The teachings of Buddhism. World recognition

The Buddha's teaching is called "dharma", which means "law". Buddhists refer this concept also to the name of their religion. There is currently controversy as to what exactly the Buddha himself said, as there are many scriptures that claim to be the word of the Buddha.

All of the 84,000 teachings of the Buddha are based on his first sermons - the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Subsequently, Buddhism split into several branches, which refined and developed various aspects of the teaching. The Buddha himself stated that it is important for each person to be aware of the limits of their faith and respect the faith of others:

The person has faith. If he says, "This is my faith," he is holding on to the truth. But by this he cannot proceed to the absolute conclusion: "Only this is the truth, and everything else is a lie."

Karma

All Far Eastern religions have a very keen sense that there is a moral law in the universe. In Hinduism and Buddhism it is called karma; This word in Sanskrit means "action". Any human action - deeds, words and even thoughts is called karma. A good action creates good karma, and an evil action creates bad karma. This karma affects the future of a person. The present not only creates the future, it is itself created by the past. Therefore, all the troubles of the present are considered by Buddhists as retribution for misdeeds committed either in this life or in the past, since Buddhists believe in reincarnation, reincarnation. Reincarnation is a doctrine shared by Hindus and Buddhists. According to this understanding, after death, a person is born again in a new body. Thus, who a person is in life is the result of karma. The first two verses of the Dhamma Pada, a beloved Buddhist text, summarize the essence of karma.

If a person speaks and acts with impure thoughts, suffering follows him like a wagon wheel follows an animal harnessed to the wagon.

What we are today is generated by what we thought yesterday, and our thoughts today generate our life tomorrow; our life is the product of our thought.

If a person speaks and acts with pure thoughts, joy follows him like his own shadow.

Geshe Kelsang Giatso, a Tibetan Buddhist spiritual teacher, described it just as well:

"Every action we take leaves an imprint on our thought, and every imprint eventually leads to consequences. Our thought is like a field, and doing actions is like sowing seeds in this field. Righteous deeds sow the seeds of future happiness, and unrighteous deeds sow seeds of future suffering. These seeds lie dormant in our thought until the time comes for them to ripen, and then they have their effect."

Therefore, it is pointless to blame others for your troubles, "for the person himself commits evil, and he defiles himself. He also does not commit evil himself, and he purifies himself, Purity and filth are interconnected. One cannot "cleanse" the other. The Buddha said that the problem is that "it is easy to do unrighteousness and that which will harm you, but it is very difficult to do righteousness and that which will benefit you."

When speaking to ordinary people, the Buddha emphasized karma, the fear of a bad birth and the hope of a good birth. He told people how to prepare themselves for a good birth: to live a moral and responsible life, not to seek happiness in transient material goods, to be kind and unselfish towards all people. Buddhist scriptures contain terrifying pictures of hellish suffering and life as a miserable ghost. Bad karma has a twofold effect - a person becomes unhappy in this life, loses friends or suffers from guilt and is reborn in some miserable form. Good karma leads to peace, rest, untroubled sleep, the love of friends and good health in this life and to a good rebirth after death, perhaps to a stay in one of the heavenly worlds where life is like paradise. Although the Buddha's teaching may seem very difficult to understand, one of the reasons people are drawn to it is the simplicity of its language and practicality.

Remember, there are six ways to waste time and money: drunkenness, nighttime wandering, going to fairs and festivities, gambling, bad company, and laziness.

There are six reasons why drunkenness is bad. It takes money, leads to quarrels and fights, causes illness, leads to notoriety, encourages immoral acts, which you later regret, weakens the mind.

There are six reasons why nocturnal loitering is bad. You may be beaten, your family will be left at home without your protection, you may be robbed, you may be suspected of crimes, rumors about you will be believed, and you will be in all sorts of trouble.

Going to fairs and festivities means you'll waste your time thinking about music, instruments, dancing, entertainment, and forget about the important things.

Gambling is bad because when you lose you lose money, when you win you make enemies, no one trusts you, your friends despise you, and no one will marry you.

Bad company means that your friends are hooligans, drunkards, deceivers and criminals, and can lead you to a bad path.

Laziness is bad because you spend your life achieving nothing, earning nothing. A lazy person can always find an excuse not to work: "too hot" or "too cold", "too early" or "too late", "I'm too hungry" or "I'm too full".

Although the moral teachings of Buddhism are largely similar to the ethical code of other religions, it is based on something else. Buddhists do not consider their principles as commandments of the Supreme Being, which should be obeyed. Rather, they are instructions on how to follow the path of spiritual growth and achieve perfection. Therefore, Buddhists try to understand how this or that rule should be used in a particular situation, and do not obey them blindly. So, it is usually considered that it is bad to lie, but in certain circumstances it may be justified - for example, when it comes to saving a human life.

"Whether an action is good, bad or neutral depends entirely on the thought that drives it. Good deeds come from good thoughts, bad deeds from bad thoughts, and neutral actions from neutral thoughts." / Geshe Kelsang Giatso. "Introduction to Buddhism"

Thus, whether a person follows instructions or not, the most important thing is what motives dictate this or that action, selfish or unselfish. For spiritual growth, it is not just the actions themselves that are important, but the reasons why you do them. Since the true motives of actions are difficult to determine, it is necessary to purify the spirit through meditation and spiritual exercises.

Sermon in Deer Park

In the first sermon delivered after enlightenment, the Buddha revealed to his former companions what he had learned and which later formed the center of his teaching. However, it should be remembered that this sermon was read to five ascetic monks, experienced in religious practice, who were prepared to understand and accept his words. As noted above, sermons addressed to ordinary people were much simpler. In a sermon in Deer Park, the Buddha compared himself to a doctor whose work consists of four stages:

• make a diagnosis of the disease;
• determine the cause of the disease;
• find a way to heal;
• prescribe medicine.

The Buddha told the ascetics that he was convinced by experience that in life both the pursuit of pleasure and excessive asceticism bring the same harm. A moderate life, the Middle Way, led him to insight, peace and enlightenment. Following this path allowed him to see the Four Truths clearly.

Four Noble Truths

First truth

The first truth is that life, as most beings know it, is in itself incomplete. Life is "dukkha", which is usually translated as suffering. “Here is the holy truth about suffering: birth is suffering, old age is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering; union with the unlovable is suffering, separation from the beloved is suffering, failure to achieve what is desired is suffering.”

Buddhists distinguish three forms of suffering.

