Buddhism appeared around the 6th-5th centuries. BC. in the territory of northeastern India as a result of gaining Awakening ( bodhi) and preaching his teachings by the ascetic Gotama Buddha, a prince from the Shakya clan. Bodh Gaya (modern state of Bihar in India) is believed to be the site of Gotama's Enlightenment. The first sermon of the Buddha took place in the town of Sarnath, not far from the city of Benares ( modern city Varanasi, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh).
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| Stupa at the site of the awakening of Gotama in Bodh Gaya | Stupa at the site of the first sermon Buddhas in Sarnath |
A couple of centuries later, thanks to the support of the Mauryan king Ashoka, the Buddha's teachings spread to most of India, and then throughout the Asian continent. Buddhism reached Greece, and even Egypt.
For a number of historical reasons, Buddhism by the 12th century A.D. e. As a separate religion, it lost its influence in India, but in terms of philosophy, it continued to exert its influence on a number of religious and philosophical teachings in India.
Buddhism has taken a wide variety of forms over its long history. Due to its calm and non-dogmatic nature, it has always easily adapted to the previous culture and religious practices of the people among whom it spread, in turn becoming the main source of a new culture and worldview. Buddhism has successfully merged with the local culture, and it is often difficult to find something in common that connects different currents of Buddhism into one and the same religion. The outsides are so varied, ranging from the softness of the ceremonial Theravada Buddhism of Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, to the contemplative and devotional practices of Mahayana Buddhism Far East ending with the mysterious ritualism of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. Although the exteriors can vary greatly, they all share the same common source- The life and teachings of the man known to us as the Buddha.
~ Bhikkhu Bodhi, "Some Fundamentals of Buddhism."
It originated in the middle of the first millennium BC in the north of India as a current that was opposed to the prevailing Brahmanism at that time. In the middle of the VI century. BC. Indian society was going through a socio-economic and cultural crisis. The tribal organization and traditional ties disintegrated, and class relations were formed. At that time, there were a large number of wandering ascetics in India, they offered their vision of the world. Their opposition to the existing order aroused the sympathy of the people. Among the teachings of this kind was Buddhism, which gained the greatest influence in.
Most researchers believe that the founder of Buddhism was real. He was the son of the head of the tribe Shakiev, born in 560g. BC. in northeast India. Tradition says that the Indian prince Siddhartha Gautama after a carefree and happy youth, he acutely felt the frailty and hopelessness of life, the horror of the idea of an endless series of reincarnations. He left home in order to communicate with the sages to find the answer to the question: how can a person be freed from suffering. The prince traveled for seven years, and one day, when he was sitting under a tree bodhi, illumination dawned on him. He found the answer to his question. Name Buddha means "enlightened". Shocked by his discovery, he sat under this tree for several days, and then went down to the valley to the people to whom he began to preach a new doctrine. He delivered his first sermon in Benares. At first, he was joined by five of his former students, who left him when he abandoned asceticism. Subsequently, he had many followers. His ideas were close to many. For 40 years he preached in North and Central India.
Truths of Buddhism
The basic truths discovered by the Buddha were as follows.
The whole life of man is suffering. This truth is based on the recognition of the impermanence and transience of all things. Everything arises to be annihilated. Existence is devoid of substance, it devours itself, which is why in Buddhism it is designated as a flame. And only grief and suffering can be endured from the flame.
The cause of suffering is our desire. Suffering arises because man is attached to life, he craves existence. Because existence is filled with sorrow, suffering will exist as long as one lusts for life.
To get rid of suffering, you have to get rid of desire. This is possible only as a result of achieving nirvana, which in Buddhism is understood as the extinction of passions, the cessation of thirst. Is it not at the same time the cessation of life? Buddhism avoids a direct answer to this question. Only negative judgments are expressed about nirvana: it is not desire and not consciousness, not life and not death. This is a state in which one is freed from the transmigration of souls. In later Buddhism, nirvana is understood as bliss, consisting in freedom and spiritualization.
To get rid of desire, one must follow the eightfold path of salvation. It is the definition of these steps on the path to nirvana that is the main one in the teachings of the Buddha, which is called middle way that avoids the two extremes of indulgence in sensual pleasures and the torture of the flesh. This teaching is called the Eightfold Path of Salvation because it indicates eight states by mastering which a person can achieve purification of the mind, tranquility and intuition.
These are the states:
- correct understanding: one should believe the Buddha that the world is full of sorrow and suffering;
- right intentions: you should firmly determine your path, limit your passions and aspirations;
- correct speech: you should watch your words so that they do not lead to evil - speech should be truthful and benevolent;
- right actions: one should avoid non-virtuous deeds, restrain oneself and do good deeds;
- right way of life: one should lead a worthy life, without harming the living;
- right effort: you should follow the direction of your thoughts, drive away all evil and tune in to good;
- right thoughts: it should be understood that evil is from our flesh;
- proper focus: one should constantly and patiently train, achieve the ability to concentrate, contemplate, go deep in search of truth.
The first two steps signify the attainment of wisdom or prajna. The next three are moral behavior - sewed. And finally, the last three are the discipline of the mind or samadha.
However, these states cannot be understood as rungs of a ladder that a person masters gradually. Everything is connected here. Moral conduct is necessary to achieve wisdom, and without mental discipline we cannot develop moral conduct. Wise is he who acts compassionately; compassionate is he who acts wisely. Such behavior is impossible without the discipline of the mind.
On the whole, it can be said that Buddhism brought to personal aspect, which was not previously in the Eastern worldview: the assertion that salvation is possible only through personal determination and willingness to act in a certain direction. In addition, Buddhism clearly shows idea of the need for compassion to all living beings - an idea most fully embodied in Mahayana Buddhism.
