ABC OF BUDDHISM
 Some two thousand
five hundred years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha showed the deed of gaining enlightenment in Bodhgaya, India. He then
spent the remainder of his life teaching others what he had learned out of compassion and concern for their welfare.
Although the Buddha wandered India and gave teachings to whomever he would meet, he disclosed the entire Buddhist
path in three stages which are known as the 'Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma'.
His first teaching was the Four Noble Truths which has formed the
foundation of all schools of Buddhist doctrine as we know
them today. The second turning of the wheel expounded the profound
aspects of the path; those concerning the nature of phenomena,
which are the basis for what are known as the 'Prajnaparamita Sutras'.
Thirdly he elaborated the potential to become a Buddha
which lies within us all, our 'Buddha Nature', while presenting the
teachings on the nature of phenomena in a more accessible
way.
As Buddha travelled India and taught his doctrine, he adapted his teachings to suit different people's needs and capacities.
Thus there is a rich variety to be found within his teachings, ranging from the simple to the profound, and from this many
different schools of Buddhism have evolved in various countries. Today, these teachings are practiced in Tibet, Japan, Nepal,
Thailand, Sri Lanka, Burma and other South-east Asian countries. There is a growing interest in many western countries.
Buddhism is a spiritual path firmly grounded in reason and the practice
of Buddhism can be defined as falling into two categories,
that of Method, and that of Wisdom. It is important to realise that
these are not mutually exclusive, and indeed must be
practiced together in order to gain insight and inner experience.
Method is the actions or activities that one will practice
on the Buddhist path. The main point is refraining from hurting others,
and helping wherever possible. This is something
that can be appreciated by anyone.
Wisdom, here, is not a mere intellectual wisdom, it is the practice of
special insight into the way things ultimately exist.
This follows the principal of interdependence. All phenomena, including
happiness and suffering and those who experience
them do not come about without cause. Buddhism does not hold the view
of an external creator. This philosophy is held by
all schools and sub-schools of Buddhist thought, so that it can be said
the underlying view of Buddhism is that of the interdependent
nature of phenomena.
The Buddhist teachings, if practiced correctly, lead to an open and peaceful state of mind for the practitioner, which will
naturally have a similar effect on those around him or her. Normally, our minds are unsubdued and disturbed by emotions such
as anger, attachment, pride, jealousy and want of respect. The result of an unsubdued mind is suffering and the cause is
ignorance. This is not meaning ignorance in the conventional sense, but a failure to understand the true nature of phenomena.
Buddhism teaches effective methods to subdue the mind through
meditation and contemplation. For example to counter hatred
we meditate on love, and as an antidote to our fundamental ignorance we
study and meditate on the interdependent nature of
phenomena. Changing our mistaken awareness of reality brings the mind
under control and creates peace and happiness. Through
training the mind in such methods we can transform the way in which we
think, act and speak for the benefit not only of ourselves,
but of all beings.
For "Frequently Asked Questions about Tibetan Buddhism and the Dharma" please see: FPMT website.
MAY ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY!
|
