Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama (“the

Buddha”) more than 2,500 years ago in India. With about 470 million
followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the major world religions.
The religion has historically been most prominent in East and Southeast
Asia, but its influence is growing in the West. Many Buddhist ideas and
philosophies overlap with those of other faiths.

Sacred Scriptures

Some sacred texts form the cornerstone of a religion, instilling law, character
and spirituality in its people; some are narratives of historical figures in the
faith. A text might be viewed as the unchanging “Word of God;” other texts are
revised and expanded by later generations. Texts can be literal, or
metaphorical, or both. This guide shows you how to find online versions,
commentary and historical context of scriptures for Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
Buddhist sacred text The Buddhist canon consists of the Sutras: the words and teachings of
the Buddha. There are also a number of noncanonical Buddhist texts that provide
supplementary teachings, rules of conduct and commentary on transitional states after death.
The Tripitaka (Pali Canon), Mahayana Sutras and the Tibetan Book of the Dead are three
major noncanonical Buddhist texts. The Pali Canon, which means “the word of Buddha,”
includes some of the Buddha’s discourse, but it also incorporates the teachings of his pupils.
Different sects of Buddhism follow canonical and noncanonical scriptures to varying degrees.

Buddhism Beliefs
Buddhist beliefs and Christianity differ in many ways:

 Buddhists do not believe in a Divine being, therefore they have

no concept of salvation and atonement for wrong doings.
Compare those beliefs to Christianity, wherein God provided His
Son Jesus as redemption for our sins.
 While Buddhism claims there is no beginning and end, we are
shown through Christianity and Judaism the Creation and God's
plan for our eternity.
 The philosophies of Buddha were written 400 years after his
death. The Bible was written with numerous prophecies hundreds
of years before Jesus was born.
 There are no directives or absolutes to the path of Nirvana. Yet
Jesus taught that while our physical bodies will die, our soul will
ascend to be with the Lord in Heaven. We must simply accept His
gift of salvation to be redeemed for this assurance. Buddhists
contend that people do not have individual souls and hold to the
belief that achievements in life will continue on and on into your
next bodily form, striving to get it right (reincarnation). In
Buddhism, there is no forgiveness or mercy from a loving God.

Buddhist beliefs - Where is the hope? In Buddhism, there is no

hope for eternal safety. In Christianity, however, Jesus gave us
directives and absolutes. Eternal joy is achievable through
accepting Him. He tells us in John 10:9a (KJV), "I am the door: by
me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. . ." and Romans 10:9-13,
"That if you confess with your mouth,'Jesus is Lord' and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For it is with your heart that your believe and are justified, and it
is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the
Scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to
shame.' For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile -- the
same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for
'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"

Buddhism Doctrines
The vast literature of Buddhist Sutras outlining the various doctrines are mind boggling. The focus of
this course will be to examine Buddhist doctrines as presented in the discourses of the Sutta Pitaka,
with greater emphasis on the following topics:

 The Four Noble Truths

 The Three Signs of Existence (Tilakkhana)
Impermanence, No-self or Anatta, and Suffering or Dukkha.

 The Analysis of Empirical Existence (Khandhayatanadhatu)

 The Doctrine of Dependent Origination
 The Doctrines of Kamma (Karma)
 Buddhist Ethics
 Nirvana and the Path Leading to its Realization
You are encouraged to study of the life of the Buddha - emphasizing his magnanimous qualities.
This is especially useful for understanding the basic doctrines propounded in the core of
Buddhist teachings.

Buddhist worship
Home and temple

Buddhist worship

Buddhist temple, Khatmandu, Nepal

 Buddhists can worship both at home or at a temple. It is not considered essential to go to a
temple to worship with others.

At home

Buddhists will often set aside a room or a part of a room as a shrine. There will be a statue
of Buddha, candles, and an incense burner.

Temples

Buddhist temples come in many shapes. Perhaps the best known are the pagodas of China
and Japan.

Another typical Buddhist building is the Stupa, which is a stone structure built over what are
thought to be relics of the Buddha, or over copies of the Buddha's teachings.

Buddhist temples are designed to symbolise the five elements:

 Fire

 Air

 Earth, symbolised by the square base

 Water

 Wisdom, symbolised by the pinnacle at the top

All Buddhist temples contain an image or a statue of Buddha.

Worship

There are as many forms of Buddhist worship as there are schools of Buddhism - and there
are many of those.

Worship in Mahayana tradition takes the form of devotion to Buddha and to Bodhisattvas.

Worshippers may sit on the floor barefoot facing an image of Buddha and chanting. They
will listen to monks chanting from religious texts, perhaps accompanied by instruments, and
take part in prayers.