Main branches of Buddhism
The early Buddhists were only one of many heterodox sects competing at the time, but their influence increased over time. Buddhism was supported primarily by the urban population: rulers, warriors, who saw in it an opportunity to get rid of the supremacy of the Brahmins.
The first followers of the Buddha gathered in some secluded place during the rainy season and, waiting for this period, formed a small community. Those who joined the community usually renounced all property. They were called bhikshu which means "beggar". They shaved their heads, dressed in rags, mostly yellow, and had only the bare necessities with them: three pieces of clothing (top, bottom and cassock), a razor, a needle, a belt, a sieve to filter water, choosing insects from it (ahimsa) , toothpick, begging cup. Most of the time they spent wandering, collecting alms. They could only eat until noon and only vegetarian. In the cave, in an abandoned building, the bhikkhus lived through the rainy season, conversing on pious topics and practicing self-improvement. Near their habitats, the dead bhikkhus were usually buried. Subsequently, monuments-stupas (dome-shaped structures-crypts with a tightly walled entrance) were erected at their burial sites. Various structures were built around these stupas. Later, monasteries arose near these places. The charter of monastic life was formed. When the Buddha was alive, he himself explained all the complex issues of the teaching. After his death, the oral tradition continued for a long time.
Shortly after the death of the Buddha, his followers convened the first Buddhist council to canonize the teachings. The purpose of this cathedral, which took place in the city Rajagrih, was to work out the text of the message of the Buddha. However, not everyone agreed with the decisions taken at this council. In 380 BC a second council was called in Vaishali in order to resolve any disagreements.
Buddhism flourished during the reign of the emperor Ashoka(III century BC), thanks to the efforts of which Buddhism became the official state ideology and went beyond the borders of India. Ashoka did a lot for the Buddhist faith. He erected 84 thousand stupas. During his reign, the third council was held in the city Pataliputra, which approved the text of the sacred books of Buddhism, which amounted to tipitaka(or Tripitaka), and a decision was made to send missionaries to all parts of the country, up to Ceylon. Ashoka sent his son to Ceylon, where he became an apostle, converting many thousands of people to Buddhism and building many monasteries. It is here that the southern canon of the Buddhist church is affirmed - Hinayana, which is also called Theravada(the teaching of the elders). Hinayana means "small vehicle or narrow path of salvation."
In the middle of the last century BC. in the north-west of India, the Scythian rulers created the Kushan kingdom, the ruler of which was Kanishka, an ardent Buddhist and patron of Buddhism. Kanishka convened a fourth council towards the end of the 1st century. AD in the town Kashmir. The Council formulated and approved the main provisions of a new trend in Buddhism, called mahayana -"great chariot or wide circle of salvation." Mahayana Buddhism developed by famous Indian Buddhist Nagarajuna, made many changes to the classical doctrine.
Features of the main directions of Buddhism are as follows (see table).
Main branches of Buddhism
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Hinayana |
Mahayana |
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Buddhism originated and flourished in India, but by the end of the 1st millennium AD. it loses its positions here and is supplanted by Hinduism, which is more familiar to the inhabitants of India. There are several reasons that led to this outcome:
- the development of Hinduism, which inherited the traditional values of Brahmanism and modernized it;
- enmity between different branches of Buddhism, which often led to open struggle;
- a decisive blow to Buddhism was dealt by the Arabs, who conquered many Indian territories in the 7th-8th centuries. and brought Islam with them.
Buddhism, having spread in many countries of East Asia, has become a world religion that retains its influence to this day.
Sacred literature and ideas about the structure of the world
The teachings of Buddhism are expounded in a number of canonical collections, the central place among which is occupied by the Pali canon "Tipitaka" or "Tripitaka", which means "three baskets". Buddhist texts were originally written on palm leaves, which were placed in baskets. The canon is written in the language Pali. In terms of pronunciation, Pali is related to Sanskrit in the same way that Italian is related to Latin. The canon is in three parts.
- Vinaya Pitaka, contains ethical teaching, as well as information about discipline and ceremonial; this includes 227 rules by which monks must live;
- Sutta Pitaka, contains the teachings of the Buddha and popular Buddhist literature including " Dhammapada", which means "the path of truth" (an anthology of Buddhist parables), and " Jataku» - a collection of stories about the previous lives of the Buddha;
- Abidhamma Pitaka, contains the metaphysical representations of Buddhism, philosophical texts that outline the Buddhist understanding of life.
The listed books from all branches of Buddhism are especially recognized by the Hinayana. Other branches of Buddhism have their own sacred sources.
Mahayana followers consider their sacred book "Prajnaparalshta Sutra(teachings on perfect wisdom). It is considered the revelation of the Buddha himself. Due to the extreme difficulty of understanding, the Buddha's contemporaries deposited it in the Serpent Palace in the middle world, and when the time was right to reveal these teachings to people, the great Buddhist thinker Nagarajuna brought them back to the world of people.
The sacred books of the Mahayana are written in Sanskrit. They include mythological and philosophical subjects. Parts of these books are Diamond Sutra, Heart Sutra and Lotus Sutra.
An important feature of the Mahayana sacred books is that Siddtarha Gautama is not considered the only Buddha: there were others before him and there will be others after him. Of great importance is the doctrine developed in these books about a bodisattva (body - enlightened, sattva - essence) - a being who is already ready to pass into nirvana, but delays this transition in order to help others. The most revered is the bodysattva Avalokitesvara.
