A Basic Buddhism Guide 佛教

• What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is a religion to about 300 million people around the world. The word comes from 'budhi', 'to awaken'. It has its origins about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35.

• Is Buddhism a Religion?

To many, Buddhism goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or 'way of life'. It is a philosophy because philosophy 'means love of wisdom' and the Buddhist path can be summed up as:

(1) to lead a moral life,
(2) to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and
(3) to develop wisdom and understanding.

• How Can Buddhism Help Me?

Buddhism explains a purpose to life, it explains apparent injustice and inequality around the world, and it provides a code of practice or way of life that leads to true happiness.

• Why is Buddhism Becoming Popular?

Buddhism is becoming popular in western countries for a number of reasons, The first good reason is Buddhism has answers to many of the problems in modern materialistic societies. It also includes (for those who are interested) a deep understanding of the human mind (and natural therapies) which prominent psychologists around the world are now discovering to be both very advanced and effective.

• Who Was the Buddha?

Siddhartha Gotama was born into a royal family in Lumbini, now located in Nepal, in 563 BC. At 29, he realised that wealth and luxury did not guarantee happiness, so he explored the different teachings religions and philosophies of the day, to find the key to human happiness. After six years of study and meditation he finally found 'the middle path' and was enlightened. After 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.

• Was the Buddha a God?

He was not, nor did he claim to be. He was a man who taught a path to enlightenment from his own experience.

• Do Buddhists Worship Idols?

Buddhists sometimes pay respect to images of the Buddha, not in worship, nor to ask for favours. A statue of the Buddha with hands rested gently in its lap and a compassionate smile reminds us to strive to develop peace and love within ourselves. Bowing to the statue is an expression of gratitude for the teaching.

• Why are so Many Buddhist Countries Poor?

One of the Buddhist teachings is that wealth does not guarantee happiness and also wealth is impermanent. The people of every country suffer whether rich or poor, but those who understand Buddhist teachings can find true happiness.

• Are There Different Types of Buddhism?

There are many different types of Buddhism, because the emphasis changes from country to country due to customs and culture. What does not vary is the essence of the teaching — the Dhamma or truth.

• Are Other Religions Wrong?

Buddhism is also a belief system which is tolerant of all other beliefs or religions. Buddhism agrees with the moral teachings of other religions but Buddhism goes further by providing a long term purpose within our existence, through wisdom and true understanding. Real Buddhism is very tolerant and not concerned with labels like 'Christian', 'Moslem', 'Hindu' or 'Buddhist'; that is why there have never been any wars fought in the name of Buddhism. That is why Buddhists do not preach and try to convert, only explain if an explanation is sought.

• Is Buddhism Scientific?

Science is knowledge which can be made into a system, which depends upon seeing and testing facts and stating general natural laws. The core of Buddhism fit into this definition, because the Four Noble truths (see below) can be tested and proven by anyone in fact the Buddha himself asked his followers to test the teaching rather than accept his word as true. Buddhism depends more on understanding than faith.

• What did the Buddha Teach?

The Buddha taught many things, but the basic concepts in Buddhism can be summed up by the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.

• What is the First Noble Truth?

The first truth is that life is suffering i.e., life includes pain, getting old, disease, and ultimately death. We also endure psychological suffering like loneliness frustration, fear, embarrassment, disappointment and anger. This is an irrefutable fact that cannot be denied. It is realistic rather than pessimistic because pessimism is expecting things to be bad. lnstead, Buddhism explains how suffering can be avoided and how we can be truly happy.

• What is the Second Noble Truth?

The second truth is that suffering is caused by craving and aversion. We will suffer if we expect other people to conform to our expectation, if we want others to like us, if we do not get something we want,etc. In other words, getting what you want does not guarantee happiness. Rather than constantly struggling to get what you want, try to modify your wanting. Wanting deprives us of contentment and happiness. A lifetime of wanting and craving and especially the craving to continue to exist, creates a powerful energy which causes the individual to be born. So craving leads to physical suffering because it causes us to be reborn.

• What is the Third Noble Truth?

The third truth is that suffering can be overcome and happiness can be attained; that true happiness and contentment are possible. lf we give up useless craving and learn to live each day at a time (not dwelling in the past or the imagined future) then we can become happy and free. We then have more time and energy to help others. This is Nirvana.

• What is the Fourth Noble Truth?

The fourth truth is that the Noble 8-fold Path is the path which leads to the end of suffering.

• What is the Noble 8-Fold Path?

In summary, the Noble 8-fold Path is being moral (through what we say, do and our livelihood), focussing the mind on being fully aware of our thoughts and actions, and developing wisdom by understanding the Four Noble Truths and by developing compassion for others.

• What are the 5 Precepts?

The moral code within Buddhism is the precepts, of which the main five are: not to take the life of anything living, not to take anything not freely given, to abstain from sexual misconduct and sensual overindulgence, to refrain from untrue speech, and to avoid intoxication, that is, losing mindfulness.

• What is Karma?

