The Relevance of Buddhism - Essay Example

The Relevance of Buddhism Our world today is very fast paced and people are stressed and feeling like they have no where to turn. With two wars, the current economic crisis, people losing their homes and their jobs, many are returning to religion or looking for new ways to help them cope. Buddhism is one of those "religions" that people are going back to or just discovering because it offers peace and tranquillity. Buddhism is more than just a religion however; it is actually a way of life. A SHORT HISTORY OF BUDDHISM Buddhism is based on the teaching of Gautama Buddha, who is referred to as the supreme Buddha, he is said to have lived his life in the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent and is known as the “awakened one” (Lopez, 2009). The religion expanded vastly in the Indian subcontinent, spreading further throughout the Asian region developing its forms and adapting into the variant diverse cultures (Cousins, 1998, p. 369-371). The main goal of Buddhism is to reach the ultimate state of Nirvana, which is through the negation of rebirths and end the human suffering, which is attached to the soul. Siddharta Gautama, who died in the year 400BC, taught the attainment of salvation through the application of an ethical code of conduct, unselfish behavior, ceremonies, devotional practices, meditation, reincarnation of worldly matters, study, physical exercises, cultivation of wisdom and the negation of suffering by understanding the true meaning of our natural phenomena. CIA, The World Factbook shows that While Buddhism is quite popular amongst people in the Asian countries; it also has branches across the globe. It is also believed that Buddhism has over 400 million followers across the world. At present, Buddhism is subdivided into two forms and has two main distinct branches. First being the Theravada branch that is a form of Buddhism which is mostly followed in the Southeastern regions of Asia. And second, the Mahayana that is a form of Buddhism which is widely followed throughout East Asian countries. Theravada is a Sanskrit word which means “way of the elders” (Reynolds, 2009). Founded in India, spreading in the third century BCE, through to Sri Lanka and Burma then to Laos, Cambodia and southern Vietnam and most recently to Indonesia and Australia. It is the oldest surviving Buddhist school and is a closely guarded school that is supposed to be the closest to the original teachings of Buddhism and is the main religion of Sri Lanka. It is widespread in South East Asia, wherein countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Burma and Thailand have been following its practices for centuries. Other communities of Bangladesh are also known to be its faithful followers (Reynolds, 2009). It was the monks of Southern Burma who first adopted the Theravada Buddhism. Nearly 95% of Thailand’s total population is Buddhist and they all follow the Theravada form of Buddhism. And Pali is their official language (Cousins, 1998, p. 378-386). The Buddhist temples here are distinguished by golden stupas, while the basic architecture is similar to those of Laos and Cambodia. The king happens to be the protector of the religion and is considered next to God. The Theravada school of Buddhism seems to have been imported from Sri Lanka. Theravada Buddhism is strongly influenced by the Vedic Hinduism teachings. Most of the rituals are based on the Hindu philosophy and are still followed to this day. The Chinese immigrants seem to have stemmed the latest influence in the form of Mahayana practices. Most Chinese immigrants have however converted to Theravada Buddhism. (BDEA Inc. & BuddhaNet, 2008). Buddhism Today Buddhism today is as relevant as it was several hundreds of years ago. The reason this is so is because people are always searching for a "truth" that they can believe in and adopt in their daily life. Buddhism allows them to embrace more than just a dogma and it gives them a way to accept peace in their lives. Buddhism is much like other philosophies as it gives its practitioners a way to get involved with the world around them and to accept life as it comes to them. There are many different types of Buddhism today. According to Master Chun Kung, there are four types of Buddhism practiced today: 1. Authentic Buddhism -- this one is not taught much today because it is very rare to find someone who teaches it. 2. Religious Buddhism -- this is an off shoot of authentic Buddhism which is practiced as a religion with prayers and offerings to Buddha. 3. Philosophical study of Buddhism -- this one is taught in schools but according to Master Chun it is only part of what Buddhism is; instead of one part as a philosophy it is a way of life that can solve many problems in the human condition. 