The message about Buddhism summarized in this article will tell you a lot useful information about one of the most influential religions in the world.

Report on Buddhism

The main object of worship and the founder of Buddhism is Prince Gautama Siddhartha. He lived in 563 - 483 BC. e. Therefore, this religion is one of the most ancient in the world.

According to legend, when Gautama turned 35, he achieved enlightenment and changed his life, as well as the lives of those people who followed him. They called him Buddha, which is from Sanskrit meaning awakened, enlightened. He spread his sermons for 40 years and Siddhartha died at the age of 80. It is noteworthy that Siddhartha did not leave behind any written work.

How is God interpreted in Buddhism?

Sects that have separated from Buddhism revere Buddha as God. But the majority of followers see Siddhartha as a mentor, founder and educator. They are confident that enlightenment can only be achieved with the help of infinite Universal energy. Therefore, we can draw the following conclusion: the world of Buddhism does not recognize the existence of a creator god, omnipotent and omniscient. According to their beliefs, every person is part of a deity. Buddhists do not have a permanent God, because every enlightened person is capable of achieving the great title of “Buddha”. This understanding of God is what distinguishes Buddhism from other Western religions.

What is the essence of Buddhism?

The main desire of Buddhists is to purify the clouded state of mind that distorts reality. This state includes feelings of fear, anger, selfishness, ignorance, laziness, greed, envy, irritation, and so on.

Religion develops beneficial and pure qualities of consciousness: compassion, generosity, wisdom, kindness, gratitude, hard work. They help you gradually clear and understand your mind. When it becomes bright and strong, irritation and anxiety, leading to depression and adversity, decrease.

In general, Buddhism is a religion of more than a philosophical nature. Its doctrine contains 4 basic truths:

• about the origin and causes of suffering
• about the nature of suffering
• about ways to end suffering
• about ending suffering and eliminating its sources

All of them ultimately lead to the destruction of pain and suffering. Reached state human soul allows you to immerse yourself in transcendental meditation, achieving enlightenment and wisdom.

Ethics and Morality of Buddhism

Buddhist ethics and morality are based on the principles of not committing moderation and harm. In a person, religion educates and develops a sense of concentration, morality and wisdom. Meditation allows you to understand the workings of the mind and the cause-and-effect relationships between spiritual, bodily and psychological processes. Each level of the teachings of Buddhism is aimed at the comprehensive development of the human personality - mind, speech and body.

We hope that the report on Buddhism helped us learn a lot of useful information about this world religion. And you can leave your message about the religion of Buddhism using the comment form below.

Man has always sought to know himself, the world And fill your life with meaning. Any religion carries within itself the spiritual foundations of the life of a particular nationality. One of ancient religions is Buddhism. Mysteries and legends associated with the founder of the doctrine disturb the minds of people to this day.

The man who really existed

Several centuries BC, in the territory where it is now located country Nepal, V royal family a boy was born. According to one legend, the gods sent a new prophet to earth, who was to teach people to be happy. Another narrative says that the Buddha himself chose the time and place of his birth.

After being born, the boy took seven steps. Lotuses grew where his feet touched the ground. The future sage said that he came to earth for the sake of people and wants to save them from suffering. Until the age of 29, the young man lived in a family that gave him an excellent upbringing and the opportunity for comprehensive development.

Wanting to save humanity from pain and misfortune, the philosopher firmly believed that this was possible and I was looking for a way out. This is how Buddhism appeared - a philosophical doctrine based on noble truths, which later became the symbol of faith of the nascent religion.

The Prophet had many students and followers in different countries peace. Even royalty and high-ranking officials were among his admirers.

The great contemplative died in India at the age of 80.

What does Buddhism preach?

Buddha preached his own understanding of how a person can get rid of physical and mental torment. He believed that the end of suffering is possible and explained how to live in order to achieve this.

According to Buddha, anyone can achieve the highest happiness, in other words, nirvana. For this he developed his the path to deliverance which includes the following.

1. A person's views must be correct, based on noble truths.
2. In the name of truth and truth, a person must be ready for a feat.
3. The speech should be sincere, friendly and truthful.
4. A person should not cause harm to anyone by his behavior.
5. You need to lead an honest and correct lifestyle.
6. A person must engage in self-education and develop willpower.
7. You need to be attentive, vigilant and active.
8. The ability to gather internally must constantly develop. This must be learned through meditation and contemplation.

The preacher explained to the people that the first thing to learn is how get rid of evil in yourself.

By observing these basic commandments, a person will be able to become calm and independent from all life's adversities. All kinds of rituals and sacrifices are alien to this religion. The history of Buddhism, undergoing ups and downs, continues to this day.

Shrines and relics of Buddhism

In the town of Bodhgaya (India), and it was here that the founder of the religion began his path of enlightenment, modern English archaeologists have unearthed a sacred temple. After this, Buddhists from all over the world began to make pilgrimages to this territory, and those countries in which Buddhism is the main religion consider it their duty to build another new temple here.

To the wisest of the wisest people Not only holy temples and monasteries are dedicated to the planet. Numerous statues testify to how valued and teaching is valued at all times. There are Buddha statues in China, Japan, and Nepal. One of the most famous and famous statues is located in India, it is made from a huge single piece of stone.

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The story of Buddha, an awakened sage from the Shakya family, the legendary founder of the world religion of Buddhism and spiritual teacher, dates back to the 5th-6th century BC ( exact date unknown). Blessed, revered by the world, walking in goodness, completely perfect... He is called by different names. Buddha lived a rather long life, about 80 years, and traveled an amazing path during this time. But first things first.

Biography reconstruction

Before Buddha, one important nuance should be noted. The fact is that there is no material for the scientific reconstruction of his biography. modern science very little. Therefore, all information known about the Blessed One is taken from a number of Buddhist texts, from a work called “Buddhacharita” for example (translated as “Life of the Buddha”). Its author is Ashvaghosha, an Indian preacher, playwright and poet.

Also one of the sources is the work of “Lalitavistara”. Translated as “Detailed description of the pastimes of the Buddha.” Several authors worked on the creation of this work. It is interesting that it is “Lalitavistara” that completes the process of deification, deification of the Buddha.

It is also worth mentioning that the first texts relating to the Awakened Sage began to appear only four centuries after his death. By that time, the stories about him had already been slightly changed by the monks to exaggerate his figure.

And we must remember: the works of the ancient Indians did not cover chronological aspects. Attention was focused on philosophical aspects. After reading many Buddhist texts, one can understand this. There, the description of the Buddha's thoughts prevails over the stories about the time in which all the events took place.

Life before birth

If you believe the stories and legends about the Buddha, then his path to enlightenment, a holistic and complete awareness of the nature of reality began tens of thousands of years before his actual birth. This is called the wheel of alternating lives and deaths. The concept is more common under the name “samsara”. This cycle is limited by karma - the universal law of cause and effect, according to which a person’s sinful or righteous actions determine his destiny, the pleasures and sufferings intended for him.

So, it all began with the meeting of Dipankara (the first of the 24 Buddhas) with a learned and rich brahmana, a representative of the upper class, named Sumedhi. He was simply amazed by his calmness and serenity. After this meeting, Sumedhi promised himself to achieve exactly the same state. So they began to call him a bodhisattva - one who strives for awakening for the benefit of all beings, in order to emerge from the state of samsara.

Sumedhi died. But his strength and desire for enlightenment are not. It was she who determined his multiple births in different bodies and images. All this time, the bodhisattva continued to improve his mercy and wisdom. They say that on his penultimate time he was born among the gods (devas), and was given the opportunity to choose the most favorable place for his final birth. Therefore his decision became the family of the venerable Shakya king. He knew that people would have more confidence in the preaching of one who had such a noble origin.

Family, conception and birth

According to the traditional biography of the Buddha, his father's name was Shuddhodana, and he was a rajah (ruler) of a small Indian principality and the head of the Shakya tribe - a royal family of the foothills of the Himalayas with the capital of Kapilavatthu. Interestingly, Gautama is his gotra, an exogamous clan, analogous to a surname.

There is, however, another version. According to it, Shuddhodana was a member of the Kshatriya assembly - an influential class in ancient Indian society, which included sovereign warriors.

Buddha's mother was Queen Mahamaya of the Koliya kingdom. On the night of Buddha's conception, she dreamed that an elephant entered her white with six light tusks.

In accordance with Shakya tradition, the queen went to her parents' house to give birth. But Mahamaya did not reach them - everything happened on the road. I had to stop in the Lumbini grove (modern location - the state of Nepal in South Asia, a settlement in the Rupandehi district). It was there that the future Sage was born - right under the Ashoka tree. This happened in the month of Vaishakha - the second from the beginning of the year, lasting from April 21 to May 21.

According to most sources, Queen Mahamaya died a few days after giving birth.

The hermit-seer Asita from the mountain monastery was invited to bless the baby. He found 32 signs of a great man on the child's body. The seer said - the baby will become either a chakravartin (great king) or a saint.

