Eastern Religion: Buddhism
Buddhism originated in India around 2,500 years ago. Its practice is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who lived around 500 B.C.E. According to Buddhist tradition, the sheltered young prince was shocked by the suffering he witnessed, so he left his privileged life to seek answers. Eventually he succeeded, becoming the Buddha; meaning, the "Enlightened One." He spent the remaining 45 years of his life teaching the dharma, which is the path to liberation from suffering and establishing the sangha, a community of monks (Religion Facts, 2015).
With over 360 million followers worldwide, it remains a dominant religion in the East; with influences of meditation and nonviolence finding popularity in western culture. Through its history, Buddhism has taken a variety of forms. Some sects practice rituals and worship deities, whereas others completely reject rituals and gods in favor of pure meditation. However, all forms of Buddhism share respect for the teachings of the Buddha and the goal of ending the cycle of suffering and rebirth (Religion Facts, 2015). …show more content…
According to the Buddha, life is a journey and death is a return to earth. The universe is like an inn and the passing years are like dust. Regard this phantom world as a star at dawn, a bubble in a stream, a flash of lightning in a summer cloud, a flickering lamp - a phantom - and a dream (Religion Facts, 2015). Once a soul has learned all of the lessons it needs, the cycle of rebirth is broken and the soul enters Nirvana. Some souls may choose to return to help others reach enlightenment and they are referred to as,