Karma is the law that every cause has an effect, i.e., our actions have results. This simple law explains a number of things: inequality in the world, why some are born handicapped and some gifted, why some live only a short life. Karma underlines the importance of all individuals being responsible for their past and present actions. How can we test the karmic effect of our actions? The answer is summed up by looking at (1) the intention behind the action, (2) effects of the action on oneself, and (3) the effects on others.

• What is Wisdom?

Buddhism teaches that wisdom should be developed with compassion. At one extreme, you could be a goodhearted fool and at the other extreme, you could attain knowledge without any emotion. Buddhism uses the middle path to develop both. The highest wisdom is seeing that in reality, all phenomena are incomplete, impermanent and do no constitute a fixed entity. True wisdom is not simply believing what we are told but instead experiencing and understanding truth and reality. Wisdom requires an open, objective, unbigoted mind. The Buddhist path requires courage, patience, flexibility and intelligence.

• What is Compassion?

Compassion includes qualities of sharing, readiness to give comfort, sympathy, concern, caring. In Buddhism, we can really understand others, when we can really understand ourselves, through wisdom.

• How do I Become a Buddhist?

Buddhist teachings can be understood and tested by anyone. Buddhism teaches that the solutions to our problems are within ourselves not outside. The Buddha asked all his followers not to take his word as true, but rather to test the teachings for themselves. ln this way, each person decides for themselves and takes responsibility for their own actions and understanding. This makes Buddhism less of a fixed package of beliefs which is to be accepted in its entirety, and more of a teaching which each person learns and uses in their own way.

佛教

佛教由古印度的釋迦 牟尼（被稱為佛陀）在西元前6世纪以前建立，與基督教和伊斯蘭教並列为世界三大宗教。“佛”（或者佛陀）的意思是觉悟者，而“教”可以理解为宗教或教育， 意為佛陀对大眾的一種普遍而傳承的教育。佛教重视人类心灵的进步和觉悟，人们的一切烦恼（苦）都是有因有缘的，“诸法因缘生，诸法因缘灭”。人和其他众生 一样，沉沦于苦迫之中，并不断的生死轮回。惟有断灭贪、嗔、痴的圣人（佛陀、辟支佛、和阿罗汉）才能脱离生死轮回，达到涅盘（清凉寂静之意，即无有烦 恼），释迦牟尼就在35岁时成佛，并对众人宣扬他所发现的真理。佛教徒的目的即在于从佛陀的教育（正法）裏，看透苦迫和“自我”的真相（缘起法），最终超 越生死和苦、断尽一切烦恼，成佛，或者成阿罗汉。

现代佛教可分为南传佛教与北传佛教二大传承，北传佛教又可分为汉传佛教与藏传佛教，因此 又可分为三大传承。（详细的分类请参考佛教宗派。）南传佛教大致上就是上座部佛教，北传佛教大致上就是大众部佛教，包括大乘佛教（主要是汉传佛教），以及 秘密大乘佛教或金刚乘佛教（主要是藏传佛教）。各传乘在佛教的根本教义基本上没有分别，在修行特色上与一些理论上则略有分别，以菩萨行理论的分别为最显 著。

佛教目前主要流行於中國大陆（30%）、台灣 (28%)、日本（71%）、韓國（23%）、蒙古（93%）等東亞地區以及泰国（94%）、柬埔寨（93%）、缅甸（90%）、越南（50%）、斯里兰 卡（70%）等东南亚国家，在欧洲、美洲、大洋洲和非洲也有少量信徒。佛教徒人数有7亿多，占世界总人口的11%。

佛教歷史

佛 教由古印度的乔达摩·悉达多（被尊称为释迦牟尼或佛陀）35岁时创立，由于释迦牟尼的生卒年代说法有两种（参见释迦牟尼条目），佛教开始的时间也有两种不 同的看法，一种认为是在西元前523年5月月圆之日，另一种认为是在前589年或前588年。当时释迦牟尼在菩提树下悟道，创立佛教，在其后的几十年中云 游四方，度化了许多弟子，佛教影响逐渐扩大。

释迦牟尼死（入灭）后，弟子们整理出他的言行说教，通过几次结集，成为经、律、论“三藏”。 之后佛教在古印度發展非常迅速，到孔雀王朝阿育王时，成為了國教，佛教得到了极大的弘扬。隨著形勢的發展，佛教修正並發展了釋迦牟尼的學說，分化為18個 部（有的說是20個部）。1世纪時產生了大乘佛教。

從孔雀王朝開始，佛教分別向南北兩個方向傳播。南傳佛教（又稱小乘佛教）主要影響泰 國、緬甸、柬埔寨、斯里蘭卡等地。北傳佛教（又稱大乘佛教）又分為兩個支派，一個經喀什米爾到達新疆，在东漢時傳入中國，形成漢傳佛教，後又傳入朝鮮、日 本以及越南；另外一支則主要在西藏地區傳播，稱為藏傳佛教，後來又傳入蒙古和中国东北等地區。