Of great interest is the cosmology of Buddhism, since it underlies all views of life. According to the basic provisions of Buddhism, the universe has a multi-layered structure. In the center of the earthly world, which is cylindrical disc, there is a mountain Meru. She is surrounded seven concentric ring-shaped seas and as many circles of mountains dividing the seas. Outside the last mountain range is sea which is visible to people. On it lie four world islands. In the bowels of the earth are hell caves. They rise above the earth six heavens, on which 100,000 thousand gods live (the pantheon of Buddhism includes all the gods of Brahmanism, as well as the gods of other peoples). The gods have conference hall where they gather on the eighth day of the lunar month, and amusement park. Buddha is considered the main god, but he is not the creator of the world, the world exists next to him, he is as eternal as Buddha. Gods are born and die at will.
Above these six heavens - 20 heavens of Brahma; the higher the celestial sphere, the easier and more spiritual life in it. The last four, which are called brahmaloka, there are no more images and no rebirths, here the blessed already taste nirvana. The rest of the world is called kamaloka. All together form the totality of the universe. There are an infinite number of such universes.
The infinite set of universes is understood not only in the geographical, but also in the historical sense. Universes are born and die. The lifetime of the universe is called kalpa. Against this backdrop of endless creation and destruction, the drama of life is played out.
However, the teaching of Buddhism deviates from any metaphysical assertion, it does not speak of infinity, nor of finiteness, nor of eternity, nor of non-eternity, nor of being, nor of non-being. Buddhism speaks of forms, causes, images - all this is united by the concept samsara, cycle of incarnations. Samsara includes all objects that arise and disappear; it is the result of former states and the cause of future actions that arise according to the law of dhamma. Dhamma- this is a moral law, a norm according to which images are created; samsara is the form in which the law is realized. Dhamma is not a physical principle of causality, but a moral world order, a principle of retribution. Dhamma and samsara are closely related, but they can be understood only in conjunction with the basic concept of Buddhism and the Indian worldview in general - the concept of karma. Karma means specific the embodiment of the law, retribution or reward for concrete affairs.
An important concept in Buddhism is the concept "apshan". It is usually translated into Russian as "individual soul". But Buddhism does not know the soul in the European sense. Atman means the totality of states of consciousness. There are many states of consciousness called scandas or dharma, but it is impossible to find the carrier of these states, which would exist by itself. The combination of skandhas leads to a certain act, from which karma grows. Skandas disintegrate at death, but karma continues to live and leads to new existences. Karma does not die and leads to the transmigration of the soul. continues to exist not because of the immortality of the soul, but because of the indestructibility of his deeds. Karma is thus understood as something material from which everything living and moving arises. At the same time, karma is understood as something subjective, since it is created by the individuals themselves. So, samsara is a form, an embodiment of karma; dhamma is a law that comes to light by itself through karma. Conversely, karma is formed from samsara, which then affects subsequent samsara. This is where dhamma comes into play. To get rid of karma, to avoid further incarnations is possible only by achieving nirvana, about which Buddhism also does not say anything definite. It is not life, but not death, not desire and not consciousness. Nirvana can be understood as a state of desirelessness, as complete peace. From this understanding of the world and human existence flow the four truths discovered by the Buddha.
Buddhist community. Holidays and rituals
The followers of Buddhism call their teaching Triratnaya or Tiratnaya(triple treasure), referring to the Buddha, dhamma (teaching) and sangha (community). Initially, the Buddhist community was a group of mendicant monks, bhikkhus. After the death of the Buddha, there was no head of the community. The unification of monks is carried out only on the basis of the word of the Buddha, his teachings. There is no centralization of the hierarchy in Buddhism, with the exception of a natural hierarchy - by seniority. Communities living in the neighborhood could unite, the monks acted together, but not on command. Gradually, the formation of monasteries took place. The community united within the monastery was called sangha. Sometimes the word "sangha" denoted the Buddhists of one region or an entire country.
At first, everyone was accepted into the sangha, then some restrictions were introduced, they stopped accepting criminals, slaves, minors without the consent of their parents. Teenagers often became novices, they learned to read and write, studied sacred texts, and received a considerable education for that time. Those who entered the sangha for the duration of their stay in the monastery had to renounce everything that connected them with the world - family, caste, property - and take five vows: don't kill, don't steal, don't lie, don't commit adultery, don't get drunk; he was also required to shave off his hair and put on monastic robes. However, at any moment the monk could leave the monastery, he was not condemned for this, and he could be on friendly terms with the community.
Those monks who decided to devote their entire lives to religion underwent the rite of passage. The novice was subjected to a severe test, testing his spirit and will. Acceptance into the sangha as a monk imposed additional obligations and vows: do not sing or dance; do not sleep in comfortable beds; do not eat at the wrong time; do not acquire; do not use things that have a strong smell or intense color. In addition, there were a large number of minor prohibitions and restrictions. Twice a month - on the new moon and on the full moon - the monks gathered for mutual confessions. The uninitiated, women and laity were not allowed to these meetings. Depending on the severity of the sin, sanctions were also applied, most often expressed in the form of voluntary repentance. Four major sins entailed exile forever: carnal copulation; murder; stealing and falsely claiming that someone has superhuman strength and the dignity of an arhat.
Arhat - this is the ideal of Buddhism. This is the name of those saints or sages who have freed themselves from samsara and after death will go to nirvana. An Arhat is one who has done everything he had to do: destroyed desire, the desire for self-fulfillment, ignorance, wrong views in himself.
There were also women's monasteries. They were organized in the same way as the men's, but all the main ceremonies were performed by monks from the nearest monastery.
