>>Beliefs in Buddhism
By Rune K.
Buddhists do not believe in a particular god. They do not believe that there is a God who intervenes in daily life, they live according to certain laws and regulations. The five ethical regulations is their "main laws":
- You shall not kill any living being.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not misuse the senses.
- You shall not lie.
- You should not drink alcohol or other substances that damage the body and soul.
The Three Jewels of Buddhism, reads as follows:
- I take my refuge in Buddha
- I take my refuge in Dharma (doctrine of Buddhism)
- I take refuge to the Sangha (monastic community)
If life was a disease Buddhists believe that Buddha is the "doctor" Dharma's "medicine" and the Sangha is "the nurse".
There are many movements within Buddhism. The main directions are:
Theravada Buddhism. As the oldest teachings within Buddhism. Tripitaka is their sacred texts.The monks teach Buddha's teachings. They also determine whether the texts are real, and that it is a genuine Buddha text. They have to approve the texts. Theravada Buddhists teach that Siddhartha was inspired by another Buddha to reach enlightenment, before he was born a prince. And there is no one who manages to make contact with him now, and therefore no reason to worship him. The historical Buddha is here called Gautama Buddha. This direction is widespread in Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.
Mahayana Buddhism. The scriptures Tripitaka is also here. But they also have Lotus Sutra, which is more recent texts on Buddha. Where Buddha illuminates the whole universe. Mahayana Buddhists call the view of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni. They believe that the historical Buddha reached enlightenment for millions of years ago. They believe that it is important for people to work on themselves to achieve awakening. They emphasize generosity, tolerance, care, kindness and courage. The nuns here have great status. This direction is widespread in Mongolia, Tibet, Vietnam and South Korea.
Zen Buddhism. The most important thing for Zen Buddhists is meditation. Otherwise, the Zen Buddhists is like the other directions. This trend was first widely used in China, but then it was spread to Japan and Korea. Tibetan Buddhism. This direction is colorful and has many gods and goddesses. They dance in costumes to scare away evil spirits. They also have prayer wheels, where people can come and pray while spinning prayer wheels around. This direction is widespread in Mongolia, China and Japan.
Learn meditation, find enlightenment. Mindfulness is a type of meditation that essentially involves focusing on your mind in the present. To be mindful is to be aware of your thoughts and actions in the present, without judging yourself. Research suggests that mindfulness meditation may improve mood, decrease stress, and boost immune function. Meditation makes you happy and healthy, and is completely free. more...