| Revision as of 21:38, 25 January 2007 view source169.204.200.94 (talk) →The Four Noble Truths← Previous edit | Revision as of 21:42, 25 January 2007 view source 89.241.67.209 (talk) loads of changes but educationalNext edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| hi guys if you are reading this it means you are very gay and geekish so i suggest you get of this site | |||
| {{Buddhism}} | |||
| '''Sexy Man Thongs''' is a ], ] ], a ], and a system of ]. Buddhism is also known in Sanskrit or Pali, the main ancient languages of Buddhists, as ], which means the teachings of "the Awakened One". Thus was called ], hereinafter referred to as "the Buddha". Early sources say that the Buddha was born in ] (now in Nepal), and that he died aged around 80 in ] (India). He lived in or around the fifth century ], according to recent scholarship<ref>http://indology.info/papers/cousins/</ref>. Buddhism spread throughout the ] in the ] following the Buddha's passing, and thence into ], ] and ] and ] over the next ]. | |||
| Eventually, Indian Buddhism became virtually extinct, except in parts of Nepal. The most frequently used classification of present-day Buddhism among scholars<ref>''New Penguin Handbook of Living Religions'', 1996; Harvey, ''Introduction to Buddhism'', Cambridge University Press, 1990; Bechert & Gombrich, ''The World of Buddhism'', Thames & Hudson, 1984; Prebish & Keown, ''Introducing Buddhism'', Routledge, 2006; Gethin, ''Foundations of Buddhism'', Oxford University Press, 1998; Robinson & Johnson, ''The Buddhist Religion''</ref> seems to be into the following three traditions, though described or named differently. | |||
| *Southern Buddhism, or ] (its own usual name for itself), also known as Southeast Asian Buddhism, or Pali Buddhism - practiced mainly in ], ], ], ], ] and parts of ], ], ] and ] (]) | |||
| *Eastern Buddhism, also known as East Asian Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, Sino-Japanese Buddhism, or ] - practiced predominantly in ], ], ], ], ] and parts of ] | |||
| *Northern Buddhism, also known as Tibetan Buddhism, Tibeto-Mongolian Buddhism, or ], sometimes called Lamaism - practiced mainly in ], ], ] and parts of ], ], China and Russia. | |||
| An alternative scheme used by some scholars<ref>Smith & Novak, ''Buddhism'', Harper, San Francisco, 2003; ''Oxford Handbook of Global Religios'', 2006</ref> has just two divisions, Theravada and Mahayana, the latter comprising both Eastern and Northern. Some scholars<ref>See e.g. the multi-dimensional classification in ''Encyclopedia of Religion'', Macmillan, New York, 1987</ref>use other schemes. The term ], referring to Theravada and various extinct Indian schools, is sometimes used, but is often considered derogatory, and the World Federation of Buddhists recommends it be avoided. | |||
| Buddhism continues to attract followers worldwide and is considered a ]. According to one source (), "World estimates for Buddhists vary between 230 and 500 million, with most around 350 million." However, ] are uncertain for several countries. According to one analysis<ref>Garfinkel, Perry. "Buddha Rising." National Geographic Dec. 2005: 88-109.</ref>, Buddhism is the fifth-largest religion in the world behind ], ], ], and ]. The monks' order (]), which began during the lifetime of the Buddha in India, is amongst the oldest organizations on earth. | |||
| In Buddhism, any person who has awakened from the "sleep of ignorance" by directly realizing the true nature of reality is called a ]. ], the Buddha, is thus only one among other buddhas before or after him. His ] are oriented toward the attainment of this kind of awakening, also called ], ], ], or ]. | |||
| Part of the Buddha’s teachings regarding the holy life and the goal of liberation is constituted by the ], which focus on ], a term that refers to ] or the sorrow of life. The Four Noble Truths regarding suffering state what is its nature, its cause, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation. This way to the cessation of suffering is called ], which is one of the fundamentals of Buddhist ] or ] life. | |||
| ==Doctrines== | |||
| ], ], northern ].]] | |||
| Numerous distinct groups have developed since the passing of the Buddha, with diverse teachings that vary widely in practice, philosophical emphasis, and culture. However, there are certain doctrines which are common to the majority of schools and traditions in Buddhism, though the Mahayana tends not to regard them as central. | |||
| ===The Four Noble Truths=== | |||
| {{main|The Four Noble Truths}} | |||
| According to the scriptures, the Buddha taught that in life there exists ] which is caused by ] and it can be cured (ceased) by following the ] (Sanskrit: '''{{unicode|Ārya 'aṣṭāṅga Mārgaḥ }}''', Pāli: '''{{unicode|Ariyo Aṭṭhaṅgiko Maggo}}'''). This teaching is called the '''Catvāry Āryasatyāni''' (Pali: '''{{unicode|Cattāri Ariyasaccāni}}'''), the "]". | |||
| # ''']:''' Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering. | |||
| # '''The fun we can have suffering:''' The ] which leads to ] (rebirth) (the cycle of samsara) | |||
| # '''The Jews:''' Have big noses ]. | |||
| # '''The way leading to the cessation of suffering:''' The ]; | |||
| According to the scriptures, the Four Noble Truths were the topic of the first semon given by the ] after his enlightenment<ref name="FNTeng" />, which was given to the five ascetics with whom he had practiced ], and were originally spoken by the Buddha, not in the form of a religious or philosophical text, but in the form of a common medical prescription of the time. | |||
| ===The Noble Eightfold Path=== | |||
| {{main|Noble Eightfold Path}} | |||
| ]. The eight spokes represent the ] of Buddhism.]] | |||
| {| cellpadding=3px cellspacing=0px style="float:right; background-color: transparent; border:1px dotted #000000; margin:2px" width="200" | |||
| | | |||
| |According to a saying attributed in some traditions to ], if a person does not follow the goal of ], one lives one's life like a preoccupied child playing with toys in a house that is burning to the ground.<ref>The Crystal and the Way of Light. Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu; compiled and ed. by John Shane, 2000, p. 164</ref> | |||
| |- | |||
| |} | |||
| The Noble Eightfold Path is the way to the cessation of suffering, the fourth part of the Four Noble Truths. This is divided into three sections: Sila (which concerns the physical bodily actions), Samadhi (which concerns the 'Conscious' mind) and Panna (which concerns the 'Unconscious' mind). | |||
| '''Sila''' is morality—abstaining from unwholesome deeds of body and speech. Within the division of sila are three parts of the Noble Eightfold Path: | |||
| #Right Speech - One speaks in a non hurtful, not exaggerated, truthful way '''{{unicode|(samyag-vāc, sammā-vācā)}}''' | |||
| #Right Actions - Wholesome action, avoiding action that would do harm '''{{unicode|(samyak-karmānta, sammā-kammanta)}}''' | |||
| #Right Livelihood - One's way of livelihood does not harm in any way oneself or others; directly or indirectly '''{{unicode|(samyag-ājīva, sammā-ājīva)}}''' | |||
| '''Samadhi''' is developing mastery over one’s own mind. Within this division are another three parts of the Noble Eightfold Path: | |||
| #Right Effort/Exercise - One makes an effort to improve '''{{unicode|(samyag-vyāyāma, sammā-vāyāma)}}''' | |||
| #Right Mindfulness/Awareness - Mental ability to see things for what they are with clear consciousness '''{{unicode|(samyak-smṛti, sammā-sati)}}''' | |||
| #Right Concentration - Being aware of the present reality within oneself, without any craving or aversion. '''{{unicode|(samyak-samādhi, sammā-samādhi)}}''' | |||
| '''Panna''' is the wisdom which purifies the mind. Within this division fall two more parts of the Noble Eightfold Path: | |||
| #Right Thoughts - Change in the pattern of thinking. '''{{unicode|(samyak-saṃkalpa, sammā-saṅkappa)}}''' | |||