The boy was named Siddhartha Gautama. The naming ceremony was held on the fifth day after his birth. "Siddhartha" is translated as "one who has achieved his goal." Eight learned brahmins were invited to predict his future. All of them confirmed the boy's dual fate.

Youth

Talking about the biography of the Buddha, it should be noted that his younger sister Mahamaya was involved in his upbringing. Her name was Maha Prajapati. The father also took a certain part in the upbringing. He wanted his son to become a great king, and not a religious sage, therefore, remembering the dual prediction for the boy’s future, he tried in every possible way to protect him from teachings, philosophy and knowledge about human suffering. He ordered the construction of three palaces especially for the boy.

The future was ahead of all his peers in everything - in development, in sports, in science. But most of all he was drawn to reflection.

As soon as the young man turned 16, he was married to a princess named Yashodhara, the daughter of King Sauppabuddha of the same age. A few years later, they had a son, who was named Rahula. He was the only child of Buddha Shakyamuni. Interestingly, his birth coincided with a lunar eclipse.

Looking ahead, it is worth saying that the boy became a disciple of his father, and later an arhat - one who achieved complete liberation from kleshas (obscurations and affects of consciousness) and emerged from the state of samsara. Rahula experienced enlightenment even when he simply walked next to his father.

For 29 years Siddhartha lived as the prince of the capital Kapilavastu. He got everything he could want. But I felt: material wealth is far from the final goal of life.

What changed his life

One day, in the 30th year of his life, Siddhartha Gautama, the future Buddha, went outside the palace, accompanied by the charioteer Channa. And he saw four sights that changed his life forever. These were:

• A poor old man.
• A sick man.
• Decaying corpse.
• Hermit (ascetic renouncer) worldly life Human).

It was at that moment that Siddhartha realized the harsh reality of our reality, which remains relevant to this day, despite the past two and a half millennia. He understood that death, aging, suffering and illness are inevitable. Neither nobility nor wealth can protect you from them. The path to salvation lies only through self-knowledge, since it is through this that one can comprehend the causes of suffering.

That day really changed a lot. What he saw inspired him to leave his home, family and all his property. He abandoned his previous life to go in search of a way to get rid of suffering.

Gaining knowledge

From that day began new story Buddha. Siddhartha left the palace with Channa. Legends say that the gods muffled the sound of his horse's hooves to keep his departure secret.

As soon as the prince left the city, he stopped the first beggar he met and exchanged clothes with him, after which he released his servant. This event even has a name - “The Great Departure”.

Siddhartha began his ascetic life in Rajagriha, a city in the Nalanda district, which is now called Rajgir. There he begged on the street.

Naturally, they found out about this. King Bimbisara even offered him the throne. Siddhartha refused it, but made a promise to go to the kingdom of Magadha after achieving enlightenment.

So the Buddha's life in Rajagriha did not work out, and he left the city, eventually coming to two brahmin hermits, where he began to learn yogic meditation. Having mastered the teaching, he came to a sage named Udaka Ramaputta. He became his disciple, and after achieving the highest level of meditative concentration, he set out on the road again.

His target was southeastern India. There, Siddhartha, along with five other people seeking the truth, tried to come to enlightenment under the leadership of the monk Kaundinya. The methods were the most severe - asceticism, self-torture, all kinds of vows and mortification of the flesh.

Being on the verge of death after six (!) years of such existence, he realized that this does not lead to clarity of mind, but only clouds it and exhausts the body. Therefore, Gautama began to reconsider his path. He remembered how, as a child, he fell into a trance during the plowing holiday, and felt that refreshing and blissful state of concentration. And plunged into Dhyana. This is a special state of contemplation, concentrated thinking, which leads to calming the consciousness and subsequently to a complete stop of mental activity for a while.

Enlightenment

After renouncing self-torture, the Buddha's life began to take a different turn - he went to wander alone, and his path continued until he reached a grove located near the town of Gaya (Bihar state).

By chance, he came across the house of a village woman, Sujata Nanda, who believed that Siddhartha was the spirit of a tree. He looked so exhausted. The woman fed him rice with milk, after which he sat down under a large ficus tree (now it is called and vowed not to get up until he comes to the Truth.

This did not please the tempter demon Mara, who headed the kingdom of the gods. He seduced the future God Buddha with various visions, showed him beautiful women, trying in every possible way to distract him from meditation by demonstrating the attractiveness of earthly life. However, Gautama was unshakable, and the demon retreated.

He sat under the ficus tree for 49 days. And on the full moon, in the month of Vaisakha, on the same night when Siddhartha was born, he achieved Awakening. He was 35 years old. That night he gained a complete understanding of the causes of human suffering, of nature, and also of what it takes to achieve the same state for other people.

This knowledge later became known as the “Four Noble Truths.” Briefly they can be stated as follows: “There is suffering. And there is a reason for it, which is desire. The cessation of suffering is nirvana. And there is a path that leads to its achievement, called the Eightfold.”

For several more days, Gautama thought, being in a state of samadhi (disappearance of the idea of ​​one’s own individuality), whether to teach the acquired knowledge to others. He doubted whether they would be able to achieve Awakening, because they were all filled with deception, hatred and greed. And the ideas of Enlightenment are very subtle and deep to understand. But the highest deva Brahma Sahampati (god) stood up for the people, who asked Gautama to bring the Teaching into this world, since there will always be those who will understand it.

Eightfold Path

When talking about who the Buddha is, one cannot fail to mention the Noble Eightfold Path, which the Awakened One himself traversed. This is the road leading to the cessation of suffering and liberation from the state of samsara. We can talk about this for hours, but in short, the Eightfold Path of the Buddha is 8 rules, following which you can come to Awakening. Here's what they are:

1. Correct view. It implies the comprehension of the four truths that were indicated above, as well as other provisions of the teaching that need to be experienced and formed into the motivation of one’s behavior.
2. Right intention. One must be firmly convinced of one's decision to follow the Eightfold Path of the Buddha, which leads to nirvana and liberation. And begin to cultivate metta in yourself - friendliness, benevolence, loving kindness and kindness towards all living things.
3. Correct speech. Refusal of foul language and lies, slander and stupidity, obscenity and meanness, idle talk and strife.
4. Correct behavior. Do not kill, do not steal, do not be promiscuous, do not get drunk, do not lie, do not commit any other atrocities. This is the path to social, contemplative, karmic and psychological harmony.
5. The right way of life. We must give up everything that can cause suffering to any living beings. Choose the appropriate type of activity - earn money in accordance with Buddhist values. Give up luxury, wealth and excesses. This will get rid of envy and other passions.
6. The right effort. The desire to realize oneself and learn to distinguish between dharmas, joy, peace and tranquility, and concentrate on achieving the truth.
7. Right mindfulness. Be able to be aware of your own body, mind, sensations. Try to learn to see yourself as an accumulation of physical and mental states, to distinguish the “ego”, to destroy it.
8. Correct concentration. Entering into deep meditation or dhyana. Helps to achieve extreme contemplation and liberation.

And that's it in a nutshell. The name of Buddha is primarily associated with these concepts. And, by the way, they also formed the basis of the Zen school.

On the spread of the teaching

From the moment Siddhartha realized who the Buddha was, they began to know. He set about spreading knowledge. The first students were traders - Bhallika and Tapussa. Gautama gave them several hairs from his head, which, according to legend, are kept in a 98-meter gilded stupa in Yangon (Shwedagon Pagoda).

Then the Buddha's story takes shape in such a way that he goes to Varanasi (a city for Hindus that means the same thing as the Vatican for Catholics). Siddhartha wanted to tell his former teachers about his achievements, but it turned out that they had already died.

Then he headed to the suburb of Sarnath, where he held his first sermon, in which he told his fellow asceticists about the Eightfold Path and the Four Truths. Everyone who listened to him soon became an arhat.

Over the next 45 years, the name of Buddha became increasingly recognizable. He traveled throughout India, teaching the Teaching to everyone, no matter who they were - be it cannibals, warriors, or cleaners. Gautama was also accompanied by the sangha, his community.

His father, Shuddhodana, found out about all this. The king sent as many as 10 delegations to fetch his son and bring him back to Kapilavastu. But in ordinary life, Buddha was a prince. Everything has long since become the past. Delegations came to Siddhartha, and eventually 9 out of 10 joined his sangha, becoming arhats. The tenth Buddha accepted and agreed to go to Kapilavastu. He went there on foot, preaching the Dharma along the way.

Returning to Kapilavastu, Gautama learned of the impending death of his father. He came to him and told him about the Dharma. Just before his death, Shuddhodana became an arhat.

After this he returned to Rajagaha. Maha Prajapati, who raised him, asked to be accepted into the sangha, but Gautama refused. However, the woman did not accept this and went after him along with several noble girls of the Koliya and Shakya clans. As a result, the Buddha nobly accepted them, seeing that their capacity for enlightenment was on par with men.

Death

The years of Buddha's life were eventful. When he turned 80, he said that he would soon achieve Parinirvana, the final stage of immortality, and free his earthly body. Before entering this state, he asked his disciples if they had any questions. There weren't any. Then he said his last words: “All composite things are short-lived. Strive for your own liberation with special diligence.”

