Key beliefs of Buddhism

Yashodha Jayalath
June 14, 2020
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The lord buddha is an extraordinary man, who is beyond a man or a god. Who is incomparable to any being other than to another Buddha. His teachings are known as “The Dharma”.

According to the Merriam webster’s definition of buddhism; Buddhism is a a religion of eastern and central Asia growing out of the teaching of Siddhārtha Gautama that suffering is inherent in life and that one can be liberated from it by cultivating wisdom, virtue, and concentration. 

“Buddha” means enlightened one.  The enlightenment is a state of inner peace and wisdom. The path to enlightenment is attained by utilizing morality, meditation and wisdom. The teachings of The Supreme Lord Buddha lead its followers to attain this state and awaken the truth. When followers reach this spiritual state (become arahath), they’re said to have experienced nirvana. 

The Lord Buddha, the blessed one, lets people decide for themselves whether his teachings are right or wrong and then follow them.  The Lord Buddha was humble and was a live example to his followers to be kind and be compassionate towards living beings. 

Once a monk was suffering from a contagious disease which caused wounds with pus all over the body. The real name of the monk was Tissa, but because of the wounds with pus, the monk was known as “Puthigatha Tissa'' which means “Tissa with pus”. No one was looking after him because he was a mess and smelly. The blessed one, The Supreme Lord Buddha visited him with his disciple  Ananda. The Lord Buddha  himself washed the sick monk and placed him on a new bed and preached dharma. Afterwards he advised the other monks: "Monks, you have neither mother nor father to look after you. If you do not look after each other, who will look after you? Whoever serves the sick and suffering, serves me."  

Buddhists believe in the law of karma.  The Spiritual Science Research Foundation  defines the law of karma as, every positive deed which we do, generates a ‘merit’; while every negative deed results in a ‘demerit or sin’ which subsequently we need to repay by enduring happiness or unhappiness. Therefore, the law of Karma teaches that the responsibility for unskillful actions (demerits) is borne by the person who commits them. To avoid demerits we should have courage, wisdom, concentration and patience.    

To attain Nirvana a person should release the attachment to desire and self. To do this we should practice many life cycles (sansara) to fulfill the qualifications (Parami dharma) to become an Arahath. Arahath is a one who released all the attachments to all kinds of desires and attachment to self, with the guidance of a Buddha.    

Three trainings or practices 

  1. Sila - Virtue, good conduct, morality. 

  2. Samadhi - Concentration, meditation, mental development. 

  3. Pranja -  Discernment, insight, wisdom, enlightenment.

The Noble Eightfold path 

  • To practice Prajna or  wisdom:  one should have the followings, 

1. Samma ditthi: right view or right understanding of the Four Noble Truths. 

2. Samma sankappa: Right thinking; following the right path in life. Right Aspiration is the true desire to free oneself from attachment, ignorance, and hatefulness.  

  • To practice Sila or virtue or morality: one should training  the followings,  

 3. Samma Vacha: Right speech: No lying, criticism, condemning, gossip, harsh language. Right Speech involves abstaining from lying, gossiping, or hurtful talk. 

4. Samma Kammanta:  Right conduct or Right Action involves abstaining from hurtful behaviors, such as killing, stealing, and careless sex. These are called the Five Precepts. 

5. Samma Ajiva: Right livelihood: Support yourself without harming others. Right Livelihood means making your living in such a way as to avoid dishonesty and hurting others, including animals. 

  •  To improve Samadhi or  Concentration, meditation: one should cultivate the followings, 

6. Samma Vayama: Right Effort: Promote good thoughts; conquer evil thoughts. Right Effort is a matter of exerting oneself in regards to the content of one's mind: Bad qualities should be abandoned and prevented from arising again. Good qualities should be enacted and nurtured.

 7. Samma sati: Right Mindfulness: Become aware of your body, mind and feelings. Right Mindfulness is the focusing of one's attention on one's body, feelings, thoughts, and consciousness in such a way as to overcome craving, hatred, and ignorance.

 8. Samma samadhi: Right Concentration: Meditate to achieve a higher state of consciousness. Right Concentration is meditating in such a way as to progressively realize a true understanding of imperfection, impermanence, and non-separateness  

   All Buddhists live by five moral precepts, which prohibit:

  • Killing living things

  • Taking what is not given

  • Sexual misconduct

  • Lying

  • Using drugs or alcohol

These are called pancha sila. Most of the buddhist in nowadays cannot be recognized as real buddhists because they commit the above things.  

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