Buddhism: beliefs, origin and more

Buddhism is a eastern religion and philosophy, founded in India, in VI a. C., by Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha ("the awakened one" or "the illuminated" in Sanskrit).

Buddhist philosophy is guided by the Buddha's teachings, which lead the individual to full happiness, through meditative practices, mind control and self-analysis of their daily actions.

Buddhism is recognized as a philosophy of life because the Buddha's teachings are focused on reason and the individual analysis of each human being.

You Buddhists believe that physical and spiritual awareness leads to enlightenment and upliftment, called nirvana.

Nirvana it is the highest state of meditation. According to Buddha, it is when the individual finds peace and tranquility, stopping the oscillations of thoughts and emotions, getting rid of the suffering of the physical world.

It currently ranks among the 10 largest religions in the world, with millions of practitioners in the East and West. One of its greatest characteristics is atheism, that is, Buddhism does not believe in a god or any other supreme being.

instagram story viewer

At main beliefs of Buddhism they are:

The path to freedom from the individual's suffering lies in self-awareness, meditative practices and doing good to oneself and to others;
Buddhism also believes in the cycle of incarnation and reincarnation, the so-called Samsara.
Philosophy applies the law of karma, preaching that all actions generate good or bad consequences for this and other reincarnations;
It teaches that the individual is able to deconstruct the roots and causes of their suffering by controlling their mind, understanding that nothing in life is fixed or permanent, reaching full happiness;
And the main aim of the doctrine is to make each of its followers find “the awakening” through Nirvana, as the Buddha did.

Buddhist doctrine is divided into two main Buddhist schools:

Theravada, the oldest and traditional Buddhist school,
and Mahayana, created by lay people and common people and which includes Tibetan Buddhism, Zen, Pure Land Buddhism, among other lines.

The basis of all Buddhist lines are the so-called Three Jewels, also known as Three Treasures or Three Refuges, considered the 3 most valuable goods of the religion:

Buddha (The enlightened one): all recognize Buddha as the Great Teacher, the one who provided the teachings for the liberation of the mind and suffering;
Dharma (the teachings of Buddha): any Buddhist strand follows all of the Buddha's teachings, even if they interpret them in different ways;
Sangha (the community): it is the body that makes up the Buddhist community, that is, the monks and nuns and their followers.

This foundation gives the necessary strength to accept what cannot be changed and finds the energy to act on what can be adjusted.

Origin and history of Buddhism

The history of Buddhism starts with Siddhartha Gautama. A prince of the Shakya clan, who was born and raised in the luxury of his palace in the 6th century BC. C., in southern Nepal, India.

Raja Suddhodana, Siddhartha's father, protected his son from the outside world so that he would not live with human afflictions such as hunger, death, disease and social injustice.

However, at the age of 29, the then prince left his castle, fleeing from his father, and experienced human suffering up close.

That same night, he decided to renounce his luxurious life and the throne, with the goal of finding a way to alleviate human suffering.

In the first 6 years of his pilgrimage, he accompanied some spiritual teachers of the time, the ascetics. Through the practices of this philosophy, Siddhartha experienced the renunciation of pleasure and mortification, a type of severe physical self-penance, like long fasts.

With no results for his goal of ending humanity's suffering, Siddhartha abandoned the ascetic life.

At age 35, sitting in deep meditation, Siddhartha attained nirvana. This is the highest state of meditation when the individual finds peace by deconstructing the causes of their own suffering, freeing themselves from the physical and emotional afflictions of the physical world.

Buddha Representation of Shakyamuni Buddha at Thiksey Monastery in northwest India.

Thus, Siddhartha became Buddha (or Shakyamuni Buddha, due to his Shakya clan), the enlightened one, making it clear that any other human being could become a buddha upon reaching this same stage.

It was then that, even being accused by his followers and teachers of the time, he chose “the middle way”. This path is defined by him as the one that leads the individual to liberation, without any kind of religious or physical extremism, what we know today as Buddhism.

After finding the way, he proceeded to speak his word to the other monks, who became his disciples, propagating his teachings.

Learn more about Buddha.