When he died, he was cremated according to the rules of the rite for the Universal Ruler. The remains were divided into 8 parts and placed at the base of stupas, specially erected for this purpose. It is believed that some monuments have survived to this day. Dalada Maligawa Temple, for example, which houses the tooth of the great sage.

In ordinary life, Buddha was simply a man of status. And having gone through a difficult path, he became the one who was able to achieve highest state spiritual perfection and put knowledge into the minds of thousands of people. It is he who is the founder of the most ancient world teaching, which has indescribable significance. It is not surprising that the celebration of Buddha's birthday is a large-scale and high-profile holiday, celebrated in all East Asian countries (except Japan), and in some it is official. The date changes annually, but always falls in April or May.

Buddhism is a religion founded by Gautama Buddha (6th century BC). All Buddhists revere Buddha as the founder of the spiritual tradition that bears his name. In almost all areas of Buddhism there are monastic orders, whose members act as teachers and clergy for the laity. Beyond these commonalities, however, the many strands of modern Buddhism exhibit diversity in both belief and religious practice. In its classical form (Theravada, “school of elders,” or Hinayana, “lesser vehicle”) Buddhism is primarily philosophy and ethics. The goal of believers is to achieve nirvana, a blissful state of insight and liberation from the shackles of one’s self, the world and the endless circle of births, deaths and new births in a chain of new lives. A state of spiritual perfection is achieved through humility, generosity, mercy, abstinence from violence and self-control. The branch of Buddhism known as Mahayana (“great vehicle”) is characterized by the veneration of a pantheon of divine Buddhas and future Buddhas. In other forms of Buddhism, ideas about a whole hierarchy of demons are common. Some varieties of Mahayana Buddhism promise true paradise for believers. A number of schools emphasize faith rather than works. There is a type of Buddhism that seeks to lead the adherent to a paradoxical, intuitive, non-rational comprehension of the “true reality.”

In India, Buddhism flourished until about 500 AD. Then it gradually fell into decline, was absorbed by Hinduism, and by the 11th century. almost completely disappeared. By that time, Buddhism had spread and gained influence in other countries of Central and East Asia, where it remains viable to this day. Today Buddhism exists in two main forms. Hinayana is common in Sri Lanka and in the countries of Southeast Asia - Myanmar (formerly Burma), Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Mahayana is predominant in China, including Tibet, Vietnam, Japan, Korea and Mongolia. Significant numbers of Buddhists live in the Himalayan kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan, as well as Sikkim in northern India. Much fewer Buddhists (less than 1%) live in India itself, Pakistan, the Philippines and Indonesia. Outside of Asia, several thousand Buddhists live in the United States (600 thousand), South America (160 thousand) and Europe (20 thousand). Data on the total number of Buddhists in the world (from 200 million to 500 million) differ depending on the methodology and calculation criteria. In many countries, Buddhism has been mixed with elements of other eastern religions, such as Shintoism or Taoism.

Gautama Buddha (6th–5th centuries BC)

Life of Buddha

The founder of Buddhism is Buddha (“Enlightened One”). At birth, Buddha was given the name Siddhartha, and the name of his clan or family was Gautama. The biography of Siddhartha Gautama is known only as presented by his followers. These traditional accounts, initially transmitted orally, were not written down until several centuries after his death. The most famous tales about the life of Buddha are included in the Jataka collection, compiled around the 2nd century. BC. in the Pali language (one of the most ancient Central Indian languages).

Siddhartha was born in Kapilavastu, in the southern part of what is now Nepal, around the 6th century. BC. His father Shuddhodhana, the head of the noble Shakya clan, belonged to the warrior caste. According to legend, at the birth of a child, his parents were predicted that he would become either a great Ruler or a Teacher of the Universe. The father, firmly determined that his son should be his heir, took all measures to ensure that his son did not see either the signs or the suffering of the world. As a result, Siddhartha spent his youth in luxury, as befits a rich man. young man. He married his cousin Yashodhara, winning her in a competition of agility and strength (swayamvara), in which he put all other participants to shame. Being a meditative person, he soon tired of his idle life and turned to religion. At the age of 29, despite the efforts of his father, he nevertheless saw four signs that were to determine his fate. For the first time in his life, he saw old age (a decrepit old man), then illness (a man exhausted by illness), death (a dead body) and true serenity (a wandering mendicant monk). In reality, the people Siddhartha saw were gods who took on this appearance in order to help Siddhartha become a Buddha. Siddhartha was at first very sad, but soon realized that the first three signs indicate the constant presence of suffering in the world. The suffering seemed all the more terrible to him because, according to the beliefs of that time, after death a person was doomed to be born again. Therefore, there was no end to suffering; it was eternal. In the fourth sign, in the serene inner joy of a mendicant monk, Siddhartha saw his future destiny.

Even the happy news of the birth of his son did not make him happy, and one night he left the palace and rode off on his faithful horse Kanthaka. Siddhartha took off his expensive clothes, changed into a monk's dress and soon settled as a hermit in the forest. He then joined five ascetics in the hope that mortification would lead him to insight and peace. After six years of the strictest asceticism, without getting any closer to his goal, Siddhartha parted with the ascetics and began to lead a more moderate lifestyle.

One day, Siddhartha Gautama, who was already thirty-five years old, sat down under a large bo tree (a type of fig tree) near the town of Gaya in eastern India and vowed that he would not move from his place until he solved the riddle of suffering. For forty-nine days he sat under the tree. Friendly gods and spirits fled from him when the tempter Mara, the Buddhist devil, approached. Day after day, Siddhartha resisted various temptations. 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. When Mara demanded that Siddhartha provide evidence of his kindness and mercy, Gautama touched the ground with his hand, and the earth said: “I am his witness.”

In the end, Mara and his demons fled, and on the morning of the 49th day, Siddhartha Gautama learned the truth, solved the riddle of suffering and understood what a person must do to overcome it. Fully enlightened, he achieved the utmost detachment from the world (nirvana), which means the cessation of suffering.

He spent another 49 days in meditation under a tree, and then went to Deer Park near Benares, where he found five ascetics with whom he lived in the forest. Buddha gave his first sermon to them. Soon the Buddha acquired many followers, the most beloved of whom was his cousin Ananda, and organized a community (sangha), essentially a monastic order (bhikkhus - “beggars”). The Buddha instructed dedicated followers in liberation from suffering and achieving nirvana, and the laity in a moral lifestyle. The Buddha traveled widely, returning home briefly to convert his own family and courtiers. Over time, he began to be called Bhagavan (“Lord”), Tathagatha (“Thus come” or “Thus gone”) and Shakyamuni (“Sage of the Shakya family”).

There is a legend that Devadatta, Buddha's cousin, plotting out of jealousy to kill Buddha, released a mad elephant onto the path along which he was supposed to pass. Buddha gently stopped the elephant, which knelt before him. In the 80th year of his life, Buddha did not refuse pork, which the layman Chanda the blacksmith treated him to, and soon died.

Exercises

Pre-Buddhist teachings. The era in which Buddha lived was a time of great religious ferment. By the 6th century. BC. polytheistic veneration of the deified forces of nature, inherited from the era of the Aryan conquest of India (1500–800 BC), took shape in sacrificial rites performed by Brahmin priests. The cult was based on two collections of sacred literature compiled by priests: the Vedas, collections of ancient hymns, chants and liturgical texts, and the Brahmanas, collections of instructions for performing rituals. Later, the ideas contained in the hymns and interpretations were supplemented by the belief in reincarnation, samsara and karma.

Among the followers of the Vedic religion were Brahman priests who believed that since the gods and all other beings are manifestations of a single supreme reality (Brahman), then only union with this reality can bring liberation. Their thoughts are reflected in later Vedic literature (Upanishads, 7th–6th centuries BC). Other teachers, rejecting the authority of the Vedas, proposed other paths and methods. Some (Ajivakas and Jains) emphasized asceticism and mortification, others insisted on the adoption of a special doctrine, the adherence to which was supposed to ensure spiritual liberation.

The teachings of the Buddha, distinguished by their depth and high morals, was a protest against Vedic formalism. Rejecting the authority of both the Vedas and the Brahmanical priesthood, the Buddha proclaimed a new path of liberation. Its essence is outlined in his sermon The Turning of the Wheel of Doctrine (Dhammacakkhappavattana). This is the “middle way” between the extremes of ascetic asceticism (which seemed pointless to him) and the satisfaction of sensual desires (equally useless). Essentially, this path is to understand the “four noble truths” and live according to them.

I. The Noble Truth of Suffering. Suffering is inherent in life itself, it consists in birth, old age, illness and death, in connection with the unpleasant, in separation from the pleasant; in not achieving what you want, in short, in everything connected with existence.

II. The Noble Truth about the Cause of Suffering. The cause of suffering is craving, which leads to rebirth and is accompanied by joy and delight, exultation in the pleasures found here and there. This is the thirst for lust, the thirst for existence and non-existence.