| #Right Understanding - Understanding reality as it is, not just as it appears to be. '''{{unicode|(samyag-dṛṣṭi, sammā-diṭṭhi)}}''' | |||
| The word '''samyak''' means "perfect". There are a number of ways to interpret the Eightfold Path. On one hand, the Eightfold Path is spoken of as being a progressive series of stages through which the practitioner moves, the culmination of one leading to the beginning of another, whereas others see the states of the 'Path' as requiring simultaneous development. It is also common to categorize the Eightfold Path into ''']''' (Pāli '''paññā''', wisdom), ''']''' (Pāli '''sīla''', virtuous behaviour) and ''']''' (concentration). | |||
| ===Bodhi=== | |||
| {{main|Bodhi}} | |||
| '''Bodhi''' (] and ] बॊधि, lit. ''awakening'') is a title given in Buddhism to the specific awakening experience attained by ]. When used in a generic sense, a ] is generally considered to be a ] who discovers the true ] through lifetimes of spiritual cultivation, ] of the various religious practices of his time, and ]. This transformational discovery is called ] (literally, "awakening" — more commonly called "enlightenment"). In Japanese Buddhism (]) this experience is called ]. | |||
| After attainment of Bodhi, it is believed one is freed from the cycle of ''']''': birth, suffering, death and rebirth. Bodhi is attained only by the accomplishment of the ]s (perfections), when the ] are fully grasped, and when all ] has reached cessation. At this moment, all greed ('''lobha'''), hatred (Pali '''dosa'''), delusion ('''moha'''), ignorance (] ''']''', Pāli '''avijjā'''), craving (Sanskrit '''{{unicode|tṛṣṇā}}''', Pāli '''{{unicode|taṇhā}}''') and belief in ''that which is not the self'' (''']''', Pāli '''anāttā''') are extinguished. Bodhi thus implies understanding of ''']''' (Pāli '''anatta'''), the absence of ego-centeredness. All schools of Buddhism recognise ]. They are ] (Pāli: Sāvakabodhi), ] (Pāli: Paccekabodhi) and Samyaksambodhi (Pāli: Sammāsambodhi), the perfect enlightenment by which a ] becomes a fully enlightened ]. The aspiration to attain the state of samyaksambodhi, known as the Bodhisattva ideal, is considered as the highest ideal of Buddhism. <!--the nature of different bodhis is disputed among different Buddhist schools so please be careful.--> | |||
| ===Middle Way=== | |||
| The primary guiding principle of Buddhist practice is the ] which was discovered by the Buddha prior to his enlightenment (''']'''). The ''Middle Way'' or ''Middle Path'' is often described as the practice of non-extremism; a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and opposing self-mortification. | |||
| ===Refuge in the Three Jewels=== | |||
| ] with ] and ], 1st century CE, ].]] | |||
| {{main|Refuge (Buddhism)|Three Jewels}} | |||
| Acknowledging the Four Noble Truths and making the first step in the Noble Eightfold Path requires taking ], as the foundation of one's religious practice, in Buddhism's ] (]: त्रिरत्न '''Triratna''' or रत्नत्रय '''Ratna-traya''', ]: तिरतन '''Tiratana'''). Tibetan Buddhism sometimes adds a fourth refuge, in the ]. The person who chooses the bodhisattva path makes a vow/pledge. This is considered the ultimate expression of compassion. | |||
| The '''Three Jewels''' are: | |||
| * The ''']''' (i.e., ''Awakened One''). This is a title for those who attained Awakening similar to the Buddha and helped others to attain it. See also the ] and ]. The Buddha could also be represented as the wisdom that understands Dharma, and in this regard the Buddha represents the perfect wisdom that sees reality in its true form. Other Mahayana visions of the Buddha see him as the Great Self (''mahatman''), who alone possesses genuine immortality and eternity. | |||
| * The ''']''': The teachings or law as expounded by the Buddha. Dharma also means the law of nature based on behavior of a person and its consequences to be experienced (action and reaction). It can also (especially in the Mahayana) connote the ultimate and sustaining Reality which is inseverable from the Buddha. | |||
| * The ''']''': This term literally means "group" or "congregation," but when it is used in Buddhist teaching the word refers to one of two very specific kinds of groups: either the community of Buddhist monastics (bhikkhus and bhikkhunis), or the community of people who have attained at least the first stage of Awakening (Sotapanna (]) - one who has entered the stream to enlightenment). According to some modern Buddhists, it also consists of laymen and laywomen, the caretakers of the monks, those who have accepted parts of the monastic code but who have not been ordained as monks or nuns. | |||
| According to the scriptures, ] presented himself as a model and besought his followers to have faith (Sanskrit श्रद्धा ''']''', Pāli '''saddhā''') in his example of a human who escaped the pain and danger of existence. In some Mahayana sutras, the Buddha (no longer viewed as human, but as the "god of gods") urges faith in his eternity and indestructibility as the ]. The ], i.e. the teaching of the Buddha, offers a refuge by providing guidelines for the alleviation of suffering and the attainment of enlightenment. The ] (Buddhist Order of monks) provides a refuge by preserving the authentic teachings of the Buddha and providing further examples that the truth of the Buddha's teachings is attainable. | |||
| In certain Mahayana sutras, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are viewed essentially as One: all three are seen as the ] himself. | |||
| Many Buddhists believe that there is no otherworldly salvation from one's ]. The suffering caused by the karmic effects of previous thoughts, words and deeds can be alleviated by following the ], although the Buddha of some Mahayana sutras, such as the ], the ] and the ], also teaches that powerful sutras such as the above-named can, through the very act of their being heard or recited, wholly expunge great swathes of negative karma. | |||
| ===Śīla (Virtuous behaviour)=== | |||
| {{main|Sila}} | |||
| ''']''' (]) or '''sīla''' (]) is usually rendered into English as "behavioral discipline", "morality", or ethics. It is often translated as "precept". It is an action that is an intentional effort. It is one of the ''three practices'' (sila - samadhi - panya) and the second ]. It refers to moral purity of thought, word, and deed. The four conditions of '''śīla''' are chastity, calmness, quiet, and extinguishment, i.e. no longer being susceptible to perturbation by the passions.{{fact}} | |||
| Sīla refers to overall (principles of) ethical behaviour. There are several levels of sila, which correspond to 'basic morality' (]), 'basic morality with asceticism' (]), 'novice monkhood' (]) and 'monkhood' (] or ]). Lay people generally undertake to live by the ] which are common to all Buddhist schools. If they wish, they can choose to undertake the ], which have some additional precepts of basic asceticism. | |||
| The ] are not given in the form of commands such as "thou shalt not ...", but are training rules in order to live a better life in which one is happy, without worries, and can meditate well. | |||
| :1. To refrain from taking life. (i.e. non-violence towards ] life forms) | |||
| :2. To refrain from taking that which is not given (i.e. not committing ]). | |||
| :3. To refrain from sensual misconduct (abstinence from immoral sexual behaviour). | |||
| :4. To refrain from lying. (i.e. speaking truth always) | |||
| :5. To refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of ] (refrain from using drugs or alcohol.) | |||
| In the ], the third precept on sexual misconduct is made more strict, and becomes a precept of ]. | |||
| The three additional rules of the eight precepts are: | |||
| :6. To refrain from eating at the wrong time (only eat from sunrise to noon). | |||
| :7. To refrain from dancing, using jewellery, going to shows, etc. | |||
| :8. To refrain from using a high, luxurious bed. | |||