Characteristics of Buddhism

Buddhism has characteristics that differentiate it from many other religions, even those of the East, where it was born. The main ones are:

It is an atheistic religion and philosophy, which does not believe in a supreme god or any other deity;
It is considered a philosophy because the Teachings of the Buddha are aimed at individual analysis and reason for each individual;
Buddhism believes that any human being is capable of attaining enlightenment through Nirvana and thus becoming a Buddha;
Buddha said that his teachings (the Dharma) are available to anyone, regardless of ethnicity, race, social class or any other reason;
Buddhism uses meditation as a form of self-knowledge. Thus, when the individual knows himself, he starts to see life and people in a different way, understanding the roots of his suffering and its harmful practices to himself and to others;
Buddhist philosophy does not condemn having material possessions and wealth. But he says that suffering is in the attachment to these goods and the insatiable desire to want more than what you already have;
In Buddhism, the practice of good is important due to the concept of Karma, where Buddha said that every action generates a karma for this and other lives;
Unlike how many people think, yoga is not a Buddhist practice. The activity was being inserted into Buddhism due to the approach of religion with Hinduism, which adopts the practice;

Understand more about the Nirvana.

The main teachings of Buddhism

The main teaching of Buddhism is to instruct man to desire, under any circumstances, do good and not evil.

However, the teachings of Buddha (Dharma) are much deeper and are intended to help his followers reach the fullness of real life through the 4 Noble Truths. Are they:

Dissatisfaction exists (Noble Truth of Suffering)
There are causes that generate dissatisfaction (Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering)
Dissatisfaction can be resolved (The Truth of the Extinction of Suffering)
Buddha's Eightfold Path - The Practical Solution to Dissatisfaction

In the fourth truth, known as the Eight-aspect Noble Path or Dharma Wheel, Buddha talks about the daily practices of ego death and attachment that are the causes of human suffering.

Buddha built a journey that, according to him, when practiced by the individual, dissatisfaction and suffering cease.

correct understanding: for Buddha, we must see everything around us as a great system, in which we depend on each other, in order to achieve harmony and the understanding that nothing and nobody is fixed;
correct aspiration: Buddha teaches that every individual should question whether what you do is ego and whether these actions negatively affect other people;
the correct speech: for Buddhism, everything that is said constitutes the being, therefore, every individual must be cautious with what he/she externalizes to the other through speech;
the right action: for Buddha, any action cannot be harmful to another person, even indirectly;
the right livelihood: Buddha teaches that the work of any individual should always be a means of helping oneself and others and never harm;
the right effort: this point mainly talks about dropping harmful attitudes that refer to negativity, such as addictions, for example;
correct attention: One of the main points of Buddhism is to be aware of all the actions of the body and mind. It is also called mindfulness and means to be living in the present, the now, in any everyday action;
correct concentrationor contemplative meditation: through this meditation, according to Buddha, it is possible to reach gratitude and the contemplation of one's own existence, in a real and conscious way.

For Buddhism, these teachings are achieved through a single practice: meditation.

In this case, meditative practices aim at achieving nirvana. Thus, the individual becomes Buddha, a being awakened from his own existence, without attachment to the attitudes or circumstances of the ego, doing good to himself and to the other.

Meaning of Symbols of Buddhism

The eight hopeful symbols of Buddhism originated in India and are present to this day in Buddhist monasteries and schools, especially Tibetan ones. Are they:

The Wheel of Dharma

The Wheel of Dharma is the representation of the Eightfold path that Buddha taught after becoming an enlightened being.

The 8 spokes of the wheel signal the eight teachings of the Buddha: Right Understanding, Right Aspiration, Speech Right, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Attention and Meditation Contemplative.

The Infinite Knot

The Infinite Knot symbolizes that everything is interconnected and has a cause and an effect. It is also the symbol of Buddha's infinite knowledge, explaining that his wisdom and compassion are intertwined.

Umbrella

The Umbrella symbolizes protection from suffering. The colored cover symbolizes wisdom and the protective dome represents compassion.

the lotus flower

The Lotus Flower is one of the greatest symbols of Buddhism. It is a type of flower that grows in the mud and opens when exposed to the sun.