• Ordinary, simple suffering, like the above. The more thoughtful and sensitive a person is, the more he realizes the suffering that underlies everything, from animals that prey on each other to a person who humiliates his fellows.
• The second type of suffering comes from the impermanence of life. Even beautiful things perish, loved ones die, and sometimes we change so much that things that once gave pleasure no longer please. Therefore, even people who at first glance have all the available benefits are actually unhappy.
• The third form of suffering is subtler, It is the feeling that life always brings disappointment, dissatisfaction, disharmony and incompleteness. Life is mixed up like a dislocated joint that hurts with every movement.

When a person finally realizes that life is dukkha, the desire to be free from suffering comes to him.

Second truth

The second truth is that the cause of suffering is tanha, our craving or selfish desires. We want, we want, we want... endlessly. These desires come from ignorance. The reason for such desires is that we are blinded. We think that happiness can be found through external sources. "Here is the Noble Truth about the origin of suffering: our thirst leads to the renewal of being, accompanied by pleasure and greed, you seek pleasure here and there, in other words, it is a thirst for sensual experiences, a thirst for eternal life, a thirst for oblivion."

The Buddha identified six basic human delusions.

• Ignorance is a misunderstanding of the nature of cyclic existence and the law of cause and effect.
• Greed - the desire to satisfy sensual needs, excessive attachment to objects and people that we find beautiful.
• Anger is the biggest obstacle on the path to enlightenment, because it destroys the state of harmony both in the human soul and in the world.
• Pride is a feeling of superiority over others.
• Doubt - insufficient faith in the cyclical nature of existence and karma, which becomes an obstacle on the path to enlightenment.
• Doctrine of Delusion - Firm adherence to beliefs that bring suffering to oneself and others

Third Truth

By identifying the cause of suffering and getting rid of it. we will be able to stop suffering ourselves. "Here is the Noble Truth about the cessation of suffering: residueless disappearance and cessation, annihilation, withdrawal and renunciation of thirst."

The Buddha taught that because he was able to do this, we too can overcome suffering, get rid of craving and ignorance. In order to achieve this, we need to give up craving, give up delusions. No happiness is possible until we are freed from the bondage of desires. We are sad because we long for things we do not have. And thus we become slaves of these things. The state of absolute inner peace, which a person achieves by overcoming the power of thirst, ignorance and suffering, is called nirvana by Buddhists. It is often said that the state of nirvana cannot be described, but can only be experienced - talking about it is like talking to a blind man about colors. According to the character of the Buddha, one can say that a person who has reached nirvana remains alive, happy, energetic, never remains in apathy or boredom, always knows how to do the right thing, still feels the joys and sufferings of other people, but he himself is not subject to them.

The Fourth Truth or the Eightfold Path

The fourth truth is a practical method by which craving and ignorance can be fought and suffering can end. This is a whole way of life called the Middle Way, or the Noble Eightfold Path. Following this path of self-discipline, we can overcome our selfishness, become selfless people, living for the benefit of others. "Here is the Noble Truth on how to get rid of suffering: it is the Noble Eightfold Path, which consists of righteous knowledge, righteous intentions, righteous speech, righteous deeds, righteous living, righteous diligence, righteous thoughts, and righteous contemplation."

This lifestyle can be reduced to exercise in three areas:

• moral discipline,
• contemplation,
• wisdom.

Moral discipline is the determination to get rid of all evil deeds and calm the thirst that overwhelms the mind. Having overcome this, it will be easier for us to delve into contemplation, leading to the achievement of inner peace. And when the mind is at rest, we can overcome our ignorance.

1. Righteous knowledge

Because suffering comes from a wrong philosophy of life, salvation begins with righteous knowledge. This means that we must accept the Buddha's teachings - his understanding of human life and the Four Noble Truths. Without accepting the essence of the teaching, it makes no sense for a person to follow the Way.

2. Righteous intentions

We must acquire the right attitude towards life, seeing our goal in enlightenment and unselfish love for all things. In Buddhist ethics, actions are judged by intentions.

3. Righteous speech

Our speech is a reflection of character and a way to change it. With words, we can offend or, conversely, help someone. Unrighteous speech is lies, gossip, abuse and vainglory. In life, we much more often bring people pain with our thoughtless words than with any other actions. Righteous speech includes helpful advice, words of comfort and encouragement, and so on. The Buddha often emphasized the value of silence when there is no way to say something useful.

4. Righteous deeds

By changing our actions, we must first become selfless and merciful. This is revealed in the Five Precepts, the moral code of Buddhism.

• The first commandment is not to kill not only people, but also other living beings. Therefore, most Buddhists are vegetarians.
• The second is not to steal, because it violates the community that everyone is a part of.
• The third is to abstain from sexual promiscuity. The Buddha considered the sex drive to be the most powerful and uncontrollable. Therefore, the Buddha's attitude towards women is: "Is she old? Treat her like a mother. Is he honorable? Treat her like a sister. Is she of low rank? Treat her like a younger sister. Is she a child? Treat her with respect and courtesy." .
• The fourth is to avoid lying. A Buddhist is devoted to the truth, since a lie betrays the liar and other people and causes suffering.
• The fifth is abstinence from alcohol and drugs. A Buddhist tries to gain control over his body's desires, mind and feelings, but alcohol and drugs prevent this.

In addition to prohibitions, Buddhism encourages virtues - the joy of a simple life, the rejection of material worries, love and compassion for all things, tolerance.

5. Righteous living

The Buddha talked about how one should live without harming others. A person's occupation should not interfere with his observance of the moral code. Therefore, the Buddha condemned the slave trade, prostitution, the manufacture of weapons and intoxicants such as drugs and alcohol. It is necessary to look for such occupations that would serve the benefit of other people.

6. Righteous Diligence

Spiritual growth begins with the fact that a person is aware of both good and bad sides of his character. To follow the path of spiritual perfection, a person must inevitably make efforts, not allowing new bad thoughts to enter his soul, expelling the already existing evil from there, cultivating good thoughts in himself and improving. This requires patience and perseverance.

7. Righteous thoughts

"What we are is generated by what we think about." Therefore, it is important to be able to subordinate your thoughts. The human mind should not obey any random thoughts and reasoning. Therefore, Buddhists make a lot of efforts to become more aware of themselves - their body, sensations, feelings and thoughts, which helps to develop self-control.

8. Righteous contemplation

Righteous contemplation can be attained through meditation. The purpose of meditation is to bring the spirit into a state in which it can perceive truth and attain wisdom.

What is meditation?

