A guide to important Buddhism religion facts

Some of the Buddhism religion facts are as follows:

Buddhism is not a faith or even a doctrine. It is a method to attain enlightenment and it takes the form of a dialogue. Any dialogue must necessarily to tailored to meet the needs of one person with his individual requirements. And the requirements of that individual will change as he progresses in his practice. So you might find Buddhist doctrine saying one thing in the beginning and a completely different thing in the end.

For example the Buddhist doctrine says that it offers a path to the end of suffering. This is meant for the novice – to get him started. Towards the end it says that this very Samsara (the world or ordinary life) is Nirvana. This is meant for a person advanced in his practice.

So the point that it is a dialogue is an important Buddhism religion fact to keep in mind.

Since Buddhism is a dialogue and offers different skillful means (upayas) for different individuals we need to use discernment and choose the method that is best suited for our spiritual progress. All roads lead to Rome but different roads meet the differing needs of different persons

So this is one of the important Buddhism religion facts to keep in mind

Another important one of the facts about Buddhism is that there are 3 main traditions in Buddhism. These are Theravada Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism and Zen. These traditions differ in their methods and their philosophy. In fact Zen can be said to have no doctrine or philosophy at all. It is purely a path leading to experiential understanding and it does not bother with concepts. So this is another one of the important Buddhism religion facts.

The Buddhist religion stresses on experiential understanding. So this is one of the important Buddhism facts to ponder. It is a fit path for people looking for transformation.

It is said that Theravada Buddhism is like walking on the road to enlightenment on foot. Mahayana is like catching a bus whereas Zen is like catching a plane. Zen leads to satori and enlightenment fastest and is the most powerful way.

Paradoxically Theravada Buddhism might be the most austere and difficult path of the three. This is because it stresses on self effort to reach Nirvana and also stresses ridding the mind of defilements. It is said to be the Buddha’s original teaching.

Mahayana Buddhism and Zen are said to have more mature and skillful means to attain enlightenment as compared to Theravada Buddhism. These traditions developed in North India, Tibet, China and Japan (Zen developed only in China & Japan). Also these traditions and methods or skillful means were developed subsequent to Shakyamuni Buddha’s time. Naturally these cultures (Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese) brought their own understanding and genius to bear on this quest (for Nirvana). Hence they were able to develop many innovative methods touched with their genius. So this is another of the important Buddhism religion facts to keep in mind.

Facts about Buddhism. Death and contemplation on death.

The Buddha once said : Of all footprints, That of the elephant is supreme, of all mindfulness meditations that on death is supreme

Thich Nhat Hanh offers an interesting perspective on death in his book – No death No Fear I read this book a few years back but I remember that he teaches - in the book – a meditation which will enable us to face the fear of death and be at peace with the prospect of our passing. I need to do this meditation myself as it will no doubt help me grow and reduce the terror that I would feel now if I were to die suddenly.

Another of Thich Nhat Hanh’s books The Heart of Understanding is his commentary on the Heart Sutra. If you read, contemplate and really digest this book it will so a long way in helping you be at peace with the prospect of our death and this will enable us to take our ego less seriously.

The way in which mindfulness on death makes us less egoistic is that we face up to the fact that we are transient beings who will soon cease to exist. Generally it is common for people to ignore death and old age. We seem to behave as if death is something that happens only to others and not to ourselves. This of course is a complete delusion but we behave as it this were the truth. We tend to cling to our possession for example as if we (and our possessions) were going to exist forever.

Whereas it we face up to the fact that we will die it will be much easier to let go of grasping and clinging - to our possessions, our relationships and our ego. We will take ourselves a lot less seriously since we will see ourselves as transient guests on this Earth, soon to leave. And when we die it will be as if we had never existed.

Once you have accepted these facts – not just intellectually - but with your being; when you feel this fact in your bones then it will change you completely from the inside out. And you will be much the happier for it.

So this is one of the most important facts on Buddhism. Death and contemplation on death. It is a powerful method of transformation and spiritual advancement and is given its due importance in Buddhism.

Buddhism is – as I said earlier - not a religion or philosophy or faith but it is a method. The Shakyamuni Buddha absolutely discouraged philosophical pursuits or questions about the nature of the Universe. “What was the use of all these pursuits?,” he asked. It was as if a man were pierced and wounded by on arrow. A physician comes to cure him but the man says, “Before you pull out this arrow I want to know who was the man who wounded me. What was his name, age, profession, which family is he from, where does he live, and so on and so forth. Such a man, the Buddha said, would die of his wounds before he knew all these things.

Similarly philosophical pursuits will do us no good at all. We are all suffering in this life and we need to walk the path to the end of suffering, to Nirvana. This is the only pursuit that has any meaning. It is the only pursuit that will benefit us.

These then are some facts on Buddhism. In fact I have erred in calling it that because Buddhism, properly understood, is not a religion at all. The Buddha did not ask us to pray to God. He said that he himself was not a God but an ordinary human being who had awakened to his true nature. The Buddha even left unanswered the question whether there is a God at all.

So ignoring metaphysical questions is an important Buddhism religion fact relating to the Theravada tradition.

Not only that simple common sense supports this philosophy. Buddhism and facts are in close agreement.

Similarly since the Buddhist teachings are not doctrines but methods teachings are not doctrines but methods or skillful means we are not asked to believe in them but to try than out and test them on the basis of our experience. The Buddha himself said regarding his own teachings that we were not to blindly believe his teachings but to try them and to see if they were true. Only them were we to accept them.

This Buddhism religion fact of our being told to test the teachings is unique to my experience. No other tradition or faith - to my knowledge - has such a scientific and practical approach.

Hence to call these as Buddhism religion facts is an error since Buddhism is not really a religion.

For more information and facts about Buddhism please visit this page on Buddhism and facts

One of the Buddhism facts is that there is a concrete path to attain salvation. Learn more on this page on Eightfold path of Buddhism It explains the importance of Right Views.

For a complete list of articles visit this page on Buddhism

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