Buddhism
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In order to understand all religions, there is a great method to use. This method is called the seven elements, and these seven elements include experiential, historical, doctrinal, ethical, ritual, social, and material. These key points, along with what the Catholic Church deems as "true and holy" is what I will use to explain the religion of Buddhism.
The first element is experiential. This element is the hardest to capture in words, because the purpose is to understand what it feels like to be a part of the religion. This is hard because you cannot not truly know the experiential aspect of a religion unless you practice it yourself. In this religion, the goal is to reach an ultimate state of Nirvana. This is when you have no suffering or desire. Buddhists believe you enter into a state of total transcendence. One way Buddhists calm themselves is through the practice of yoga. Yoga is used to calm the mind and focus on the soul. Buddhists perform yoga individually or as a group. Another big thing is that to really be a part of Buddhism one must fully immerse themselves into this faith. This makes the experiential element a little more challenging to comprehend. Really the main experiential aspect of Buddhism would be achieving the stage of enlightenment in life. The whole point of Buddhism is to achieve enlightenment; that is the over-arching goal. Becoming enlightened is the only true way to be fully involved in the experiential aspect of the faith. Reaching nirvana goes along hand in hand with enlightenment and experiencing Buddhism.
The second element is historical, which is all about how Buddhism began. Buddhism is another religion that believes that time is cyclical and believe in Samsara. Having good karma and reaching Nirvana is the only way to truly break free from this cycle. The story of Guatama revolves around a man part of the Hindu Brahmin cast, but not part of the institutional structure. He did not believe in rituals or sacrifices. Although he recognized the existence of gods, he did not think they were necessary for salvation. He believed in being mindful and using inner contemplation to reach salvation. "To examine completely the inner realm of the self leads to the discovery that the self does not exist." Guatama died after reaching perfect meditation. The Dalai Lamas are a hierarchy of religious clergy headed by the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama is not chosen by natural birth, but by rebirth. China has taken advantage of this, causing much controversy. When the Dalai Lama chose the next Panchen Lama China kidnapped him and elected their own. The real Panchen Lama has not been seen since, and he is thought to be either imprisoned or killed. Because of this the current Dalai Lama has stated that he will not reincarnate, ending the line of Lamas.
The third element is Doctrinal. This represents the main and central beliefs in Buddhism.The doctrinal element of Buddhism is comprised of The Middle Way, The Three Marks of Existence, and the Four Noble Truths. The Middle Way is a basic Buddhist teaching that rejects both the pleasures of sensual indulgence and the self-denial of asceticism, focusing instead on a practical approach to spiritual attainment. The Three Marks of Existence are characteristics that summarize the changing nature of reality and include anatta (no self), anicca (impermanence), and dukkha (suffering). The Four Noble Truths are the very central teachings of Buddhism and are the following: to live is to suffer; suffering is caused by desire; the cessation of suffering can be achieved; the solution is the Noble Eight-fold Path.
Ethical is the fourth element of religion, and its purpose is to understand what the morals of this faith are. The idea is that religions have different ethics, and we want to see what ones are specific to Buddhism. All Buddhists are called to their ideal of compassion; for everyone and for all things. Compassion is central to this faith tradition. Along with the idea of compassion there are the Five Precepts which are the basic moral requirements that are binding for all Buddhists. Those are:
1. Do not take life
2. Do not take what is not given
3. Do not engage in sensual misconduct
4. Do not use false speech
5. Do not drink intoxicants
The following precepts are added for Buddhist monks and nuns:
6. Do not eat after noon
7. Do not watch dancing or shows
8. Do not use garlands, perfumes, or ornaments
9. Do not use a high or soft bed
10. Do not accept gold or silver
The fifth element of Buddhism is ritual. The purpose of ritual is to discuss the main religious activities and celebrations. Rituals give faith traditions their structure. The Mahayana acts of religious devotion and prayer to the bodhisattvas (future Buddhas) are very ornate and intricate. These are highly celebrated rituals that have been occurring since the beginning of Buddhism. The Vajrayana chanting of mandalas emphasizes the harnessing of sensual energies to attain the ultimate step of Buddhism: Nirvana.
Social is the sixth element of religion. This element is supposed to help us understand how this religion functions, and who the leaders are. Sangha, otherwise called "the assemblage", is the Buddhist community of monks and nuns; one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism. The figure of the arhat or the "worthy one" is someone who has become enlightened in the Buddhist community. These special types of Buddhists have not only attained the meaning of Buddhism, and the essence of everything, but they can also help other Buddhists attain true enlightenment. The Dalai Lama, the figurehead of Tibetan Buddhism is a social leader of the Tibetan community of Buddhists.
The seventh, and last, element of religion is material. The purpose of material is to recognize what objects and places play a role in Buddhism.
Statues of the gods
The rivers- symbolize cleaning of the "soul"
Temples/ Monasteries
Bodhi Tree
Mandalas
Northeast India