III. The Noble Truth of the End of Suffering. The cessation of suffering is the cessation of desires through renunciation of them, gradual liberation from their power.

IV. The Noble Truth of the Path to the End of Suffering. The path to the cessation of suffering is the Eightfold Path of Rightness, namely Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindset, Right Concentration. Progress along this path leads to the disappearance of desires and liberation from suffering.

The teachings of the Buddha differ from the Vedic tradition, which is based on rituals of sacrifice to the gods of nature. Here the fulcrum is no longer dependence on the actions of the priests, but internal liberation through the right way of thinking, right behavior and spiritual discipline. The teachings of the Buddha are also opposed to the Brahmanism of the Upanishads. The authors of the Upanishads, the seers, abandoned the belief in material sacrifices. However, they retained the idea of ​​the Self (Atman) as an unchanging, eternal entity. They saw the path to liberation from the power of ignorance and rebirth in the merging of all finite “I”s into the universal “I” (Atman, which is Brahman). Gautama, on the contrary, was deeply concerned with the practical problem of human liberation through moral and spiritual cleansing and opposed the idea of ​​an unchanging essence of the Self. In this sense, he proclaimed “Not-I” (An-Atman). What is commonly called “I” is a collection of constantly changing physical and mental components. Everything is in process, and therefore capable of improving itself through right thoughts and right actions. Every action has consequences. Recognizing this “law of karma”, the changeable Self can, by making right efforts, escape the urge to do evil deeds and the retribution for other deeds in the form of suffering and the continuous cycle of birth and death. For a follower who has achieved perfection (arahat), the result of his efforts will be nirvana, a state of serene insight, dispassion and wisdom, deliverance from further births and the sadness of existence.

Spread of Buddhism in India

From Gautama to Ashoka. According to legend, immediately after the death of Gautama, about 500 of his followers gathered at Rajagriha to expound the teachings as they remembered them. A doctrine and rules of conduct were formed that guided monastic community(sangha). Subsequently, this direction was called Theravada (“school of elders”). At the “second council” in Vaishali, the leaders of the community declared illegal relaxations in the ten rules that were practiced by the local monks. This is how the first split occurred. The Vaishali monks (according to the Mahavamsa, or Great Chronicle of Ceylon, there were 10 thousand of them) left the old order and established their own sect, calling themselves Mahasanghikas (members of the Great Order). As the number of Buddhists grew and Buddhism spread, new schisms arose. By the time of Ashoka (3rd century BC), there were already 18 different “schools of teachers”. The most important were the original orthodox Theravada; Sarvastivada, which initially diverged only slightly from Theravada doctrinally; Mahasanghikas. In the end, a territorial division occurred between them, so to speak. The Theravada school moved to South India and Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Sarvastivada first gained popularity in Mathura in northern India, but then spread to the northwest as far as Gandhara. The Mahasanghikas were first active in Magadha and later established themselves in the south of India, retaining only some influence in the north.

The most important difference between the Sarvastivada school is the doctrine of the simultaneous existence of the past, present and future. This explains its name: sarvam-asti - “everything is.” All three of the above schools remain orthodox in their essence, but the Sarvastivadins and Mahasanghikas, who used Sanskrit rather than Pali, tended to interpret the meaning of the Buddha's sayings more freely. As for the Theravadins, they sought to preserve the ancient dogmas intact.

Ashoka (3rd century BC). The spread of Buddhism received a strong new impetus when the third king from the ancient Indian Mauryan dynasty (4th–2nd centuries BC) became a lay follower of this religion. In one of his rock edicts (XIII), Ashoka spoke of repentance for the bloodshed and suffering he inflicted on the people in the Kalinga war of conquest, and of his decision to follow the path of moral conquest (dharma). This meant that he intended to rule based on the principle of righteousness, instilling this righteousness both in his own kingdom and in other countries.

Ashoka honored the ascetics, respecting their preaching of non-violence and humane ethical principles, and required his officials to support noble acts of compassion, generosity, truthfulness, purity, meekness and kindness. He himself strove to be an example, caring for the welfare and happiness of his subjects, be they Hindus, Ajivikas, Jains or Buddhists. Edicts, which he ordered to be carved on rocks or stone pillars in different parts country, perpetuated the principles of his rule.

The Great Chronicle of Ceylon credits Ashoka with the honor of convening the “third council” at Pataliputra, where, in addition to clarifying the “true teaching,” measures were taken to send Buddhist missionaries outside the kingdom.

From Ashoka to Kanishka. After Ashoka, the Mauryan dynasty quickly faded away. By the beginning of 2 BC it was replaced by the Shung dynasty, which was more inclined towards the Brahmans than towards the Buddhists. The appearance of the Bactrian Greeks, Scythians and Parthians in northwestern India posed a new challenge to Buddhist teachers. This situation is reflected in a dialogue written in Pali between the Greco-Bactrian king Menander (Milinda) and the Buddhist sage Nagasena (Milinda's Questions, Milindapanha, 2 BC). Later, in 1 AD, the entire region from Afghanistan to Punjab came under the rule of the Central Asian tribe of the Kushans. According to the Sarvastivadin tradition, during the reign of King Kanishka (78-101 AD), another "council" was held at Jalandhar. The work of the Buddhist scholars who contributed to his work resulted in extensive commentaries in Sanskrit.

Mahayana and Hinayana. Meanwhile, the formation of two interpretations of Buddhism took place. Some Sarvastivadins adhered to the orthodox tradition of “elders” (Sanskrit “sthaviravada”). There were also liberals who resembled the Mahasanghikas. Over time, the two groups came into open disagreement. Liberals considered the teachings of the Sthaviravadins primitive and incomplete. They considered the traditional path of seeking nirvana less successful, calling it the “small chariot” of salvation (Hinayana), while their own teaching was called the “great chariot” (Mahayana), carrying the adept into wider and deeper dimensions of truth.

In an effort to strengthen and make their position invulnerable, the Hinayan Sarvastivadins compiled a corpus of treatises (Abhidharma, c. 350 - 100 BC), based on early texts (sutras) and monastic rules (Vinaya). For their part, the Mahayanists prepared treatises (1–3 CE) outlining new interpretations of the doctrine, opposing the Hinayana as, from their point of view, a primitive interpretation. Despite differences, all monks observed the same rules of discipline, and often Hinayanists and Mahayanists lived in the same or adjacent monasteries.

It should be noted that the terms “Hinayana” and “Mahayana” arose from the polemical statements of the Mahayanists, who sought to separate their new interpretations from the old ones maintained by the conservative Sarvastivadins. Both groups were northern Buddhists who used Sanskrit. The Theravadins, who used Pali and went to the south of India and Sri Lanka (Ceylon), did not take part in this dispute. Treasuring their texts, they saw themselves as guardians of the truth transmitted to them through the “elders” (Pali - “thera”) from the Buddha himself.

Decline of Buddhism in India. As a distinct religion that attracted new followers, strengthened its influence and created new literature, Buddhism flourished in India until about 500 AD. He was supported by rulers, majestic temples and monasteries were built in the country, and great Mahayana teachers appeared: Ashvaghosha, Nagarjuna, Asanga and Vasubandhu. Then came a decline that lasted for several centuries, and after the 12th century, when power in India passed to Muslims, Buddhism practically disappeared in this country. Various factors contributed to the decline of Buddhism. In some regions, a turbulent political situation has developed; in others, Buddhism has lost the patronage of the authorities, and in some places it has encountered opposition from hostile rulers. More important than external factors were internal factors. After the emergence of Mahayana, the creative impulse of Buddhism weakened. Buddhist communities always lived next to others religious cults and practices of religious life - Vedic ritualism, Brahmanism, Jain asceticism and the worship of various Hindu gods. Having never shown intolerance towards other religions, Buddhism could not resist their influence. Already Chinese pilgrims visiting India in 7 AD noted signs of decay. Since the 11th century. Both Hinduism and Buddhism began to experience the influence of tantrism, the name of which comes from the sacred books of tantras (manuals). Tantrism is a system of beliefs and rituals that uses magical spells, mystical syllables, diagrams and symbolic gestures to achieve a sense of mystical unity with reality. In tantric rituals, the image of a god in intercourse with his wife was an expression of the fulfillment of this religious ideal. In Hinduism, partners (shakti) were considered the consorts of gods, in late Mahayanism - consorts of Buddhas and boddhisattvas.

The sublime elements of Buddhist philosophy fell into the hands of former Hindu opponents, and Buddha himself began to be considered an incarnation (avatara) of Vishnu, one of the Hindu gods.

Theravada Buddhism

Basic Doctrines, religious practice, sacred texts. Early Buddhist teachings are best preserved in Pali texts. The texts form a complete canon and provide the most complete picture of Theravada doctrine. Pali is related to Sanskrit, and a number of terms in Pali and Sanskrit are very similar. For example, “dhamma” in Pali is the same as “dharma” in Sanskrit, “kamma” in Pali is the same as “karma” in Sanskrit, “nibbana” is the Sanskrit “nirvana”. The Theravādins believe that the teachings codified in this corpus indicate the truth or law (dhamma) of the Universe itself, and the adept must live by this law in order to achieve the highest freedom and peace. In general terms, the Theravada belief system is as follows.

