Buddhism
Buddhism
World Religion Report
Table of Contents
Introduction to Buddhism 3
The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to Liberation 5
The Salt Lake Buddhist Temple 6
Interview with Reverend Masami Hayashi 7
Christianity vs. Buddhism 9
In Conclusion 10
References 11
Introduction to Buddhism
Buddhism is a nontheistic religion, because it does not recognize a personal god, rather it focuses on the acts made by each person and their effects on the life of each individual. These effects caused by decision-making, create an outcome. This type of belief is a founding principle of Buddhism, known as Karma. Karma is the belief that the choices made by us, directly affect the outcome of our lives, both physically and spiritually. Another important belief in Buddhism is reincarnation, or the belief that when a person perishes, he or she is reborn in a cycle of life until they reach the stage of supreme spiritual enlightenment. The ultimate goal for every member of Buddhism is to reach a stage simply known as Nirvana. To reach Nirvana, a member must first realize their previous lives and learn a way to completely void themselves of all negative thoughts and beliefs. Until a person attains Nirvana, they are caught the cycle of rebirth, known as Samsara. According to Samsara, every person can be reborn as any living creature on the planet, which is way the way of Buddhism is a path which recognizes and respects all forms of life.
Buddhism was founded in India. The exact year of its creation is a matter of great debate. Most historians believe Buddhism was founded around the year 600 BCE; although, the religious text that were created for Buddhism would not come into fruition for another one hundred years after the death of the founder of Buddhism, Guatama Buddha. The one who would become known as Buddha, or enlightened one, was...
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