Buddhism1A

Buddhism-mikaela, matt and nick cha

One of the basic beliefs of Buddhism is the conviction that happiness and good fortune are attainable to all, regardless of age, race or background. Buddhists believe that all negative mental states or "delusions" as they are referred to, can be overcome through the practice of meditation. They believe that theres a higher power up there but they don't think theres an actual figure there, but they only believe in one God. Buddhists believe that humans are re born after dying, and adhere to the notion that most humans go through many cycles of birth, life, death and rebirth. These cycles will end when the attachment to desire and the self is released. He formulated his experience into a doctrine known as the Four Noble Truths, and these truths are the basis of all schools of Buddhism. The first truth is that all life is suffering, pain, and misery, or dukkha. The second truth is that this suffering has a cause—tanha, or selfish craving and personal desire. The third truth is that the cessation (nirodha) of selfish craving can be achieved. The fourth truth is that the way (magga) to overcome this misery is through the Eightfold Path. All Buddhists believe in the idea of “no-self,” that it is a mistake to identify oneself too strongly with one's own personal existence in any one life.


 * Samsara** is this world, filled as it is with so much pain and sorrow. All beings in this world are subject to the law of karma. **Karma** means volitional act, that is, something you do, say, or think that is in fact in your control. Any such act has moral consequences, called **vipaka**, which means fruit. In traditional Buddhism, this consequences can occur in this life, or in a future life.

Most Buddhists believe in **rebirth**. For many, rebirth is no different from what the Hindus believed, i.e. reincarnation or transmigration -- moving from one's old body at death to a new body at birth or conception.

The image to the right is the Tibetan **Wheel of Life**, which represents Samsara. In the very center, there is a rooster chasing a pig chasing a snake chasing the rooster -- craving, hatred, and ignorance. Around that are people ascending the white semicircle of life, and others descending the black semicircle of death. The greatest portion of the Wheel is devoted to representations of the six realms -- the realm of the gods, the realm of the titans, the realm of humans, the realm of animals, the realm of the hungry ghosts, and the realm of demons -- each realm looked over by its own boddhisattva. The outermost circle is the 12 steps of dependent origination. The entire Wheel is held by Yama, the Lord of Death.