5 Essential Basics Of Buddhism For The Curious Beginner

1. 5 Essential Basics Of Buddhism For The CuriousBeginner Despite the fact that Buddhism is practiced worldwide, many of its practices and beliefs are shrouded in mystery. Not many know what Buddhism is really all about, or what its core values are. So, who are those monks in red robes? What does the smiling Buddha statue actually represent? Who was Buddha, and why are his lessons still so importanttoday? If you’re looking for a quick crash course in how to practice Buddhism, we’ve got you covered. Here are 5 essential basics of Buddhismfor the curiousbeginner. What Are The Basics OfBuddhism? First thing’s first: distilling any two thousand-year-old religion down to a set of core beliefs is easier said than done. But this is especially true of Buddhism, which has grown and changed a lot over the years.

2. Today, over 500 million people practice Buddhism, with different branches of this spiritual system flourishing in different areas of theworld. If you’d like to know what Buddhism is all about, these are the 5 basics of Buddhism you shouldknow. Buddhism IsNon-Theistic Buddhism is non-theistic, which means it has no official god ordeity. Unlike monotheistic religions like Christianity and polytheistic religions like Hinduism, Buddhism has no deity at the center of itsbeliefs. Buddhism Began With SiddhārthaGautama The Buddha was actually a man by the name of Siddhārtha Gautama. He was born in Lumbini, Nepal between 563 – 480 BCE. Because he was troubled by the sadness, anger, and violence he saw around him, he wanted to find a way to alleviate humansuffering. After studying under many sages, gurus, and ascetics, he departed to meditate on his own beneath a Bodhi tree. Then, after 49 days of meditation, he reached an Enlightened stateand became TheBuddha. He traveled and taught until his death at the age of 80. After his death, his lessons and teachings were recorded by monks and became the core tenets ofBuddhism. Buddhists SeekNirvana So,whydoesaBuddhistpractice?Buddhists,likeSiddhārthabeforethem,seektoreach nirvana: the state beyond all suffering. Nirvana is the highest state and marks the end of human pain and suffering. It literally means, “to blow out,” or “to quench.” Nirvana ends the cycle of samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth humans are bound to repeat until they find their way toliberation. Buthowcannirvanabereached?Well,meditationisoftenabigpartoftheprocess. As Deborah King, Author of Mindvalley’s Be A Modern Master Programsays, “Meditation is the firmest foundation on which to build your spiritualtemple.”

3. The Four NobleTruths • Buddhism has several major branches, including Vinyasa, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhism. ButallacknowledgethecoreteachingsoftheBuddha,includingtheFourNobleTruths. • The Four Noble Truths were handed down by the Buddha himself. Theyare: • All of human existence is suffering ordukkha. • The cause of dukkha iscraving. • The end of dukkha comes with putting an end tocraving. • There is a path we can follow to put an end todukkha. • So, how to put an end to dukkha? Follow the Noble EightfoldPath. • The Noble EightfoldPath • Buddhists seek to alleviate their suffering and the suffering of others. This can be done by following the Noble Eightfold Path. In fact, the Noble Eightfold Path was the Buddha’s suggested method for putting an end todukkha. • The Noble Eightfold Pathis:

4. Right understanding, or samma ditthi. Right understanding is understanding the Four Noble Truths. Human life is suffering, and there is a way to be free fromsuffering. Right thought, or samma sankappa. Right thought is engaging in selflessness, altruism, and loving kindness in yourthoughts. Right speech, or samma vaca. Right speech is communicating in a way that is in line with your compassionate thoughts, without verbal abuse, lies, hatred, orblame. Right action, or samma kammanta. Right action is abstaining from murder, sexual misconduct, and theft. Right livelihood, or samma ajiva. Right livelihood is engaging in work that fulfills you and helps others. This means avoiding things that harm your body and mind, including drugs, alcohol, and other harmfulsubstances. Right effort, or samma vayama. Right effort is practicing the Noble Eightfold path with consistency, not just on occasion or when it’seasy. Right mindfulness, or samma sati. Right mindfulness is observing the moving patterns of your body, mind, and the world around you without getting attached to your personal interpretation of theseevents. Right concentration, or samma samadhi. Right concentration is the regular practice of meditation that helps you observe what Buddhists call the monkey mind. With the right concentration, your meditation practice will bring you ever closer to the state beyond suffering.