The universe as we know it is in constant change. Existence, including the life of an individual, is impermanent (anicca). Everything arises and disappears. Contrary to popular belief, there is no permanent, unchanging “I” (Atta) in a person that is reborn, passing from one incarnation to another. In fact, a person is a conditional unity of five groups of changeable physical and mental components: body, sensations, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness, behind which there is no unchanging and permanent essence. Everything is transitory and impermanent, in intense restlessness (dukkha, “suffering”) and without substance (anatta). In this stream of psychophysical events, everything happens in accordance with universal causality (kamma). Every event is a consequence of a cause or a set of causes, and then becomes the cause of its own effects. Thus, each person reaps what he sows. However, what is most important is the recognition of the existence of a moral principle, according to which good deeds lead to good results, and bad deeds lead to bad results. Progress along the path of righteousness (the “eightfold path”) to the highest liberation in nibbana (nirvana) can lead to relief from suffering.

The Eightfold Path consists of following the following principles. (1) Right view is the understanding of the “four noble truths”, i.e. suffering, its causes, its cessation and the path leading to the cessation of suffering. (2) Right thought is liberation from lust, evil will, cruelty and unrighteousness. (3) Correct speech - avoiding lying, spreading gossip, rudeness and empty chatter. (4) Right action is abstaining from killing, stealing and sexual immorality. (5) The right way of life is the choice of those activities that do not harm anything living. (6) Right effort – avoiding and overcoming bad inclinations, nurturing and strengthening good and healthy inclinations. (7) Right attention - observing the state of the body, sensations, mind and the objects on which the mind concentrates in order to understand and control them. (8) Right concentration - concentration of the mind in meditation to induce certain ecstatic states of consciousness leading to insights.

Observations of how life passes through the circle of repeated births led to the development of a formula of causality, the “law of dependence of causes” (Pali, “paticcasamuppada”; Sanskrit: “pratityasamutpada”). This is a chain of 12 causal factors that are supposed to operate in every person, each factor being associated with the next factor. The factors are listed in the following order: “ignorance”, “voluntary actions”, “consciousness”, “mind and body”, “feelings”, “impressions”, “sensations”, “desires”, “attachment”, “becoming”, “ rebirth", "old age and death". The action of these factors gives rise to suffering. The cessation of suffering depends in the same order on the cessation of the action of these factors.

Final goal– the disappearance of all desires and selfish aspirations in nibbana. The Pali word "nibbana" (Sanskrit "nirvana") literally means the "decay" of affects (by analogy with the extinction of a fire after the fuel burns out). This does not mean “nothing” or “annihilation”; rather, it is a transcendental state of freedom beyond “birth and death”, not conveyed in terms of existence or non-existence as commonly understood.

According to Theravada teachings, man himself is responsible for his own salvation and is not dependent on the will of higher powers (gods). The gods are not directly denied existence, but are considered to be subject to a constant process of rebirth according to the law of karma, just like humans. The help of the gods is not necessary for progress on the path to nibbana, so theology was not developed in Theravada. The main objects of worship are called the “three refuges,” and every faithful follower of the Path places his hopes in them: (1) Buddha - not as a god, but as a teacher and example; (2) dhamma – the truth taught by the Buddha; (3) sangha - a brotherhood of followers established by the Buddha.

The literature on Theravada doctrine consists primarily of the texts of the Pali Canon, which are grouped into three collections called the Three Baskets (Tripitaka): (1) The Basket of Discipline (Vinaya Pitaka) contains the rules and rules of conduct for monks and nuns, the narratives of the life and teachings of the Buddha, stories monastic order; (2) The Basket of Instructions (Sutta Pitaka) contains an exposition of the Buddha's sermons. They also tell about the circumstances under which he delivered his sermons, sometimes outlining own experience seeking and achieving enlightenment, always taking into account the capabilities of the audience. This collection of texts has special meaning for the study of early doctrine; (3) The Basket of Supreme Doctrine (Abhidhamma Pitaka) is a systematic classification of terms and ideas from the first two collections. The treatises, compiled much later than the charters and sutras, are devoted to problems of psychology and logic. In general, the canon represents the tradition as it developed over several centuries.

Spread of Theravada Buddhism

The “School of Elders” flourished in those areas where Buddha preached his teachings, in the territory of the ancient states of Koshala and Magadha (modern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar). Subsequently, it gradually lost its position to the Sarvastivadins, whose influence grew.

However, by that time, missionaries had successfully preached Theravada teachings in Sri Lanka (Ceylon), where they first heard about it from Ashoka’s son, Prince Mahinda (246 BC). In Sri Lanka, the tradition was scrupulously guarded and passed on with minor changes. At the beginning of the 1st century. BC. oral traditions were written down in Pali. The Pali texts, divided into three named collections, became an orthodox canon, and have since been revered in Sri Lanka and throughout Southeast Asia. In southern Myanmar (Burma), Theravada may have become known as early as the 1st century AD. The teaching did not spread throughout Myanmar until the 11th century, when the rulers, together with missionary monks, spread it in the north and throughout the country. In Thailand, the first Thai rulers (starting from the 13th century), admiring the Buddhist culture of Myanmar, sent for teachers to Sri Lanka in order to transfer it to their country. Cambodia, in turn, was influenced by Theravada from Thailand, and was later associated directly with Buddhist centers in Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Laos, under Cambodian influence, became a predominantly Theravada country in the 14th and 15th centuries. Indonesia, linked since ancient times to India, Hinduism and Buddhism - both Theravada and Mahayana - was introduced by Indian colonists and merchants. However, starting from the 15th century. Muslim merchants gradually began to penetrate these colonies, and Islam gained the upper hand in Malaya, Sumatra, Java and Borneo. Only on the island of Bali has a religion been preserved, which is a form of Buddhism with elements of Hinduism.

Theravada in the 20th century. Buddhism, found in Southeast Asia, retains the forms in which it once existed in India. Monks in yellow robes are people who have retired from the world and devoted themselves to the spiritual path. The rules of the Basket of Discipline are still observed in monasteries to this day. Lay people respect monasticism, turn to monks for instructions, and make offerings in the form of alms.

Life of a monk. Anyone entering the order must undergo a public ceremony, the main part of which is an oath of allegiance to the “three refuges”: “I seek refuge in the Buddha,” “I seek refuge in the Dhamma,” “I seek refuge in the Sangha.” Each oath is repeated three times. In the initiation rite, he leaves the world and becomes a novice in the monastery. Having completed the period of novitiate, he takes ordination as a monk (bhikhu). After 10 years, a monk becomes an elder (thera), and after 20 years, a great elder (mahathera). In Sri Lanka, an ordained monk must spend his entire life in the sangha. In other Theravada countries a person may spend several months or years in the order and then return to lay life. In Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia, monastic life for several weeks or months forms part of the religious education of every Buddhist youth.

A monk must abstain from alcohol and tobacco, not eat food from noon until the next morning, and maintain purity in thoughts and actions. The day begins with the monks going out to beg (to give the laity an opportunity to exercise the virtue of generosity and raise funds for their own food). Once every two weeks, the Patimokkha (227 rules of discipline) is pronounced, after which the monks must confess their sins and receive a period of repentance. For major sins (violation of chastity, theft, murder, deception in spiritual matters), the monk is punished by exclusion from the order. Important activities include studying and reciting sacred texts; Meditation is considered absolutely necessary to control, purify and elevate the mind.

Two types of meditation are recognized: one leads to serenity (samatha), the other leads to insight (vipassana). For pedagogical purposes, they are divided into 40 exercises for developing serenity and 3 exercises for developing insight. The classic work on meditation techniques - The Path of Purification (Visuddhi Magga) - was written by Buddhaghosa (5th century).

Although monks are required to live a strict life in monasteries, they are not isolated from contact with the laity. As a rule, every village has at least one monastery, which is supposed to exert a spiritual influence on the inhabitants. The monks provide general religious education, perform rituals and ceremonies, prepare young men entering the sangha for religious education in the monastery, perform rituals for the dead, read the Three Jewels (Triratna) and the Five Vows (Pancasila) at funerals, sing hymns about the frailty of everything, which is made up of parts, they console relatives.

Life of the laity. Theravada laypeople practice only the ethical part of the path of discipline. In appropriate cases, they also recite the Three Jewels and observe the Five Vows: prohibition of killing a living person, theft, illicit sexual relations, lying, and the use of alcohol and drugs. IN special cases laymen abstain from eating after noon, do not listen to music, do not use flower garlands and perfumes, and do not wear too soft seats and beds. From canonical book They draw instructions from the Sigolavada Sutta about good relationships between parents and children, students and teachers, husband and wife, friends and acquaintances, servants and masters, lay people and members of the sangha. Especially zealous lay people set up small altars in their homes. Everyone visits temples to honor Buddha and listen to sermons. learned monks about the intricacies of the doctrine and, if possible, make pilgrimages to sacred places for Buddhists. The most famous among them are Buddhagaya in India, where Gautama Buddha achieved enlightenment; Temple of the Tooth in Kandy (Sri Lanka), Shwe Dagon Pagoda in Rangoon (modern Yangon, Myanmar) and Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok (Thailand).