The monk's attire is extremely simple. He had three garments: an undergarment, an outer garment, and a cassock, the color of which is yellow in the south and red in the north. He could not take money in any case, he did not even have to ask for food, and the laity themselves had to serve it only to the monk who appeared on the threshold. The monks, who had renounced the world, every day went into the homes of ordinary people, for whom the appearance of a monk was a living sermon and an invitation to a higher life. For insulting the monks, the laity was punished by not accepting alms from them by overturning the alms bowl. If in this way a rejected layman was reconciled with the community, then his gifts were again accepted. The layman has always remained for the monk a being of a lower nature.
The monks had no real manifestations of the cult. They did not serve the gods; on the contrary, they believed that the gods should serve them, since they are saints. The monks were not engaged in any work, except for daily going for alms. Their occupations consisted of spiritual exercises, meditation, reading and copying of sacred books, performing or participating in rituals.
The Buddhist rites include the penitential assemblies already described, to which only monks are allowed. However, there are many rites in which the laity also participate. Buddhists adopted the custom of celebrating the day of rest four times a month. This holiday is called uposatha, something like Saturday for Jews, Sunday for Christians. These days the monks taught the laity and explained the scripture.
In Buddhism, there are a large number of holidays and rituals, the central theme of which is the figure of Buddha - the most important events of his life, his teachings and the monastic community organized by him. In each country, these holidays are celebrated in different ways, depending on the characteristics of the national culture. All Buddhist holidays are celebrated according to the lunar calendar, and most of the most important holidays fall on the days of the full moon, since it was believed that the full moon has a magical property to indicate to a person the need for diligence and promise liberation.
Vesok
This holiday is dedicated to three important events in the life of the Buddha: the birthday, the day of enlightenment and the day of passing into nirvana - and is the most important of all Buddhist holidays. It is celebrated on the full moon day of the second month of the Indian calendar, which falls at the end of May - beginning of June of the Gregorian calendar.
On the days of the holiday, solemn prayers are held in all monasteries and processions and processions are arranged. The temples are decorated with flower garlands and paper lanterns - they symbolize the enlightenment that came to the world with the teachings of the Buddha. On the territory of temples, oil lamps are also placed around sacred trees and stupas. The monks read prayers all night and tell believers stories from the life of the Buddha and his disciples. Lay people also meditate in the temple and listen to the instructions of the monks throughout the night. The ban on agricultural work and other activities that can harm small living creatures is especially carefully observed. After the end of the festive prayer service, the laity arrange a plentiful meal for the members of the monastic community and present them with gifts. A characteristic rite of the holiday is the washing of Buddha statues with sweetened water or tea and showering them with flowers.
In Lamaism, this holiday is the most strict ritual day of the calendar, when you can not eat meat and lamps are lit everywhere. On this day, it is customary to circumambulate stupas, temples and other Buddhist shrines clockwise, spreading out on the ground. Many vow to keep a strict fast and remain silent for seven days.
Vassa
Vassa(from the name of the month in the Pali language) - seclusion during the rainy season. The preaching activity and the whole life of the Buddha and his disciples was associated with constant wanderings and wanderings. During the rainy season, which began at the end of June and ended at the beginning of September, travel was not possible. According to legend, it was during the rainy season that the Buddha first retired with his disciples in Deer Grove (Sarnath). Therefore, already at the time of the first monastic communities, the custom was established to stop during the rainy season in some solitary place and spend this time in prayer and meditation. Soon this custom became an obligatory rule of monastic life and was observed by all branches of Buddhism. During this period, the monks do not leave their monastery and engage in a deeper practice of meditation and comprehension of Buddhist teachings. During this period, the usual communication of monks with the laity is reduced.
In the countries of Southeast Asia, the laity themselves often take monastic vows during the rainy season and for three months lead the same way of life as the monks. During this period, marriages are prohibited. At the end of the period of seclusion, the monks confess their sins to each other and ask for forgiveness from their brothers in the community. Over the next month, contacts and communication between the monks and the laity are gradually restored.
Festival of Lights
This holiday marks the end of the monastic retreat and is celebrated on the full moon of the ninth month. lunar calendar(October - according to the Gregorian calendar). The holiday continues for a month. Ceremonies are held in temples and monasteries, dedicated to the holiday, as well as the exit from the community of those who entered it during the rainy season. On the night of the full moon, everything is illuminated by lights, for which candles, paper lanterns, and electric lamps are used. It is said that the lights are lit to light the way for Budce, inviting him to descend from heaven after he delivered a sermon to his mother. In some monasteries, the statue of Buddha is removed from the pedestal and carried through the streets, symbolizing the descent of the Buddha to earth.
These days it is customary to visit relatives, visit each other to pay their respects and make small gifts. The celebration ends with a ceremony kathina(from Sanskrit - clothes), which consists in the fact that the laity give clothes to members of the community. One robe is solemnly presented to the head of the monastery, who then passes it on to the monk who is recognized as the most virtuous in the monastery. The name of the ceremony comes from the way the clothes were made. Pieces of fabric were stretched over the frame, and then sewn together. This frame was called kathina. Another meaning of the word kathina is "difficult", meaning the difficulty of being a disciple of the Buddha.
The kathina rite has become the only ceremony in which the laity are involved.
There are many sacred places of worship in Buddhism. It is believed that the Buddha himself identified cities as places of pilgrimage: where he was born - Capilawatta; where he reached the highest enlightenment - Gaia; where he first preached Benares; where he entered nirvana - Kushinagara.
Buddhism, along with Islam and Christianity, is considered a world religion. This means that she is not defined by the ethnicity of her followers. Anyone can profess it, regardless of race, nationality and place of residence. In the article we will briefly consider the main ideas of Buddhism.
Summary of the Ideas and Philosophy of Buddhism
Briefly about the history of the emergence of Buddhism
Buddhism is one of the most ancient religions in the world. Its origin took place in opposition to the then dominant Brahminism in the middle of the first millennium BC in the northern part of India. In philosophy ancient india Buddhism occupied and occupies a key place, closely intertwined with it.
