by Clayton Duncan

Created on: March 07, 2007   Last Updated: April 04, 2010

Buddhism is a religion that was founded in India around the
fifth century by a man named Siddhartha. He was a Hindu Prince who later
changed his name to Gautama Buddha once he saw all the suffering in the
world and decided to seek spiritual enlightenment. Now he is commonly
referred to as "The Buddha", although fellow Buddhists merely see him as
a gifted, yet mortal teacher rather than a god. This is why Buddhism is

known as being more of a way of life than some other religions because
of its non-theistic beliefs, where no gods are worshiped.

Over the millenniums this religion has spread from its origins in the
Indian Subcontinent to become the predominant religion of Central and
East Asia. It has also spread to the other continents, becoming a
universal religion, with between 230 and 500 million followers, making it the
fifth largest religion in the world.

The Buddhist followers believe in spiritual enlightenment, and that
one will become reincarnated multiple times until they have reached full
enlightenment, or in other words freedom from suffering. This is stated
by The Buddha in "The Four Noble Truths":

Number one is Suffering: "Now, monks, is the noble truth of
suffering: Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering,
death is suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering;
separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get what one wants is
suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are
suffering."

Number two is The Cause of Suffering: "Now this, monks, is the
noble truth of the origin of suffering: It is this craving which leads
to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight
here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for
existence, craving for extermination."

Number three is The Ending of Suffering: "Now this, monks, is
the noble truth of the cessation of suffering: It is the remainder less
fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and
relinquishing of it, freedom from it, and non-reliance on it."

Number four is The Way to End the Suffering:  "Now this, monks,
is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering: It
is this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
mindfulness, right concentration."

Basically the Four Noble Truths are saying that going through life is
pain and that in order to stop the pain you must follow the Eightfold
Path. However, there are also

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>