Theravada temples. Throughout Southeast Asia, temples and shrines contain statues depicting the historical Buddha - standing, sitting or reclining. The most common images are of the Buddha, sitting either in a pose of meditation or with raised arms - in a pose of instruction. The reclining posture symbolizes his transition to nibbana. Images of Buddha are not worshiped as idols - they are revered as reminders of the life and virtues of the great teacher. What are believed to be the remains of his body are also venerated. According to legend, after the burning they were distributed to several groups of believers. They are believed to be incorruptible and are now preserved in sanctuaries - stupas, dagobas or pagodas in Theravada countries. Perhaps most notable is the “sacred tooth” located in the temple in Kandy, where services are performed daily.

Theravada activity in the 20th century. Theravada Buddhists intensified their activities after World War II. Associations for the study of teachings are created for the laity, and public lectures by monks are organized. Conducted international conferences Buddhists; In Myanmar, where there is a tradition of convening councils to read and clarify the Tripitaka in Pali, the 6th Great Council of Buddhism was convened, which was held in Rangoon from May 1954 to May 1956 to commemorate the 2500th anniversary of the birth of the Buddha. Training and meditation centers have opened in Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Mahayana Buddhism

Main features. The changing concept of the ideal Buddhist. If the Theravadin strives to become an arhat (“perfect”), ready for nirvana, then the Mahayanist exalts the path of the bodhisattva, i.e. one who, like Gautama before enlightenment, promises to prepare for enlightenment in order to serve and save other suffering mortals. A bodhisattva, motivated by great compassion, strives to achieve perfection in the necessary virtues (paramitas). There are six such virtues: generosity, morality, patience, courage, concentration and wisdom. Even a bodhisattva worthy of entering nirvana refuses the final step and, of his own free will, remains in the turbulent world of reborn existence for the sake of saving others. The Mahayanists considered their ideal more social and worthy than the ideal of the arhat, which seemed selfish and narrow to them.

The Development of the Buddha's Interpretation. Mahayanists know and revere the traditional biography of Gautama Buddha. However, from their point of view, it represents the appearance of a certain primordial being - the eternal, cosmic Buddha, who finds himself in various worlds in order to proclaim the truth (dharma). This is explained by the "doctrine of the three bodies (trikaya) of the Buddha." The highest truth and reality in themselves is his dharma body (dharma kaya). His appearance as Buddha to the joy of all the universes is his body of pleasure (sambhoga-kaya). Incarnated on earth in a specific person (in Gautama Buddha) is his body of transformation (nirmana kaya). All these bodies belong to the one supreme Buddha, who is manifested through them.

Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. There are countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Countless manifestations in the heavenly and earthly realms gave rise to a whole pantheon of Buddhas and bodhisattvas in popular religion. Essentially, they serve as gods and helpers who can be addressed through offerings and prayers. Shakyamuni is included in their number: it is believed that he was preceded by more ancient earthly Buddhas, and other future Buddhas should follow him. The heavenly Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are as innumerable as the universes in which they operate. In this host of Buddhas, the most revered in East Asia are: the heavenly Buddhas - Amitabha, the Lord of the Western Paradise; Bhaisajyaguru, Teacher of Healing; Vairocana, the original eternal Buddha; Locana, the eternal Buddha as omnipresent; bodhisattvas - Avalokiteshvara, the deity of compassion; Mahasthama Prapta, "Achieved Great Power"; Manjushri, Bodhisattva of Meditation and Wisdom; Ksitigarbha, who saves suffering spirits from hell; Samantabhadra, representing the compassion of the Buddha; earthly Buddhas - Gautama Buddha; Dipankara, twenty-fourth before him, and Maitreya, who will appear behind him.

Theology. In the 10th century an attempt was made to present the entire pantheon of later Buddhism in the form of a kind of theological scheme. The universe and all spiritual beings were seen as emanating from a primordial self-existent being called Adi-Buddha. By the power of thought (dhyana), he created five dhyani buddhas, including Vairocana and Amitabha, as well as five dhyani bodhisattvas, including Samantabhadra and Avalokiteshvara. Corresponding to them are the five human Buddhas, or Manushya Buddhas, including Gautama, the three earthly Buddhas who preceded him, and the future Buddha Maitreya. This pattern, which appears in tantric literature, has become widely known in Tibet and Nepal, but is clearly less popular in other countries. In China and Japan, the "doctrine of the three bodies of the Buddha" was enough to harmonize the pantheon.

Philosophy. The Mahayanist approach led to more abstract ideas regarding the ultimate reality achieved by the Buddha's insight. Two philosophical schools. The school founded by Nagarjuna (2nd century AD) was called the “middle path system.” The other, founded by the brothers Asanga and Vasubandhu (4th century AD), was called the “school of consciousness alone.” Nagarjuna argued that the ultimate reality is not expressible in any terms of finite existence. It can be described exclusively negatively as empty (shunya) or emptiness (shunyata). Asanga and Vasubandhu argued that it can also be defined positively - through the term “consciousness”. In their opinion, everything that exists is only ideas, mental images, events in the all-encompassing universal Consciousness. A mere mortal's consciousness is clouded by illusions and resembles a dusty mirror. But to Buddha the consciousness is revealed in complete purity, free from clouding. Sometimes the ultimate reality is called "Likeness" or "True That" (tatha ta), meaning "that which is as it is": this is another way of referring to it without qualifying it in terms of finite experience.

Both schools distinguish between absolute and relative truths. Absolute truth correlated with nirvana and understandable only through the intuition of the Buddha. Relative truth is within the transitory experience inhabited by unenlightened beings.

The fate of the unenlightened. With the exception of Buddhas, who are not subject to death, everything that exists is subject to the law of alternate dying and rebirth. Beings continually move up or down through five (or six) possibilities of embodiment called gati (paths). Depending on his deeds (karma), a person is born again among people, gods, ghosts (preta), the inhabitants of hell, or (according to some texts) among demons (asuras). In art, these “paths” are depicted as a wheel with five and six spokes, the spaces between which are the different possibilities of mortal existence.

Spread of Mahayana Buddhism

India. From the very beginning, Mahayana ideas spread throughout those areas where Sarvastivada was active. The school initially appeared in Magadha, but the most suitable place for it was the north-west of India, where contact with other cultures stimulated thought and helped to formulate in new ways Buddhist teachings. Ultimately, the Mahayana doctrine received a rational basis in the works of such outstanding thinkers, like Nagarjuna, Asanga and Vasubandhu, and the logicians Dignaga (5th century) and Dharmakirti (7th century). Their interpretations spread throughout the intellectual community and became the subject of debate in the two most important centers of Buddhist learning: Taxila in Gandhara in the west of the country and Nalanda in Magadha in the east. The movement of thought also captured the small states to the north of India. Merchants, missionaries, and travelers spread the Mahayana teachings along Central Asian trade routes all the way to China, from where it penetrated into Korea and Japan. By the 8th century. Mahayana with an admixture of Tantrism penetrated directly from India to Tibet.

Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Although the dominant form of Buddhism in Southeast Asia was Theravada, it cannot be said that Mahayana was completely absent from the region. In Sri Lanka it existed as a “heresy” already in the 3rd century, until in the 12th century. it has not been supplanted by Theravada. Mahayana was popular in northern Myanmar, in Pagan, until the reign of King Anawrata (11th century). Anavrata's successors supported Theravada, and under strong pressure from Theravada leaders, the Mahayana, deprived of royal patronage, fell into decline. Mahayana came to Thailand from Sumatra around the middle of the 8th century. and for some time flourished in the south of the country. However, after Theravada was consolidated in Myanmar and its penetration into Thailand in the 11th century. Mahayana gave way to a new, stronger influence. In Laos and Cambodia, Mahayana coexisted with Hinduism during the Angkorian period (9th–15th centuries). During the reign of the last of the great temple builders, Jayavarman VII (1162–1201), Mahayana was apparently proclaimed official religion- with the veneration of merciful bodhisattvas and the establishment of hospitals in their honor. By the beginning of the 14th century. The Thai invasion led to a strong increase in the influence of Theravada, which over time began to play a leading role in this country, while Mahayana practically disappeared. In Java and the Malay Archipelago, both Mahayana and Theravada spread along with other Indian influences. Although both forms of Buddhism were sometimes persecuted by Hindu rulers, they continued to exist until Islam began to supplant them (from the 15th century). In Vietnam in the 6th–14th centuries. There were Zen schools.

China. Buddhism began to spread in China in the 1st century. AD and encountered local belief systems there, primarily Confucianism and Taoism. Confucianism placed moral, social and political principles at the forefront, linking them with relationships in the family, community, and state. Taoism is more associated with an interest in the cosmic, metaphysical, mystical and was an expression of the human desire for harmony with the highest nature or the Path (Tao) of the universe, beyond the bustle of earthly life.