| ] is the specific moral code for monks. In includes the ], a set of 227 rules in the Theravadin recension. The precise content of the ] (scriptures on Vinaya) differ slightly according to different schools, and different schools or subschools set different standards for the degree of adherence to Vinaya. ] use the ], which are the basic precepts for monastics. | |||
| In Eastern Buddhism, there is also a distinctive Vinaya and ethics contained within the Mahayana ] (not to be confused with the Pali text of that name) for ], where, for example, the eating of meat is frowned upon and ] is actively encouraged (see '']''). | |||
| ===Samadhi/Bhāvana (Meditative cultivation)=== | |||
| {{main|Samadhi|Vipassana|Buddhist meditation}} | |||
| In the language of the ], '''samyaksamādhi''' is "right concentration". The primary means of cultivating '''samādhi''' is meditation. Almost all Buddhist schools agree that the Buddha taught two types of meditation, viz. ] (Sanskrit: '''śamatha''') and ] (Sanskrit: '''vipaśyanā'''). Upon development of '''samādhi''', one's mind becomes purified of defilement, calm, tranquil, and luminous. | |||
| Once the meditator achieves a strong and powerful concentration (''']''', Sanskrit ध्यानम् '''dhyāna'''), his mind is ready to penetrate and gain insight (]) into the ultimate nature of reality, eventually obtaining release from all suffering. The cultivation of ] is essential to mental concentration, which is needed to achieve insight. | |||
| ] starts from being mindful of an object or idea, which is expanded to one's body, mind and entire surroundings, leading to a state of total concentration and tranquillity (jhāna) There are many variations in the style of meditation, from sitting cross-legged or kneeling to chanting or walking. The most common method of meditation is to concentrate on one's breath, because this practice can lead to both samatha and vipassana. | |||
| In Buddhist practice, it is said that while samatha meditation can calm the mind, only vipassanā meditation can reveal how the mind was disturbed to start with, which is what leads to ''']''' (Pāli '''ñāṇa''' knowledge), ''']''' (Pāli '''paññā''' pure understanding) and thus can lead to ''']''' (Pāli '''nibbāna'''). | |||
| ===Prajñā (Wisdom)=== | |||
| {{main|Prajñā}} | |||
| '''Prajñā''' (]) or '''paññā''' (]) means wisdom that is based on a realization of ], ] and ]. Prajñā is the wisdom that is able to extinguish afflictions and bring about ]. It is spoken of as the principal means, by its enlightenment, of attaining ], through its revelation of the true nature of all things. Prajñā is also listed as the sixth of the six ]. | |||
| Initially, prajñā is attained at a conceptual level by means of listening to sermons (dharma talks), reading and sometimes reciting Buddhist texts and engaging in discourse. The Buddha taught dharma to his disciples mainly through the mean of discourse or sermon,{{fact}} many attaining bodhi upon hearing the Buddha's discourse. | |||
| Once the conceptual understanding is attained, it is applied to daily life so that each Buddhist can verify the truth of the Buddha's teaching at a practical level. Lastly, one engages in insight (''']''', ] '''vipaśyanā''') meditation (Citation needed) to attain such wisdom at intuitive level. It should be noted that one could theoretically attain bodhi at any point of practice, while listening to a sermon, while conducting business of daily life or while in meditation. | |||
| ===Buddhist symbols=== | |||
| {{main|Buddhist symbolism}} | |||
| The eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism are: | |||
| * the Parasol (Umbrella) | |||
| * the Golden Fish | |||
| * the Treasure Vase | |||
| * the Lotus | |||
| * the Conch Shell | |||
| * the Endless Knot | |||
| * the Victory Banner | |||
| * the Dharma | |||
| ==Indian Buddhism== | |||
| {{main|History of Buddhism|Buddhist councils}} | |||
| According to the scriptures, soon after the ] (Pāli: parinibbāna, "complete extinguishment") of the Buddha, the first Buddhist council was held. As with any ancient Indian tradition, transmission of teaching was done orally. The primary purpose of the assembly was to collectively recite the teaching to ensure that no errors occur in oral transmission. In the first council, ], the Buddha's personal attendant was called upon to recite the discourses (], Pāli '''sutta'''s) of the Buddha, and, according to some sources, the abhidhamma. ], another disciple, recited the monastic rules (Vinaya). | |||
| ===Early Buddhism=== | |||
| {{main|The Second Buddhist Council|Early Buddhist schools}} | |||
| {{unicode|As the Saṅgha gradually grew over the next century a dispute arose regarding ten points of discipline. A ] (said in the scriptures to have taken place 100 years after the Buddha's death) was held to resolve the points at dispute. The result was that all the monks agreed that those 10 practices were unallowed according to Vinaya. | |||
| At some period after the Second Council however, the Sangha began to break into separate factions. The various accounts differ as to when the actual schisms occurred: according to the Dipavamsa of the Pali tradition, they started immediately after the Second Council; the Puggalavada tradition places it in 137 AN; the Sarvastivada tradition of Vasumitra says it was in the time of Asoka; and the Mahasanghika tradition places it much later, nearly 100 BCE. | |||
| The Asokan edicts, our only contemporary sources, state that 'the Sangha has been made unified'. This apparently refers to a dispute such as that described in the account of the ] at Pataliputta. This concerns the expulsion of non-Buddhist heretics from the Sangha, and does not speak of a schism.}} | |||
| These schisms occurred ''within'' the ], at a time when the Mahāyāna movement either did not exist at all, or only existed as a current of thought not yet identified with a separate school. | |||
| {{unicode|The root schism was between the ] and the ]. The fortunate survival of accounts from both sides of the dispute reveals disparate traditions. The Sthavira group offers two quite distinct reasons for the schism. The Dipavamsa of the Theravāda says that the losing party in the Second Council dispute broke away in protest and formed the Mahasanghika. This contradicts the Mahasanghikas' own vinaya, which shows them as on the same, winning side. On the other hand, the northern lineages, including the Sarvastivada and Puggalavada (both branches of the ancient Sthaviras) attribute the Mahāsāṅghika schism to the '5 points' that erode the status of the arahant. For their part, the Mahāsāṅghikas argued that the Sthaviras were trying to ''expand'' the Vinaya; they may also have challenged what they perceived to be excessive claims or inhumanly high criteria for ]ship. Both parties, therefore, appealed to tradition.<ref>Janice J. Nattier and Charles S. Prebish, 1977. ''Mahāsāṅghika Origins: the beginnings of Buddhist sectarianism'' in History of Religions, Vol. 16, pp. 237-272</ref> The Sthaviras gave rise to several schools, one of which was the ] school.}} | |||
| ] at the time of emperor ] (260–218 BCE).]] | |||
| {{unicode|Following (or leading up to) the schisms, each Saṅgha started to accumulate an ], a collection of philosophical texts. Early sources for these probably existed in the time of the Buddha as simple lists. However, as time went on and Buddhism spread further, the (perceived) teachings of the Buddha were formalized in a more systematic manner in a new ]: the ]. Some modern academics refer to it as Abhidhamma Buddhism. Interestingly, in the opinion of some scholars, the ] school did not have an Abhidhamma Pitaka, which agrees with their statement that they did not want to add to the Buddha's teachings. But according to Chinese pilgrims ] (5th century CE) and Yuan Chwang (7th century CE), they had procured a copy of Abhidhamma which belonged to the Mahasanghika School.}} | |||
| ] that the ] ] king ] converted to the Buddhist faith and became an ].]] | |||
