What is Buddhism?
There are about 300 million Buddhist around the world. The word comes from budhi or to awaken. It originates about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened or enlightened when he was 35 years old.
Siddhartha Gotama, or the Buddha was not and did not claim to be a God. He was an awakened man who himself taught others the path to enlightenment.
Many Buddhists do not think of Buddhism as a religion, but as a philosophy or a way of life. It is thought of as a philosophy because philosophy ‘means the love of wisdom’ and a Buddhist’s path is to:
- lead a moral life
- be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions
- develop wisdom and understanding
The story of Siddhartha Gotama is generally well known. He was born into a royal family in Lumbini, now located in Nepal, in 563 BC. At the age of 29, he realized a life of wealth and luxury did not lead to happiness. He set out and explored the different teachings religions and philosophies of his day. He wanted to find the key to human happiness. After six years of study and meditation he finally found ‘the middle path’ and was enlightened. After his enlightenment, the Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching the principles of Buddhism — called the Dhamma, or Truth — until his death at the age of 80.
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November 7th, 2011 at 12:43 am
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