"Usually it is difficult for us to control our thinking. It seems as if our thought is like a balloon in the wind - external circumstances turn it in different directions. If everything goes well, we have happy thoughts; as soon as circumstances change for the worse, thoughts become sad. For example, if we get what we want, some new thing or a new friend, we rejoice and only think about it; but since we cannot have everything we want, and since we have to lose what pleases us now, this mental attachment only hurts us.On the other hand, if we don't get what we want or if we lose what we love, we feel annoyance and despair.Such mood swings are due to the fact that we are too attached to the external situation.We are like children who build a sandcastle and rejoice in it, and then become sad when the tide takes it away.By practicing meditation, we create an inner space and clarity that allows us to control our own their thoughts regardless of external circumstances. Gradually we achieve inner balance; our consciousness becomes calm and happy, not knowing the fluctuations between the extremes of delight and despair. By constantly practicing meditation, we will be able to eradicate from our consciousness those delusions that are the cause of all our troubles and suffering. Thus we will achieve permanent inner peace, nirvana. Then our successive lives will be filled only with peace and happiness." / Geshe Kelsang Giatso

Simple breathing exercise

Close your eyes. Sit quietly and comfortably, focus on your breathing, on how the air enters and exits the nostrils. Focus your attention on the tip of your nose. Feel cool as you inhale and feel warm as you exhale. If thoughts come to your mind, let them pass quietly, like soap bubbles melting in the air. Again, focus on calm and even breathing.

Buddhists believe that through meditation they can find an inner source of peace. However, in accordance with the understanding of Buddhism, a person cannot limit his life only to introspection. Since such a path does not extend to the outside world, it is not comprehensive and therefore incomplete. True peace, the peace of the entire Buddha land, requires deeds. And meditation is designed to help a person realize what actions he can perform for the benefit of others. For a true Buddhist, there is no meditation without action, just as there is no action without meditation.

By discipline: Religious studies

on the topic: LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Siddhattha Gotama and his life

2 Awakening

3 Conclusions on chapter I

CHAPTER II. WORLD RECOGNITION

2.1 Buddha's teachings

2 Buddhism

3 Conclusions on chapter II

CONCLUSION

LITERATURE

INTRODUCTION

At present, we are increasingly meeting with the philosophical sayings of the Buddha.

Buddha, or rather Siddhattha Gotama (Siddhartha Gautama), was a truly amazing person, whose thoughts were so deep that they managed not only to reach our days, but also to firmly establish themselves in philosophy, develop into an ancient religion recognized by peoples with completely different traditions.

The relevance of the topic I have chosen lies in the fact that the teachings that Siddhattha Gotama presented to people were and remain important truths that every person, young and old, should master. They will never lose their value, which is why I chose this particular topic.

The purpose of this work is to study the life of the Buddha, his views, his teachings.

In the presented work, the following tasks were set:

selection of necessary literature to cover the chosen topic

literature analysis

coverage of the chosen topic

writing conclusions

The basis for writing this work was the works of the following authors: Ya. M. Botsman, A. A. Radugin, V. I. Garaja, K. Armstrong, etc.

CHAPTER I. THE STORY OF THE APPEARANCE OF THE BUDDHA

1.1Siddhattha Gotama and his life

There is not enough material for the scientific reconstruction of the Buddha in modern science. Therefore, traditionally, the biography of Siddhartha is given on the basis of a number of Buddhist texts.

It should be borne in mind that the first texts relating to the Buddha appeared hundreds of years after his death. By this time, changes had already been made to the stories about him by the monks themselves, in order to exaggerate the figure of the Buddha. However, it is already generally accepted that the most reliable sources are in the Pali language, a North Indian dialect of not entirely clear origin, but, it is believed, close to the language of the kingdom of Magadha - it may have been spoken by Gautama himself.

Siddhartha was born in Kapilavastu, in what is now southern Nepal, around the 6th century BC. BC. (date of birth: about 563 BC. e.<#"justify">1.2 Awakening

According to mythology, one day at the age of 35, Siddhartha sat in the shade of a bo tree, near the town of Gaya in East India, and took a vow that he would not move from this place until he unraveled the cause of suffering. For forty-nine days he sat under a tree. And finally, he knew the secrets and inner causes of the cycle of life, he knew the four sacred truths: suffering rules the world; their cause is life itself with its passions and desires; you can get away from suffering only by plunging into nirvana; there is a way, a method by which he who knows the truth can get rid of suffering and reach nirvana. Having learned these four sacred truths, Gautama, who became Buddha (which means the Enlightened One), sat for several days after that under the sacred tree, not being able to move. This was taken advantage of by the evil spirit Mara, who began to tempt the Buddha, urging him not to proclaim the truth to people, but to plunge directly into nirvana. Mara summoned his demons and unleashed a tornado, flood and earthquake on the meditating Gautama. He ordered his daughters - Desire, Pleasure and Passion - to seduce Gautama with erotic dances. But the Buddha steadfastly endured all the temptations and continued his great feat.

According to another legend, Siddhartha, already a Buddha, remained sitting under a tree called bodhi. It seemed to him that the knowledge he had acquired was too complex to pass on to others.

Then Brahma, the king of the gods, convinced the Buddha of the need to teach people, saying that some of us have only a little dirt in our eyes and you can wake up only by hearing a sermon. The Buddha agreed to preach. Arriving at Sarnath near Benares, he gathered around him five ascetics, with whom he wandered for several years, and read his first sermon to them, they became his first disciples. In this Benares sermon of the Buddha, the foundations of his teaching were briefly outlined.

King Bimbisara of Magadha, on hearing the words of the Buddha, donated to him for use during the rainy season a monastery near Rahagriha, his capital. This and other great donations enabled the newcomers to continue the practice for years; moreover, many people gained the opportunity to hear the sermons of the Buddha.

Some time later, he was visited by members of his family, including his wife, son, father, and aunt. His son became a monk. His name is known from sutras based on the conversations between son and father about the dangers of lying.

Buddha's father became a lay follower. He was saddened by the fact that his son and grandson had suddenly gone into monkhood and asked the Buddha to introduce a rule according to which a person must obtain parental permission before going into monasticism. The Buddha agreed.

The aunt and wife asked to be accepted into the Sangha, which was originally created for men. The culture of the time placed women far below men, and at first glance it seemed that allowing women to join the community meant weakening it. But the Buddha relented and his wife and aunt became the first Buddhist nuns.

The Buddha said that it doesn't matter what a person's worldly status, education, or nationality was. Everyone can reach enlightenment, Sangha is open to everyone.

