Buddhism is a faith that has been in existence for more than 2500 years, and it was founded by the Buddha, also known as Siddharta Gautama, in India. Buddhism is amongst the most significant faiths globally, with followers in India, China, and Southeast Asia. Despite being most common in Asian countries, Buddhism's ideas and philosophies are growing fast in almost all parts of the world.
Gautama, who would later be referred to as " Buddha," was born into a wealthy Nepalese family as a prince in the 5th century BC. Despite his opulent upbringing, Gautama was always concerned about the sufferings people go through ( History.com Editors, 2017) . Gautama decided to endure poverty and relinquish his lavish lifestyle. However, he still did not feel fulfilled by the poor life; thus, he chose to live a middle way life, midway between a lavish lifestyle and poverty. He kept on searching for satisfaction, and according to Buddhists, the Buddha got enlightenment while meditating. From there, henceforth, Gautama spent his life teaching other individuals about spiritual nourishment. He had several followers, and after passing away in 483 BC, his teachings became the foundation of Buddhism.
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Buddhists believe in the Three Marks of Existence, Dukkha, Anatta, and Anicca, common across all aspects of life. Firstly, Dukkha is commonly explained as suffering, dissatisfaction, or frustration. In life, people do not always get what they want, and things keep on changing. Thus, in life, it is hard to get complete satisfaction. Secondly is Anatta, which means that everything keeps changing in life ( Anālayo, 2020 ) . Thus, one cannot claim to have a fixed sense of self. Scholars also argue that the doctrine means people do not have a soul. Then, there is Anicca, which means impermanence. In life, things keep on changing every time, and there is nothing that stays the same throughout.
Buddhists also believe in The Four Noble Truths: Magga, Nirhodha, Samudaya, and Dukkha. The First Noble Truth is Dukkha which means suffering, and it comes in various ways. The most common sufferings are associated with the challenges Buddha faced in his life: sickness, old age, and death. However, Buddha teaches that life is not ideal, and in most instances, it does not meet the expectations which people have ( Thera, 2017) . If there is pleasure in life, it does not last, and if it does, it becomes monotonous. Then, there is the Second Noble Truth, which is Samudaya. It explains the origin of suffering, which is the cause of evil. The first one is hatred and destructive urges, then there is ignorance, and lastly, greed. Then, there is the Third Noble Truth: Nirhodha, which refers to the cessation of suffering. It explains that people can extinguish desire by liberating themselves from what makes them suffer. Then, there is the Last Noble Truth, which is Magga, and it refers to the strategies one can use to be liberated from Dukkha. To avoid suffering, one can cultivate discipline, meditate, and practice mindfulness.
Then, there is the Noble Eightfold Path of Life, which refers to an early summary of Buddhism's practices, which can help get liberated from Samsara, which refers to the cycle of death and rebirth. It comprises eight steps: having the right view, correct resolve, effective speech, good behavior, living right, putting in the right effort, mindfulness, and proper meditation.
Despite various forms of Buddhism existing globally, there are three main types: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. The first one is the Vajrayana, which originated in Tibet and emphasized the longevity of Buddha's teachings ( Mark, 2020) . The doctrine encompasses Tantra, which is a technique that can be used to reach enlightenment quickly. Secondly, it is the Mahayana, which mainly lays its followers for the liberation of every sentimental accord and makes insight and compassion the followers' central doctrine. Then, there is the Theravada, whose teachings mainly concern the early teachings and life of Buddha. The Vajrayana and Mahayana text exists in six languages. However, Mahayana contains several ideas, and the early text was probably confined under stringent monastic teachings.
Therefore, despite Buddhism being a complicated faith, various teachings make it easy to follow. Buddhists dwell on the teachings of their founder, Siddharta Gautama. There are various ideologies that they believe in, including the three marks of reality, the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eightfold Path.
References
Anālayo, B. (2020). A brief history of Buddhist absorption. Mindfulness , 11 (3), 571-586. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01268-7
History.com Editors. (2017). Buddhism . HISTORY. Retrieved 8 April 2021, from https://www.history.com/topics/religion/buddhism .
Mark, J. (2020). A Short History of the Buddhist Schools . World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 8 April 2021, from https://www.ancient.eu/article/492/a-short-history-of-the-buddhist-schools/ .
Thera, V. N. (2017). Buddha and His Teachings, The . Pariyatti.
