Possibly, everyone in life has questions, answers to which it is not so simple to find. Many think of the spiritual beginning, begin to look for a way to understanding of the life. One of the most ancient religious faiths — the Buddhism, helps with such search, teaches comprehension of wisdom and increase in own spirituality.
What the religion is
To answer briefly what is the Buddhism, it is difficult as this religion, its postulates remind philosophical doctrine more. One of basic provisions is the statement of the fact that only inconstancy is constant. Speaking more simply, in our world only the continuous circulation in total of events, the births and death is continuous.
Whether you know? In the historical park Ayutthaya (Thailand) the main attraction are ruins of the ancient temple Vat Makhatkhat, there is an old tree which of confused roots Buddha's head looks out.
It is considered that the world arose in itself. And our life is, in fact, search of the reasons of our emergence and understanding of the purposes for which we appeared. If to speak about religion it is short, then the Buddhism and its way are a moral and spiritual development, understanding that all life is suffering: the birth, growing, attachments and achievements, fear to lose reached.
Ultimate goal — an enlightenment, achievement of the highest pleasure, that is nirvana. Clarified it is independent of any concepts, it comprehended physical, mental, reason and spirit.
Buddhism sources
In the north of India in the town of Lumbini in royal family the boy Siddhartha Gautama was born (563-483 BC, according to other data — 1027-948 BC). At the age of 29 years, having thought of meaning of life, Siddhatrkh, left the palace and accepted an ascetic way of life. Having understood that the severe asceticism and the exhausting meditative practicians, will not give answers, Gautama decided to clean consciousness by deep concentration.
By 35 years it reached an enlightenment, having become Buddha and the teacher for the followers. The founder of the Buddhism Gautama lived up to eighty years, preaching and educating. It is remarkable that Buddhists accept as teachers of the clarified other religions, for example, Jesus and Magomet.
Separately about monks
The community of Buddhist monks is considered the most ancient religious community. The way of life of monks does not mean a full distance from the world, many of them actively participate in wordly life.
Usually travel small groups, stopping near the laymen dividing their belief as the mission of preservation, educations in belief, manual and dissemination of the doctrine of Gautama is assigned to monkhood. It is remarkable that after decision-making it is not required to devote the life to monkhood from devoted a complete separation with family.
In East Buddhism of the consumption of meat by monks it is not approved, and vegetarianism is even actively encouraged.
Monks live due to donations of laymen, being content only with the most necessary things. The shelter, food and clothes to them are provided by laymen. It is considered that the layman helping the monk with his mission improves the karma, studying its negative points. Therefore the believing laymen provide monasteries financially.
The task of monks is to show the example the correct way of life, to study religion, to self-improve and is moral and spiritually and also to store religious letters, the sacred book of the Buddhism — Tripitaka.
Whether you know? Contrary to the existing opinion that monks in the Buddhism are only men, women among them also were, called their bkhikshun. A classical example of that — Gautama Makhapradzhapati's mother whom he also built in a monastic dignity.
Doctrine bases
Unlike other religions in the Buddhism there is more philosophy, than mysticism or blind belief. The main ideas of the Buddhism are based on four noble truth. Let's consider briefly each of them.
The truth about suffering (dukhkh)
The truth about suffering is that it is continuous: we are born from suffering, during life we feel it, constantly coming back thoughts to some problems, having reached something, we are afraid to lose, again longing for this occasion.
We suffer in search of correction of acts of the past, we test fault for offenses. Constant experiences, fear of diseases, fear of an inevitable old age and death, dissatisfaction, disappointments are and there is a circulation of suffering. Understanding of in this circulation is a first step to the truth.
About the reason of suffering (trishn)
Following on the way of consciousness, we begin to look for the reason of constant dissatisfaction. At the same time all thoughts and acts give in to the scrupulous analysis, as a result we come that life is a constant fight against suffering. Aspiring to something and receiving the desirable, the person begins to wish bigger, and so around. That is the primary source of our sufferings is insatiable thirst all of new and new fulfillments.
Read about an excursion to the Temple and the museum of Sacred Tooth of Buddha.
