Buddhism
Key Beliefs of Buddhism
The Buddha
Siddattha Gotama, the ‘awakened’ or ‘enlightened’ one. Founder of Buddhism.
The Dhamma (Dharma)
The teaching of the Buddha. The law which explains the truth about existence and
the nature of reality.
The Person
Any living being is seen as comprising five constituent parts, body, ideas, emotions,
thoughts and awareness. The individual is a constantly changing set of physical and
mental forces or energies. Life is seen as a stream of such energies.
Rebirth
Because Buddhists do not believe in the soul there is no belief in reincarnation.
Instead Buddhists believe that after death there is a rebirth or rebecoming of the
stream of constantly changing energy and therefore some aspects of previous lives
may remain, explaining child prodigies and giving rise to beliefs that holy men may be
reborn into babies who are then treated with great reverence.
The Three Marks of Existence
Central concepts in the teachings of the Buddha, also known as the Three Signs or
States of Being. They are:
1. Anicca – impermanence, everything is in a constant state of change.
2. Dukkha – suffering and imperfection caused by greed and selfishness.
3. Anatta – selflessness, there is no soul, only constantly changing mental and
physical forces.
Kamma (Karma)
Basically the law of cause and effect. Good actions will produce good consequences,
bad actions will produce bad consequences. Consequences may happen in this life or
another rebirth.
Nibbana (Nirvana)
Nibbana is the state of perfect peace realised upon enlightenment. It is a new
existence outside the cycle of rebirth which is possible for individuals to attain
through extinguishing desire
Getting Started with World Religions
and thus ending suffering.
The Four Noble Truths
Through his enlightenment the Buddha understood that there are four truths to life:
1.
2.
3.
4.
That Dukkha (suffering or unsatisfactoriness) is everywhere and continuous.
That Dukkha is caused by selfish desire.
That selfish desire can end and Nibbana be attained.
That to accomplish this the Noble Eightfold Path must be followed.
The Noble Eightfold Path
The Buddha presented his followers with eight major rules for living which would
ultimately allow them to reach Nibbana. Those rules make up the Noble Eightfold
Path and are
Right belief, understanding or views
Right thoughts or purpose
Right speech
Right action or conduct
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right meditation or concentration
The eight rules are often seen in three stages. The first two regarding wisdom, the
next three concerned with morality and the final three with mental development. All
these areas are seen as developing simultaneously in life.
The Three Refuges
At the heart of Buddhist belief is a trust in the Three Refuges. They are the Buddha
(an example to follow), the Dhamma (the teachings of the Buddha) and the Sangha
(the Buddhist community or order of monks and nuns). A Buddhist often recites:
‘I take refuge in the Buddha,
I take refuge in the Dhamma,
I take refuge in the Sangha.’
Getting Started with World Religions