NATIBuddhism-Emily

= History of Buddhism. =  Buddhism was founded around 460 B.C. It was founded by a prince named Siddhartha Gautama who was born in Kapilavastu in 480 B.C. He was kept in a nice castle and kept unaware by his father of all the pain and suffering. Siddhartha left his kingdom and searched for the 4 Noble Truths about suffering in 460 BC. He then sat and fasted under a sacred fig tree, called the Bodhi tree, also known as a tree of awakening; for 49 days. Finally, he understood life and suffering and he became known as the Buddha or "the enlightened one." He began to teach others.

Who is the leader ?[[image:1468.jpg width="131" height="200" align="center"]]
 The leader of Buddhism is not the Dalai Lama(above), but Ganden Tripa, who has throne of Ganden Monastery, the reincarnation of Je Tsongkhapa. However, most Tibetans think the Dalai Lama as a even higher being, but he has no power within the other Tibetan sects, since the "Dalai Lama" reincarnation is traced back only to Gedrubje, one of Je Tsongkhapa's direct disciples.

What is the Buddhist place of worship ?
  Vihara is Sanskrit or Pali for monastery. Vihara is a place of worship for Buddhist. It originally meant "dwelling" or "refuge", such as those used by wandering monks during the rainy season

Where is this religion being practiced today ?


Everywhere throughout the world. Mainly in South Eastern Asia, but there are about 1.2 to 1.6 billion people practicing this religion in the world.

What is the main beliefs of this religion ?
 The basic teachings of Buddhism are called the Four Nobel Truths. The first truth is //Life means suffering //. To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the world we live in. The second truth is //the origin of suffering is attachment //. This means that we suffer because of desire for things. The third truth is //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">the cessation of suffering is attainable //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">. This says that is people no longer want things, the suffering will stop. They can then achieve a state of //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">nirvana //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">, or happiness and peace. The fourth truth is //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">the path to the cessation of suffering //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">. This truth states that people can escape suffering by following the Middle Way, or a set of rules called the "Eightfold Path." The middle path leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Does this religion have a god ?
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> There is not really a god in the buddhist religion, people are pretty much on their own to find there way towards perfection.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center;">What are the sacred writings ?[[image:nirvana_sutra_2.jpg width="166" height="238" align="center"]]
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> The oldest texts are in the Pali Canon. The Pali Canon is divided into 3 Pitaka Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta-Pitaka, and the Abhidhamma Pitaka. One of the more known texts in the Pali Canon is the Dhammapada from the Sutta-Pitaka.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center;">What are the religious practices ?
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> There are many practices, like saying mantras, meditating, doing yoga, doing charity, making offerings. A Buddhist person will spend their entire life practicing, a part of the path, or Dharma. A Buddhist who does any activity with the intention of benefiting all things is practicing the Dharma. Even while walking down the street.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: center;">What are the religious Holidays ?
<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> A buddhist holiday is vesak day In sri lanka, all of the full-moon days are buddhist holidays, so is the day following the vesak full-moon day. There are also many other Holidays.