| Buddhism may have spread only slowly in India until the time of the ] emperor ], who was a public supporter of the religion. The support of Aśoka and his descendants led to the construction of more Buddhist religious memorials (]) and to efforts to spread Buddhism throughout the enlarged Maurya empire and even into neighboring lands – particularly to the Iranian-speaking regions of ] and ], beyond the Mauryas' northwest border, and to the island of ] south of India. These two missions, in opposite directions, would ultimately lead, in the first case to the spread of Buddhism into China, and in the second case, to the emergence of Theravāda Buddhism and its spread from Sri Lanka to the coastal lands of Southeast Asia. | |||
| This period marks the first known spread of Buddhism beyond India. According to the ], emissaries were sent to various countries west of India in order to spread "Dhamma", particularly in eastern provinces of the neighboring ], and even farther to ] kingdoms of the Mediterranean. This led, a century later, to the emergence of Greek-speaking Buddhist monarchs in the ], and to the development of the ] of ]. During this period Buddhism was exposed to a variety of influences, from Persian and Greek civilization, and from changing trends in non-Buddhist Indian religions – themselves influenced by Buddhism. | |||
| ===Rise of Mahayana Buddhism=== | |||
| {{main|Mahayana}} | |||
| ], ], ca. 650 CE. Chinese Buddhism is of the ] tradition, with popular schools today being ] and ].]] | |||
| The precise geographical origins of ] are unknown. It is likely that various elements of Mahayana developed independently from the 1st century BCE onwards, initially within several small individual communities, in areas to the north-west within the ] (within present-day northern ]), and in areas within the ] Empire, including ] to the south-east (in present-day ]), to the west around the port of ] (present-day ], a town near ]), and around the various cave complexes, such as ] and ] (in present-day ] and ]). The late Professor Hirakawa argued that Mahayana was a movement of lay Buddhists focused around ] devotion. Pictures within the wall of a stupa representing the story of the Buddha and his previous reincarnation as a bodisattva were used to preach Buddhism to the masses. This theory is still widely held among Japanese scholars, but most western scholars now reject it.<ref>Williams, ''Mahayana Buddhism'', Routledge, London</ref> The Sangha, at the same time, became increasingly fragmented both in terms of ] and ] practice. This led to a widening distance between the laity and Sangha. The Mahayana movement, on the other hand, was ecumenical, reflecting a wide range of influence from ]. Monks representing different philosophical orientations could live in the same Sangha as long as they practiced the same Vinaya. Still, in terms of Abhidharma, the ] school (which had been rejected by the 3rd council, according to the Theravada tradition) and the ] school, both of which were widespread in the Kushan Empire, seem to have had major influence. Moreover, those who believe that Mahayana sutras were composed during this period speculate that the process of reshuffling of sutras according to various Abhidharma eventually led to editing which made the composition of new Mahayana sutras possible. | |||
| ] Buddhism between the 1st – 10th century CE.]] | |||
| Around 100 CE, the Kushan emperor ] is said to have convened what many western scholars call the fourth Buddhist council and is usually associated with the formal rise of Mahayana Buddhism. This council is not recognised by Theravada line of Buddhism. according to Mahayana sources, this council did not simply rely on the original ] in the third council. Instead, a set of new scriptures, mostly notably, the ], an early version of the ] and the ] were approved, as well as fundamental principles of doctrine based around the concept of salvation for all beings (hence Mahāyāna "great vehicle") and the concept of Buddhas and bodhisattvas who embody the indwelling yet transcendent ] who strive to achieve such a goal. However, most western scholars believe this council was purely Sarvastivada, while the late Monseigneur Professor Lamotte considered it entirely fictitious.<ref>''Teaching of Vimalakirti'', Pali Text Society, page XCIII</ref> The new scriptures were first written in ]. From that point on, and in the space of a few centuries, Mahayana would flourish and spread from India to ], and towards the north to ] and then east to ] where Mahayana was ] and this Sinicized Mahayana would be passed on to ], ] and finally to ] in 538 CE. The East Asians would go on to write more indigenous sutras and commentaries to the Mahayana Canon. The most complete Mahayana Canon today is in the ]. | |||
| ===Emergence of the Vajrayāna=== | |||
| <!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: ] from the country ]. The Wheel of Life is used predominantly today in the Vajrayana tradition of Buddhism.]] --> | |||
| {{main|Vajrayana}} | |||
| Mahāyāna Buddhism received significant theoretical grounding from ] (perhaps c.150 - 250 CE), arguably the most influential scholar within the Mahāyāna tradition. Writings attributed to him made explicit references to Mahāyāna texts, but his philosophy was argued within the parameters set out by the ] sūtras. Completely repudiating the then-and-there-dominant ] school, which argued for the existence of ''']''' (factors of existence) in past, present, and future, Nāgārjuna asserted that the nature of the dharmas (hence the enlightenment) to be ] (void or empty), bringing together other key Buddhist doctrines, particularly ] (no-self) and ] (dependent origination). His school of thought is known as the ]. | |||
| After the end of the ], Buddhism flourished in India during the dynasty of the ]s (4th – 6th century). Mahāyāna centres of learning were established, the most important one being the ] in north-eastern India. Sarvāstivāda teaching, which was criticized by Nāgārjuna, was reformulated by scholars such as ] and ] and were incorporated into the ] (Sanskrit: yoga practice) school. While the Madhyamaka school asserted that there is no ultimately real thing, the Yogācāra school asserts that only the mind is ultimately existent. These two schools of thought, in opposition or synthesis, form the basis of subsequent Mahāyāna theology in the Indo-Tibetan tradition. | |||
| There are differing views as to just when Vajrayāna and its ] started. In the Tibetan tradition, it is claimed that the historical Śākyamuni Buddha taught tantra, but as these are esoteric teachings, they were written down long after the Buddha's other teachings. The earliest texts appeared around the early 4th century. Nālandā University became a center for the development of Vajrayāna theory and continued as the source of leading-edge Vajrayāna practices up through the 11th century. These practices, scriptures and theory were transmitted to China, Tibet, Indochina and Southeast Asia. China generally received Indian transmission up to the 11th century including tantric practice, while a vast amount of what is considered to be ] (Vajrayāna) stems from the late (9th-12th century) Nālandā tradition. | |||
| ===Decline of Buddhism in India and Central Asia=== | |||
| {{see also|Decline of Buddhism in India}} | |||
| Buddhism was established in the northern regions of India and ], and kingdoms with Buddhist rulers such as ] and ]. Under the rule of tolerant or even sympathetic ] and Iranian ] kings, Buddhism flourished. The rulers of the ] adopted Buddhism, and it continued to thrive in the region under the rule of the ]. | |||
| Buddhists were briefly persecuted under the ] priest-king Kirder. ] between Zoroastrianism and Buddhism had resulted in the rise of a 'Buddha-Mazda' divinity, which Kirder treated as heresy.<ref> Alexander Berzin, ''Berzin Archives, Historical Sketch of Buddhism and Islam in Afghanistan, November 2001.'' </ref> | |||