The life of the Buddha was not cloudless. His cousin, Devadatta, was an ambitious man. As a novice monk, he thought he needed more power in the Sangha. He managed to influence several monks and encourage them to return to the utmost asceticism. In the end, he conspired with the local ruler to kill the Buddha and seize power in the community. Of course, he failed to do so.

The Buddha attained enlightenment at the age of 35. He preached throughout northeastern India for 45 years. According to the Pali Mahaparinibbana Sutta, at the age of 80, the Buddha announced that he would soon reach Parinirvana, or the final stage of immortality, liberating his earthly body. After that, the Buddha ate the last meal he received from the blacksmith Kunda. The exact composition of the Buddha's last meal is unknown; the Theravada tradition suggests it was pork, while the Mahayana tradition says it was truffles or some other mushroom.

The Mahayana Vimalakirti Sutra states that the Buddha did not get sick or grow old, he deliberately assumed such a guise in order to show those who were born in samsara the pain caused by offensive words, thereby encouraging their desire for Nirvana.

According to one legend, before his death, the Buddha asked his disciples to find out if they had any doubts or questions. There were none. Then he entered Parinirvana. Buddha Gautama was cremated in accordance with the rite for the Universal Ruler (chakravartina<#"justify">.3Chapter I Conclusions

During the study of the prepared literature, I noted a huge number of various mythologies, legends, stories regarding the life of the legendary Buddha.

They all differed, it happened that the years did not coincide, the sequence of events, in some legends it was said that Siddhartha's mother dies after childbirth, in others - she remains to live. Somewhere Gautama dies after eating pork, and somewhere mushrooms were presented - there are too many options, and it is difficult to single out the real story, because it was rewritten, passed from generation to generation, something was lost, something was added and embellished. But one thing is known for sure - this is not a fictional character who descended from the pages of the legends of India of that time. Siddhartha Gautama really existed and preached his ideas to everyone: people of all ages, genders, nationalities and views.

His life, which can be judged from the sources I read, was very complex, confusing and diverse. A father who sought to protect his son from the hardships and sufferings of everyday life, all kinds of temptations that led him astray from the path of enlightenment, temptations, for many years on the way to his goal. But not for nothing is his name Siddhartha - the one who achieved the goal. Gautama not only knew the meaning of life, the cause of suffering, but also dared to convey what he had learned to people. A huge number of followers, worldwide recognition of the teachings of the Buddha, and no less amazing - the ascension of Gautama to the level of a god, while Siddhartha himself taught that one should rely not on the gods, but on oneself and achieve salvation without supernatural power.

To study the thoughts and ideas of the Buddha, I have chosen a separate chapter in which I will consider in detail his sayings and how philosophical statements could develop into an ancient religion recognized by the whole world.

CHAPTER II. WORLD RECOGNITION

2.1 Buddha's teachings

Religious Buddhist literature reports that after an infinite number of rebirths, accumulating virtues in each of them, the Buddha appeared on earth in order to fulfill a rescue mission - to show living beings deliverance from suffering. He chose for his incarnation the image of Prince Siddhartha from the noble family of Gotama.

Thus, the middle of the 1st millennium BC. marked by the emergence of a new religion - Buddhism. Having become widespread in India and beyond its borders, Buddhism had a huge impact on the ideology, culture and way of life of many peoples of Asia.

The first five people converted by the Buddha to the new faith became his disciples and formed the core of the Buddhist community. The Buddha preached religious teachings, called the "teachings of the Buddha" ("buddhadarshana", "buddhatama") or simply "dharma" ("righteous law"). Believers were called "bauddhas" - a follower of the Buddha, and sometimes just "Shakyas".

The basis of the early Buddhist worldview is left by the so-called "four noble truths", the discovery of which was the enlightenment of Gautama Buddha and which he announced already in his first Benares sermon. These four truths are: the doctrine of suffering (the truth of suffering), the causes of suffering (the truth of the cause of suffering), the cessation of suffering (the truth of the cessation of suffering), and the path to the cessation of suffering (the truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering).

Let's look at each truth in detail. The first noble truth is that there is suffering. The young Siddhartha was struck by the pictures he saw of human suffering - illness, old age and death. However, the enlightened Buddha saw not just and not only these pictures, but also the very essential conditions of life for people and animals that cause misfortunes.

Birth, old age, illness, death, desire - everything that is generated by attachment to the world - is suffering. Of course, some thinkers of that time did not agree with the teachings of the Buddha, citing the joys of existence as an example, but the followers of Siddhartha argued that worldly joys are only pleasure for short-sighted people. The short duration of life's joy, its loss, the eternal fear of losing what you possess - this is what leads to endless suffering.

The second noble truth is about the cause of suffering. A chain of twelve links. The origin of evil is explained by the Buddha with the help of a special concept of natural causality. According to her, everything depends on certain conditions, and since. every event is generated by a condition, then there must be something that generates suffering. So, according to the teachings of the Buddha, earthly suffering (death, illness, old age, etc.) gives rise to birth, if a person had not been born, he would not have experienced these sufferings. Birth, in turn, is conditioned by the desire to become (or the power of the blind desire to be born). And our mental attachment to things is the condition of our desire to be born. In turn, this attachment arises from thirst, a passionate desire to enjoy the objects of the external world: sounds, sights, etc. But where does this desire come from in a person who has never seen or heard anything? The Buddha replies that it is all about sensory experience. But sensory experience is impossible without contact, that is, without contact between the sense organs and objects. This contact, in turn, could not have arisen if there were not six organs of knowledge: the five senses and the mind. The presence of these six organs of external cognition depends on the body-spiritual organism, which constitutes the perceived being of man. But this organism could not develop in the mother's womb and be born if it were dead, that is, without consciousness. The consciousness that enters the fetus while still in the mother's womb is only the result of the impressions of our past existence. The last stage (state) of our past life, the stage that preceded our present life, in turn, contains in a concentrated form all the impressions, the results of all previous, past deeds. The impressions that lead to the new birth flow from ignorance of the truth. If the transient, full of suffering nature of earthly existence were fully known by man, then we could not have the karma that gives rise to a new birth. Ignorance, therefore, is the root cause of impressions, that is, of striving for a new birth.

Briefly, this formula looks like this: 1. suffering in life is due to birth, 2. birth - the desire for life 3. the desire for being - mental attachment to objects 4. attachment - thirst, desire for things 5. thirst - sensory perception 6. sensory perception - sensory contact with objects 7. sensory contact - six organs of cognition 8. six organs of cognition - the embryonic period of development of an organism (consisting of mind and body) 9. an embryo cannot develop without initial consciousness 10. initial consciousness is conditioned by impressions of a past life 11. these impressions due to the twelfth link of the chain -12. ignorance of the truth.