In polemics with Confucianism, Buddhists emphasized the moral aspects of their doctrine, and to criticism of the celibacy of monks and detachment from worldly affairs they responded that there was nothing wrong with this if it was done for the sake of the highest goal, and this (according to the Mahayana) includes the salvation of all family members along with “all living things.” Buddhists pointed out that monks show respect for worldly authority by calling for blessings on the monarch when performing rituals. Nevertheless, throughout Chinese history, Confucians were wary of Buddhism, as a foreign and dubious religion.

Buddhists found greater support among Taoists. During periods of political chaos and unrest, many were attracted Taoist practice self-absorption and silence of Buddhist abodes. In addition, the Taoists used concepts that helped them understand philosophical ideas Buddhists. For example, the Mahayanist concept of the highest reality as Emptiness was more easily perceived in conjunction with the Taoist idea of ​​the Unnameable, “which lies beyond appearances and features.” Indeed, the first translators constantly used Taoist vocabulary to convey Sanskrit Buddhist terminology. This was their method of interpretation through analogy. As a result, Buddhism was initially understood in China through the so-called. “dark knowledge” – the metaphysics of Taoism.

By the 4th century, attempts were made to more accurately translate Sanskrit texts. Famous Chinese monks and Indian clerics collaborated under the patronage of the emperor. The largest of these was Kumarajiva (344–413), translator of the great Mahayana sacred texts such as the Lotus Sutra and expounder of the philosophy of Nagarjuna. In subsequent centuries, learned Chinese monks risked their lives to travel by sea, cross deserts and mountain ranges to reach India, they studied in centers of Buddhist science and brought manuscripts to China for translation. The greatest of them was Xuan Jian (596–664), who spent almost 16 years traveling and studying. His highly accurate translations include 75 works, including major texts on the philosophy of Asanga and Vasubandhu.

As the Mahayana spread in China, various schools of thought and spiritual practice arose. At one time there were up to 10 of them, but then some merged and four important sects (zong) remained. The Chan sect (Zen in Japan) assigned the main role to meditation. The Vinaya sect paid special attention to the monastic rules. The Tien Tai sect advocated the unification of all Buddhist doctrines and ways of practicing them. The Pure Land sect preached the worship of Buddha Amitabha, who saves all believers in his paradise, the Pure Land. No less popular was the cult of the Goddess of Mercy, Guan-yin (the Chinese form of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara), who is considered the embodiment of maternal love and feminine charm. In Japan the goddess is known as Kwannon.

There have been periods in the long history of Buddhism in China when Buddhism was persecuted at the instigation of Taoist or Confucian rivals in the imperial court. Nevertheless, his influence continued to grow. Neo-Confucianism during the Sun Dynasty (960–1279) absorbed some aspects of Buddhism. As for Taoism, from the 5th century. he borrowed ideas, deities and cults from Buddhism; even a corpus of sacred Taoist texts appeared, modeled on the Chinese Tripitaka. Mahayana has had a strong and lasting influence on the art, architecture, philosophy and folklore of China.

Japan. Buddhism penetrated into Japan at the end of the 6th century, when the country was tormented by civil strife. At first, Buddhism encountered resistance as a foreign faith that could bring upon the natives the wrath of the local gods - the deified forces of nature, but in the end it was supported by Emperor Emey, who ascended the throne in 585. The local religion in those days was called Shinto (the way of the gods), as opposed to Budshido (the way of the Buddha). The two "paths" were no longer considered incompatible. Under Empress Shuiko (592–628), Prince Regent Shotoku adopted Buddhism, which he saw as an effective tool for raising the cultural level of the people. In 592, he ordered by imperial decree to honor the “three treasures” (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha). Shotoku supported the study of the sacred texts of Buddhism, built temples, and promoted the dissemination of Buddhist forms in art, iconography and architecture. Buddhist monks from China and Korea were invited to Japan as teachers.

Over time, the most capable of the Japanese monks began to be sent to China. During the period when the country's capital was in Nara (710–783), Japan became acquainted with the doctrines of six schools of Buddhism, which were officially recognized by the 9th century. Through them Japan came to know the philosophical teachings of Nagarjuna, Asanga and Vasubandhu; with the doctrines of the Kegon school (Avamsaka, or Crown), which affirms the final enlightenment of all beings of the universe, as well as with the precise rules of initiation and other rituals.

During the Heian period, the imperial capital was in Kyoto. Two more sects were formed here, Tendai and Shingon. The Tendai sect (Tiantai-zong in Chinese) was founded by Site after studying in a mountain monastery in China. Tendai claims that the Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapundarika Sutra) contains the highest doctrine of all Buddhism, its Mahayanist concept of the eternity of the Buddha. The Shingon (True Word) sect was founded by Kobo Daishi (774–835). Essentially, the sect is a mystical, esoteric form of Buddhism; its teaching is that the Buddha is, as it were, hidden in all living beings. You can realize this with the help of special rituals - pronouncing mystical syllables, ritual interlacing of fingers, magic spells, yogic concentration, manipulation of sacred vessels. This creates a feeling of the spiritual presence of Vairochana, and the adept achieves unity with the Buddha.

During the Kamakura era (1145–1333), the country was ruled by warriors, there were many wars, and the country was mired in ignorance and corruption. Simpler religious forms were needed that could help in the climate of spiritual turmoil. At this time, four new sects arose.

The Pure Land sect, founded by Honen (1133–1212), argued that support should be sought in the heavenly Buddha Amida (i.e. Amitabha). The Shin sect, founded by Honen's disciple Shinran (1173–1262), emphasized the need to seek support in the same Buddha, but “by faith alone.” Both sects taught about salvation in the Pure Land, or Amida's paradise, but the Shinran sect called itself the “True Pure Land,” because for its members the condition of salvation was faith alone. In Japan today, more than half of the Buddhists belong to Pure Land sects. Another form of simplified religion was Zen (Chinese "Chan"). This sect was formed around 1200. Its name, derived from the Sanskrit dhyana, means meditation. Members of the sect practice discipline to cultivate Buddha nature - they meditate until sudden insight into the truth (satori) occurs. Self-control seemed very attractive to the warriors of the Kamakura period, who chose for themselves the Rinzai version, the most severe in Zen Buddhism, where training is carried out with the help of stunning paradoxes (koans), the purpose of which is to free the inner vision from the habit of relying on ordinary logic. Another form of Zen Buddhism, Soto Zen, became widespread among the wider population. Her followers had little interest in koans; they sought to realize the spirit of enlightenment (or achieve Buddha nature) through meditation and correct behavior in all life situations. The Nichiren sect is named after its founder Nichiren (1222–1282), who was convinced that the whole truth of Buddhism was contained in the Lotus Sutra and that all the troubles of Japan of his time, including the threat of the Mongol invasion, were due to the defection of Buddhist teachers from the true faith.

Lamaism is a form of Buddhism common in the Tibet region of China, Mongolia and a number of Himalayan principalities. Tibet became acquainted with Buddhism, with its later Indian version, in which tantric ideas and rituals were mixed with the weakened traditions of Hinayana and Mahayana, in the 8th century. and incorporated elements of the local Tibetan Bon religion. Bon was a form of shamanism, the worship of nature spirits, in which human and animal sacrifices were allowed, magical rituals, conspiracies, exile evil spirits and witchcraft. The first Buddhist monks from India and China gradually replaced the old beliefs, until the appearance of the tantricist Padmasambha in 747, who proclaimed a “magical” form of Buddhism that did not require celibacy, which eventually assimilated Bon. The result was a system of beliefs and practices known as Lamaism, whose clergy are called lamas. The beginning of its reform was laid by Atisha, a teacher who arrived from India in 1042 and preached a more spiritual doctrine, arguing that religious life should develop in three stages: through Hinayana, or moral practice; the Mahayana way, or philosophical understanding; through Tantrayana, or mystical union through the rituals of Tantra. According to the theory, it was possible to move on to the third stage only after mastering the first two. Atisha's "reforms" were continued by the Tibetan monk Tsonghawa (1358–1419), who founded the Geluk-pa (virtuous path) sect. Tsonghawa demanded that monks observe a vow of celibacy and taught a higher understanding of tantric symbolism. After 1587 Supreme Lama This school began to be called the Dalai Lama (Dalai - “ocean expanse”). The sect's influence grew. In 1641, the Dalai Lama received full power of both temporal and spiritual power in Tibet. The Dalai Lamas were considered to be incarnations of Chen-re-chi, the Bodhisattva of Great Mercy (Avalokiteshvara), the patron saint of Tibet. Another name for the Geluk-pa sect is more popular - the Yellow Caps, in contrast to the more ancient sect Kagyu-pa - Red Caps. Since the time of Atisha, the worship of the goddess of mercy Tara, the Savior, has become widespread. Holy Bible Tibetan Buddhism very extensive and played a big role in the spread of the doctrine. Sacred texts serve as the basis for the training of monks in monasteries and for the instruction of lay people. The greatest reverence is placed on the canonical texts, which are divided into two main groups. The Kajur contains the teachings of the Buddha in full translation from the Sanskrit original (104 or 108 volumes), as well as the Four Great Tantras. Tanjur consists of commentaries on the above texts composed by Indian and Tibetan scholars (225 volumes).