If we consider the emergence of Buddhism briefly, then, according to a separate category of scientists, certain changes in the life of the Indian people contributed to this phenomenon. Approximately in the middle of the VI century BC. Indian society was overtaken by a cultural and economic crisis. Those tribal and traditional ties that existed before that time began to gradually undergo changes. It is very important that it was during that period that the formation of class relations took place. There were many ascetics roaming the expanses of India, who formed their own vision of the world, which they shared with other people. So, in opposition to the foundations of that time, Buddhism appeared, which earned recognition among the people.
A large number of scholars believe that the founder of Buddhism was a real person named Siddhartha Gautama , known as Buddha Shakyamuni . He was born in 560 BC. in a wealthy family of the king of the Shakya tribe. From childhood, he knew neither disappointment nor need, he was surrounded by boundless luxury. And so Siddhartha lived his youth, being ignorant of the existence of disease, old age and death. The real shock for him was that he once encountered an old man, a sick man and a funeral procession while walking outside the palace. This influenced him so much that at the age of 29 he joins a group of wandering hermits. So he begins the search for the truth of being. Gautama tries to understand the nature of human troubles and tries to find ways to eliminate them. Realizing that an endless series of reincarnations is inevitable if one does not get rid of suffering, he tried to find answers to his questions from the sages.
After spending 6 years wandering, he tested different techniques, practiced yoga, but came to the conclusion that such methods of enlightenment cannot be achieved. He considered reflection and prayer as effective methods. It was while he was spending time meditating under the Bodhi tree that he experienced enlightenment through which he found the answer to his question. After his discovery, he spent a few more days at the site of a sudden insight, and then went to the valley. And they began to call him Buddha ("enlightened"). There he began to preach the doctrine to people. The very first sermon took place in Benares.
Basic concepts and ideas of Buddhism
One of the main goals of Buddhism is the path to nirvana. Nirvana is a state of awareness of one's soul, achieved through self-denial, the rejection of comfortable conditions. external environment. The Buddha, after spending a long time in meditation and deep reflection, mastered the method of controlling his own consciousness. In the process, he came to the conclusion that people are very attached to worldly goods, overly worried about the opinions of other people. Because of this human soul not only does not develop, but also degrades. Having reached nirvana, you can lose this addiction.
The essential four truths underlying Buddhism are:
- There is the concept of dukkha (suffering, anger, fear, self-flagellation and other negatively colored experiences). Everyone is affected by dukkha to a greater or lesser extent.
- Dukkha always has a cause that contributes to the appearance of addiction - greed, vanity, lust, etc.
- Addiction and suffering can be overcome.
- It is possible to be completely free from dukkha through the path leading to nirvana.
The Buddha was of the opinion that it is necessary to adhere to the "middle way", that is, each person must find the "golden" mean between the well-to-do, satiated with luxury, and the ascetic, devoid of all the benefits of humanity, way of life.
There are three main treasures in Buddhism:
- Buddha - he can be both the creator of the teaching himself, and his follower who has achieved enlightenment.
- Dharma is the teaching itself, its foundations and principles, and what it can give to its followers.
- Sangha is a community of Buddhists who adhere to the laws of this religious teaching.
In order to achieve all three jewels, Buddhists resort to fighting three poisons:
- removal from the truth of being and ignorance;
- desires and passions that contribute to the emergence of suffering;
- intemperance, anger, inability to accept anything here and now.
According to the ideas of Buddhism, every person experiences both bodily and mental suffering. Sickness, death and even birth are suffering. But such a state is unnatural, so you need to get rid of it.
Briefly about the philosophy of Buddhism
This doctrine cannot be called only a religion, in the center of which is God, who created the world. Buddhism is a philosophy, the principles of which we will briefly discuss below. The teaching involves assistance in directing a person to the path of self-development and self-awareness.
In Buddhism, there is no idea that there is an eternal soul that atones for sins. However, everything that a person does and how, finds its imprint - it will definitely return to him. This is not divine punishment. These are the consequences of all actions and thoughts that leave traces on one's own karma.
In Buddhism, there are basic truths revealed by the Buddha:
- Human life is suffering. All things are impermanent and transitory. When it arises, everything must be destroyed. Existence itself is symbolized in Buddhism as a flame that devours itself, and fire can only bring suffering.
- Suffering comes from desire. Man is so attached to the material aspects of existence that he craves life passionately. The more this desire is, the more he will suffer.
- Getting rid of suffering is possible only with the help of getting rid of desires. Nirvana is a state upon reaching which a person experiences the extinction of passions and thirst. Thanks to nirvana, a feeling of bliss arises, freedom from the transmigration of souls.
- To achieve the goal of getting rid of desire, one should resort to the eightfold path of salvation. It is this path that is called the "middle" one, which allows you to get rid of suffering by refusing to go to extremes, which is somewhere between the torture of the flesh and the indulgence of physical pleasures.
The Eightfold Path of Salvation suggests:
- right understanding - the most important thing to do is to realize that the world is full of suffering and sorrow;
- right intentions - you need to take the path of limiting your passions and aspirations, the fundamental basis of which is human egoism;
- correct speech - it should be good, so you should watch your words (so that they do not exude evil);
- right deeds - one should do good deeds, refrain from non-virtuous deeds;
- the right way of life - only a worthy way of life, not harming all living things, can bring a person closer to getting rid of suffering;
- right efforts - you need to tune in to good, drive away all evil from yourself, carefully following the course of your thoughts;
- right thoughts - the most important evil comes from our own flesh, getting rid of the desires of which you can get rid of suffering;
- correct concentration - the eightfold path requires constant training, concentration.
