The Origins of Buddhism

The origins of Buddhism can be traced to its beginnings in 6th century BCE in North India. Siddhartha Gautama, the man who was to become known as Buddha, attained enlightenment and set forth to spread his teachings. Fundamentally, the message of Buddhism is that humans need to seek enlightenment and by doing so they are able to free themselves from endless cycles of birth, suffering and death.

The Life of Siddhartha Gautama


Siddhartha Gautama, according to Buddhist tradition lived between the 6th and 4th century BCE. It is generally agreed that he was probably born in 624 BCE. He was a prince of royal birth from the Sakya clan, and hence is sometimes known as Sakyamuni. There are accounts surrounding the circumstances of Buddha's birth and extraordinary childhood but the key event of his life came when he was twenty-nine when he accidentally became aware of human suffering in the form of sickness, aging and death. Leaving behind his young wife, son and princely existence, Siddhartha spent the next six years as a wandering ascetic, during which time he subjected himself to the most stringent rigors of meditation, fasting and physical hardship. These activities were meant to lead to enlightenment or the perfect state of mind. As he sat under a Bodhi tree, which known today as the tree of enlightenment, Siddhartha reached the highest meditational state and gained enlightenment into the true nature of human existence and suffering. He was henceforth known as Buddha,the Enlightened One. Buddha was to live on for over forty years, during which time he gathered around him followers who were to transmit the lessons of Buddhism.

The Meaning of the Word Buddha


Although the world has come to associate the name Gautama as the Buddha, Gautama was actually the twenty-fourth Buddha or Enlightened One. Buddhism teaches that all humans have the potential of evolving into the state of Buddhahood. There are different stages in the progression toward attaining this status. Some people attain only the lowest levels of enlightenment; others attain various stage of enlightenment.

Bodhisattvas

Four Vows of the Bodhisattva


Sentient beings are numberless,
I vow to free them.
Delusions are inexhaustible,
I vow to end them
The Dharma gates are boundless,
I vow to open them.
The Enlightened Way is unsurpassable,
I vow to embody it.


At any given time in history, Buddhists believe that some people manage to arrive, after years of meditation and good deeds, at the next step before Buddhahood.These individuals are known as the Bodhisattvas, and several of them are revered by buddhists.Avalokiteshvara (who is known as Kuan Yin in Chinese culture and Kannon in Japan) is perhaps the best known of the bodhisattvas. Among Chinese Buddhists, Kwan Yin is regarded as the bodhisattva of compassion, the protector of women and children. Avalokiteshvara was originally male but gradually became venerated in China and Japan as a female boddhisattva. In Tibetan Buddhism, Avalokiteshvara also evolved into a female bodhisattva named Tara. Like Kuan Yin, Tara is also the bodhisattva of mercy and compassion.

Samantabhadra whose name means "All Good" is the Great Conduct Bodhisattva. The importance of Samantabhadra is in the model he establishes for all ordinary Buddhists as to how they too should conduct themselves. Samantabhadra's so called "Great Aspirations" include the ten great vows are the basis of practice of Buddhists in different sects.

Manjushri is known as the Bodhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom. He is sometimes depicted carrying the double--edged sword able to cut through illusion in his right hand, and a blooming lotus spporting the Prajnaparamita Sutra in his left. Manjushri eexemplifies the qualities mopst prized by Buddhist practitioners:intelligence, memory, wisdom and eloquence. Manjushri is said to liberate humans from the suffering caused ignorance, confused thinking and self delusion. In the prayer to Manjushri his sword of wisdom "he clears away the suffering and obscurations."

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, whose name means "Essence of the Earth," is revered by Buddhists in China, Japan, Tiber and India. In Japan he is known as Jizo and the protector of children. Ksitigharba vowed that "Until the Hell is empty of sentient beings," he would not take his place among the Buddhas.

For the most part, bodhisattvas are figures who have demonstrated the ultimate in selflessness. They are said to have done so by postponing their right to Nirvana and remaining in the world of humans in order to help alleviate suffering.

Some of the other bodhisattvas include Bodhidharma, an Indian monk who is often called the founding patriarch of Zen Buddhism. In Japan he is known as Daruma and much revered despite his stern and somewhat fierce appearance. Another popular Boddhisattva in Japan is Jizo, the so-called "guide of the six pathways into the next world." Jizo is also the patron protector of children. Jizo is the Japanese interpretation of the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha. Shrines to Jizo as well as numerous practices have long been part of Japanese culture.

In the Mahayana tradition, the saving power of bodhisattvas is particularly affirmed:the specific role of the bodhisattvas is to help redeem those who are either hopelessly unenlightened or deeply distressed and suffering. This is reflected in a number of prayers or vows of different bodhisatvas in the various sutras

The Future Buddha

Buddhism teaches that there will be an end to the era in which we live in accordance with Gautama's teachings, and Buddhism, such as we know it will also end. In the emerging era, a new Buddha, known as Maitreya, the future Buddha, will bring humanity a different form of Buddhism.

Arhats

Arhats were the original disciples of Buddha. Officially the term aslo refers to humans who have reached the highest state of enlightenment second only to Buddhahood itself. In Buddhist history the best-known arhatsinclude Buddha's successor Mahakashyapa, his cousin Anada who is remembered for pleading the case for including women in leadership roles, and Shariputra who specialized in the art of meditation. Although all of the original arhats surrounding Buddha were men, Buddha's adopted mother Mahaprajapati is sometimes considered to be a female arhat.

Over time, cults of arhats have arisen in Japan and China. In China, there has existed the Veneration of the Sixteen Arhats; this sect soon added two more arhats to the list--the tiger arhat and the dragon arhat. During the Kamakura period in Japanese history, the Chinese veneration of arhats was imported into Japan. One of the most popular arhats in Japan is Binzuru who is said to bring goodluck and heal the sick.

The Spread of Buddhism


By the 11th century CE, Buddhism declined in India. However, two main forms, the Theravada and the Mahayana became established in Southeast Asia and Asia respectively. TheravadaBuddhism is based on thePali canon of Buddhist Textsand is the form of Buddhism practised in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. TheravadaBuddhism is also sometimes referred to as HinayanaBuddhism or the "Buddhism of the Lesser Vehicle" as opposed to Mahayana Buddhism which is referred to as Buddhism of "The Greater Vehicle."

The other form of Buddhism that spread to China, (0-250 CE) Tibet and Korea (250-500 CE) and Japan (550-750 CE) is known as Mahayanaor Buddhism of "the Greater Vehicle." One of the key beliefs of Mahayana Buddhism is that the teachings of Buddha are yet to be revealed at an appropriate time. MahayanaBuddhists refer to Buddha as Sakyamuni the Enlightened One. They place a central emphasis on the sutras,such as the Diamond Sutra and the Lotus Sutra. There are numerous sects within the Mahayana tradition. These include the Pure Land, Jodo,Soto, Rinzai, Zen,and Nichiren sects in Japan; the Nyingmapa, Kagyupa, Sakyapa and Gelugpa sects in Tibet; the Chogyesect in Korea and the Pure Land, T'ien-tai, Hua-yenand Ch'ansects in China and Chinese communities around the world.

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