Buddhism

From Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia written in simple English for easy reading.

The great Buddha statue in Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Buddhism is a system of beliefs. Some see it as a religion, other people think it is a philosophy. The beliefs are based on the teachings of the Buddha. He lived between about 563 and 483 BCE. Buddhism started in India. It slowly spread through most of Asia, to Central Asia, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and the East Asian countries of China, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan.

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What do Buddhists believe?

The Three Jewels

Buddhists often talk about the Three Jewels, which are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. The Dharma is the way the Buddha taught to live your life. The Sangha is the group of monks and other people who meet together, like a church.

Buddhists say "I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha." This means that these three things keep them safe.

To learn more, read: Three Jewels.

Four Noble Truths

The Buddha's first and most important teachings are the Four Noble Truths.

1. Everything in life is painful. There is no way to avoid pain. Nothing in life is ever good enough.
2. The reason for this pain is our desires. We want more and more, so we feel pain.
3. There is hope. There is a way to end pain.
4. The way to end pain is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path.

To learn more, read: Four Noble Truths.

Noble Eightfold Path

The Buddha told people to follow a special way of life called the Noble Eightfold Path if they want to understand the Four Noble Truths and end suffering. These are:

1. Right View
2. Right Thought
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Job
6. Right Effort (or Right Working)
7. Right Mindfulness (or Right Awakeness)
8. Right Concentration (or Right Deep-thinking)

To learn more, read: Noble Eightfold Path

Five Precepts

Most Buddhists follow five precepts, or rules, that say what not to do. These are sort of like the Ten Commandments in Christianity, or the Yamas and Niyamas in Hinduism.

These are the Five Precepts.

1. I will not hurt a person or animal that is alive.
2. I will not take something if it was not given to me.
3. I will not have sex in a way that is not right.
4. I will not lie or say things that hurt people.
5. I will not take intoxicants, like alcohol or drugs.

In some types of Buddhism, when a person wants to be a monk, he will follow other precepts also.