The Classical Civilization of India: Hinduism and Buddhism (continued)

SIDDHARTHA GUATAMA: THE BUDDHA

Buddha the Great Master

Buddhism was born in India, within the culture of Hinduism, and then charted its own path.  Like Hinduism, it questioned the reality of this earthly world and speculated on the existence of other worlds.  Unlike Hinduism, however, Buddhism had a founder, a set of originating scriptures, and an order of monks.

It renounced hereditary caste organization and the supremacy of the Brahmin priests. Buddhism spread to southeast Asia along with Hinduism, but Buddhism became more popular, gaining acceptance as the principal religion of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam until today.  It won multitudes of adherents throughout the rest of Asia as well, in Sri Lanka, Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan.  Yet in India itself, Buddhism lost out in competition with Hinduism and its priesthood, virtually vanishing from the subcontinent by about the twelfth century. 

Siddhartha Gautama was born in 563 B.C.E. in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains of what is now Nepal.

The Life of Buddha

In fundamental Buddhism, the emphasis is on seeing Truth, on knowing it, and on understanding it.  The emphasis in NOT on BLIND faith.  The teaching of Buddhism is on “come and see” but never on come and believe.

Buddhism advocates no dogmas, no creeds, no rites, no ceremonies, no sacrifices, no penances, all of which must usually be accepted on blind faith. Buddhism is not a system of faith and worship but rather it is merely a Path to Supreme Enlightenment.

The Buddha referred to his teaching as simply a raft to leave this shore of suffering and impermanence, and to get to the other shore of bliss and safety, True Permanent Reality, Nirvana. Upon realization of Nirvana, the raft is no longer needed.