4 years ago
BRIEF INSIGHT TO BUDDHISM– “A way of Life” IN THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION
Buddhism is a practice that mainly focuses on personal spiritual development without worshipping gods and deities. Buddhism has many philosophies and interpretations within, making it an open-minded and evolving religion of the world. Many scholars don't accept Buddhism as a religion, but rather “a way of life”.
Around 535 million people in the world practice Buddhism, which is between 8%-10% of the world's total population. The number of Buddhists around the world is shrinking and expected to decrease from 487 million in 2010 to 486 million in 2050. Buddhism encourages people to be compassionate, benevolent, selflessness and avoid self-indulgence.
The only goal of Buddhism is to reach a state of nirvana, which simply means cessation – cessation of passion, aggression and ignorance; the cessation of the struggle to prove our existence to the world, to survive following the path of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), who quest for Enlightenment. There is no belief in a personal god, buddhists do not believe in god but believe that nothing is permanent and change is inevitable in the universe.
The following words of the current Dalai Lama sums up how Buddhists see themselves and others:
"Who is more important, you or others? The conclusion is clear; even if minor suffering happens to all others; its range is infinite, whereas when something happens to me, it is limited to just one person. When we look at others in this way, oneself is not so important."
To know and understand what Buddhism is; one should know these core values of Buddhism;
The Basic Teachings of Buddhism:
1. Everything is impermanent and changing
2. Impermanence leads to suffering, making life imperfect
3. The self is not personal and unchanging.
1. Suffering (Dukkha)
2. The origin of suffering (Samudāya)
3. The cessation of suffering (Nirodha)
4. The path to the cessation of suffering (Magga)
1. Right Understanding
2. Right Thought
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness and
8. Right Concentration
1. Refrain from taking life. Not killing any living being.
2. Refrain from taking what is not given. Not stealing from anyone.
3. Refrain from the misuse of the senses. Not having too much sensual pleasure.
4. Refrain from wrong speech. Not lying or gossiping about other people.
5. Refrain from intoxicants that cloud the mind.
Every religion is on the declining phase so does Buddhism, as the world has becomes more advanced in technology and people's five senses are filled with pleasures, concept of Theravada Buddhism have declined gradually.
On the other hand buddhists have relatively low fertility rates compared with other religious groups and people have started converting religion from one to other religion.
