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The history of Buddhism spans the globe for the last 2,600 years. Buddhism is alive and well today as the teachings continue to prove relevant to people’s lives, but how did Buddhism begin? Learn the following about the history of Buddhism:
What Is Buddhism? A Definition
Buddhism is a spiritual path, religion, philosophy, culture, way of life, or all of the above. What Buddhism is lies in the hands of the practitioner. Some see Buddhism as a spiritual practice, some as a religion of faith, while others identify culturally as Buddhists without practicing at all. Others practice Buddhism as a philosophy or framework for life. The Buddhist teachings are a guide to a view and behavior that lead to decreased suffering and increased, genuine and sustainable happiness.
Regardless of the label one gives to Buddhism, its core teachings include taking refuge in the three jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. To take refuge is to embark upon a spiritual path that leads to greater contentment, and ultimately enlightenment. The Buddha serves as an example of a human being, just like us, who reached a profound peace of complete awakening. The dharma is the collection of the Buddha’s teachings or the truth of the way things really are. Sangha refers to the community of wise practitioners who have committed to this path.
Who Was The Buddha?
The Buddha was born as a prince named Siddhartha, sometime between 563-480 BCE in what is presently Nepal. Early in his life, sages predicted Siddhartha would either become king, or a great spiritual being, leading countless others to enlightenment. His father, who preferred his son rule the kingdom, thus kept him confined within the palace walls to keep him on his royal path.
Not content with his sequestered life, a young Siddhartha ventured out several times with the help of his charioteer. Outside the palace walls, he encountered the suffering of sickness, old age and death. He wondered, “What’s the benefit of my life of pleasure if I too, will someday die?” Thus began a spiritual quest that culminated in his awakening to the true nature of reality, liberating him from suffering.
How Did Buddhism Start?
After the Buddha’s enlightenment, he was unsure whether anyone would understand what he had experienced. And yet he knew of a few other seekers who were ready to grasp the depth of his teachings. And so, he gave his first great teaching on The Four Noble Truths to a group of ascetics he had once practiced with. Thus began 45 years of teaching on how to work with the mind to put an end to suffering.
This first teaching marks the start of Buddhism, the first turning of the wheel of dharma. After the Buddha’s death, his sangha continued to share his teachings orally. First, these teachings were localized within the Ganges Valley, but Buddhism soon spread in all directions. Over time, Buddhism evolved into different schools, each influenced by the culture where the philosophy landed.
What Are The Main Schools Of Buddhism?
As Buddhism spread throughout the Asian continent, disagreements began to arise over how one should live as a monk and what the Buddha actually meant. And so 200 years after the Buddha’s death, Buddhism split into different schools. The two main schools of Buddhism in existence today are the Theravada and Mahayana schools. While many lineages have been passed down from teacher to disciple over the centuries, generally all these various lineages and practices of the Buddhist path can be attributed to one of these primary schools.
Every school of Buddhism teaches the Four Noble Truths; that suffering is caused, and thus the end of suffering also has a cause. We can free ourselves from suffering by training the mind in wisdom and compassion. Mahayana Buddhism is distinguished from Theravada Buddhism with its emphasis on the bodhisattva path. A bodhisattva is motivated to achieve liberation, not only for themselves, but for the sake of all beings.
What Does The Buddha Represent?
The man who was born as Siddhartha became Shakyamuni Buddha when he awakened while meditating under the Bodhi tree, thus freeing himself from the suffering that is caused by emotional obscurations and a mistaken view of reality. The word Buddha translates to ‘awakened one,’ ‘enlightened one’ or ‘one who has reached Bodhi,’ the state of enlightenment.
The life story of the Buddha, including the story of his enlightenment, serves as inspiration. We too, can achieve freedom from suffering, despite being born in a human body that will someday get old, sick and die. Buddha was a human, not a god, which makes him relatable. The Buddha represents the inherent purity of our own nature, which we all possess. We each have this Buddha nature, the seed of enlightenment within, just waiting to be uncovered. The key lies in training our mind – this is the essence of the Buddhist path.
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