The first two stages are called prajna and suggest the stage of attaining wisdom. The next three are the regulation of morality and right conduct (sila). The remaining three steps represent the discipline of the mind (samadha).
Directions of Buddhism
The very first who supported the teachings of the Buddha began to gather in a secluded place for the period while it was raining. Since they renounced any property, they were called bhiksha - "beggars". They shaved their heads, dressed in rags (mostly yellow) and moved from place to place. Their life was unusually ascetic. When it rains, they hide in caves. They were usually buried where they lived, and on the site of their graves a stupa was built (structures-crypts of a domed shape). Their entrances were made blindly immured and buildings of various purposes were built around the stupas.
After the death of the Buddha, a convocation of his followers took place, who canonized the teaching. But the period of the greatest flourishing of Buddhism can be considered the reign of Emperor Ashoka - III century BC. BC.
Can be distinguished three main philosophical schools Buddhism , formed in different periods the existence of the doctrine:
- Hinayana. The monk is considered the main ideal of the direction - only he can get rid of reincarnations. There is no pantheon of saints who could intercede for a person, there are no rituals, the concept of hell and paradise, cult sculptures, icons. Everything that happens to a person is the result of his actions, thoughts and lifestyle.
- Mahayana. Even a layman (of course, if he is pious), along with a monk, can achieve salvation. There is an institution of bodhisattvas, who are saints who help people on the path to their salvation. The concept of paradise, the pantheon of saints, images of buddhas and bodhisattvas also appear.
- Vajrayana. It is a tantric teaching based on the principles of self-control and meditation.
So, the main idea of Buddhism is that human life is suffering and one should strive to get rid of it. This teaching continues to spread steadily around the planet, gaining more and more supporters.
Hello, dear readers - seekers of knowledge and truth!
Buddhism is so widespread in our time that, probably, in any corner of our planet there is a person who, if not professing it, then at least clearly interested in it. This article will tell you in which countries Buddhism is practiced, as well as tell about its features depending on the location on the map and the national mentality.
Buddhism on the world map
The oldest of the world religions appeared in the middle of the first millennium BC. During this time, she managed to take root at her origins - in India, weaken due to the appearance of Hinduism there, "spread" throughout Asia and convey her knowledge, like streams, to many states in the world.
As early as the 4th century, it reached Korea. By the 6th century it reached Japan, and in the 7th century it broke into Tibet, where it turned into a special direction of philosophical thought. Buddhism conquered the islands of Southeast Asia gradually - from about the 2nd century, and by the beginning of the second millennium it became widespread.
The "capture" of Mongolia by this religion lasted for many centuries - from the 8th to the 16th centuries, and from there by the 18th century it reached the border of Russia in the person of Buryatia and Tuva. In the last two centuries, Buddhist teachings have traveled tens of thousands of kilometers and have interested the inhabitants of Europe and America.
Today Buddhism has become the state religion of Thailand, Cambodia, Bhutan and Laos. It has affected the lives of people from most Asian countries in many ways. By the number of followers, you can rank countries:
- China
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- Myanmar
- Tibet
- Sri Lanka
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Cambodia
- Japan
- India
In addition, there are many followers of the Buddha in Bhutan, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia.
Curiously, in each country Buddhism took on its own, unlike the others, outlines, new forms of this philosophy, directions of thought appeared. This was explained by folk characteristics, religions that existed there earlier, and cultural traditions.
In Europe, Buddhism spread in the largest and most powerful countries. Here at the beginning of the 20th century. the first Buddhist organizations appeared: Germany (1903), Great Britain (1907), France (1929). And today in the United States, Buddhism boasts an honorable fourth place in terms of the number of followers, following Christianity, Judaism and atheism.
There is a World Fellowship of Buddhists whose purpose is to spread and support Buddhist thought in the world. It includes 98 centers from 37 states. Thailand has been chosen as the headquarters of this organization.
Top Buddhist countries
Even scientists find it difficult to say how many Buddhists live on the planet. Someone calls "modest" figures of 500 million, and someone says that their number ranges from 600 million to 1.3 billion. All these people come from dozens different countries. It was difficult, but we have compiled a list of the most interesting "Buddhist" countries.
India
India opens this list due to its status as the birthplace of Buddhism. Two and a half millennia ago, Prince Siddhartha Gautama appeared in the northeast of this country, and now these places are shrines in themselves. Many Buddhists make pilgrimages here and seem to be returning to the past.
Here, in a place called Bodh Gai with its Mahabodhi temple, Siddhartha understood what enlightenment is. Here is the city of Sarnath - Buddha read the first sermon. Further - Kushinagar - and the saint reached full nirvana. Today, however, among the believing population of India, the proportion of Buddhists is less than one percent.
Thailand
Everyone who has been to Thailand knows which religion is the most widespread in the country and how much the Thais love it. Buddhist, statues and other paraphernalia in this exotic country can not be counted.
Buddhism is accepted as the state religion here. According to the Constitution, the king is required to be a Buddhist.
The Thai direction of this philosophical thought is also referred to as "southern Buddhism". The way of life of people is greatly influenced by a strong belief in the laws of karma. Men are required to go through monasticism. In the capital, Bangkok, special Buddhist universities have been established.
Sri Lanka
Legends say that the Buddha personally sailed to the former Ceylon to exorcise evil spirits. So he gave birth to a new religion here, which is now practiced by more than 60% of the population. Even the current sights and cultural monuments have a religious connotation.
Vietnam
Vietnam is ruled by socialism, and formally the main religion in the country is its absence - atheism. But among religions, Buddhism is in first place: about one tenth of the 94 million population somehow recognizes the teachings of the Mahayana. Supporters meet in the south and number in the tens of thousands.
