Ahh yes, Buddhism...one of the most peaceful and life loving religions I have ever studied. It has been brought into the mainstream by the New Age and spirituality movements. You might have a friend that is Buddhist, because this religion is certainly getting much more common than it ever has been in Western civilization.
For a little bit of history on Buddhism. Buddhism was started around 530 B.C. in India. This religion was started at the end of the Vedic age, which was when the Hindu religion was most commonly practiced in India.
Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) challenged the ideas of the ancient Indian preists. While the preists thought that only the highest castes, or social groups, could reach enlightenment, Gautama believed that even the lowest born person could achieve enough wisdom in one lifetime to escape the circle of reincarnation.
Gautama's life story began in 536 B.C. when he was born into the Kshatriyas, the warrior caste. He lived in luxury in the family palaces close to the foothills of the Himalayas. Being pampered from his wealthy family, he had never seen death, pain, or suffering. He married a beautiful woman who bore him a son.
His comfortable way of life was shattered one day when he first saw proof of human suffering. While riding in his chariot, Gautama saw a man who was old and feeble, a man who was terribly ill, and a third who had died. He then realized life was an endless cycle of pain. The only way to escape it was to seek wisdom.
One night, when he was around 29 years of age, he took one last look at his sleeping son and wife. He left his palace and joined a band of 5 homeless, wandering people who were also seeking wisdom. For 6 years Gautama tried to find wisdom from harsh discipline and suffering. For many days at a time, he would eat nothing but 1 grain of rice each day. His stomach beca,e so empty, that by poking his finger into it, he could touch his backbone. He gained only pain, not wisdom. He finally decided to seek wisdom in other ways.
Finally, enlightenment came to him. After meditating deeply under a tree for days, Gautama felt the truth come to him. He arose from under the tree and set out to teach others what he had learned. Thereafter, he was known as Buddha, The Enlightened One.
Buddha tought his 5 companions the four main ideas that had come to him during his meditation. They are called the Four Noble Truths.
The First Noble Truth Everything in life is sorrow and suffering.
The Second Noble Truth The cause of all this suffering is peoples self centered cravings and desires. People seek pleasure that cannot last, and that leads to rebirth and more suffering.
The Third Noble Truth The way to end all pain is to end all desires.
The Fourth Noble Truth People can overcome their desires and attain enlightenment by following the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path is like a staircase. Those who seek enlightenment have to master it one step at a time. The steps of the Eightfold Path are
Right purpose
Right speech
Right action
Right living
Right mindfulness
and Right meditation.
By folowing this path anyone can reach Nirvana, the release from pain and selfishness.
Buddha tought his followers to treat every loving thing with loving respect. A devout Buddhist was not even supposed to swat a mosquito.
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