The Teachings Of The Buddha - 1263 Words

You never know. Siddhartha Gautama, or simply the Buddha, a wise being whose teachings attributed to him were passed down for thousands of years, was born in Lumbini, Nepal in the 6th century BC. Gautama is the founder of Buddhism, and is thought to have lived and taught the religion and philosophical ways that produced a great culture throughout much of southern and eastern Asia between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE. Buddha, meaning â€Å"the awakened one† or â€Å"the enlightened one†, is a title, not a proper name and signifies the first awakened being in an era. Many people say that this ideology goes against any other major belief, like Christianity, since Buddhism does not look toward a divine figure, but instead looks toward a place, a†¦show more content†¦It teaches the individual to strive for a greater state of consciousness called Nirvana; it creates a constant goal of reaching self-enlightenment. Nirvana simply means total and complete peace. This state of mi nd brings a sense universal peace, without the aggression and hatred. The Buddhism religion strives for total peace and harmony for ones self and all living creatures. When Buddhists study the Bible and what is said about the Christian Lord, they are confused, since they do not pray or acknowledge God the way Christians do, this in itself is a concept that Buddhists cannot conceive. While Buddhism rejects the Christian concept of God because it cannot be proven and therefore is viewed as insignificant, they also reject it because it seems much more inferior to their own ideal. To add, Buddhists shun the Christian God because of the fact that the Bible is incorrect in its passages, as God cannot be perfect. With the many dimensions that carry a profound difference in these, each is a complex religion. The furthermost distinction between Buddhists and Christians are that Christians believe that man lives in a world of conflict, with only one solution, to better man in order for his su rroundings to change. The Buddhist affirmation is to the contrary, that our perception is distorted and life in the world should be accepted as is. â€Å"The first teaching ever given by the Buddha was to five student monks in a deer park. The Buddha spoke of the Four Noble