The third noble truth is the cessation of suffering. This truth follows from the second: unhappiness depends on certain conditions. If these conditions are eliminated, then suffering itself will cease. According to the Buddha's teachings, liberation from suffering is achievable in this life, if only certain conditions are met. When perfect control over the passions and constant reflection on the truth lead a person through the four degrees of self-deepening to perfect wisdom, then he is freed from the power of earthly passions. He breaks the bonds that bind him to the world. Thus he becomes free, liberated. Such a person is said to have become an arhat, that is, a respectable person. This state of liberation is often called nirvana - the quenching of passions, and with them suffering. Achieving this state does not mean a state of inactivity. It is true that in order to reach the truth, one must completely withdraw from the external and internal world, as well as from other ideas, and concentrate entirely on the tireless reflection on the four noble truths in all their aspects. But having attained perfect wisdom through concentrated thinking, a liberated person should not forever remain immersed in meditation and completely withdraw from active participation in life.

We know what an active life the Buddha himself led for forty-five years after his enlightenment - wandering, preaching and founding brotherhoods even in the last days of his life, as an old man of eighty. Thus, for the founder of Buddhism himself, liberation did not mean the end of vigorous activity.

The Buddha once clearly pointed out that there are two kinds of human actions: one is done under the influence of attachment, hatred and blindness, the other without their influence. Deeds of the first kind, intensifying our thirst for life and attachment to it, give birth to the seeds of karma, causing new births. Actions of the second kind, performed with an understanding of the true essence of being, are devoid of attachment, do not give rise to karma and, consequently, a new birth. The difference between the two kinds of karma, as the Buddha teaches, is like the result of sowing ordinary grain and barren grain.

The fourth noble truth is about the path to liberation. This truth, as the name implies, indicates the path that the Buddha followed in order to achieve the goal. The path indicated by the Buddha consists of eight steps or rules, and therefore is called the noble "eightfold path." The follower of this path attains the eight virtues:

Correct views. Since ignorance (delusion about oneself and the world) is the root cause of our suffering, for moral perfection one must first of all have correct views - an understanding of the four noble truths. Only the knowledge of these truths, according to the teachings of the Buddha, will lead us to the goal of our life - nirvana.

Right resolve. The mere knowledge of truths would be useless without the determination to transform life in accordance with them. From a morally perfecting person, a renunciation of everything earthly, a rejection of bad intentions and enmity towards others is required. These three conditions are the basis of right resolve.

Correct speech. Right resolve should not remain just a religious desire, but should be translated into action. Right resolve, first of all, should be able to direct and control our speech: abstaining from lies, slander, cruel words and frivolous talk.

Correct behaviour. Right determination, not limited to the production of right speech, must finally translate into right action, good behavior. Right behavior consists in giving up wrong actions - the destruction of living beings, theft, the satisfaction of evil desires.

Right way of life. To maintain life, one must not resort to unlawful means - one must work with concentration in accordance with good determination.

Right effort. When a person tries to change his life with right attitude, determination, speech, conduct, and way of life, he is constantly being led astray from the right path, both by the old harmful ideas deeply rooted in him, and by the constantly acquired new ideas. Continuous improvement is impossible without a constant striving for liberation from the burden of old bad thoughts, without a struggle against their appearance. Since the mind cannot remain empty, it must be filled with good ideas, trying to fix them in the mind. Such a fourfold constant effort is called right.

Right line of thought. The need for constant vigilance is a further development of the rule that the seeker must constantly remember what has already been learned. He must constantly regard the body as the body, the sensation as the sensation, the mind as the mind, the state of the soul as the state of the soul. About all this, he should not "think:" this is me "or" this is mine. "If we misdirect our thoughts, then we behave as if the body, mind, sensations and mental states are something permanent and always From this comes a feeling of attachment to them, regret for their loss, and we become dependent on them and unhappy.

Correct concentration. He who successfully leads his life according to the above rules and frees himself from all passions and evil thoughts with their help, is worthy to pass step by step four stages of deeper and deeper concentration, which gradually lead him to the final goal of a long and difficult path - to cessation of suffering. The seeker focuses his pure and calm mind on understanding and exploring truths. At this first stage of deep contemplation, he enjoys the joy of pure thinking and the peace of detachment from earthly things.

When this concentration is achieved, then faith in the fourfold truth dispels all doubts, and there is no need for reasoning and research. The second stage of concentration arises, which is the joy, peace and inner peace generated by increased equanimity reflection. This is the stage of consciousness, joy and peace. At the next stage, an attempt is made to move to a state of indifference, that is, the ability to renounce even the joy of concentration. This is how the third, higher level of concentration arises, when the seeker experiences perfect equanimity and is freed from the sensation of corporeality. But he is still aware of this liberation and equanimity, although he is indifferent to the joy of concentration.

Finally, the seeker tries to get rid of even this consciousness of liberation and equanimity from all the feelings of joy and excitement that he previously experienced. Thus, he rises to the fourth stage of concentration, to a state of perfect equanimity, indifference and self-control, without suffering and without liberation. Thus, he achieves the desired goal - the cessation of all suffering. At this stage, the seeker reaches arhatship, or nirvana. Thus comes perfect wisdom and perfect righteousness.

Thus, having considered the Buddha's teaching on the eightfold path, we can conclude that this path consists of three main stages: knowledge, behavior and concentration.

In Indian philosophy, knowledge and morality are thought of separately, not simply because morality or virtue depends on the knowledge of what is good in the opinion of all philosophers, but also because the improvement of knowledge is not possible without morality, that is, without the voluntary control of one's passions and prejudice.

At the end of the path taught by the Buddha, one finally reaches Nirvana. According to the teachings, nirvana is the cessation of human rebirth, liberation from suffering. However, this does not mean that the deceased does not exist in some other form. The Buddha himself refused to give an explanation on this matter. Thus, the question of the existence of a person who has reached nirvana after death is one of the questions to which we have not received an answer from the Enlightened One. The Buddha's silence could mean that being in Nirvana could not be explained in ordinary language, in terms of ordinary experience.