About the termination of suffering (nirodh)
Rotating in circulation of fight against own dissatisfaction, many mistakenly believe that it is possible to get rid of sufferings by a victory over the ego. However this way leads to self-destruction. It is possible to come to understanding of a way without suffering, having only stopped fight against it.
Having released negative thoughts (the rage, envies, hatred destroying mind and soul of emotion), having begun to look for in himself piety, we can look at the fight otstranyono. At the same time understanding about the true purpose comes — the termination of fight is moral clarification, refusal of impious thoughts and desires.
The truth about a way (Marga)
It is important to understand a true way to an enlightenment correctly. Buddha called it in the middle way, that is self-development and spiritual clarification without fanaticism. Some of his pupils misunderstood the truth about a way: they saw it in full renunciation of desires and requirements, in self-torture, and in meditative practice instead of quiet concentration, tried to enter to finish themselves to a trance.
It is quite misleading: even Buddha needed food, clothes to be valid for further preaching. He learned to look for a way between severe asceticism and living in pleasure, without extremes. On the way of an enlightenment an important role is played by meditative practice: at the same time concentration is directed by the most part to finding of composure and observation of a stream of the thoughts at the moment.
Having learned to sort the acts here and now, in the future it is possible to avoid repetition of any mistakes. Full understanding of the I, ability to step out of limits of an ego is led to understanding of a true way.
Whether you know? On hills east of Moniwa in Myanmar is unusual statues of Buddha. Both hollow inside, are open for all comers, inside there are images of the events connected with development of religion. One of statues towers on 132 meters, second representing Buddha in the lying situation, has length of 90 meters.
What Buddhists trust in: stages of a Buddhist way
Followers of the doctrine of Buddha consider that each person appeared on this earth not accidentally, each of us with each our emergence (reincarnation) has a chance to clean a karma and to reach special grace — nirvana (release from regenerations, a condition of blissful rest). For this purpose it is necessary to realize the truth and to exempt the mind from delusions.
Wisdom (pradzhnya)
The wisdom consists in determination to follow the doctrine, understanding of the truth, manifestation of self-discipline, renunciation of the destroying emotions and desires. It is vision of the situation through a prism of doubts and acceptance of itself and surrounding reality those with what they are.
Comprehension of wisdom consists in opposition to the I, intuitive enlightenment by meditation, overcoming delusions. It is one of doctrine bases consisting in comprehension of reality, not turbid wordly prejudices. The word in Sanskrit means superknowledge: pra is the highest, джня — knowledge.
Morality (pricker)
Morality — maintaining the correct way of life: refusal of violence in any its form, traffic in arms, drugs, people, abuse of alcohol. This respect for moral ethical standards: purity of the speech, without the use of swear words, without gossips, a lie, the rough attitude towards the neighbor.
Concentrations (samadh)
Samadh in Sanskrit — association, end, perfection. Mastering concentration methods, understanding of not as identity, and in merge to the principal space reason. Similar enlightened state is reached by meditations, calm of the consciousness and contemplation, as a result the enlightenment results in perfect consciousness, those are to nirvana.
About currents of the Buddhism
For all history of the doctrine many schools and branches from classical perception were formed, for today allocate three main currents, about them and we will talk. In fact, it is three pathways to knowledge which Buddha transferred to pupils by different methods, in different interpretation, but all of them conduct to one purpose.
Hinayana
Hinayana represents the oldest school applying for exact transfer of the doctrine by its founder — Buddha Shakyamuni (in the world — Gautama), based on the first sermons of the teacher on four truth. Followers scoop the main postulates of belief from the most authoritative (according to them) sources — Tripitaki, the sacred texts made after Shakyamuni's leaving in nirvana.
From all schools (eighteen) of a hinayana there is Theravada more practicing meditative occupations, than doctrine philosophy today. The purpose of followers of a hinayana is to leave all wordly in the way strictly of renunciation, to reach an enlightenment, like Buddha and to leave a sansara cycle, having gone to a condition of pleasure.
Important! Key difference of Hinayana from the Mahajana: in the first Buddha is the real personality who reached an enlightenment in the second — metaphysical manifestation.
