1. What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is a religion and a philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha.

2. What are the 3 basic concepts of Buddhism?

Karma.

Karma specifically refers to those actions (of body, speech, and mind) that spring from mental intent and which bring about a consequence or result.

Rebirth.

Rebirth refers to a process whereby beings go through a succession of lifetimes as one of many possible forms of sentient life. Rebirth in subsequent existences must be understood as the continuation of a dynamic, ever-changing process of “dependent arising” determined by the laws of cause and effect (karma) rather than that of one being, incarnating from one existence to the next.

Samsara (Suffering).

Sentient beings crave pleasure and are averse to pain. Craving and aversion to pain are generally referred to as suffering. The cycle of suffering continues in the next rebirth after death. Each rebirth repeats this process in an involuntary cycle. Buddhists strive to end the cycle of suffering by eradicating the causes and conditions of suffering by applying the methods laid out by the Buddha.

3. What is the history of Buddhism?

Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama circa 563 to 460 BCE in Northern India. Currently, there are between 350 to 500 million followers of Buddhism, making it the fourth largest religion in the world. From 460 BCE through 1200 CE the Buddha’s teachings spread from India to Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia becoming classified as the Theravada Buddhism Tradition. The teachings spread to China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam as the Mahayana Buddhism Tradition. Tibet and Mongolia are in the Vajrayana Buddhism Tradition. Today, Buddhism is taught and followed around the world.

4. Who was Siddhartha Gautama?

Siddhartha Gautama was born a Prince in the small state of Kapilavastu in what is now Nepal. He was married at the age of 16 and had a son. His King father shielded and protected him. When Siddhartha encountered the sick, elderly and dead people, they depressed him tremendously. He left the life of a prince at 29 years old and initially strove to overcome ageing, sickness, and death by living the life of an ascetic. After studying several traditions of the time, he set out to seek his own path to awakening. After 49 days of meditation seated under a papal tree in Bodhi Gaya, India at the age of 35, he is said to have attained enlightenment. He taught primarily throughout regions of eastern India such as Magadha and Kosala. And finally attained Nirvana (passed away) at the age of 80.

5. What differentiates Buddhism from other religions?

Most modern religions are monotheistic. They are based on the belief there is only one God. There is no deity in Buddhism. The Buddha is The Awakened One. He is a teacher. The followers of Buddhism do not worship the Buddha or any other enlightened or awakened one. Rather, they seek the path to awakening by living their lives in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha.

6. What are the basic teachings and precepts of Buddhism?

The moral foundation of Buddhism is the Five Precepts: Refrain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, falsehood and intoxicants. We seek the cessation of suffering for ourselves by training our mind to discipline our lives according to these teachings and precepts. We help others and our own karma by living by these precepts.

The Four Noble Truths are: There is suffering; there is a cause of suffering; there is the cessation of suffering; there is a path to the cessation of suffering. The path to the cessation of suffering is known as the Eight Fold Path: Right Understanding; Right Thought; Right Speech; Right Action; Right Livelihood; Right Effort; Right Mindfulness; Right Concentration.

Be your island. The Buddha told his Disciples: “Dear Bhikkhus, do not depend on any thing from the outside, only rely on your own innate isle of wisdom.”

We should not depend or rely on others. We should take responsibility for our own actions.

Living in the present moment. This is an essential in the teachings of the Buddha. It tells us to enjoy this special moment of “here” and “now”. Because this moment we are experiencing right now and right here is the most important: the past has gone and the future hasn’t arrived. Only this very moment is sacred.

7. What are the symbols of Buddhism?

The symbols include: Lotus flower (representing purity and enlightenment); Endless Knot (representing harmony); the eight spoke Wheel of Dharma (representing the Noble Eight Fold Path) and the five colored flag:

Blue (Nila): Loving kindness, peace and universal compassion

Yellow (Pita): The Middle Path - avoiding extremes, emptiness

Red (Lohita): The blessings of practice - achievement, wisdom, virtue, fortune and dignity

White (Odata): The purity of Dharma - leading to liberation, outside of time or space

Orange (Manjesta): The Buddha's teachings – wisdom

Lotus Flower                                                         Dhamma Wheel                                         Endless Knot

Buddhist Flag