India, probably in the 6th-7th centuries. It rather quickly spread out of India and became established in several parts of the Buddhist world, particularly in Tibet, where it became the dominant form of Buddhism.
Mahayana is a philosophical movement that proclaimed the possibility of universal salvation, offering assistance to practitioners in the form of compassionate beings called Bodhisattva. The goal was to open up the possibility of buddhahood (becoming a Buddha) to all sentient beings. The Buddha ceased to be simply a historical figure, but rather was interpreted as a transcendent figure who all could aspire to become.
Vajrayana Buddhism, also known as the "Diamond" or "Thunderbolt Vehicle," is a form of Buddhism that developed in India in the 5th century C.E. Although it is sometimes debated whether it is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism or if it is a distinct path beside Mahayana and Theravada—this is how the tradition understands itself, as the final "turning" of the Buddha's teachings—it is generally accepted that Vajrayana Buddhism emerged out of the Mahayana in India, probably in the 6th-7th centuries. It rather quickly spread out of India and became established in several parts of the Buddhist world, particularly in Tibet, where it became the dominant form of Buddhism.