Mahajana and Vajrayana
The current the Mahajana is connected with the pupil Shakyamuni — Nagardzhuna. In this direction Hinayana's theory is rethought and added. This direction became widespread in Japan, China and Tibet. The theoretical basis is sutra, a written form of spiritual revelations, according to Shakyamuni's practicians.
However the teacher is perceived as metaphysical manifestation of the nature, a pervomateriya. Sutra claim that the teacher did not leave a sansara and cannot leave it as a part him is in each of us.
Fundamentals of Vajrayana are tantras. The direction together with practice of the Mahajana uses yoga, various rituals and ceremonies, reading mantras for strengthening of the personality and her spiritual growth, and consciousness. Most Tantrists esteem Padmasambkhava, the founder of a Tantric current in Tibet.
Learn more about that as it is correct to carry out mantras of Ohms, Shanti, Ohm attract Padme khoum.
How to become the Buddhist
For the person who became interested in the doctrine there are several recommendations:
- Before becoming the Buddhist, read the corresponding literature, ignorance of terminology and the theory, will not allow to plunge into the doctrine completely.
- It is necessary to decide on the direction, to choose the school suitable for itself.
- Study traditions of the chosen current, meditative practicians and the main postulates.
To become a part of the religious doctrine, it is necessary to pass an octal way of understanding of the truth which consists of eight stages:
- Understanding which is reached by reflection about the validity of life.
- Determination which is expressed in renunciation of all real.
- This stage consists in achievement of the speech in which there are no lie and swear words.
- At this stage of people learns to make only good causes.
- At this stage of people comes to understanding of true life.
- At this stage of people comes to understanding of a true thought.
- At this stage of people has to reach full concentration, dismissal from all external.
- At this stage of people reaches an enlightenment, having passed all previous stages.
Having passed this way, the person learns philosophy of the doctrine and joins it. To beginners recommend to address for manual and some explanations the teacher, it can be the wandering monk.
Important! Consider that several meetings will not yield that result which you expect: the teacher will not be able to give answers to all questions. For this purpose near him it is necessary to live side by side long time, perhaps years.
The main work on itself consists in renunciation of all negative, it is necessary to apply everything in life about what you will read in sacred texts. To refuse addictions, not to show violence and roughness, foul language, to help people, without expecting anything in exchange. Only self-cleaning, self-improvement and morality will lead you to understanding of the doctrine and its bases.
Official recognition as true follower can achieve you on a personal meeting with Lama. Only he will solve whether you are ready to follow the doctrine.
Buddhism: differences from other religions
The Buddhism does not recognize one god, the creator of all real, the doctrine is based that in everyone there is a Divine, everyone can become clarified and reach nirvana. Buddha is a teacher.
Read about Hinduism deities - god Shiva and his wife Shakti and the son Ganesha.
The way of an enlightenment, unlike world religions, consists in self-improvement and achievement of morality and morals, but not in blind belief. The live religion recognizes and recognized science, smoothly adapting to it, recognizes existence of other worlds and measurements, considering at the same time Earth the blessed place from where by clarification of a karma and achievement of an enlightenment it is possible to get to nirvana.
Sacred texts are not final authority, and only the management and manual on the way to the truth. Search of answers and awareness of wisdom lies through knowledge of themselves, but not implicit submission to belief postulates. That is the belief is based, first of all, on experience.
Unlike Christianity, Islam and Judaism, Buddhists do not recognize the idea about an absolute sin. The sin in terms of the doctrine is a mistake of the personality which can be corrected in the subsequent transformations. That is, there is no strict definition hell and paradise as in the nature there are no morals. Any mistake is reparable and as a result any personality by reincarnation can clean a karma, that is repay the debt to Universal mind.
In Judaism, Islam or Christianity God is the only rescue. In the Buddhism the rescue depends on itself, comprehension of the nature, to following of moral ethical standards, abstention of negative manifestations of the ego, self-improvement. There are differences and in monkhood: instead of full thoughtless submission to the prior, monks make decisions all community, elect the head of community also collectively. Of course, to senior and skilled the respect has to be shown. In community also, unlike Christian, there are no ranks or ranks.
Everything cannot be learned about the Buddhism at once, the doctrine and improvement goes for years. It is possible to like the doctrine truth, having only entirely devoted itself to this religion.