Religions, as often observed, are products of fear. This fear in turn is based on ignorance. With the down of wisdom and the ever - expanding horizons of knowledge, creeds or faith without wisdom rising religion begins to evaporate, like morning mist under the rising sun. With the advance of science and technology, many of order faith have suffered as their beliefs went against the new knowledge.
Not so with Buddhism, which as an atheistic religion, as a result of the human quest for the ultimate truth, an aspiration for that which is the highest and noblest in life. It is based on the Buddha's wisdom, on his enlightenment, attained through the complete eradication of ignorance, fear and all other defilements from his mind. His teachings called Dhamma [ Sansakrit : Dharma ], have stood the test of time for more than twenty five centuries. It is with deep faith and conviction in the Buddha's teaching that Francis Story. British scholar, asserts :
" The doctrines of Buddha Dhamma stand today, as unaffected by the march of time and the expansion of knowledge as when they were first enunciated. No matter to what lengths increased scientific knowledge can extend man's mental horizon, with the framework of the Dhamma there is room for the acceptance and assimilation of further discovery. "
Buddhaism as a whole is quite different from the theological religion. One of the most outstanding features of Buddhism is its total lack of divine elements. Buddhaism is a religion of self - help; It has come into existence as a result of human struggle, not only to solve the basic problem of life i.e. suffering, but also to help the individual himself and people to live together in peace.
Load Buddha was not a prophet but Satthu, the great teacher and the founder of the religion about 2,600 years ago. His real name is Siddhatha Guatama, who lived 500 years before Jesus. The name " Buddha " is a title of honor. He was the son of a king ruling over a small in what is now in the Southern part of Nepal.
Nervertheless at age 29, after looking outside the wall of the palace and discovering just how miserable most people's lives were, Prince Siddhatha fled to the jungle to spend years as a lion - clothed hermit.
After six years of travel, study and application of the many forms of spiritual practice available to him from his teachers, he discovered a way of life that produced a clear, calm, centered state of intuitive wisdom and insight into life. The Buddha called his new practice " The middle Way " to emphasize that the truth about life is found neither in the manic pursuit of sensual gratification nor in the desperate pain of self - mortification. Load Buddha taught that one should mindfully practice a middle way of moderation.
Although Buddhism originated in the old faith of Brahmin theistic from the old Indo - Aryan Philosophy which included a belief in Atta or Atman, Self, Soul, Ego, caste and Personal entity.
Buddhism is neither fatalistic nor negative about life. Far from it, the Buddha's Dhamma is full of moral and intellectual vitality. It does not content itself simply with the nature of man, as it appears to be, but searches for the intrinsic value of man free from self and ignorant craving, According to the mundane level of teaching, Buddhism does not entirely deny the significance of the self as believed in the theistic concept, it only teaches that " the Self can not be identified with anything existing in the outside. We can not grasp the Self as something concrete or existing in outer world. The Self can be realized only when we act according to universal norms of human existence. When we act morally, the true Self become manifest."
Buddhism is founded on wisdom, not simply as a system of beliefs, So the right attitude to understand Buddhism is to study the teaching that offers an effective system for exploring reality and the deeper level of mind that can lead one to the foundation of consciousness itself. Because it is a religion of self - help, the first task of a Buddhism is to understand the supreme position of the human being sentient beings. The Buddha did not claim any divine affinity. His enlightenment was a result of his own efforts, unaided by teachers or divine providence. There was no need for him to base his teachings on divine revelation, as is usually done by theistic religious prophet.
Dhamma is the truth. The Buddha's realization of the Dhamma and the validity of the teaching itself are the strength of his teaching. This has rendered so - called divine inspiration or Buddhism, humanity's position is supreme. Human being are their own masters, endowed with great potential from mundane material concerns through to the highest spiritual achievements. The Buddha attributed his enlightenment and all his achievements to human effort, not to divine grace. It is encouraging to know that, only a human being can become a Buddha, a position to which even gods and deities can not aspire. Every human being possesses the seed of Buddha - nature, the potential to become a Buddha. That potential can only be realized through human endeavor. The Buddha was too honest and straightforward to suggest that anyone other than oneself could be of real assistance if one fails to take responsibility for one's own actions. the Buddha taught that;
" You are your own refuge, who else could be your refuge. "
The most outstanding feature of Buddhism is its total lack of divine elements. It is a religion of self - help. Human beings should learn to be self - reliant and to have faith in their own ability. Buddhist philosophy is anthropocentric in its outlook and practical implementation, placing man at the centre of its metaphysical and ethical systems. It is a religion that insists primarily on man's own effort and perseverance to achieve his goals, be the material or spiritual, rather than prayer or wishful thinking.
Buddhism as a whole is quite different from the theological religions which westerners are most familiar. It is a direct entrance to a spiritual or divine realm without addressing deities or other agents. Its flavor is intensely clinical, much more akin to what we would call psychology than to what we would usually call religion. It is an ever - ongoing investigation of reality, a microscopic examination of the very process of perception. Its intention is to pick apart the screen of lies and delusions through which we normally view the world, and thus to reveal the face of ultimate reality.
" Those who have studied Buddhism often claim, with some justification, that Buddhism is scientific in nature. It is certainly the most scientific of all religions.
Buddhist teaching are logical and its methods are compatible with scientist and thinkers believe that the teachings of the Buddha are still valid and practical in spite of their great age. The BuddhaDhamma is an ancient spiritual legacy that can benefit mankind as much today as it did more than twenty - five centuries ago.
Another attribute is the blind faith is anathema to Buddhism, which clearly urges us to think freely and not to accept things blindly. Free thought is upheld, questions are welcome, and positive doubt is considered the first stepping stone to wisdom. Buddhism belief in human potential as mentioned above. It also asserts human equality, emphasizing personal and social responsibilities, based on the doctrine of action and result.
Kindness, compassion and tolerance are some of the virtues that Buddhism strongly encourages. This explains why Buddhists are generally peace - loving people, and why religious war, persecution, censorship and inquisition are unheard of in the long history of Buddhism.
Regarding the philosophical aspect, Buddhism has no sense of despair or nihilism, with is never - ceasing faith in man's aptitude for goodness and compassion. Virtue is knowledge within which lies the path to the true self and value of man; that is no say, knowledge or awakening as to the truth of non - self or transitoriness of every thing, including lies itself. Self - awakening from ignorance is the first and foremost step that pave the way for a man to depart from the self or ego. Only in this way can man live a free life, a life of knowledge and wisdom, without being subject to " Tanha ", or craving and delusion. Only in this way can man learn to gain pure and objective reason instead of egocentrism.
According to the Buddha's teaching, all men are equal in that they are all subject to the same law of nature. Man is the most trainable. educable being. He has the potential for self - perfection through which a life of freedom and happiness can be realized. In order to attain this perfection, man has to develop himself physically, morally, psycho - spiritually and intellectually. The right development of oneself leads naturally and necessarily to self - perfection. This is the Law of Dhamma in Buddhist philosophy.
The Buddha's teaching looks into man's inner life in relation to external life, including social value as well. Its views these values as beings interrelated, inseparable and being in such harmony as to be one and the same. But this is the crux of the whole matter that the human minds are not always filled with love, compassion and intelligence. The Buddha is fully aware of this as shown in His moral precept, known as the Three Admonitions:
Not to do any evil - refrain from unwholesome acts.
To cultivate good - develop more wholesome deeds.
To purify the mind - Clean your own heart and your own mind.
By THE BUDDHA'S Core teachings
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