basic buddhism

There's so many contradicting thoughts and views I've heard, but what I want is a general description of what buddhism IS

 

Many words can confuse us. There are really no contradictions in Buddhism, if you stumble accross one, its due to misunderstanding of a word or mis-teaching.

1 : read the FAQ at the top of the forum, its very accurate
2 : Buddhism is the teachings of Buddha, basically, a guy decided it was smarter to live a moral life and decided to teach people how, a lot like our friend J.C. Since the Buddha was from the east his method of explaination is different.
3 : The Basic premis - Evil (suffering) is derived from our own minds. The mind is an illusion, since we are Nature, a part of it like a little cam in a car. ( Remember "you are my body" speach of Christ, There are Some similarities here) In other words we are supposed to work for the wants of the whole rather than the one. Then Buddha taught ways to achieve this : meditation, 8fold path, others . . .

 

I would be careful in making claims that we can understand what the universe is by studying buddhism. That ability is reserved for special beings (i.e. buddhas), for us mortals, we need to take it in the proper context.

In other words, it is a way for us to live better lives by understanding our own minds and its implications on the universe. To understand the actual universe is something different. Most people probably wont become buddhas, but that is not their purpose. Most will use buddhism as a way to guide their lives and be satisfied with them, even if they work a shitty job.

 

Friends:

The Four Modes of Direct Experience:
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The Exalted Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, there are these 4 realizable things:
What four ?
By the body one realizes the 8 releasing liberations.
By memory one realizes one's prior lives in all diverse detail.
By the divine eye one realizes the death & rebirth of beings.
By understanding one realizes elimination of mental fermentation.
These, Bhikkhus, are the 4 realizable things...

Source: The Numerical Sayings of the Buddha. Anguttara Nikaya II 182
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Friendship is the Greatest !
Bhikkhu Samāhita, Sri Lanka.

 

Bikshu, it is funny you should refer to "us" as mortals and buddhas as "special beings". The definition of a mortal is one who is subject to death. One major difference between buddhas and those who are not enlightened is that a buddha's cycle of rebirth will end, while the rest of us will remain in the cycle of samsara, living life after life in suffering. So in fact, I would consider a buddha more of a mortal, and the rest of us immortals . Also, buddhas may be special beings, but we are all buddhas too! We might not have reached enlightenment, but it still resides in each of us.

In love,

Diana

 

We'll call it internet mis communication. I intended a special twist.