Understanding the Buddhist Faith
Provided by Reverend Naoki Hirano
About Buddhism (Mahayana Buddhism)
Buddhism was established by Sakyamuni Buddha in northern India around the 5th century BCE.
The ultimate goal of Buddhism is - to liberate oneself from this suffering world by becoming a fully awakened person (Buddha.) Its core elements are summarized in the following so-called Four Noble Truths:
- The True Aspect of Life; Suffering and dissatisfaction are inescapable parts of life for all beings.
- The Truth of the Cause of Suffering; Suffering arises from the desire to accumulate and grasp onto the things of this world that are impermanent and like an illusion.
- Transcending Suffering; By letting go of our greedy attachment to the self and the impermanent and illusory things of this world, one can realize Nirvana, a state in which the flame of the base passions is blown out and one is permanently freed from suffering in the realm of birth and death.
- The path to Nirvana; Living by the Truth revealed by Buddha (Dharma), provides a way to the realization of Nirvana.
As Buddhism began to spread from India to other countries, the two mainstreams gradually took shape; Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism narrowly follows the original monastic model established by Sakyamuni Buddha, and the practicers have to rely on themselves alone to achieve the goal.
Mahayana Buddhism, with a broader point of view, teaches that all sentient beings can participate in seeking freedom from this suffering world together by going through the Six Paramitas (practices);
- Generosity
- Moral conduct, upholding precepts
- Forbearance
- Diligence
- Contemplation
- Wisdom
Mahayana Buddhism is mainly followed by north-eastern Asian countries such as China, Korea, and Japan. Pure Land Buddhism, one of the major sects of Mahayana Buddhism, encourages followers to work on the liberation of all beings with the assistance of the compassion of the Amida Buddha, and it is widely believed in Japan.
Pure Land Buddhism developed as a result of probing and deep introspection. Becoming a fully awakened person for those who have daily lives is not easy. Their ability to Buddhist practice varies from person to person, too. For an ordinary person, accepting their true nature (an imperfect human being with worldly desire) and then entrusting the Amida Buddha's great compassion, that is, its aim to such a sentient being, is the path to the ultimate goal of Buddhism.
Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the information in these pages is accurate and in accordance with the teachings of the Buddhist Faith. Springfield Funeral Home does not represent or speak on behalf of the Buddhist community. Please defer to the Kelowna Buddhist Temple if there is a discrepancy of information contained in these pages. We would appreciate being notified of any errors or omissions. Please send any such notices to contact@springfieldfuneralhome.com.