2.2 Buddhism

gautama buddhism truth world view

As mentioned above, Buddhism is a religion of overcoming suffering. Buddhism arose in India in the 6th-5th centuries. BC e. in contrast to caste Brahminism, India, like China and Greece, was at that time seized by philosophical quests. The non-Brahmin castes were no longer willing to remain outside the search for truth. The founders of both new religions emerging at this time - Jainism and Buddhism - were from non-Brahmin castes. Many Buddhist centers, temples and monasteries arose in India, but still in India itself Buddhism did not become widespread and turned into a world religion outside its borders - in China, Japan, Central Asia, Korea, Vietnam and in a number of other countries, for a long time having lost ground in their homeland, India. The rejection occurred because Buddhism rejected caste, the authority of the Vedas and Brahmins, religious ritualism, and therefore did not fit into the social structure and culture of Indian society, which was based precisely on the tradition rejected by Buddhism.

In history, Buddhism is divided into 4 types, the two main ones - Hinayana and Mahayana - will be described in this part of the essay.

The teachings of the Buddha formed the basis of the world religion, however, it has been sufficiently changed.

The earliest form of Buddhism was Hinayana (“the narrow path to salvation”). In this direction, the idea of ​​samsara, the doctrine of the law of karma, was taken from Brahmanism, and even getting rid of suffering was similar: the achievement of nirvana by a person, after which there are no new rebirths.

Hinayana was the teaching of monks and mainly for monks, those who have passed away from the world. Buddhist communities were communities of monks (bhikshus), ascetics. Over time, they began to create monasteries, which turned into the main and, in fact, the only form of organization of Buddhists. They did not have a hierarchically organized church structure, a priestly caste. Monasteries served as centers for the spread of Buddhism; sacred texts (sutras) were written here. Entering a monastery (sangha) renounced everything that connected him with the world - from family, caste, property - and took five vows: do not kill, do not steal, do not drink, do not lie, do not commit adultery. At any moment, a monk could leave the sangha and return to worldly life. Those who decided to devote their lives to religion underwent a rite of passage and took five additional vows - do not sing, do not dance, do not sleep on comfortable beds, do not eat at the wrong time, do not use things with a strong smell and brightly colored, do not engage in money-grubbing (the desire for profit) .

Later, another form of Buddhism developed - Mahayana ("broad path to salvation"). This form reached its peak around 200 AD. e. and it differed in many ways from the earlier form of Buddhism. This type of Buddhism is more like an ordinary religion, the main changes were: softening the attitude towards understanding the world of samsara, as well as recognizing the merits of a monk (piety and alms), which could bring him closer to his cherished goal - nirvana.

Now a new figure appears - a bodisattva - a holy ascetic who has reached the path of salvation, but remains with people in order to direct them to the path of salvation and facilitate this path. After this appearance in Buddhism, a pantheon of saints developed, they could be prayed for and asked for intercession and advice. In addition to the Holy Buddha, other Buddhas appeared, who acquired a name, turned into an object of reverence and worship. The idea of ​​worshiping their images, mostly sculptures, was born. Along with all this, the concept of hell and heaven, previously unknown to Buddhism, appeared. A cosmogony was developed, depicting the many heavens in which the saints were located. The Buddha himself has now become not just a teacher, an informer of wisdom, but has ascended to the level of the gods, turned into a savior god. Monasteries began to actively engage in trade, many temples appeared with huge Buddha statues made of various valuable materials.

Thus, the philosophical teaching, brought to the common people by the Buddha, turned into a world religion with an infinite number of followers.

2.3 Conclusions on chapter II

The teachings of the Buddha were deep, saturated with philosophical meaning, revealing the causes of suffering and the path to salvation, through long, persistent achievements. It was open to everyone, accessible to everyone. Siddhartha himself said that he presented only a small part of what he himself knew, so as not to clog the heads of those who listened, and rejected the idea that he was omniscient, saying that he himself knew only a grain of the possible.

Of course, the words and teachings of the Buddha formed the basis of world religion. But they have changed a lot. In the later forms of Buddhism, the number of people able to fit on the chariot of salvation increased significantly.

It was now possible to achieve salvation through piety. In addition, a tradition of worship appeared, the teacher himself - the Buddha - was made a god, other gods appeared, other Buddhas who could also be worshiped, body-satvas appeared, now people could ask for intercession and advice. A lot of changes have undergone a philosophical doctrine based on suffering.

Buddhism itself, in general, is a rather pessimistic religion, with all the views, assessment of the world and its meaning.

In sociological terms, the most significant thing is that Buddhism did not attach any importance to the forms of community, social organization and associations that were taking shape in this world. Also, the commandment of mercy is of great importance: no living creature should be killed. It is necessary to treat both the good and the evil equally kindly. It is impossible to repay evil for evil, for this only multiplies evil and suffering. It also means that it is impossible to protect others from violence, to punish even for murder. Non-resistance to evil is an absolute rule that knows no exceptions. Without resisting evil, one must refrain from complicity in it. In late Buddhism, when nirvana had already lost its absolute, purely negative essence, when it began to be regarded as a state in which a person discovers in his neighbor his own I and strangers are perceived as close (for all come from the same system of dharma and thus form parts of one body), the individual can secure his own salvation with the help of the salvation of another.

Striking is the fact that the teachings of the Buddha are considered atheistic. This implies that the Buddha spoke of salvation without hopes of supernatural help. You need to rely on yourself, no god will help if the person himself does not lead a righteous lifestyle. But even despite this, after the death of the Buddha, they assign the status of a god and worship him. This may indicate both the irreversible process of changing religion and some of its rules, and the fact that Siddhartha Gautama was a truly legendary, great man, whose words and thoughts did not leave anyone indifferent, even after many hundreds of years.

CONCLUSION

Having studied various literatures and familiarized with the life and teachings of the Buddha, there can be no doubt that Siddhartha Gautama was indeed a unique person. His life - bright and rich - allowed him to be "reborn", to know the great secrets of life and, importantly, to convey them to people. The protection of Siddhartha's father from the suffering of the world could not stop the Buddha and he decided to leave home in order to learn the truth and convey it to people.

The Buddha's teaching was open to everyone, both monks and ordinary people, women, men and children. It was sincere. The Buddha himself said that initially he was overcome by the fear of the impossibility of conveying these secrets to the common people. But immediately, his heart was filled with compassion for those who live in ignorance and suffer day by day. He decided to tell people everything he knew.

At first, there were few students - only five. But gradually, Siddhartha became popular among people, and later his wife and son joined him. The Buddha opened the doors of knowledge to everyone.

For 45 years, the Buddha conveyed the truth to people. And so, in the 80th year of his life, he asked his followers - was there anything they did not understand? But there were no questions, and the Buddha went into nirvana.

