Buddhism can be seen as a school of concepts, belief as well as facts about the happenings around us. Some see it as faith, while academias may see its relatedness to disciplines like sociology, pyschology and physics. Einstein being a Jewish that live his whole life in the western society sees buddhism in this light :
The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend personal God and avoid dogma and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things natural and spiritual as a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description. If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism. (Albert Einstein)
Buddhism subscribes to both the notion of creation and evolution. Creation as in things does not arise spontaneously out of no where. And buddhism believes in inter-dependent origination. A good example will be a seed (cause) needs conditions (sunlight, air, soil and water) to grow to a plant (result). Soil contains minerals that might once be from another plant, animals or even rocks and sand. Evolution comes in when changes in conditions in the environment will bear different results.
Buddha, is a title given to beings that have fully awakened or enlightened. Our world is call the Samsara and Siddharta Gautama was the Buddha of this Samsara world. Someone asked Buddha who he is and this is his reply
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.036.than.html
Buddha teaches his disciples on how to free themselves from suffering and he talks about the 4 noble truth. In simplified example, it is akin to a patient's visit to a doctor. The doctor diagnosed the illness (1st), finds the root of the illness (2nd), assures the patient of a complete recovery(3rd) and lay down the medicine for recovery (4th).
Buddhism talks about universal love like most religion but focus on having a boundless love for all sentient beings. That is love without conditions even to other beings that are non human namely hell-beings, hungry ghost, animals, Asuras (Demi-gods) and Devas (Gods).
Buddhists are taught to remove the "self" entity yet repects all other beings seeing that all beings desire to live and fear death. Buddhism do not sees oneself as superior and other beliefs as inferior to theirs. A type of meditation call the metta meditation is practise by wishing oneself and wishing all sentient beings of the 10 directions peace and free from sufferings.From the idea of cyclic rebirth, buddhist are taught to show compassion and respect to all beings as they may be our parents of past lives.
Teachings of the Buddha was passed down by words of mouth in form of chants as writings were not well developed in such ancient time. Some may thought that words passed by human mouths are unreliable. But the 1st consolidation of the teachings were done by matching the lessons among different monks and were verified by enlightened disciples of Buddha who is know as the Arahats.Here is what Buddha said about what what constitute the right teachings and what he has taught :
“There are some holy men and priests, Venerable Sir, who come and claim that only their teaching is right and condemn the teachings of others. Then some other holy men and priests came to Kesaputta; and they, in turn, claim that their teaching is right and others wrong. As a result, doubt has come to us. Which of these holy men and priests spoke the truth?”
The Buddha replied: “It is proper to doubt in things that are doubtful. Come, O Kalamas:”
1) Do not believe anything based on revelation
2) Do not believe anything through tradition handed down from the past
3) Do not believe anything through hearsay (gossip, rumour, etc.)
4) Do not believe anything because it accords with the holy scriptures
5) Do not believe anything through logic
6) Do not believe anything because it is a point of view.
7) Do not believe anything through having considered the reasons
8) Do not believe anything because one is convinced of some theory
9) Do not believe anything through the testimony of some reliable person
10) Do not believe in anything thinking, “This person is a great preacher”.
“Kalamas, when you yourselves know what is evil, blameworthy and censured by the enlightened wise, abandon those things. When you yourselves know that these things are good, not blameworthy, but praised by the wise, accept and practise them”
Last but not least, Buddhism is all embracing as it is looking at things as how it really is. Law of Karma is simply Law of Cause and Effect. We reap what we sow. What we did in the past will affect what we are facing now. And what we do now will affect what we get in future. But having said that, Buddhism does not support pre-destination (which most god-believer religion believes in).
Karma only lays down the condition but not the result. Example will be someone doing a good deed results in a good rebirth. Having born in a wealthy family, he may still end up doing more goods or more evil. Thus, there is no eternal suffering and eternal bliss (unless attaining final liberation).
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