Mahayana in the 20th century Originated in last years lay Buddhist associations express a desire to connect Mahayana teachings with modern life. Zen sects teach meditation techniques to laypeople as a way to maintain inner balance in the chaos of city life. Pure Land sects emphasize the virtues of a compassionate person: generosity, courtesy, benevolence, honesty, cooperation and service. It is recognized that the Mahayana ideal of saving the living from suffering may well serve as a motivation for the establishment of hospitals, orphanages and schools. In Japan, especially after World War II, Buddhist monks are actively involved in social and humanitarian activities. In the PRC, Mahayana continues to exist, despite the fact that the income of the monasteries has greatly decreased. The government allows traditional religious services to be held at sacred sites. Buddhist buildings of historical or cultural value have been rebuilt or restored. In 1953, with the permission of the government, the Buddhist Association was created in Beijing. Its goal was defined as maintaining friendly relations with Buddhists in neighboring countries, and it organized exchanges of delegations with Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Japan, India and Nepal. The Buddhist Association for Buddhist Art supports the study and preservation of Buddhist cultural monuments. In Taiwan and Hong Kong, as well as in overseas Chinese communities such as Singapore and the Philippines, Mahayanists have lay associations that organize popular lectures and distribute religious literature. In terms of academic research, Mahayana is studied in the most active and comprehensive way in Japan. Since Masaharu Anesaki founded the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Tokyo (1905), Buddhism has become an increasing interest in various universities throughout the country. In collaboration with Western researchers, especially after 1949, Japanese scholars have conducted research into a vast corpus of Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist texts. In Tibet, which for 300 years was a Lamaist theocratic state, isolation from modern world did not contribute to the emergence of new forms of this religion.

Geography of Buddhism…………………………………………………………….1

The Birth of Buddhism……………………………………………………………...1

Biography of Buddha……………………………………………………………...2

Mythological biography of Buddha………………………….3

Basic principles and features of Buddhism as a religion…………….4

List of references…………………………………8

Geography of Buddhism

Buddhism is the oldest of the world's religions, which received its name from the name, or rather from the honorary title, of its founder Buddha, which means “Enlightened One”. Buddha Shakyamuni (a sage from the Shakya tribe) lived in India in the 5th-4th centuries. BC e. Other world religions - Christianity and Islam - appeared later (five and twelve centuries later, respectively).

If we try to imagine this religion from a bird’s eye view, we will see a motley patchwork of trends, schools, sects, subsects, religious parties and organizations.

Buddhism has absorbed many diverse traditions of the peoples of those countries that fell into its sphere of influence, and also determined the way of life and thoughts of millions of people in these countries. Most adherents of Buddhism now live in South, Southeast, Central and East Asia: Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Cambodia, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Thailand and Laos. In Russia, Buddhism is traditionally practiced by Buryats, Kalmyks and Tuvans.

Buddhism was and remains a religion that takes different forms depending on where it spreads. Chinese Buddhism is a religion that speaks to believers in the language of Chinese culture and national ideas about the most important values ​​of life. Japanese Buddhism is a synthesis of Buddhist ideas, Shinto mythology, Japanese culture, etc.

Birth of Buddhism

Buddhists themselves count down the existence of their religion from the death of the Buddha, but among them there is no consensus about the years of his life. According to the tradition of the oldest Buddhist school, Theravada, Buddha lived from 624 to 544 BC. e. According to the scientific version, the life of the founder of Buddhism is from 566 to 486 BC. e. Some areas of Buddhism adhere to later dates: 488-368. BC e. The birthplace of Buddhism is India (more precisely, the Ganges Valley). The society of Ancient India was divided into varnas (classes): brahmans (the highest class of spiritual mentors and priests), kshatriyas (warriors), vaishyas (merchants) and sudras (serving all other classes). Buddhism for the first time addressed a person not as a representative of any class, clan, tribe or a certain gender, but as an individual (unlike the followers of Brahmanism, the Buddha believed that women, on an equal basis with men, are capable of achieving the highest spiritual perfection). For Buddhism, only personal merit was important in a person. Thus, the word “brahman” is used by Buddha to call any noble and wise person, regardless of his origin.

Biography of Buddha

The biography of Buddha reflects the fate of a real person framed by myths and legends, which over time almost completely pushed aside the historical figure of the founder of Buddhism. More than 25 centuries ago, in one of the small states in northeast India, a son, Siddhartha, was born to King Shuddhodana and his wife Maya. His family name was Gautama. The prince lived in luxury, without worries, eventually started a family and, probably, would have succeeded his father on the throne if fate had not decreed otherwise.

Having learned that there are diseases, old age and death in the world, the prince decided to save people from suffering and went in search of a recipe for universal happiness. In the area of ​​​​Gaya (it is still called Bodh Gaya) he achieved Enlightenment, and the path to the salvation of humanity was revealed to him. This happened when Siddhartha was 35 years old. In the city of Benares, he delivered his first sermon and, as Buddhists say, “turned the wheel of Dharma” (as the teachings of the Buddha are sometimes called). He traveled with sermons in cities and villages, he had disciples and followers who were going to listen to the instructions of the Teacher, whom they began to call Buddha. At the age of 80, Buddha died. But even after the death of the Teacher, the disciples continued to preach his teaching throughout India. They created monastic communities where this teaching was preserved and developed. These are the facts of the real biography of Buddha - the man who became the founder of a new religion.

Mythological biography of Buddha

Mythological biography is much more complex. According to legends, the future Buddha was reborn a total of 550 times (83 times as a saint, 58 as a king, 24 as a monk, 18 as a monkey, 13 as a merchant, 12 as a chicken, 8 as a goose, 6 as an elephant; in addition, as a fish, rat, carpenter, blacksmith, frog, hare, etc.). This was until the gods decided that the time had come for him, born in the guise of a man, to save the world, mired in the darkness of ignorance. The birth of Buddha into a kshatriya family was his last birth. That is why he was called Siddhartha (He who has achieved the goal). The boy was born with thirty-two signs of a “great man” (golden skin, a wheel sign on the foot, wide heels, a light circle of hair between the eyebrows, long fingers, long earlobes, etc.). A wandering ascetic astrologer predicted that a great future awaited him in one of two spheres: either he would become a powerful ruler, capable of establishing righteous order on earth, or he would be a great hermit. Mother Maya did not take part in Siddhartha’s upbringing - she died (and according to some legends, she retired to heaven so as not to die from admiring her son) shortly after his birth. The boy was raised by his aunt. The prince grew up in an atmosphere of luxury and prosperity. The father did everything possible to prevent the prediction from coming true: he surrounded his son with wonderful things, beautiful and carefree people, and created an atmosphere of eternal celebration so that he would never know about the sorrows of this world. Siddhartha grew up, got married at the age of 16, and had a son, Rahula. But the father's efforts were in vain. With the help of his servant, the prince managed to secretly escape from the palace three times. For the first time he met a sick person and realized that beauty is not eternal and there are ailments in the world that disfigure a person. The second time he saw the old man and realized that youth is not eternal. For the third time he watched a funeral procession, which showed him the fragility of human life.

Siddhartha decided to look for a way out of the trap of illness - old age - death. According to some versions, he also met a hermit, which led him to think about the possibility of overcoming the suffering of this world by leading a solitary and contemplative lifestyle. When the prince decided on the great renunciation, he was 29 years old. After six years of ascetic practice and another unsuccessful attempt to achieve higher insight through fasting, he was convinced that the path of self-torture would not lead to the truth. Then, having regained his strength, he found a secluded place on the river bank, sat down under a tree (which from that time on was called the Bodhi tree, i.e., the “tree of Enlightenment”) and plunged into contemplation. Before Siddhartha's inner gaze, his own past lives, the past, future and present lives of all living beings passed, and then the highest truth - Dharma - was revealed. From that moment on, he became the Buddha - the Enlightened One, or the Awakened One - and decided to teach the Dharma to all people who seek truth, regardless of their origin, class, language, gender, age, character, temperament and mental abilities.

Buddha spent 45 years spreading his teachings in India. According to Buddhist sources, he won followers from all walks of life. Shortly before his death, the Buddha told his beloved disciple Ananda that he could extend his life by a whole century, and then Ananda bitterly regretted that he had not thought to ask him about this. The cause of Buddha's death was a meal with the poor blacksmith Chunda, during which Buddha, knowing that the poor man was going to treat his guests to stale meat, asked to give all the meat to him. Buddha died in the town of Kushinagara, and his body was traditionally cremated, and the ashes were divided among eight followers, six of whom represented different communities. His ashes were buried at eight different places, and subsequently memorial tombstones - stupas - were erected over these burials. According to legend, one of the students pulled out a Buddha tooth from the funeral pyre, which became the main relic of Buddhists. Now it is located in a temple in the city of Kandy on the island of Sri Lanka.

Characteristics of men