Skip to main content
Like
Create new Glog
previous
next
Email share
17 views | 0 likes | 0 reposts
Buddhism
This is the Dharmacakra or the Wheel of Dharma. It is the symbol of Buddhism. Its eight spokes represent the Noble Eightfold Path and the flow of the Buddhas teachings.
Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Guatama in India. The legend of Guatama is that he left his palace and saw a sick man, a dead man, and a beggar. This was when he realized that life was full of pain and suffering. After mediating for years he finally acheived enlightenmet while meditating under a tree. He wanted to teach others of what he had found and he did so in the 'Four Noble Truths'. The four truths are: 1. Suffering is universal 11. The cause of suffering is desire 111. The only way to end the suffering is to end desire. 1V. The way to end desire is by following the Noble Eightfold Path. This 'path' is what the Budda created as a guide to right conduct.
He saw himself as a Hindu and believed in karma and reincarnation but did not believe in any gods. Buddha believed that people had to follow the Noble Eightfold Path to acheive nirvana. Nirvana is the freedom from the cycle of life and death. Unlike the Hindus, Buddha rejected the caste system. Many people followed the Buddha and his teachings. He created many monasteries and convents which is where monks and nuns could study the Noble Eightfold Path. After he died the Buddhas teachings were passed on and written down in the 'Three Baskets of Wisdom'. As Buddhism spread it became divided into two sects; Theravada and Mahayana. The Theravada Buddhists followed a monastic life to reach nirvana. They did not believe in any gods but respected the Buddha and saw him as a teacher. This form spread to Ceylon, Burma and Thailand. Mahayana spread to China, Tibet, Japan, and Korea. The main difference between them is that the Mahayana worshipped the Buddha and other enlightened ones as gods.
This is the Buddhists flag. The first 5 stripes are self colors, an the 6th is a combination of them all. It symbolizes the unity and harmony of Buddhists.
This picture is of Siddhartha Guatama, where he acheived enlightnment under the tree.