Over time, the teachings of the Buddha developed into a religion that took on various forms. The late form - Mahayana - was already quite strongly changed, gods, other Buddhas appeared, worship and asking for advice and help appeared, temples appeared, with huge Buddha statues, made of various precious metals.

The Buddha's teaching was changed, however, it has survived to this day, and has become not only the basis for world religion, but also for many philosophical judgments.

LITERATURE

1. Armstrong K. Buddha Karen Armstrong; Translated from English, Alpina non-fiction, 2008

Boeree J. Life of Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni Buddha) by Dr. George Boeree, University of Shippensburg

Borunkova I.N. Fundamentals of Religious Studies. Educational edition M.: 1994

Boatswain Ya.M Buddhism. Philosophy of the "Great Religion of the Middle Way". M., 2001

Garadzha V.I. Religious Studies. Aspect Press, 1995

Kalyanov V.I. Ancient Indian philosophy, part 4. Translated from English, Moscow, 1954

Radugin A.A. Introduction to Religious Studies: Theory, History and Modern Religions. Lecture course. Center, 2004

Radhakrishnan S. Indian Philosophy. In 2 vols. - M., Stix, 1994

Encyclopedia Collier, 2000

http://www.plam.ru/hist/istorija_religii_vostoka/p15.php#metkadoc2

Www.terme.ru Soviet philosophical dictionary. - 1974

http://sova.pp.ru/index.php?id=435

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The most ancient of all existing world religions is Buddhism. Major religions are part of the worldview of many peoples living in areas from Japan to India.

The foundations of Buddhism were laid by Siddhartha Gautama, who entered world history under the name of Buddha. He was the son and heir of the king of the Shakya tribe and from childhood he was surrounded by luxury and all kinds of benefits. According to the generally accepted version, one day Siddhartha left the palace grounds and for the first time encountered a cruel reality in the person of a sick man, an old man and a funeral procession. For him, this was a complete discovery, because the heir did not even know about the existence of diseases, old age and death. Shocked by what he saw, Siddhartha flees the palace and, already a 29-year-old man, joins the wandering hermits.

For 6 years of wandering, Siddhartha learned numerous techniques and states of yoga, but came to the conclusion that it was impossible to achieve them through enlightenment. He chose the path of reflection and prayer, motionless meditation, which led him to enlightenment.

Initially, Buddhism was a protest against the orthodox Brahmins and their teachings about the sacredness of the existing class-varna system of society. At the same time, Buddhism learned many provisions precisely from the Vedas, abandoning their ritualism, the law of karma, and some other norms. Buddhism arose as a purification of an existing religion, and eventually resulted in a religion that turned out to be capable of constant self-purification and renewal.

Buddhism: basic ideas

Buddhism is based on four basic truths:

1. Duhka (suffering).

2. Cause of suffering.

3. Suffering can be ended.

4. There is a path leading to the cessation of suffering.

Thus, suffering is the main idea that Buddhism contains. The main provisions of this religion say that suffering can be not only physical, but also spiritual. Already birth is suffering. And illness, and death, and even unsatisfied desire. Suffering is a constant component of human life and rather even a form of human existence. However, suffering is unnatural, and therefore it is necessary to get rid of it.

Another idea of ​​Buddhism follows from this: in order to get rid of suffering, it is necessary to comprehend the causes of its occurrence. Buddhism, whose main ideas are the desire for enlightenment and self-knowledge, believes that the cause of suffering is ignorance. It is ignorance that triggers the chain of events that lead to suffering. And ignorance consists in a misconception about one's own "I".

One of the key theories of Buddhism is the denial of the individual self. This theory says that it is impossible to understand what our personality (i.e., "I") is, because our feelings, intellect, interests are fickle. And our "I" is a complex of various states, without which the soul does not exist. The Buddha does not give any answer to the question of the existence of the soul, which allowed representatives of different schools of Buddhism to draw completely opposite conclusions in this regard.

The so-called “middle path” leads to knowledge, and therefore liberation from suffering (nirvana). The essence of the "middle way" is to avoid any extremes, to rise above opposites, to look at the problem as a whole. Thus, a person achieves liberation by giving up any opinions and inclinations, giving up his "I".

As a result, it turns out that Buddhism, whose main ideas are based on suffering, says that all life is suffering, which means that it is wrong to cling to life and cherish it. A person who seeks to prolong his life (i.e., suffering) is an ignoramus. In order to avoid ignorance, it is necessary to destroy any desire, and this is possible only through the destruction of ignorance, which consists in the isolation of one's "I". So, we come to the conclusion that the essence of Buddhism is the rejection of one's "I".

The most important concept for Buddhists is dharma — it personifies the teachings of the Buddha, the highest truth that he revealed to all beings. "Dharma" literally means "support", "that which supports". The word "dharma" in Buddhism means moral virtue, first of all, it is the moral and spiritual qualities of the Buddha, which believers should imitate.

Buddhism at its core contains many of the ideas and teachings of Hinduism, the main of which is the doctrine of samsara- a constant chain of rebirths determined by the laws karma. The main goal of the reflections of the Buddha himself, and then the meaning of the life of all Buddhists — getting rid of the cycle of samsara and achieving nirvana (in Hinduism, the analogue of the word "nirvana" is the word "moksha") - a state in which there are no rebirths. Of course, in the depths of Buddhism there existed and still exist many different trends, schools, sects that interpret the meaning and purpose of human life in different ways and talk about different means of achieving this goal, but still the concept of nirvana is the central concept of Buddhist religious -mythological system.

According to the theory of Buddhism, nivrvana nothing definite can be said, except that this is a state of freedom, peace and bliss (although these words are inadequate to describe nirvana.) In modern Buddhism, it is believed that nirvana can be achieved during life, but it is fully achieved only after fi- physical death of the body and liberation of the soul. Nirvana — it is not death, but life, but only in a different capacity, the life of a perfect, free spirit.

The largest collection of Buddhist texts recognized as canonical (correct, true) is Tripitaka (in Pali - “three baskets”). According to legend, these records were originally made on palm leaves, which were placed in three baskets.

Tripitaka includes more than 15 thousand narratives, stories, legends, sermons, teachings, aphorisms and comments on them. For about 500 years, all this was passed down orally. It took about 25 years even for outstanding monks to memorize such a quantity of text. In order to preserve the accuracy of what was being transmitted, the monks periodically gathered at special councils, where there was a system of re-checking what was learned by rote. In the 19th century the canonical text was carved on 729 stone slabs and a pagoda (temple-chapel) was erected over each slab.