For Buddhism, the lotus flower represents the human being, who has its roots in suffering and dissatisfaction (stem), but who can reach enlightenment (the flower).

See more about the meaning Lotus flower.

the shell

The Shell symbolizes the sound of the Dharma, the Teachings of the Buddha.

gold fish

Goldfish represent the individual's ability to be free, unafraid to delve into their suffering to understand their roots. Furthermore, they also represent the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, which are sacred in India.

The vase

The Vase is the symbol of abundance and represents the spiritual knowledge of Buddha, which is infinite and abundant.

The Flag of Victory

The Banner of Victory symbolizes the achievement of Buddha's wisdom about ignorance. The victory banner was used by Buddha as a sign of victory over spiritual impediments to enlightenment, or that is, the circumstances of life, whether physical or spiritual, that can prevent the human being from progressing spiritually.

Types of Buddhism

After Buddha's death, two Buddhist schools called Theravada and Mahayana they were created to represent his teachings. However, they differed in their interpretations of the Buddha's teachings (Dharma), and they divided over time.

It is worth remembering that all Buddhist strands follow the Buddha's teachings and accept the 4 Noble Truths as a basis for their followers. But, they practice and believe in different ways to reach enlightenment.

Theravada: the oldest and most orthodox strain of Buddhism

The Theravada school was created shortly after Buddha's death and dominates Southeast Asia, in countries like Cambodia and Thailand.

This strand follows the orthodox traditions that prevailed in India 2,600 years ago, based on the Tipitaka scriptures, which were the teachings recited orally by the Buddha. They believe that by following these writings they will achieve enlightenment through individual effort.

A strong aspect of this school is that they believe that only elder monks have the authority to impart these teachings and that they should be respected and listened to.

Mahayana: the Buddhist school created by laymen

The Mahayana school was created by lay and ordinary people who believed in two main points: the power of compassion and that each individual carries within them the potential for Buddhahood.

Unlike the Theravadas, the Mahayanas believe that followers can seek enlightenment through other higher beings, the so-called bodhisattvas.

They are human beings who are about to reach their enlightened state, but they postpone this enlightenment to help other beings.

It was implemented in North Asia and it was through this school that important traditions such as the Zen Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism and Tantric Buddhism.

Other Buddhist Strands

There are other different strands of Buddhism built over time. For example, Nichiren Buddhism or Nichiren Buddhism is based on the teachings of Nichiren, a Japanese monk who lived in the 13th century.

Kadampa Buddhism, another lineage of Buddhist thought, was a school created by the Indian Buddhist master Atisha.

Tibetan Buddhism, also called Lamaism, is a practice with a strong presence in Brazil, with the leader Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama, its most representative figure.

See more about the Tibetan Buddhism.

Buddhism and Hinduism

Buddhism and Hinduism are two religious and philosophical traditions that emerged in the region of India. The two have many similarities in beliefs, such as the concepts of dharma, karma and samsara.

However, the main differences are in the field of practices. In Hinduism there is a search for awareness in God and consequent worship of deities as a way of salvation, which is very different from the search for Buddhist spiritual enlightenment.

Among the practices of Hinduism is the division of Hindu society by the caste system, which diverges from the concept of equality among beings defended by Buddhists. Hinduism predates Buddhism, being already over four thousand years old.

Buddhism in Brazil

Buddhism was introduced in Brazil at the beginning of the 20th century. On June 18, 1908, Tomojiro Ibaragui, better known as Ibaragui Nissui, the first Buddhist monk in Brazil, arrived in Brazil.

The philosophy has been spread throughout the country since then, largely due to the great Japanese immigration, whose main religion is Buddhism. The main Buddhist temples in Brazil are located in Três Coroas (RS), and the Zu Lai Temple in Cotia (SP).

engaged Buddhism

Engaged Buddhism is an expression created by the Zen master Thich Nhât Hahn to refer to the role of Buddhists in favor of a society without suffering for all beings.

Among the goals of engaged Buddhism are social action to promote the principles of Buddhism, to do no harm to any being, to seek freedom from pain, to promote peace and equality.