| The ] traditions first spread among the ] tribes before combining with the ] forms during the 2nd and 3rd centuries BCE to cover modern-day ], ], ], eastern and coastal ], ], ] and ]. These were the ancient states of ], ], ] and ] from where it spread to ]. Among the first of these Turkic tribes to adopt Buddhism was the Turki-] who adopted Buddhism as early as the 3rd century BCE. It was not, however, the exclusive faith of this region. There were also ]s, ]s, ] Christians, ], ], and followers of ], ], and other indigenous, nonorganized systems of belief. | |||
| From the 4th Century CE on, ] dynasties had achieved preeminence elsewhere in India. Even in regions of Buddhist predominance, such as the northwest (]) and the lower Gangetic plain (] and ]), the Indian caste system was found. In political contests between Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms, Buddhist rulers were gradually replaced by Hindu ones. By the 4th to 5th century Buddhism was already in decline in northern India, even though it was achieving multiple successes in Central Asia and along the ] as far as China. | |||
| The Buddhist states of Central Asia were weakened in the 6th century following the invasion of the ]s and Buddhism suffered as recorded by ]. Later Buddhist regions in Central Asia came either under the sway of the Persian ] or ]. When the Muslim Arabs overthrew the Sāssānids they encountered Buddhists in the eastern provinces of the Persian Empire. They called them by the Persian name of ''butparast'', literally meaning "buddha-worshipper", although the term has come to be used generally for any religion in which ]s play a role. Several high officials of the ] Caliphate, notably the ], were descended from these East Iranian Buddhists. | |||
| When ] led the invasion of ] at the mouth of the ] river, he was aided by some Buddhists in his campaign against their Hindu overlord, ]. Relations with later Iranian rulers such as the ]s and ]s were more difficult; Buddhist monasteries and stūpas were not exempt from looting under Arab rule.<ref> Alexander Berzin, Berzin Archives </ref> | |||
| After the disintegration of the ] Caliphate, the Muslim Turks rose to prominence among the Persian emirates that emerged in Central Asia and ]. In the 10th century CE, one of them, ], defeated the ] and finally brought the region firmly under Muslim rule through Afghanistan and the ]. He demolished monasteries alongside temples during his raid across north-western India but left those within his domains and ] alone and ] recorded the Buddha as a prophet "burxan". | |||
| The originally pagan Turkic tribes who lived in western Central Asia converted to Islām as they came to be increasingly influenced by Persian culture. As the Turkic tribes of Central Asia battled for control of land, similarly an ideological battle waged within them as ]s, faced with an increasing hostile environment in Arabia, moved to ] and found fertile ground here for converts among the Buddhist and non-Buddhist Turkic tribes alike. Buddhism persisted, together with ], ], ], and ] in areas to the east (modern ]) for several centuries, which did not become overwhelmingly Muslim until the 15th century CE; however, under the two-pronged onslaught Buddhism waned and over time Central Asia gradually became predominantly Muslim. | |||
| In 1215 ] conquered ] and his horde devastated the local population indiscriminately; in 1227 after his death his conquest was divided and ] established the ] while ] established the ] where Buddhism was the state religion across Muslim lands. In the Chagatai Khanate the Buddhist Turkic tribes slowly converted to Islam, including the occasional Khan . When Tarmashirin came to power he made Islam the official religion of the region in 1326. In the ], ] and his successors ] and ] also established Buddhism as the state religion but were hostile to the Muslims. Many mosques were destroyed and numerous stupas built; however, when ] came to power in 1295 and converted he reverted the state religion to ] and the climate became hostile towards Buddhism. Today no stupas built by the earlier Mongol Khans survive, and after ]'s reign little mention of Buddhism can be found in Afghanistan and Central Asia.<ref></ref> | |||
| Buddhists retained power in parts of northern India, in ] and especially in Bengal, where the Buddhist ] kings ruled from the 8th-12th centuries CE. These last Buddhist strongholds played an important role in the evolution of the ] and the transmission of that form of Buddhism to ] before they collapsed under assault from the Hindu ]. | |||
| Elsewhere in India, Buddhism suffered from pressure by Hindu dynasties, such as the increasingly powerful ]s, as well as competition from a Hinduism that had gained ideological coherence and emotional vigor from such movements as ] philosophy and ]. One symptom of increased Hindu confidence with regard to Buddhism was the identification of the Buddha as an ] of the Hindu god ] – an identification which contradicted basic Buddhist understandings about the nature of a Buddha and of ]. | |||
| In 1193, only a few decades after the fall of the Pāla kingdom, ] destroyed ], the great Buddhist university. Khiljī was one of the generals of ], a subject of the Afghan ] but soon to become the monarch of a ]. Khiljī's march across northern India caused a precipitous decline in the fortunes of Indian Buddhism, as he destroyed Buddhist walled monasteries fortified by the Sena kings (which he thought were cities), killed the monks and burned their libraries. | |||
| After the ] invasions of Islamic lands across Central Asia, many ]s also found themselves fleeing towards the newly established Islamic lands in India around the environs of ]. Here their influence, caste attitudes towards Buddhists, previous familiarity with Buddhism, lack of Buddhist political power or social structure along with ]'s revival movements such as ] and the rise of the syncretic ], all contributed to a significant realignment of beliefs relegating Buddhism in India to the peripheries. | |||
| By the 13th century CE, Buddhism had become a marginal religion in central India; without a monastic infrastructure, Buddhism could not easily maintain its identity, and many Buddhists, especially in Bengal, were converted to Islām, Hinduism or left for the Himalayan foothills. In Kaśmīr Buddhism remained a significant religion down to the early 15th century, when it was displaced by Islām and Hinduism, except among the Tibetan peoples of ]. | |||
| Elements of Buddhism have remained within India to the current day: the ]s of ] have a syncretic set of practices with strong emphasis on many Buddhist concepts. Other areas of India have never parted from Buddhism, including Ladakh and other Himalayan regions with a primarily Tibetan population. ] and ] are the other Indian states where Buddhism is practiced in great numbers. The ]s of ] also retain a form of Buddhism that differs from the Buddhism of Tibet. Furthermore, much of Buddhist philosophy was eventually absorbed into Hinduism. | |||
| ==Main traditions== | |||
| ] Mahayana Buddhist monk lighting incense in ] temple.]] | |||
| The most common way scholars categorize Buddhist schools follows the major languages of the extant Buddhist canons, which exist in ], ] (also found in ] translation) and ] collections, along with some texts that still exist in ] and ]. This is a useful division for practical purposes, but does not necessarily correspond to philosophical or doctrinal divisions. | |||
| Despite the differences, there are ]: | |||
| *All accept ] as their teacher. | |||
| *All accept the ], ], the ] and the ], though only the Southern (Theravada, Pali) tradition regards these as central. | |||
| *All accept that both the members of the laity and of the Sangha can pursue the path toward enlightenment (]). | |||
| *All accept three ] and consider Buddhahood to be the highest attainment. | |||
| ====Southern Buddhism (Theravāda)==== | |||
| {{main|Theravada}} | |||
