Back to Buddha

As I’d said in my earlier post, I got to know many things about Buddha and Buddhism - contrary to what I knew about them erstwhile - during my recent visit to Cambodia. It is really amazing to know how Buddhism has spread out to most of the east asian countries and has a stronghold, despite being founded in India. (But that proves another point. How resilient Hinduism has been.) I just wanted to share what I felt, thought and experienced.
Buddham or Buddhi - which means ‘wisdom’ or ‘knowledge’. Buddha is one who acquired ‘wisdom’ and is ‘enlightened’. Siddhartha has been known as the first buddha who got enlightenment thru meditation and noble principles. There could have been buddhas before him and there could be more in future. The fact is anyone can become buddha. You, me….anyone. Though the doctrines of Buddhism are seemingly simple, it is quite difficult to accept, understand and follow them strictly. There are different types buddhism found today.
1. Theravada buddhism - or the southern buddhism, which is now more prevalent in Myanmar, Thailand, Srilanka, Laos, Cambodia etc. This is also referred to as Hinayana buddhism. Hinayana means the simpler vehicle. This seems to be early and ancient form of the religion.
2. Mahayana buddhism - Mahayana means the ‘greater’ vehicle. Buddha is idolised and god-like. This is also referred to as eastern buddhism which is practised more in China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore & Vietnam
3. Vajrayana - or the northern buddhism. It is also called as mantrayana or tantrayana as this sect believes and practices many psycho-physical techniques to achieve buddhahood. This seems to have rooted from Tibet. This is followed in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, China & Russia. There is also a seperate school called “Gelug”, originated in Tibet, which is headed by Dalai Lama.
Whatever be the type, the common doctrines among all these buddhisms is “the four noble truths”
1. dukka - the suffering exists
2. trishna - there is a cause for suffering (attachment? desire? ego?) - “aasaiye azhivukku kaaranam”
3. nibbana (nirvana?) - the cessation from the sufferings
4. and the 8 fold path (right views, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration)
It is interesting to know that both Hinduism and Buddhism are closely related. Both are referred to as “Dharmic religions” which are darma-centric. Ideologies like darma, karma, moksha, nirvana are found in both religions.
Lets talk more….

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