FIVE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
The Buddhist world view can best be under stood if we see it as being based upon five major assumptions:
1.Mutability or Change
All objects, conditions and creations are regarded as being in a continuous state of change. Nothing finite is eternally fixed or unchanging. Birth, growth, decay and death are inevitable for all material objects, men, societies and states of mind. Herein lies the answer to the mystery of creation: new forms arise out of the old; each new condition is determined by that which preceded it.
2.Cause and Effect
This process of change, however, is not con sidered to be chaotic but rather is regulated by a universal Law of cause and effect. The laws of cause and effect are impersonal, impartial and unchanging. The only things which do not change are the laws of change.
3.Selfishness and Suffering
The Law of cause and effect includes not only the laws of physics and chemistry so familiar to the Western world, but also includes laws of moral or psychological cause and effect known as karma-vipaka, or more commonly, karma.
Karma acts through time, and thus the full effects of one's thoughts and deeds may not become manifest until some years later. Karma is ines capable, for the Buddha said:
Not in the sky, not in the midst of the
sea, nor if we enter into the clefts of
the mountains, is there known a spot in
the whole world where a man might be
freed from an evil deed.
Not in the sky, not in the midst of the
sea, nor if we enter into the clefts of
the mountains, is there known a spot in
the whole world where death could not
overcome a mortal.
(Dhammapada 127-8)
One important aspect of the law of Karma is that selfishness results in suffering for the selfish party in proportion to the amount of wrong that has been committed. Conversely, love, com passion and other virtuous states of mind create proportionate amounts of happiness and emotional well-being. Often this is stated as "Desire is the cause of suffering". And in this context the word which has been translated into English as "suffering" is the Pali word dukkha. Dukkha is a term which includes all types of unpleasant experiences such as worry, fear, sorrow, dissatisfac tion, disharmony, etc. When the mind is craving pleasures or is strongly motivated by greed, hatred or egotism, it becomes predsposed to dukkha. A paradox is noted in that happiness is best found by those who are not preoccupied with looking for it. Thus we find in Buddhism no eternal punishment or eternal reward, but rather happiness and sorrow in proportion to one's own thoughts and actions.
Karma operates independently of any social mores or cultural standards of good and evil. Also, it does not account for all pleasure and displeasure, for the Buddha said that many of one's pleasures and painful experiences are not the result of ones previous actions. (Anguttara-Nikaya I, 173)
4.Nirvana (Nibbana
5.Verifiability
Thank you for your interest and patience to read till the end
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read more blogs!
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johnspirit
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Jul 1 @ 4:36AM
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Very nice,
but you ran out before elaborating on the last two... sniff.
All true,
whether the universal laws of my being,
or the universal consequences of me being so,
and I'm sure I deserve all of it.
The closer I can lasso my brain into understand all that is,
the more harmonic my dances become...
and the more perfect even chaos appears.
thanks for sharing.
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unionman154
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Jul 1 @ 7:28AM
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Beautiful Concepts from a Beautiful Woman.  ~*~
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sweetxy
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Jul 1 @ 8:06AM
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I'm buddhist in blood and mind and I lived just the second block from the temple in my 41 years,grew up with my grandparents,.I hate crazy world but I do enjoy rock music sometime as I'm still normal not wearing white and shave my hair  .
All religion is good it depending on how you take it with your own consideration.
Serenity is what we buddhist should seek .
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sweetxy
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Aug 5 @ 11:30AM
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not neccessary to have this in separated blog so put it here as comment...
Core beliefs of Buddhism:
Buddhism, like most of the great religions of the world, is divided into a number of different traditions. However, most traditions share a common set of fundamental beliefs.
One fundamental belief of Buddhism is often referred to as reincarnation -- the concept that people are reborn after dying. In fact, most individuals go through many cycles of birth, living, death and rebirth. A practicing Buddhist differentiates between the concepts of rebirth and reincarnation. In reincarnation, the individual may recur repeatedly. In rebirth, in a person does not necessarily return to Earth as the same entity ever again. He compares it to a leaf growing on a tree. When the withering leaf falls off, a new leaf will eventually replace it. It is similar to the old leaf, but it is not identical to the original leaf.