| {{unicode|In addition to the ], Buddhist annals compiled at a later date offer a history of the Aśokan and post-Aśokan period. Among these annals are the ], the ], and the ] of the south Indian ] (]: Vibhajyavāda) saṅgha, beside the ] and the ] from the northern ] (]: Sabbatthivāda) saṅgha. According to the accounts of the Vibhajjavāda, ] convened a third Buddhist council (c. 250 BCE), whose purpose was to produce a definitive text of the Buddha's words.}} {{fact}} According to the Theravada account, given in the Dipavamsa and elsewhere, Asoka called this council to sort out doctrinal disputes within the sangha, which these sources say were caused by the infiltration of the sangha by non-buddhists, apparently not actually ordained. The account goes on to say that the council approved the Kathavatthu, compiled by its president Moggaliputta Tissa, as part of the scriptures. As this text consists of doctrinal debates, apparently with other schools, the account seems to imply the other schools were not proper Buddhists or proper monks. | |||
| The council also saw the formation of the {{unicode|saṅgha}} of the Vibhajjavāda ("school of analytical discourse") out of various schools of the ] lineage. {{fact}} Vibhajjavādins claim that the first step to insight has to be achieved by the aspirant's experience, critical investigation, and reasoning instead of by blind faith. <ref>Piyadassi Thera, ''The Seven Factors of Enlightenment'' </ref> | |||
| This school gradually declined on the Indian subcontinent, but its branch in Sri Lanka and South East Asia continues to survive; this branch of the school is now known as Theravada. The Theravāda school claims that the Sarvāstivada and the ] schools were rejected by the council, although according to other sources the Dharmaguptaka school is classified as one of the Vibhajyavādin schools. However, these schools became influential in northwestern India and Central Asia and, since their teaching is found among the scriptures preserved by the Mahāyāna schools, they may have had some formative influence on the Mahāyāna. The Sarvāstivadins have not preserved an independent tradition about the Third Council. it has been argued by some scholars that the council was part of a series of debates and/or disputes resulting in the formation of three main doctrinal schools, Vibhajjavada, Sarvastivada, and Puggalavada, which later were subject to further subdivisions. One such subdivision of the Vibhajjavada was established in Ceylon, and in course of time came to resume the name Theravada (given above in its Sanskrit form Sthaviravada). Its scriptures, the ], were written down there in the last century BCE, at what the Theravada usually reckons as the fourth council. | |||
| It was long believed in Theravāda tradition that the ] language is equivalent to Māgadhī, the eastern dialect of the kingdom of ] spoken by the Buddha. However, linguistic comparisons of the ] and the language of the Pāli canon show strong differences between the Māgadhī of the Edicts (characterized by such changes as r → l, masculine nominative singular of a-stems in -e, etc.) and Pāli. The greatest similarity to Pāli is found in a dialectal variant of the Edicts written on a rock near ] in Gujarat. | |||
| ''']''' is ] for "the Doctrine of the Elders" or "the Ancient Doctrine". Theravāda teaches one to encourage wholesome states of mind, avoid unwholesome states of mind, and to train the mind in ]. The aim of practice, according to Theravāda Buddhism, is the attainment of freedom from suffering, which is linked with ], the highest spiritual goal. Theravāda teaches that the experience of suffering is caused by mental defilements like greed, aversion and delusion, while freedom can be attained though putting into practice teachings like the ] and especially the fourth one, the ]. | |||
| The Theravāda school bases its practice and doctrine exclusively on the ] and its commentaries. The ] collections and ] texts of the Pāli Canon (and the corresponding texts in other versions of the ]), are generally considered by modern scholars to be the earliest Buddhist literature, and they are accepted as authentic in every branch of Buddhism. | |||
| Theravāda is the only surviving representative of the historical ]. Theravāda is primarily practiced today in ], ], ], ], ] as well as small portions of ], ], ] and ]. It has a growing presence in ] and ]. | |||
| ===Eastern (East Asian) Buddhism=== | |||
| ] porcelain figure of ], "Goddess of Mercy."]] | |||
| {{main|Mahayana}} | |||
| ''']''' ("Great Vehicle") is an inclusive, cosmically-dimensioned faith characterized by the adoption of additional texts, seen as ultimately transcending the Pali suttas, and a shift in the understanding of Buddhism. It goes beyond the traditional Theravada ideal of the release from suffering (]) and personal enlightenment of the ], to elevate the Buddha to the God-like status of an eternal, omnipresent, all-knowing being, and to create a pantheon of quasi-divine ] devoting themselves to personal excellence, ultimate knowledge and the salvation of humanity (and indeed of all living beings, including animals, ghosts and gods). In Mahayana, the Buddha became an idealized man-god and the Bodhisattva was the universal ideal of excellence. | |||
| The Mahayana branch emphasizes infinite, universal compassion (maha-karuna) or the selfless, ultra-altruistic quest of the Bodhisattva to attain the "Awakened Mind" (]) of Buddhahood so as to have the fullest possible knowledge of how most effectively to lead all sentient beings into ]. Emphasis is also often placed on the notions of Emptiness (]), perfected spiritual insight (]) and ] (the deathless ], or Buddhic Essence, inherent in all beings and creatures). The teaching of the tathagatagarbha is said by the Buddha in the tathagatagarbha sutras to constitute the "absolutely final culmination" of his Dharma - the highest presentation of Truth. The Mahayana can also on occasion communicate a vision of the Buddha or Dharma which amounts to mysticism and gives expression to a form of mentalist ] (]). | |||
| In addition to the ] scriptures, which (within Mahayana) are viewed as valid but only provisional or basic, Mahayana schools recognize all or part of a genre of ]. Some of these sutras became for Mahayanists a manifestation of the Buddha himself. Mahayana Buddhism shows a great deal of doctrinal variation and development over time, and even more variation in terms of practice. While there is much agreement on general principles, there is disagreement over which texts are more authoritative. | |||
| Native Eastern Buddhism is practiced today in ], ], ], ], parts of ] and most of ]. The Buddhism practiced in Tibet, the Himalayan regions, and Mongolia is also Mahayana in origin, but will be discussed below under the heading of Northern Buddhism. There are a variety of strands in Eastern Buddhism, which in most of this area are fused into a single unified form of Buddhism. However, in Japan they form separate denominations. The five major ones are the following. | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *], peculiar to Japan | |||
| *], a form of Vajrayana | |||
| *] | |||
| ===Northern (Tibetan) Buddhism=== | |||
| ] | |||
| {{main|Vajrayana}} | |||
| The ''']''' or "Diamond Vehicle" (also referred to as Mantrayāna, Tantrayāna, ] Buddhism, or ] Buddhism) shares the basic concepts of Mahāyāna, but also includes a vast array of spiritual techniques designed to enhance Buddhist practice. One component of the Vajrayāna is harnessing psycho-physical energy as a means of developing profoundly powerful states of concentration and awareness. These profound states are in turn to be used as an efficient path to Buddhahood. Using these techniques, it is claimed that a practitioner can achieve Buddhahood in one lifetime, or even as little as three years. In addition to the Theravāda and Mahāyāna scriptures, Vajrayāna Buddhists recognise a large body of ], many of which are also included in Chinese and Japanese collections of Buddhist literature. | |||
| ===Intellectualism and Buddhist worldview=== | |||
| {{main|History of Buddhist schools}} | |||
