Buddhism
Buddha
The word Buddha means something like 'Awakened One. This name is not only connected to the historical Buddha figure, but it is also a statement: the Buddha-nature is present in every person, which is waiting to be discovered. About this all and more later to come.
First a little about the historical Buddha. More than 2600 years ago Buddha was born as Siddharta in a wealthy Northern Indian family. He was also called Gautama or Shakyamuni. Gautama a Vedic teacher whose family was descended, Shakyamuni, named after his tribe (Shakyamuni means Wiseman from the Shakya-tribe). Forecasters said that he either would be a world leader or awakened. Buddha grew up in wealth, isolated from the rest of the world. Issues such as age, decay, death, suffering, sickness, he was shielded from all of this. His education was focused on that he would make a worldly career. The tradition states that he on one of his trips outside the palace met an old man, a dead, a sick and ascetic. These experiences led him to thinking about the meaning of life: sickness, old age and death (the confrontation with the old man, sick and dead) and the ability to be free of evil and suffering (the ascetic). When he was 29 Siddharta decided to withdraw, and lead a nomadic life. He stopt all and threw his body to all kinds of tests. As his body was so exhausted he must have realized that he would not develop in a better way, so he withdrew in meditation and by the time he reached 35, he was ‘Awakened’.
The teaching of Buddha's is based on his own experience: That you can reach te awakening in this life,this all by yourself. A beautiful book about the Buddha is: "Siddharta" by Hermann Hesse, not really a scientific book, but a beautiful story that made a big impression on me.
History of Buddha told with images:
Religion or belief?
Buddhism is a religion not because it has no God. To believe? I think so, because you want to (re) connect with your true nature, inner peace, which earthly suffering is 'solved'. The modern Buddhism you can best see as an ethical, psychological philosophy or as a non-religious, spiritual life, which neither dogma or belief is required .*
What did Buddha discover?
Just a popular saying: Buddha discovered that there are four main things in life: The first two you will recognize. Of the two, I hope you'll find that wherever they are as the first. The four noble truths as they are listed:
- Life is tough
- That is because we wish for things that we are unable to give us satisfaction and at all costs are wanted
- Anyone can be relieved of difficulties
- It is possible to lead a compassionate life characterized by virtue, wisdom and meditation.
