Outline Of Buddhism The following outline (Outline of Buddhism) is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Buddhism. Buddhism (बौद्ध धर्म Buddha Dharma) is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha, “the awakened...
Buddhist Monasticism Buddhist monasticism is one of the earliest surviving forms of organized monasticism and one of the fundamental institutions of Buddhism. Monks and nuns, called bhikkhu (Skt. bhikshu) and bhikkhuni (Skt. bhikshuni), are responsible for the preservation and dissemination of the Buddha‘s teaching and the guidance of Buddhist lay people. Three surviving traditions...
Buddhist Folktales And Parables We have collected and put the best Buddhist Folktales And Parables. Enjoy reading these insights and feel free to share this page on your social media to inspire others. The Father A young single father had a son that he loved more than anything in the...
Prajna Or Panna In Buddhism Prajna is Sanskrit for “wisdom.” Panna is the Pali equivalent, more often used in Theravada Buddhism. But what is “wisdom” in Buddhism? The English word wisdom is linked to knowledge. If you look the word up in dictionaries, you find definitions such as “knowledge gained through experience”; “using good judgment”; “knowing...
The Wisdom Of The Other Bank The Wisdom Of The Other Bank is a chapter from “India in Primitive Christianity” By Arthur Lillie. Fine mysticism of Buddhism—The man who was born blind—The Tevigga Sutta—The Sinner—The Penitent Thief—”God revealed in the form of mercy—Death of Buddha. If the Roman Catholics were told that...
Fundamentals Of Buddhism: Wisdom This article covers Fundamentals Of Buddhism: Wisdom. Today we are going to complete our survey of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the last two weeks, we have looked at good conduct and mental development. Today, we have the third group to look at, and that is...
Noble Eightfold Path The Noble Eightfold Path (ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo; āryāṣṭāṅgamārga) is an early summary of the path of Buddhist practices leading to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth. The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi (‘meditative absorption or...
The Basics Of Buddhist Wisdom The Four Noble Truths Life is suffering; Suffering is due to attachment; Attachment can be overcome; There is a path for accomplishing this. Suffering is perhaps the most common translation for the Sanskrit word duhkha, which can also be translated as imperfect, stressful, or filled...
Tirukkural: The Book Of Wisdom Ancient Text on Virtue, Wealth & Love The Tirukkural (திருக்குறள், literally Sacred Verses), or shortly the Kural, is a classic Tamil language text consisting of 1,330 couplets or Kurals. The text is divided into three books, each with aphoristic teachings on virtue (aram, dharma), wealth (porul, artha) and love (inbam, kama). Considered one...
Prajñā in Buddhism Prajñā (Sanskrit) or paññā (Pāli), often translated as “wisdom“, is the state of understanding. It is described in Buddhist commentaries as the understanding of the true nature of phenomena. In the context of Buddhist meditation, it is the ability to understand the three characteristics of all things: anicca (impermanence), dukkha...
Buddhism Buddhism is the world’s fourth-largest religion with over 520 million followers, or over 7% of the global population, known as Buddhists. Buddhism encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on original teachings attributed to the Buddha and resulting interpreted philosophies. Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading...
Women In Buddhism Women in Buddhism is a topic that can be approached from varied perspectives including those of theology, history, anthropology and feminism. Topical interests include the theological status of women, the treatment of women in Buddhist societies at home and in public, the history of women in Buddhism,...
Buddhism And Violence The relationship between Buddhism and violence includes acts of violence and aggression committed by Buddhists with religious, political, or socio-cultural motivations, as well as self-inflicted violence by ascetics or for religious purposes. Buddhism is generally seen as among the religious traditions least associated with violence. However, in...
Buddhist Cosmology Buddhist cosmology is the description of the shape and evolution of the Universe according to the Buddhist scriptures and commentaries. It consists of temporal and spatial cosmology: the temporal cosmology being the division of the existence of a ‘world’ into four discrete moments (the creation, duration, dissolution, and state...
What Is Deity Yoga? Deity yoga (Devata-yoga) is a practice of Vajrayana Buddhism involving identification with a chosen deity through visualisations and rituals, and the realisation of emptiness. According to the Tibetan scholar Tsongkhapa, deity yoga is what separates Buddhist Tantra practice from the practice of other Buddhist schools. Deity...
What Is Hatha Yoga? Haṭha yoga is a branch of Yoga. The Sanskrit word हठ haṭha literally means “force” and thus alludes to a system of physical techniques. In India, haṭha yoga is associated in popular tradition with the ‘Yogis’ of the Natha Sampradaya through its mythical founder Matsyendranath. Matsyendranath, also known as Minanath or Minapa...
The Theory Of Karma Karma is the law of moral causation. The theory of Karma is a fundamental doctrine in Buddhism. This belief was prevalent in India before the advent of the Buddha. Nevertheless, it was the Buddha who explained and formulated this doctrine in the complete form in which...
What Is Buddhist Meditation? Buddhist meditation is the practice of meditation in Buddhism. The closest words for meditation in the classical languages of Buddhism are bhāvanā (“mental development”) and jhāna/dhyāna (mental training resulting in a calm and luminous mind). Buddhists pursue meditation as part of the path toward liberation, awakening and Nirvana, and includes...
Creator In Buddhism There is no creator in Buddhism. Buddhism is a religion which does not include the belief in a creator deity, or any eternal divine personal being. It teaches that there are divine beings or gods (see devas and Buddhist deities), heavens and rebirths in its doctrine of saṃsāra (cyclical rebirth), but it considers none of...
Nirvana In Buddhism Nirvana in Buddhism (निर्वाण, nirvāṇa, nibbana, nibbāna) is the earliest and most common term used to describe the goal of the Buddhist path. The literal meaning is “blowing out” or “quenching.” It is the ultimate spiritual goal in Buddhism and marks the soteriological release from rebirths in samsāra. Nirvana is...