| According to the scriptures, in his lifetime, the Buddha had not answered several philosophical questions. On issues like whether the world is eternal or non-eternal, finite or infinite, unity or separation of the body and the ], complete inexistence of a person after nirvana and then death, nature of the Supreme Truth, etc, the Buddha had remained silent. The scriptures explain that such questions distract from practical activity for realizing ]. | |||
| In numerous Mahayana sutras and Tantras, the Buddha stresses that Dharma (Truth) and the Buddha himself in their ultimate modus cannot truly be understood with the ordinary rational mind or logic: both Buddha and Reality (ultimately One) transcend all worldly concepts. The "prajna-paramita" sutras have this as one of their major themes. What is urged is study, mental and moral self-cultivation, and veneration of the sutras, which are as fingers pointing to the moon of Truth, but then to let go of ratiocination and to experience direct entry into Liberation itself. | |||
| The Buddha in the self-styled "Uttara-Tantra", the ], insists that, while pondering upon Dharma is vital, one must then relinquish fixation on words and letters, as these are utterly divorced from Liberation and the Buddha. The Tantra entitled the "All-Creating King" (]) also emphasises how Buddhic Truth lies beyond the range of thought and is ultimately mysterious. The Supreme Buddha, Samantabhadra, states there: | |||
| "The mind of perfect purity ... is beyond thinking and inexplicable ... It dwells in the self-perfected bliss which is deedless and self-perfected ... I am the best path of liberation. It is a path, subtle and difficult to understand, which is non-speculative and beyond thinking ... It cannot be captured in words ... It is firm, difficult to comprehend, and totally inexplicable." (''The Sovereign All-Creating Mind'' tr. by E.K. Neumaier-Dargyay, pp. 111-112). | |||
| Also later, the famous Indian Buddhist ] and teacher ] ] discouraged any intellectual activity in his ]. | |||
| Buddhist missionaries, however, often faced philosophical questions from other religions whose answers they themselves did not know. For those, who have attachment to ], Buddhist scholars produced a prodigious quantity of intellectual theories, philosophies and worldview concepts. See e.g. ], ] and ]. | |||
| ==Buddhist texts== | |||
| ] | |||
| {{main|Buddhist texts}} | |||
| Buddhist scriptures and other texts exist in great variety. Different schools of Buddhism place varying levels of value on them. Some schools venerate certain texts as religious objects in themselves, while others take a more scholastic approach. The Buddhist canon of ] is known in ] as the ''']''' and in ] as the '''Tipitaka'''. These terms literally mean "three baskets" and refer to the three main divisions of the canon, which are: | |||
| *The ''']''', containing disciplinary rules for the ]s of Buddhist ]s and ]s, as well as a range of other texts including explanations of why and how rules were instituted, supporting material, and doctrinal clarification. | |||
| *The ''']''' (Pāli: Sutta Pitaka), contains the actual discourses of ]. | |||
| *The ''']''' (Pāli: ''Abhidhamma Pitaka'') contains commentaries or systematic expositions of the Buddha's teachings. | |||
| According to the scriptures, soon after the death of the Buddha, the first Buddhist council was held; a monk named ] (Pāli: Mahākassapa) presided. The goal of the council was to record the Buddha's sayings – ] (Sanskrit) or suttas (Pāli) – and codify monastic rules (Vinaya), and according to some sources the abhidhamma. ], the Buddha's personal attendant, was called upon to recite the discourses of the Buddha, and according to some sources the abhidhamma, and ], another disciple, recited the rules of the Vinaya. These became the basis of the Tripitaka. However, this record was initially transmitted orally in form of chanting, and was committed to text in a much later period. Both the sūtras and the Vinaya of every Buddhist school contain a wide variety of elements including discourses on the Dharma, commentaries on other teachings, cosmological and cosmogonical texts, stories of the Buddha's previous lives, and lists relating to various subjects. | |||
| The ] and other ] traditionally believe that the texts of their canon contain the actual words of the Buddha. The Theravāda canon, also known as the ] after the language it was written in, contains some four million words. Other texts, such as the ], are also considered to be the word of the Buddha, but were transmitted either in secret, via lineages of mythical beings (such as the ]), or came directly from other ]s or ]s. Some six hundred Mahāyāna sutras have survived in Sanskrit or in ] or ] translations. | |||
| The followers of Theravāda Buddhism take the scriptures known as the Pāli Canon as definitive and authoritative, while the followers of Mahāyāna Buddhism base their faith and philosophy primarily on the Mahāyāna sūtras and their own versions of the Vinaya. The Pāli sutras, along with other, closely-related scriptures, are known to the other schools as the ]. | |||
| Whereas the Theravādins adhere solely to the Pali canon and its commentaries, the adherents of Mahāyāna accept both the agamas and the Mahāyāna sūtras as authentic and valid teachings of the Buddha, designed for different types of persons and different levels of spiritual penetration. For the Theravādins, however, the Mahayana sūtras are works of poetic fiction, not the words of the Buddha himself. The Theravadins are confident that the Pali canon represents the full and final statement by the Buddha of his Dhamma - and nothing more is truly needed beyond that. Anything added which claims to be the word of the Buddha and yet is not found in the Nikayas or their scholastic commentaries is treated with extreme caution if not outright rejection by Theravada. | |||
| For the Mahāyānists, in contrast, the āgamas do indeed contain basic, foundational, and, therefore, relatively weighty pronouncements of the Buddha, but in their view, the Mahāyāna sutras articulate the Buddha's higher, more advanced and deeper doctrines, reserved for those who follow the exalted bodhisattva path. That path is built upon the motivation to achieve not only personal liberation, but Buddhahood itself in order to know how best to liberate all living beings from unhappiness. Hence the name ''Mahāyāna'' (lit., ''the Great Vehicle''), which has room for both the general masses of sentient beings and those who are more developed. The "Great" of "Maha-yana" is indeed typical of much of this version of Buddhism - from the physical bigness (lengthiness) of some of the Mahayana sutras and the vastness of the Bodhisattva vow (to strive for '''all''' future time to help free other persons and creatures from pain), to the numbers of beings who are sought to be saved (infinitudes), to the (in some sutras and Tantras) final attainment of the Buddha's "'''Great''' Self" (''mahatman'') in the sphere of "'''Great''' Nirvana" (''mahanirvana''). For the Theravadins, however, this alleged "greatness" proclaimed by some Mahayana sutras does not necessarily equate to "true". | |||
| Unlike many religions, Buddhism has no single central text that is universally referred to by all traditions. The size and complexity of the Buddhist canons have been seen by some (including Buddhist social reformer ]) as presenting barriers to the wider understanding of Buddhist philosophy. | |||
| Over the years, various attempts have been made at synthesizing a single Buddhist text that will encompass all of the major principles of Buddhism. In the ] tradition, condensed 'study texts' were created that combined popular or influential scriptures into single volumes that could be studied by novice monks. Later in Sri Lanka, the ] was championed as a unifying scripture. | |||
