Buddhism

Buddhism began approximately 2,500 years ago. The foundation

of Buddhism rests on the life of one teacher, an Indian prince
named Siddhartha Gautama. Prince Siddhartha Gautama grew up
in Northern India, nowadays known as Nepal, also where the
religions geographical origin took place. His Father, King
Sudhodana, ruled over the Shakya Empire, although the king
hoped his son would carry on his legacy, the prince had a very
different calling, which made him one of historys most famous
and influential figures. The prince was born around 563 BCE in
Lumbini, Nepal and died In Kushinagar, India; Both very sacred
places.

The followers of Buddhism are called Buddhists. Very religious

Buddhists when the king and the prince were still alive,
committed intense spiritual rituals such as starving themselves to
near death or more spiritual activities to gain power or energy,
the religion is still severely strict but its much less intense now.

In Buddhism and in other main religions there exists a very

strictly practice known as Karma, Karma influences the next
life you live influenced by the actions of the life you live now. It is
very significant in Buddhism as its the key to be reincarnated in a
worst or better life.

Buddhists worship Buddha. Buddha stands for The

Enlightened One he is also less commonly known as prince
Siddhartha Gautama, main founder of Buddhism.
Worshipping takes place in Temples or Pagodas or at home
using small figures or pictures followed by a spiced taste of
incense.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead is the Tibetan Buddhist text that is
most well-known to the Western part of Buddhist geographical
origins. Written by a Tibetan monk, the Book of the Dead
describes in detail the stages of death from the perspective of
Tibetan culture. Another well-known text is the Sanskrit believed
to be the actual words of Buddha. During the first centuries of
Buddhism, statues of Buddha were not used instead objects like
Buddhas footprints, the lotus, the wheel of the law and the Bodhi
tree.

In Buddhism, there are many religious celebrations celebrated all

year long. The Buddhist new year is a festival celebrated in
different ways throughout countries. The Theravada countries
celebrate it for three days starting with the first full moon day of
April. However other countries like China, Korea and Vietnam can
celebrate it during late January or early February. The Vesak
another major festival, in this case the celebration of Buddhas
birth during the first full moon of May or during a lunar leap year,
June. There are tens of dozens of crucial figures in Buddhism,
Maya Devi: Buddhas biological mother who died a week after
giving birth to Buddha or Hotei: a very meaningful monk in
Buddhism also commonly mistaken as Buddha and the creator of
everything but has nothing to do with that.

Buddhism is debated globally as to its nature is an actual religion

or more of a way of life/philosophy. This is due to the religions
way of interpreting life. The judging of karma is based on the
five percepts known as Dharma in Buddhas teachings: harming
living things, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, lying or
gossip, taking intoxicating substances such as alcohol and drugs.
If Buddhists would have broken these rules repeatedly they would
be reincarnated into worst lives and vice versa.
-Matteo Walter Divella, 557 Words.