Taiwan
The main religion in Taiwan is Buddhism, which is practiced by about 90% of the island's population. But this teaching is more like a symbiosis with Taoism. If we talk about strict Buddhism, then 7-15% of people adhere to it. The most interesting feature Taiwanese line of thought is the attitude towards nutrition, namely vegetarianism.
Cambodia
The history of Buddhism in Cambodia can be called truly tragic. But, looking ahead, we can say that everything ended well.
There were more than three thousand Buddhist temples in the country until the politician Pol Pot came to power and staged a "cultural revolution". Its result was the reckoning of the monks to the lower class and their subsequent repression and destruction. Few of them were destined to be saved.
After the Republic of Kampuchea was created, all the forces of the authorities were thrown into the restoration of Buddhist religious thought among the population. In 1989 it was recognized as the state religion.
China
In China, it is one of the components, along with Confucianism and Taoism, of the so-called San Jiao - "three religions" - on which the religious views of the Chinese are based.
In the early 90s of the last century, there was a conflict of power with Tibetan Buddhism, which she wanted to suppress by engaging in the "patriotic education" of the monks. Today, Chinese state structures tightly control the activities of religious organizations, including Buddhist ones.
Myanmar
The vast majority, namely 90% of the inhabitants of Myanmar consider themselves Buddhists. These are such nationalities as the Burmese, Mons, Arakanese, and they can be attributed to several schools of Theravada.
The Buddhist ideas of the Burmese - the followers of these schools - are mixed with the pre-existing spirit cult. Mahayana is supported mainly by the Chinese living in Myanmar.
Tibet
Buddhism came to Tibet from India, and, having absorbed the ideas and traditions of the ancient Tibetan Bon religion, took root here, becoming the main religion of the country. The three main schools - Gelug, Kagyu and Nyingma - are considered the most influential.
In the middle of the 20th century, China seized the country, persecution of monks began, many temples and monasteries were devastated by the invaders, and the Dalai Lama XIV with his supporters was forced to flee to India.
Nevertheless, Tibetans, both living in their homeland and those who fled from the Chinese authorities abroad, carefully preserve and maintain Buddhist traditions and way of life.
Japan
Japanese Buddhism covers most inhabitants, but it is divided into a huge number of directions and currents. Some of them took Buddhist philosophy as a basis, the second - the reading of mantras, and the third - meditative practices.
Intertwined with each other, they formed more and more new schools that are successful among different segments of the population. All of them can be conditionally divided into two groups: classical schools and neo-Buddhism.
It is Japanese preachers who study Buddhist teachings who most actively bring this knowledge to the "non-Buddhist" world, primarily to Europe and America.
Russia
Even in Russia, the ideas of Buddhism are well known, and in such national republics as Kalmykia, Buryatia, Tuva, they almost completely captured the minds of people.
Most belong to the Tibetan Gelug and Karma Kagyu schools. In the most major cities- in Moscow, St. Petersburg - there have been Buddhist communities for a long time.
Conclusion
The Buddhist teaching over the long centuries of its existence has completely changed the consciousness of the Eurasian society. And every day this philosophy expands its boundaries, primarily in the minds of people.
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Faculty of Management and Economic Policy
Department of the Russian language
Essay on "Culturology"
Buddhism.
History of occurrence.
Performer: 1st year student
Cyplenkova Irina(9002391)
extramural
Moscow, 2000
Where and when did Buddhism originate? Legends associated with the Buddha ... 3 pp.
The history of development. Division into Great and Lesser Chariots…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Spread of Buddhism. Buddhism in our country…………13 pp.
Buddhism in Modern Russia…………………………………..14 pp.
References…………………………………………………….16 p.
"Those who are seized by enmity and passion,
It is not easy to comprehend this teaching.
Having surrendered to passions, embraced by darkness,
They won't understand what's subtle
What is deep and difficult to comprehend,
What is against the current of their thought.
Vinaya-pitaka.
This essay covers the topic of Buddhism, and, answering questions related to it, consistently tells where and when Buddhism arose, who was its founder, reveals the main content of the dogma, shows the history of the development and spread of Buddhism, including in our country.
Where and when did Buddhism originate? Founder of Buddhism. Legends associated with the Buddha.
Buddhism is the oldest of the three world religions. It is "older" than Christianity by five centuries, and Islam is "younger" by as much as twelve centuries. In the public life, culture, and art of many Asian countries, Buddhism played a role no less than Christianity in Europe and America.
Ask a Buddhist about how the religion he follows came about, and you will get the answer that Shakyamuni (a hermit from the Shakya tribe) proclaimed it to the people more than two and a half thousand years ago. In any book devoted to Buddhism, you will find a story based on religious tradition about the life of the itinerant preacher Siddhartha, nicknamed Shakyamuni and calling himself the Buddha (Skt. buddha), which means "enlightened by higher knowledge", "overshadowed by the truth."
After an infinite number of rebirths, accumulating virtues in each of them, the Buddha appeared on earth in order to fulfill a saving mission - to show living beings deliverance from suffering. He chose for his incarnation the image of Prince Siddhartha from the noble family of Gotama (hence his family name - Gautama). This clan was part of the Shakya tribe, who lived 500-600 years BC. e. in the valley of the Ganges, in its middle course.
Like the gods of other religions, the Buddha could not appear on earth like other people. Siddharha's mother, the wife of the Shakya ruler Maya, once saw in a dream that a white elephant entered her side. After the due time, she gave birth to a baby who left her body also in an unusual way - through the armpit. All the gods of the Universe immediately heard his cry and rejoiced at the arrival of the one who would be able to stop the suffering of being. The sage Asita predicted the accomplishment of a great religious feat for the newborn. The baby was named Siddhartha, which means "fulfilled its purpose."
