Your guide to practicing the Buddhism religion

The Buddha - the founder of Buddhism religion, the Sri Lanka religion - is one of the most venerated and charismatic figures in history, and speaking personally he is my favorite historical figure. He was born a prince and brought up in the lap of luxury. At the age of 29, tiring of worldly pleasures, he renounced his kingdom and his family and set out to seek the path to the end of suffering. After many years of ascetic practices he became enlightened. He spent the rest of his days expounding his way of life – the noble eightfold path – which leads to the end of suffering.

Let us look at his decision to renounce his kingdom and become a penniless monk. It makes no rational sense in today's context to renounce a life of ease and pleasure and become an ascetic. The Buddha was obviously motivated by the insight that all such worldly pleasures last but a moment and are therefore illusory. The Hindu concept of Maya comes to mind – which treats the external world with its temptations, work and responsibilities as illusory. It is illusory not in the sense that the external world does not exist. It is illusory because all such manifestations last but for a moment and then pass away. Attachment to worldly pleasures inevitably leads to suffering as the sought for situation will pass away and we will suffer when it does. The Buddha wanted and insight, an understanding, a realization which is not of this world and which we can base the foundations of our life upon as we seek to live a happy and productive life.

The concept of Maya is taken from Hinduism, but Buddhism religion also has the same goal of having us experience the Ultimate reality - beyond the world of form.

The Buddha preached a way of life more than a new religion. He achieved enlightenment through meditation and meditation was also what he mainly taught. Practicing meditation in the Theravada religion tradition - the Buddhism religion have many benefits. Buddhist meditation techniques in the Theravada religion tradition are practiced in Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand. The Insight meditation technique called Vipassana is now being made popular in other countries as well, mainly through S.N Goenka. Mr. Goenka is a householder who learned Vipassana in Burma through Sayagyi U Ba Khin. The Vipassana Research Institute conducts courses throughout the year in many centers in India and many other countries. The Buddha's original method of meditation - as practiced in the Sri Lanka religion and in Burma - is taught. More information can be found at the website www.dhamma.org
The Vipassana course conducted by S.N Goenka is rigorous and demanding. The meditation sessions start at 4:30 in the morning and continue (with breaks) till 9:30 at night. You will meditate for approximately 10 hours every day. Participants take a vow of silence for the duration of the course – not speaking to each other or even making eye contact. At the end of the 10 days the meditator would have experienced, through the sensations in his own body, the impermanent nature of all conditioned things. This understanding of the impermanent nature, the illusory nature of the world and our own ego is enough to transform your life and leads to a deep-seated peace and serenity, which the slings and arrows of a fickle fate cannot shake.

I have myself done the 10-day course and practiced Vipassana and frankly I did not get much benefit from it. This is not the fault of the course. I was making one basic mistake – I was trying to control my thoughts and feelings while meditating. While practicing any meditation – Vipassana or otherwise – learn to welcome each and every thought and feeling which arises in your consciousness. View the thought with indifference, allow it into your awareness – it is impermanent, it is illusory – it will pass. The classic book on meditation and present moment awareness, which revealed to me my mistake, was The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. Anyone interested in meditation would do well to study this book as it gives many hints, which will enable you to get the most benefit from your meditation practice.

I would also suggest that you read Osho Rajneesh's 12-volume exposition on the Dhammapada - the holy book of Buddhism religion. Osho brings the dry scriptures to life – infusing them with meaning and making them meaningful and usable by us in the present day. You may consider Osho to be too controversial. But Christ – in his day - was controversial, Socrates was controversial. Anybody who speaks out against vested interests is controversial. I had myself approached Osho with skepticism. But I was struck by his authority, his many penetrating insights and the usefulness of the concepts discussed in my day-to-day life. The man was really enlightened, he had the experience, which all great mystics have had and he can guide us through his own experience. Better the guidance of a man who has walked the path than the dry analysis of scholars who are in the same boat as us. Here is the link to his official website www.osho.com
Meditation practiced in the Theravada tradition - the Buddhism religion - as taught by S.N Goenka is rapidly finding many adherents. The residential courses are conducted free of cost and at the end of the course you are free to make a donation of any amount that suits you. This is in the tradition living like a monk - supported by society as you do your meditation practice.

Buddhism religion stresses an experiential knowledge of Truth. It stresses that you need to be transformed by a direct experience of Truth or God and the way to this is meditation. The Buddha became enlightened through meditation and so Buddhism religion stresses this aspect. Meditation has many benefits in day to day life and you will increase your well being by taking up this practice.

For some more information please visit Buddhism religion and Buddhism religion II

Please also refer these pages on
Buddhist Meditation
The Noble 8 Fold Path
Right thinking according to the Noble 8 Fold Path
Buddhism Outline
Ten fact about Buddhism
Interesting fact about Buddhism
Buddhism religion facts
When was Buddhism founded
Hinduism and Buddhism a comparison
Buddhism and facts
Buddhism religion history
5 Facts Buddhism
Basic beliefs of Buddhism
Buddhism beliefs practices
More Buddhism beliefs

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