Phra Dhammapitaka wrote that - Buddhism religion has come into existence as a result of the human struggle to solve the basic problem of life, that is - suffering. The Buddha says, " If there were no birth, decay, and death, the enlightened One would not have arisen in the world and his teaching would not have spread abroad. "
He also proclaims again that a Buddha arises in the world for the good and happiness of the many , out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, for the advantage and for the happiness of gods and men. This is the same with preaching of the Dhamma, the lastingness of his dispensation and the solidarity of Sangha. Thus, just as the worth of medicine lies in the cure of the disease, so the value of religion is ascertained by its efficacy in the alleviation and elimination of human suffering.
Broadly speaking, when a religion helps people to live together in peace and helps the individual to be at peace with himself, it can be said to have fulfilled its functions. However, that is still a vague picture of the function of religion. The picture will become clearly only when we look deeper to see what outlook the religion has on man and suffering and how it functions to relieve or remove that suffering.
As mentioned above, the right attitude in Buddhism is closely connected with understanding and knowledge, which is founded on wisdom. Within the framework of freedom of thought, it should therefore be considered an integral ingredient of the Buddhist attitude. This quality is essential in the practice of Buddhism, which is know for its scientific approach. Like a good scientist, a Buddhist should constantly examine the Dhamma and experiment with its principles through practical application by rationalizing and investigating them with an open mind. It is through such a process that faith and conviction, based on wisdom, will go and become strengthened. To blindly believe, without exercising one's own reasoning faculties and without attempting a direct experience, is, according to Buddhism, counterproductive to the development of wisdom.
Since freedom of though occupies an important place in the Buddhist system, this naturally leads to another essential characteristic of the religion tolerance with regard to the view and opinion of others. This explains why Buddhists are usually very tolerance people and why their religion has spread peacefully through the ages.
By THE BUDDHA'S Core Teachings
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