Siddhartha's mother died a few days after his birth. Raja, who was madly in love with her, transferred all his feelings to his son. The lord of the Shakyas, Shuddhodana, did not want his son to pursue a religious career. He began to be disturbed early by the nature of the child. As a boy, Siddhartha loved to indulge in vague dreams and dreams; resting in the shade of trees, he plunged into deep contemplation, experiencing moments of extraordinary enlightenment. Shuddhodana surrounded the child with luxury, hiding from him all the shady sides of life, gave him a brilliant secular education, married him to a lovely girl who soon gave him a son. He decided in any way to distract his son from his thoughts and moods. But is it possible to hide life from a young man who from an early age thinks about its secrets, is it possible to hide from him that sad truth that everything around is full of suffering?
The legend tells that one day, while walking around the city, along with his charioteer Channa, Gautama met a sick man covered with ulcers, a decrepit old man hunched over by years, a funeral procession and an ascetic immersed in thought. Shocked, he began to question the servant. Thus he learned about the inevitable suffering for living beings. He was shocked to learn that this is the common lot of all people.
On the same night, he secretly left the palace in order to seek in hermitage the path leading to deliverance from suffering. “And so,” said the Buddha, “I left my home for the sake of homelessness and became a wanderer, seeking the good of the true on the incomparable path of the higher world.” At that time he was in his thirtieth year.
Having studied the philosophical systems and realizing that they could not solve the problems that tormented him, Gautama wanted to turn to yoga practitioners. For seven years, he tortured his flesh to no avail and meditated on the texts of the sacred books of priests and brahmins. Then, leaving his yogi mentors, Gautama secluded himself in the jungle in order to fearlessly rush along the path of self-torture. And so, when, after many hours of immobility, he tried to rise, his legs, to the horror of his friends watching this scene, refused to hold him, and Gautama fell dead to the ground. Everyone thought that this was the end, but the ascetic was simply in a deep faint from exhaustion.
From now on, he decided to abandon fruitless self-torture. A lucky break helped him. The daughter of a shepherd, taking pity on the ascetic, brought him rice porridge. Gautama accepted her alms and satisfied his hunger for the first time in a long time. All day he rested in the shade of flowering trees on the banks of the river, and when the sun went down to the west, he made a bed for himself among the roots of a huge banyan tree and stayed there for the night.
And only after ceasing to starve and renouncing false wisdom, Gautama, through a sudden insight, achieved by long deep contemplation, opened the way to salvation. It happened on the banks of the river Nairanjana, in the town of Uruvilva, in today's Bodhgaya (Bihar state). And then the most significant event in the life of Gautama happened. Years of contemplation and torment, searching and self-denial, all his inner experience, which extremely refined and refined his soul - all this, as it were, came together and gave fruit. The long-awaited "enlightenment" appeared. Suddenly, Gautama saw his whole life with extraordinary clarity and felt the universal connection between people, between humanity and the invisible world. The whole universe seemed to appear before his eyes. And everywhere he saw transience, fluidity, there was no rest anywhere, everything was carried away into an unknown distance, everything in the world was linked, one came from the other. A mysterious superhuman impulse destroyed and revived beings again. Here he is - the "builder of the house"! This is Trishna - the thirst for life, the thirst for being. It is she who disturbs the peace of the world. It seemed to Siddhartha that he was, as it were, present at the way Trishna was leading again and again to the being that had gone from him. Now he knows who to fight to get rid of it. scary world, full of crying, pain, sorrow. From now on, he became a Buddha - Enlightened.... Sitting under the sacred bodhi tree, he learned the "four noble truths."
The demon of evil, the god of death, Mara, tried to force the "enlightened" one to refuse to proclaim the path of salvation to people. He intimidated him with terrible storms, with his formidable army, sent his beautiful daughters to seduce him with the joys of life. But the Buddha conquered everything, including his doubts, and soon delivered in the "Deer Park", not far from Varanasi, the first sermon, which became the basis of the Buddhist creed. She was listened to by five of his future students and two deer. In it, he briefly formulated the main provisions of the new religion. After the proclamation of the "four noble truths", surrounded by ever-increasing disciples - followers, the Buddha walked for forty years through the cities and villages of the Ganges valley, performing miracles and preaching his teachings.
The Buddha died, according to legend, at the age of 80 in Kushinagar, which is believed to correspond to the current Kasiya, located in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh. He lay down under the bodhi tree in the “lion posture” (on his right side, right hand under his head, left extended along straightened legs) and addressed the monks and lay people gathered around him with the following words: “Now, oh monks, I have nothing more to say to you except that everything created is doomed to destruction! Strive with all your might for salvation." The departure of the Buddha from life Buddhists call "mahaparinirvana" - the great transition to nirvana. This date is revered in the same way as the moment of the birth of the Buddha and the moment of "enlightenment", therefore it is called the "thrice holy day."
Modern science does not give an unequivocal answer to the question of the historicity of the Buddha. However, many researchers consider Shakyamuni a historical figure. But there is no reason to follow the Buddhist tradition, which considers him the sole "founder of Buddhism." “The current state of the study of the issue,” writes the well-known Soviet scientist G.F. Ilyin, “suggests that the Buddha, as the sole creator of the creed known to us, is a non-historical personality, because Buddhism took shape over many centuries, but Shakyamuni was the founder of the Buddhist monastic community (or one of its first founders), a preacher whose views and practical activities were of great importance in the emergence of the Buddhist doctrine, could well exist in reality.