Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha (Pāli/Sanskrit "the awakened one"). Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. He is recognized by adherents as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end suffering, achieve nirvana, and escape what is seen as a cycle of suffering and rebirth. Two major branches of Buddhism are recognized: Theravada ("The School of the Elders") and Mahayana ("The Great Vehicle"). Theravada—the oldest surviving branch—has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, and Mahayana is found throughout East Asia and includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Shingon, Tendai and Shinnyo-en. In some classifications Vajrayana, a subcategory of Mahayana, is recognized as a third branch. While Buddhism remains most popular within Asia, both branches are now found throughout the world. Various sources put the number of Buddhists in the world at between 230 million and 500 million, making it the world's fourth-largest religion.
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Selected article
The exact nature of Sino-Tibetan relations during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) of China is unclear. Some modern scholars living and working in the People's Republic of China assert that the Ming Dynasty had unquestioned sovereignty over Tibet, pointing to the Ming court's issuing of various titles to Tibetan leaders, Tibetans' full acceptance of these titles, and a renewal process for successors of these titles that involved traveling to the Ming capital. Scholars within the PRC also argue that Tibet has been an integral part of China since the 13th century, thus a part of the Ming Empire. But most scholars outside the PRC say that the relationship was one of suzerainty, that Ming titles were only nominal, that Tibet remained an independent region outside Ming control, and that it simply paid tribute until the reign of Jiajing (1521–1566), who ceased relations with Tibet. Some scholars note that Tibetan leaders during the Ming frequently engaged in civil war and conducted their own foreign diplomacy with neighboring states such as Nepal. Some scholars underscore the commercial aspect of the Ming-Tibetan relationship, noting the Ming Dynasty's shortage of horses for warfare and thus the importance of the horse trade with Tibet. Others argue that the significant religious nature of the relationship of the Ming court with Tibetan lamas is underrepresented in modern scholarship.| ...Archive/Nominations |
In this month
- 5 March 1938 - Japanese Buddhist lay movement Risshō Kōsei Kai established by Nikkyo Niwano and Myoko Naganuma
- 21 March 2001 - Buddhas of Bamyan destroyed by the Taliban on orders of Mullah Mohammed Omar
- 24 March 1951 - Italian Buddhist missionary Lokanatha hoists Buddhist flag for the first time in Burma
- 26 March 1979 - Founder of Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero is ordained at age 17
In the news
Buddhism at Wikinews- February 2: China urges Obama to cancel Dalai Lama visit
- August 30: Dalai Lama begins trip to Taiwan
Selected biography
Ho Yuen Hoe, later in life known as Venerable Ho (simplified Chinese: 净润法师; traditional Chinese: 淨潤法師; pinyin: Jìngrùn Fǎshī; 18 February 1908 – 11 January 2006), was a Buddhist nun affectionately known as Singapore's grand dame of charity in recognition of her life-long devotion in helping the old and needy. She was the abbess of Lin Chee Cheng Sia Temple and the founder in 1969 of the Man Fut Tong Nursing Home, the first Buddhist nursing home. Venerable Ho was relatively unknown to the public until 1996, when she was featured in a television programme – The Extraordinary People – at the age of 88. As a result, the public came to know more about her work and her nursing home. In 2001, she received the Public Service Award from the President of Singapore in recognition of her contribution to the country. Until her hospitalisation in November 2005 she was actively involved in charity work. Venerable Ho died on 11 January 2006, a month before her 98th birthday.| ...Archive/Nominations |
Did you know...
- ...that Japanese painter Tomioka Tessai (work pictured) was encouraged by his mentor, Buddhist nun and poet Otagaki Rengetsu, to synthesize Buddhist and Shinto elements in his works?
- ...that Kaundinya, the first arahant and bhikkhu of Gautama Buddha, was the only royal scholar to predict Siddhartha's Buddhahood?
- ...that the largely unexplored Buddhist archaeological site of Noapara-Ishanchandranagar in Bangladesh is conjectured to be the lost city of Karmanta Vasaka?
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| My first encounter with Buddhist dharma would be in my early twenties. I think like most young men I was not particularly happy. I don't know if I was suicidal, but I was pretty unhappy, and I had questions like, "Why anything?" Realizing I was probably pushing the edges of my own sanity, I was exploring late-night bookshops reading everything I could, in many different directions. Evans-Wentz's books on Tibetan Buddhism had an enormous impact on me. I just devoured them. — Richard Gere |
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Topics
Buddhism (book)History of Buddhism: Timeline • Buddhist councils
Major Figures: Gautama Buddha • Disciples • Later Buddhists
Dharma or Concepts: Four Noble Truths • Noble Eightfold Path • Three marks of existence • Dependent Origination • Saṃsāra • Nirvana • Skandha • Cosmology • Karma • Rebirth
Practices and Attainment: Buddhahood • Bodhisattva • 4 Stages of Enlightenment • Wisdom • Meditation • Precepts • Pāramitās • Three Jewels • Monastics • Laity
Schools: Theravāda • Mahāyāna • Vajrayāna
Texts: Pali Canon • Tibetan Canon • Chinese Canon
Related topics: Criticism • Comparative Studies • Cultural elements
Featured content
Featured articles: Angkor Wat • Borobudur • Shen Kuo • Society of the Song Dynasty • Thích Quảng Đức • Tibet during the Ming Dynasty
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| Buddhism on Wikinews | Buddhism on Wikiquote | Buddhism on Wikibooks | Buddhism on Wikisource | Buddhism on Wiktionary | Buddhism on Wikiversity | Buddhism on Wikimedia Commons |
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JoongAng Daily
North Korea refused to accept a group of South Korean Buddhists for a visit on the same day that the South's government authorized the trip. ...
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Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:14:46 GM
BUDDHISM. today and aesthetic creativity a miscellany of recent articles, essays and speeches covers many areas of my personal interests in the field of . Buddhist. studies and action. I have shared these views, opinions, observations and ...
Q. What's the difference between hinduism, Buddhism and sikhism? I know that theyre all India's religion, but how are they diffferent? HELP!
Asked by Courtney - Sun Dec 6 21:04:00 2009 - - 7 Answers - 0 Comments
A. Hinduism is polytheistic religion though they confess there is one but supreme Lord. They worship many deities and also believe in idol worship and lamp lit worship of deities. It is full of rituals. Many of them are drenched in righteous ritual activities that forget the real motive of religion. Though this religion is telling the clear cut way to reach the supreme Lord. This is the religion of very ancient ages. they are vegetarians teetotaler, believe in reincarnation hell and heaven. The Name is the best thing in the Vedas. That they hear not and wander like demons. Says Nanak, they, who forsake truth and cling to falsehood, lose their life in gamble. {{{ Guru Amar Daas Ji, Raag Raamkalee 919 }}} Buddhism was started by… [cont.]
Answered by Jagjit S - Mon Dec 7 22:46:56 2009
