Buddhism

Buddhism originated 2,500 years ago in India. It is based upon the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. A person who follows Buddhism is called a Buddhist. The 2001 Census that there are 2.997 Buddhists living in Birmingham and approximately 102 Buddhists are living in Balsall Heath.

Siddharta Gautama was born a Prince in the village of Lumbini in Nepal. His childhood was privileged and separated him from the pain and sufferings of life such as sickness, poverty, violence and death. One day, Siddharta left the Royal enclosure where he lived with his family and saw, for the first time, an old man, a sick man and a dead man. Siddharta was very upset by these images and he decided to leave his privileged life and search for a way that would free mankind from the cycle of birth, death and suffering. He spent many years travelling, and looking for an answer, then one day whilst sitting under the Bodhi tree, also known as the tree of awakening, Siddharta fell into a deep state of meditation and discovered Enlightenment, a state of being that goes beyond human suffering and pain. Siddharta became known as the Buddha, meaning one who is awake, and taught others how to reach Enlightenment for themselves.

Buddhists believe Enlightenment can be reached by following the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths are:

Dukkha – the Truth of human suffering. Life means suffering

Trsna – the Truth of cause and suffering. The origin of suffering is attachment

Nirvana – the Truth of cessation. It is possible to find an end to suffering by understanding and preventing its causes.

The Noble Eightfold Path – the way to bring suffering to an end following the method that Buddha envisaged.

The Noble Eightfold Path is a practical guide based upon Siddharta Gautama’s ways to end suffering.

Wisdom

1. Right View
2. Right Intention

Ethical Conduct

3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood

Mental Development

6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

Buddhists do not believe in one God. They believe in meditation and experience. Buddhists also believe in reincarnation and Karma and that all actions have consequences in this life and the next. There are five precepts that all Buddhists try to follow in order to live a good life. These are:

• Love and Kindness
• Generosity
• Stillness, complicity and contentment
• Truthfulness
• Mindfulness

Buddhists can worship at home or at a temple. Buddhist homes will usually have a shrine to Buddha in a room or in part of a room. The shrine will consist of a statue of Buddha, candles and an incense burner. Buddhist temples also have a shrine to Buddha. Worshippers will sit and face the shrine whilst chanting a short prayer or mantra. A mantra is a word or phrase that is repeated over and over again and has a deep spiritual effect on the person. Buddhist Temples are designed to symbolise the five elements of fire, water, air, earth and wisdom. Earth is symbolised by the square base of the temple and wisdom is symbolised by the high point at the top.

There are many festivals within the Buddhist calendar, but the most important are Dharma Day, which celebrates the beginning of Buddha’s teachings and Sangha Day, which celebrates the Buddhist community.

Like other religions Buddhism has lots of different groups. Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism are perhaps the most well known.