| ] collected what he felt was a representative sample of Buddhist scriptures- along with other classics of Eastern philosophy, such as the ]- into his ] in the 1920's. More recently, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar attempted to create a single, combined document of Buddhist principles with his . Other such efforts have persisted to the present day, but currently there is no single text widely accepted as being central to all Buddhist traditions. | |||
| == Present state of Buddhism == | |||
| {{sectstub}} | |||
| ]]] | |||
| ] vary from 230 to 500 million, but the most common figure today is between 350 and 400 million. | |||
| *] Buddhism, using ] as its scriptural language, is the dominant form of Buddhism in ], ], ], ], and ]. | |||
| *East Asian forms of Buddhism that use scriptures in ] are dominant in most of ], ], ], ], ] and ] as well as the Chinese communities around the world, especially within Indochina and Southeast Asia as well as in the West. | |||
| *Northern Buddhism, using the Tibetan language, is found in ] and the surrounding area of ], ], ], ], ], and the ]. ], ], ] and the ] are the first European countries to recognize Buddhism as an official religion. | |||
| *] in ] was largely inspired by ] in 1956 with a mass conversion ceremony of Hindu ] now known as ]s. Their practice is general and they do not follow any particular Buddhist school of thought. | |||
| *Most Buddhist groups in the West are at least nominally affiliated to some eastern tradition listed above. An exception is the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, though they can be considered Mahayanist in a broad sense. | |||
| At the present time, the teachings of all three branches of Buddhism have spread throughout the world, and Buddhist texts are increasingly translated into local languages. While in the West, Buddhism is often seen as exotic and progressive, in the East, Buddhism is regarded as familiar and part of the establishment. Buddhists in Asia are frequently well organised and well funded. In a number of countries, it is recognised as an official religion and receives state support. In the West, Buddhism is recognised as one of the growing spiritual influences. (see ]) | |||
| See also ] | |||
| ==Buddhist culture and art== | |||
| {{main|Buddhist culture and art}} | |||
| ==Comparative study== | |||
| {{sectstub}} | |||
| Buddhism is a fertile ground for comparative studies with different beliefs, philosophy, science, history, and various other aspects of Buddhism. In term of doctrine, ] is Buddhism's primary contribution to metaphysics. This has wide-ranging implication in terms of theology, philosophy, and science. On the other hand, Buddhist emphasis on the ] not only provides a unique guideline for ethics but it has also allowed Buddhism to peacefully coexist with various local beliefs, customs, and institutions in adopted countries for most of its history. | |||
| '''List of Buddhism related topics in comparative studies''' | |||
| *] | |||
| *] (Buddhism and East Asian teaching) | |||
| *] (Buddhism and monotheism) | |||
| *] | |||
| *] (Buddhism and Western philosophy) | |||
| *] (Buddhism and ethics) | |||
| *] (Buddhism and science) | |||
| *] | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| {{portal}} | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{Wikisource1911Enc|Buddhism}} | |||
| *{{cite book | author=Coogan, Michael D. (ed.) | title=The Illustrated Guide to World Religions | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=2003 | id=ISBN 1-84483-125-6}} | |||
| *{{web-cite|ref=Dhammananda_64|author=]|page=http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/whatbelieve.pdf|title=What Buddhists Believe|site=http://www.bmsm.org.my/ Buddhist Mission Society of Malaysia|date=1964}}. | |||
| *{{cite book | author=Dorothy C. Donath | title=Buddhism for the West: Theravāda, Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna; a comprehensive review of Buddhist history, philosophy, and teachings from the time of the Buddha to the present day | publisher=Julian Press | year=1971 | id=ISBN 0-07-017533-0}} | |||
| *{{cite book | author=Gethin, Rupert | title=Foundations of Buddhism | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=1998 | id=ISBN 0-19-289223-1}} | |||
| *{{cite book | author=Gunaratana, Bhante Henepola | title=Mindfulness in Plain English | publisher=Wisdom Publications | year=2002 | id=ISBN 0-86171-321-4}} Also available on-line: | |||
| *{{cite book | author=Lowenstein, Tom | title=The vision of the Buddha | publisher=Duncan Baird Publishers | year=1996 | id=ISBN 1-903296-91-9}} | |||
| *{{cite|ref=Hanh_74|author=]|title=The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching|publisher=Broadway Books|date=1974}} ISBN 0-7679-0369-2. | |||
| *{{cite book | author=] (translator) | title=Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: Mahayana Scripture | publisher=Pennsylvania State University Press | year=1976 | id=ISBN 0-271-00601-3}} | |||
| *{{cite|ref=Rahula_74|author=]|title=What the Buddha Taught|publisher=Grove Press|date=1974}} ISBN 0-8021-3031-3. | |||
| *{{cite|ref=White_74|author=]|title=The Role of Bodhicitta in Buddhist Enlightenment Including a Translation into English of Bodhicitta-sastra, Benkemmitsu-nikyoron, and Sammaya-kaijo|publisher=The Edwin Mellen Press|date=2005}} ISBN 0-7734-5985-5. | |||
| *{{cite book | author=Yamamoto, Kosho (translation), revised and edited by Dr. Tony Page | title=The ]| publisher=(Nirvana Publications 1999-2000)}} | |||
| *{{cite|ref=Yin_98|author=], Yeung H. Wing (translator)|title=The Way to Buddhahood: Instructions from a Modern Chinese Master|publisher=Wisdom Publications|date=1998}} ISBN 0-86171-133-5. | |||
| *{{cite book | author=Sinha, H.P. | title=Bhāratīya Darshan kī rūprekhā (Features of Indian Philosophy) | publisher=Motilal Banarasidas Publ. | year=1993 | id=ISBN 81-208-2144-0}} | |||
| * John Dickson, A Spectator’s Guide to World Religions. Sydney: Blue Bottle Books, 2004. | |||
| * ,, Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd., London, 1960. | |||
| ==Notes== | |||
| <!--<nowiki> | |||
| See http://en.wikipedia.org/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how | |||
| to generate footnotes using the <ref> and </ref> tags, and the template below | |||
| </nowiki>--> | |||
| {{FootnotesSmall|resize=100%}} | |||
| # {{note|Sarvabuddhavishayavatarajnanalokalamkarasutra}} Sarvabuddhavishayavatarajñanalokalamkarasutra as cited by Elías Capriles in '': Clear Discrimination of Views Pointing at the Definitive Meaning. The Four Philosophical Schools of the Sutrayana Traditionally Taught in Tibet with Reference to the Dzogchen Teachings''. Published on the Web. | |||
| # {{note|ChNN_Dream_Yoga_book}} Chögyal Namkhai Norbu ''Dream Yoga And The Practice Of Natural Light''. Edited and introduced by Michael Katz, Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, NY, ISBN 1−55939−007−7, p. 42 | |||
| # {{note|Dr.A.Berzin_on_appearances}} Dr. A. Berzin. '''' | |||
| # {{note|Elas_Capriles_book1}} Elías Capriles. '': the Doctrine of the Buddha and the Supreme Vehicle of Tibetan Buddhism. Part 1 - Buddhism: a Dzogchen Outlook''. Published on the Web. | |||
| # {{note|Sangha_TripleJewel}} Thanissaro Bhikkhu. ''''. Third edition, revised, 2001 | |||
| <references/> | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| <!--buddhachat, not notable and is advertising; hongakujodo, advertising a single sect, advertising; meditate london, intro to buddhism not needed, they are practically the same; other two are not about buddhism but about sutras.--> | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * Insight Inside | |||
| * | |||
| * facts, glossary, timeline and articles. | |||
| * | |||
| *(English translations) | |||
| * <!-- Full of international and general buddhist info. Not geared to Americans only. --> | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| ] | |||
| {{Link FA|ar}} | |||
| {{Link FA|vi}} | |||
| {{Link FA|nl}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 21:42, 25 January 2007
hi guys if you are reading this it means you are very gay and geekish so i suggest you get of this site