Origins of Buddhism!(warning we don't recommend any involvement in this practice of spiritualism ,we believe it opens doors to demonic influence!)
Buddhism means literally the teachings of the "awakened or enlightened one!" The teachings of Gautama Buddha,
Siddh?rtha Gautama (Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from ancient India and the founder of Buddhism. Buddhism originated in 566 B.C.when a Nepal prince sought to understand the sufferings of life around him.
It is stated he sat himself under a tree for six years and then he became what we know today as Buddha Some scholars say Buddhism is the teachings of the one true path to enlightenment! While others claim it is a body of philosophical teachings in general. The consensus being that Buddhism is a teaching of plurality rather than anything that resemble monotheism!
Buddhism is comprised of three divisions,
Theravada, East Asian Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism.
The most popular version being Therevada which is practiced today in India , Sri Lanka and Thailand!
Mahayana Buddhism is practiced largely in China and Japan because of its East Asian translation of Buddhism.
While Tibetan Buddhism is practiced in Nepal and the surrounding areas of India and even some areas of Russia!
Buddhism today!
Buddhism today encompasses a large amount of followers some world estimates are as many as 500 million followers worldwide.
Buddhism is the fourth-largest religion in the world behind Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism.
Teachings
Purpose of life:
Theravada - Become an arhat, escape the cycle of rebirth, and attain nirvana. Mahayana - Become a boddhisatva then help others attain enlightenment.
Afterlife:
Rebirth or nirvana. Nirvana is seen simply as the cessation of suffering by some and as a heavenly paradise by others.
Holidays:
Vary by region, but often include Buddha's birthday, Buddha's enlightenment, lunar quarters
Three Jewels/Three Refuges:
1. The Buddha
2. The sangha (monastic community)
3. The dharma (truth or teachings)
Three Delusions:
1. Ignorance
2. Desire
3. Anger or hatred
Three Trainings:
1. Moral discipline
2. Concentration
3. Wisdom
Three Marks of Existence:
1. Impermanence (anicca)
2. Unsatisfactoriness (dukkha)
3. No-self (anatta)
Four Noble Truths:
1. All of life is marked by suffering.
2. Suffering is caused by desire and attachment.
3. Suffering can be eliminated.
4. Suffering is eliminated by following the Noble Eightfold Path.
Four Immeasurables or Sublime States:
1. Equanimity (upekkha)
2. Loving-kindness (metta)
3. Compassion (karuna)
4. Sympathetic joy (mudita)
Four Reminders:
1. Human life is precious.
2. Death is inevitable.
3. The laws of karma cannot be avoided.
4. Suffering permeates all existence.
Four Bodhisattva Vows:
1. I vow to rescue the boundless living beings from suffering.
2. I vow to put an end to the infinite afflictions of living beings.
3. I vow to learn the measureless Dharma-doors.
4. I vow to realise the unsurpassed path of the Buddha.
Five Precepts:
1. Do not kill.
2. Do not steal.
3. Do not engage in sexual misconduct.
4. Do not lie.
5. Do not use intoxicants.
Five Powers:
1. Faith and confidence
2. Energy and effort
3. Mindfulness
4. Samadhi
5. Wisdom
Five Hindrances:
1. Sense craving
2. Anger or ill will
3. Sloth and torpor
4. Restlessness and worry
5. Doubt and the inner critic
Five Dhyani (Wisdom) Buddhas:
Vairochana
Akshobhya
Ratnasambhava>
Amoghasiddhi
Six Perfections:
1. Concentration
2. Effort
3. Ethical behavior
4. Generosity
5. Patience
6. Wisdom
Six Realms of Existence:
1. Hell-beings
2. Hungry ghosts
3. Animals
4. Humans
5. Anti-gods or demigods
6. Gods
Noble Eightfold Path:
1. Right beliefs
2. Right aspirations
3. Right speech
4. Right conduct
5. Right livelihood
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness
8. Right meditational attainment
Ten Paramita:
1. Giving or generosity
2. Virtue, ethics, morality
3. Renunciation, letting go, not grasping
4. Wisdom and insight
5. Energy, vigour, vitality, diligence
6. Patience or forbearance
7. Truthfulness
8. Resolution, determination, intention
9. Kindness, love, friendliness
10. Equanimity
Twelve Links of
Dependent Arising:
1. Ignorance
2. Karmic formations
3. Consciousness
4. Name and form
5. Six senses
6. Contact
7. Feeling
8. Craving
9. Grasping
10. Becoming
11. Birth
12. Aging and Death
Buddhism (Video Library)
A brief video teaching on the History and some teachings of Buddhism!
Upon Buddha's Death
A counsel was formed upon Buddhas death to perserve his writings which contain at least 4 million words.
His assistant was called to personally give his account of Buddha's teachings and sayings they include
the Buddha's sayingss?tras (Sanskrit) or suttas (P?li)and codify monastic rules (Vinaya). ?nanda, the Buddha's personal attendant, was called upon to recite the discourses of the Buddha,
The three types of Buddhism genarally vary as to what part of the Sanskrit or Sutta's they follow. Some believing more heavily in the Suttas and others more generally on the Sanskrit. Either way they lead to variations in beliefs all according to some varying degrees of what Buddha taught!
Buddhism has several symbols such as the lotus and the endless knot! Buddhism is also known to encompass
some varying degrees of levitation ie the "Flying Mystic's" of Tibet. In my earlier years I had been around Buddhists myself and even practiced Buddhism to varying degrees. I had chanted and been involved in prayer and meditation!
Eastern mysticism may seem harmless, but there are deeper trenches here than first realized! The problem with these religions is that they open you up to meditation which in turn opens you up to a pandora's box of spiritual attacks.
Now your average Buddhist is not going to view it this way,nor is a person that is in favor of transcendental meditiation!
What we as Christians realize is that when you leave your guard down and open the door to spirits they will come!
Deliverance such as is involved with eastern mysticism is often much harder to deal with according to ministers who try to
help those who open themselves up to spiritual things such as these! Please get help if you have been involved with Buddhism to any degree from someone who does Christian Deliverance. I will not debate this,I know what is not of God and Buddhism is not!