ESSENCE OF BUDDISM: BY THOMAS PHILIP RANNI

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ESSENCE OF BUDDISM
THOMAS PHILIP

Prince Siddhartha Gautama was born (560-477 BC) in India near
Himalayas. At the age of eight years while he was sitting under the Bode-tree, he was enlightened and became Buddha. In his childhood Siddhartha renounced life of pleasure. Later he became a beggar. He is the founder of Buddhism.

Although Buddhism originated in India, it did not develop in India. Buddhism survives today in Japan, China, Korea, Burma, Mongolia, Tibet and Sri Lanaka etc.

Buddhism shares many significant beliefs with Hinduism such as the concepts of Karma, reincarnation and Nirvana.

Buddhism taught the following four noble truths:
1. life is suffering
2. suffering has a cause
3. Desire can be overcome
4. The cessation of craving and attachments.

Suffering can be eliminated by cessation of all desire . It is the supreme teaching of Buddhism. Is it possible? Is there any human being without having any sort of desire? Buddhist believers pursue the following Eight fold path:
1. Right Faith / understanding
2. Right action
3. Right resolve
4. Right speech
5. Right living
6. Right efforts
7. Right thought
8. and Right concentration

Another noble teaching of Buddhism is not to kill, not to speak lie, not to steal and not to take intoxicants.

There are about 250 million believers in this major religion.