4. The deviant and externalist Buddhism -- this one is not following the teachings of Buddha and it is not helping people according to Master Kung. (Kung, 2003). These four types of Buddhism are among the many that an individual may encounter when they are seeking some assistance. Another reason why Buddhism is relevant today is because it fits into the newer philosophies that the modern public has been searching. As an example, a few years ago the movie, "The Secret" came out and purported that there was a "secret" of having everything you wanted. This secret turned out to be the fact that you had to decide what you wanted and then allow it to come into your life. Buddhism teaches something similar in their "Four Noble Truths". According to Lowenstein (2005) an individual can manage their life through these truths if they understand them: 1. First truth -- all humans see their lives as painful and unsatisfactory (p. 34). 2. Second truth -- people feel this pain because they crave things like pleasure, existence, non-existence, and sensual experience. (p. 35). 3. Third truth -- people can resolve this suffering by wanting nothing (p. 35). 4. Fourth truth -- in this truth man must seek balance and harmony. In order to have this balance the individual must follow the Eightfold Path (p. 36). Although these four truths may take longer to move through the end result is essentially what "The Secret" talked about because it said you had to clear your mind and understand that whatever you want is on the way. In relation to Buddhism this means that if you do not crave anything, it will come to you when you need it. The Eightfold Path encourages people to meditate in order to understand Buddhist principles better, to have the right intention by, "bending our will and understanding to the Dharma (Lowenstein, p. 37). The Dharma is described by Williams and Tribe (2000) as: …how things truly are and the way to incorporate an understanding of how things truly are into one's being in the deepest possible way, as expressed and taught by the Buddha. (p. 2). The other aspects of the Eightfold Path encourages people to speak with honesty, become honest and non-violent in our actions, use our energy in ways that will be balanced and to become aware of our inner processes and outward events in our lives. The last Noble Truth says that people must live a life that is "free of greed, hurtful behavior and exploitation" (Lowenstein, p. 37). In the book, "The Power of Now" Eckhart Tolle suggests that people must learn to live in the NOW moment because it is the only one that is relevant at any given time. Buddhism teaches that "now" is the only place that is important to contemplate within. Sills (2009) has founded a practical way to use Buddhism teachings in what he terms, "Core Process Psychotherapy." He suggests that "at the root of our human condition, at the core of our very being, we are already free and fully realized." (p. 1). The point to his psychotherapy is to help people find their way back to this realization which is what Buddhism is attempting to teach. The primary focus of true Buddhism today is centered in an understanding of the human condition. It gives everyone a chance to learn to "be" in the world in a more positive way. Williams and Tribe suggest that "being" is a state that happens when an individual learns how not to crave anything and accepts the fact that they are in a state of "rebirth" as Buddhism calls it (p. 71). Buddhism sees this as a rebirth in consciousness and if we think about it directly we understand that it is a different way of thinking. As stated before, Buddhism is very relevant today because of its long reaching ideas and teachings. People can relate to these teachings as a philosophy or a way of life. Many people have found solace in the ability to meditate and create their lives in more peaceful ways. In a world that is full of turmoil, Buddhism helps an individual find the peace within that they are seeking. It shows that there are no problems that are too big that they cannot handle if they find peace within themselves. References Kung, M.C. 2003. The four kinds of Buddhism today. Peace on Earth, Equality for All Website. [WWW] [Accessed 30 May 2009. Lowenstein, T. 2005. Buddhist inspirations: Essential philosophy, truth and enlightenment. London: Duncan Baird Publishers. Sills, F. 2009. Being and becoming: psychodynamics, Buddhism, and the origins of self-hood. CA: North Atlantic Books. The Secret 2007, DVD, written, created and produced by Rhonda Byrne. Available from [WWW] < http://www.thesecret.tv/index.html> [Accessed 29 May 2009]. Tolle, E. 1999. The power of now. California: New World Library. Williams, P. and Tribe, A. 2000. Buddhist thought: A complete introduction to the Indian tradition. NY: Routledge. Read More