Tripitaka consists of three parts.

- Vinaya - pitaka(“basket of charter”) is a book of charter for monks, which lists misconduct, punishments for them, describes ceremonies, the daily routine in the community, customs (washing, dressing, using household items, life during the rainy season etc.).

- Sutra Pitaka(“basket of talks and teachings”) consists of five parts. The sutra includes the sermons of Gautama Buddha as presented by his beloved disciple Ananda (that is why each sermon begins with the words: “So, I heard once ...”). The most interesting part of the Sutra is Dhammapada, which is a popular exposition of the entire Buddhist teaching. Dhammapada is the desktop book of every Buddhist. Another book from the composition of the Sutra is very fascinating to read - Jataka. This is a collection of legends and fairy tales collected from all over Asia. They tell about the numerous incarnations of the Buddha even before his birth in the face of Siddhartha Gautama. The word "jataka" is related to the Russian word "life".

- Abhidharma Pitaka("basket of pure knowledge") contains the philosophical treatises of Buddhism, generalizing and systematizing the entire doctrine.

is one of the oldest world religions. It takes its name from the title of its founder, Buddha (meaning "Enlightened One"). Lifetime of Buddha Shakyamuni - V - IV centuries. BC e. The Enlightened One lived in India. This creed is two and a half millennia old.

Many diverse traditions of the peoples absorbed Buddhism. This, in modern terms, is very democratic in nature. A Buddhist may also be an adherent of Taoism, Shintoism or any other local religion. Most Buddhists live in Asia (South, Southeast, Central and East). The peculiarity of this religion is that it takes various forms depending on the place of distribution. Yes, Japanese Buddhism is a synthesis of Buddhist ideas and Shinto mythology with elements of Japanese culture.

Buddhists consider the time of the death of Buddha to be the beginning of the existence of their religion, but the years of his life are not clearly defined. Buddhism originated in India. Since its inception, religion has denied the ritual of sacrifice. Buddhism, like Jainism and other teachings, originated among ascetic hermits who saw the meaning of existence in focusing on the inner life of a person. The peculiarity of Buddhism lies in the fact that religion turned to a person precisely as a person, but not as a member of any class or a particular gender.

The biography of Buddha, the founder, reflects the fate of a real person, surrounded by myths and legends. His family name was Gautama. The prince, as you know, lived in luxury, without needing anything. But the carefree life did not last long: when the prince, having learned about the existence of diseases and death, decided to save people from constant suffering. Gautama set off on his journey, hoping to find a recipe for universal happiness. Leaving the palace where his old father, wife and little son lived, Siddhartha became a hermit (shramana). In the area of ​​Gaya, which today is called Bodh-Gaya, the prince managed to achieve Enlightenment, after which the Enlightened One discovered how to save humanity. The teacher gave his first sermon. He wandered through the cities and villages, followers appeared. For 45 years, the Buddha spread his teachings in the country. He managed to win adherents in different sectors of society; the followers of Buddhism included many wealthy and influential people.

Buddha died at the age of 80. The disciples created monastic communities that developed the doctrine. And according to the mythological biography, the future Buddha was reborn hundreds of times in the guise of people and animals, until he was born in the guise of a man in order to save the world. This was his last birth.

What did the Buddha teach?

In his first sermon, the Buddha spoke of two extremes that prevent us from embarking on the path of salvation through religion. One extreme is a life immersed in worldly pleasures, it is dark and useless. But life filled with suffering, self-torture is also not full of goodness. During his enlightenment, the Buddha realized the middle path leading to peace and higher knowledge.

It is no coincidence that the death of the Buddha was the beginning of the existence of Buddhism. The fact is that Buddhists consider it liberation - nirvana. The Teacher opened the Way for people, taught them how to follow it. The Buddha, in accordance with the teachings, was omnipotent, worked miracles and took on various forms, even influenced the course of events, moreover, not only in this world, but also in other worlds.

Just like other religions, Buddhism tells people about getting rid of suffering, adversity, fear of death. However, this religion does not recognize the immortality of the soul. Eternal life is an endless chain of reincarnations, accompanied by a change of bodily shells. Buddhism preaches that under the influence of a person's actions, his being and perception of the world change, which does not affect the essence of the individual. , poverty, humiliation - the result of a person's unrighteous life. Joy and peace are the reward for doing the right thing. This is the operation of the law of karma. This law determines the fate of a person in all reincarnations. Not only actions are important, but also thoughts, words, which also leave their karmic trace.

What one does in a previous life is reaped by a person in the next incarnation. Providence is not recognized in Buddhism. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the fate of a person depends only on his efforts, which is why tireless work on oneself is so important. A person's attachment to something leads him to walk into existence. The result is birth, which means old age and death. Buddhists strive to leave as few karmic traces as possible, regardless of both desires and attachments. is the so-called. "wheel of the law"

The highest goal of life, in accordance with the teachings of Buddhism, is liberation from karma, respectively - in leaving the circle of samsara and achieving liberation. In Hinduism, this state is called moksha in Buddhism - nirvana. Nirvana - peace, wisdom and bliss. Together with the extinction of the vital fire, a significant part of emotions and desires leaves. This desire is not for death, but for life, but in a different capacity: the existence of a perfect, free spirit.

Buddhism does not deny the existence of many gods, as well as other supernatural beings - demons, spirits and others, but the Buddha believed that they are no exception - they also exist within the framework of karma, and therefore are not able to get rid of reincarnations. Only a person, by consistently changing himself, is able to eradicate the cause of rebirth and achieve nirvana. In order to be freed from rebirth, Buddhists believe that gods and other beings have to be born in human form. Only among people there appear those who achieve Enlightenment and Nirvana.

The concept of dharma means the highest truth that the Buddha revealed to all people. The word "dharma" is equivalent in Buddhism to moral virtue, the spiritual qualities of the Buddha, which believers should imitate. In addition, dharmas, from the point of view of Buddhists, are the final elements into which the stream of existence is broken. Everyone has their own ability to comprehend the dharma, therefore there is no single body of Buddhist doctrine suitable for all. In order to follow the Buddhist path, more serious spiritual efforts are needed, above all, meditation.

It is not easy to achieve the highest goal of Buddhists - nirvana. Only the most stubborn and gifted can do this, and for ordinary people who are not capable of significant spiritual efforts, an incarnation in better conditions can become an intermediate stage.

Perhaps you will be interested in other, unusual for Russia, religions? For example, you can read about or.