After many such cycles, if a person releases their attachment to desire and the self, they can attain Nirvana. This is a state of liberation and freedom from suffering.
The Three Trainings or Practices:
These three consist of:
Sila: Virtue, good conduct, morality. This is based on two fundamental principles: The principle of equality: that all living entities are equal.
The principle of reciprocity: This is the "Golden Rule" in
Christianity -- to do onto others as you would wish them do
onto you. It is found in all major religions.
Samadhi: Concentration, meditation, mental development. Developing one's mind is the path to wisdom which in turn leads to personal freedom. Mental development also strengthens and controls our mind; this helps us maintain good conduct.
Prajna: Discernment, insight, wisdom, enlightenment. This is the real heart of Buddhism. Wisdom will emerge if your mind is pure and calm.
The first two paths listed in the Eightfold Path, described below, refer to discernment; the last three belong to concentration; the middle three are related to virtue.
The Four Noble Truths:
The Buddha's Four Noble Truths explore human suffering. They may be described (somewhat simplistically) as:
Dukkha: Suffering exists: (Suffering is real and and almost universal. Suffering has many causes: loss, sickness, pain, failure, the impermanence of pleasure.)
Samudaya: There is a cause for suffering. (It is the desire to have and control things. It can take many forms: craving of sensual pleasures; the desire for fame; the desire to avoid unpleasant sensations, like fear, anger or jealousy.)
Nirodha: There is an end to suffering. (Suffering ceases with the final liberation of Nirvana (a.k.a. Nibbana). The mind experiences complete freedom, liberation and non-attachment. It lets go of any desire or craving.)
Magga: In order to end suffering, you must follow the Eightfold Path.
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The Five Precepts:
These are rules to live by. They are somewhat analogous to the second half of the Ten Commandments in Judaism and Christianity -- that part of the Decalogue which describes behaviors to avoid. However, they are recommendations, not commandments. Believers are expected to use their own intelligence in deciding exactly how to apply these rules.
Do not kill. This is sometimes translated as "not harming" or an absence of violence.
Do not steal. This is generally interpreted as including the avoidance of fraud and economic exploitation.
Do not lie. This is sometimes interpreted as including name calling, gossip, etc.
Do not misuse sex. For monks and nuns, this means any departure from complete celibacy. For the laity, adultery is forbidden, along with any sexual harassment or exploitation, including that within marriage. The Buddha did not discuss consensual premarital sex within a committed relationship; Buddhist traditions differ on this.
Do not consume alcohol or other drugs. The main concern here is that intoxicants cloud the mind. Some have included as a drug other methods of divorcing ourselves from reality -- e.g. movies, television, the Internet. 1
Those preparing for monastic life or who are not within a family are expected to follow an additional five precepts:
6. Taking untimely meals.
7. Dancing, singing, music, watching grotesque mime.
8. Use of garlands, perfumes and personal adornment.
9. Use of high seats.
10. Accepting gold or silver.
There is also a series of eight precepts which are composed of the first seven listed above, followed by the eighth and ninth combined as one. "Ordained Theravada monks promise to follow 227 precepts!" 3
The Eightfold Path:
The Buddha's Eightfold Path consists of:
Panna: Discernment, wisdom: 1) Samma ditthi Right Understanding of the Four Noble Truths
2) Samma sankappa: Right thinking; following the right path in life
Sila: Virtue, morality: 3) Samma vaca: Right speech: no lying, criticism, condemning, gossip, harsh language
4) Samma kammanta Right conduct by following the Five Precepts
5) Samma ajiva: Right livelihood; support yourself without harming others
Samadhi: Concentration, meditation: 6) Samma vayama Right Effort: promote good thoughts; conquer evil thoughts
7) Samma sati Right Mindfulness: Become aware of your body, mind and feelings
8) Samma samadhi Right Concentration: Meditate to achieve a higher state of consciousness
Site navigation: Home page > World Religions > Buddhism > here
References:
Guy Newland, Untitled essay at: http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu/
Bhikkhu Bodhi, "The Noble Eightfold Path. The Way to the End of Suffering," Buddhist Information, at: http://www.buddhistinformation.com/
Thomas Knierim, "The Precepts" at: http://www.thebigview.com/
Copyright ? 1996 to 2007 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
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