Who Invented Buddhism?
Unlike the two other major world religions (Christianity and Islam), Buddhism is a nontheistic religion, which denies the existence of a creator God and an eternal soul. The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama of the Shakya clan, who belonged to the kshatriya varna (the warrior caste), was born in northern India, presumably in the mid-6th century BCE. His biography quickly became surrounded by various legends, and the historical facts became firmly intertwined with myths, beginning with the circumstances of his birth, which were quite unusual. The future mother of the prince dreamed that a white elephant entered her body, which was interpreted as a prophecy of the arrival of a great person, a future ruler of the universe.
Siddhartha’s childhood and youth were cloudless: he knew neither illness, nor sorrow, nor need. But one day, when he left the palace, he encountered a sick person, an old man, and a funeral procession. This shocked him so deeply that he left his home and became an ascetic.
At the age of 35, during a long meditation, Siddhartha attained enlightenment, becoming the Buddha, and began to preach his teachings — the Dharma. The essence of this teaching is contained in the Four Noble Truths. First, the world is imperfect and full of suffering. Second, the source of suffering is desire and the thirst for life, which keep the wheel of samsara — the cycle of life, death, and rebirth — in motion.
Third, it is possible to break free from the cycle of samsara by attaining enlightenment (bodhi) and ultimately nirvana, a state of blissful non-existence. Fourth, there is a path to liberation, consisting of eight steps, which includes following ethical norms, meditation, and salvific wisdom. This path is called the Eightfold and Middle Path because it is equidistant from both strict asceticism and a life full of pleasures (which ultimately lead to suffering).
How Is Buddhism Different From Hinduism?
Buddhism is a world religion, which means that people of any nationality can become Buddhists. This is one of the radical differences between Buddhism and Hinduism — a national religion that is absolutely closed to external influences.
The social structure of Indian society was formed by four classes, or varnas — Brahmins (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (farmers and merchants), and Shudras (artisans and laborers). Belonging to a varna was determined solely by birth, just like belonging to Hinduism as a whole.
For several centuries, the teachings of the Buddha were transmitted orally, and in the 1st century BCE, they were written down on palm leaves, which were stored in three baskets. Hence, the name of the Buddhist canon — the Tripitaka (“Three Baskets”). There are several branches and many schools within Buddhism, but all Buddhists share a belief in the “Three Jewels” — the Buddha, the Dharma (the teachings of the Buddha), and the Sangha (the monastic community).
The ritual of joining the Buddhist community involves reciting a short ritual formula mentioning the “Three Jewels”: “I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha.”
In addition, all Buddhists must follow five precepts established by the Buddha: do not harm living beings, do not steal, do not engage in sexual misconduct, do not lie, and do not use alcohol or drugs.
Are There Branches in Buddhism (Like in Christianity)?
Buddhism, which initially was one of the many movements opposed to Hinduism, became a radical reformist doctrine both intellectually and spiritually, as well as socially. Buddhists placed a person’s ethical merits above their birth status, rejecting the varna system and the authority of the Brahmins. Over time, this small movement developed its own social structure, a body of sacred texts, and ritual practices. As a world religion, it spread far beyond the Indian subcontinent.
However, in India, Buddhism gradually declined. Today, less than 1% of Indians identify as Buddhists. Buddhism ranks only fifth among religions in India, significantly trailing Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Sikhism. Nevertheless, the founder of Buddhism, Buddha Shakyamuni, is revered in Hinduism as one of the incarnations (avatars) of the god Vishnu. On the world stage, Buddhism ranks fourth among religions: it is practiced by about 7% of the global population.
What Does It Mean to Be a Buddhist?
There are three main branches in Buddhism: Theravada — “the teaching of the elders,” Mahayana — “the Great Vehicle,” and Vajrayana — “the Diamond Vehicle.” Theravada, which is primarily practiced in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, is considered the oldest branch, directly tracing back to Buddha Shakyamuni and his circle of disciples.
From the Mahayana followers’ point of view, Theravada is an overly elitist teaching, which they disdainfully call Hinayana, or the “Lesser Vehicle,” because it suggests that nirvana can only be achieved through the monastic path. Mahayana followers, however, assert that laypeople can also attain enlightenment. A special role for them is played by the doctrine of Bodhisattvas — enlightened beings who voluntarily remain in samsara to help others escape the cycle of rebirth. For instance, in the Tibetan tradition, the spiritual leader of the Tibetans, the 14th Dalai Lama, is considered the incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Mahayana is prevalent in China, Tibet, Nepal, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and southern Siberia.
Finally, Vajrayana emerged within Mahayana at the end of the first millennium CE and reached its peak in Tibet. Followers of this tradition claim that enlightenment can be achieved within a single lifetime by adhering to Buddhist virtues and employing special meditative practices.
It is currently practiced mainly in Mongolia, Tibet, Buryatia, Tuva, and Kalmykia.
Is There Only One Buddha, or Are There Many?
Buddhism postulates the existence of countless “awakened ones” — buddhas, with Shakyamuni being the most famous among them. However, Buddhist texts also mention the names of his predecessors, ranging from 7 to 28 in number. Additionally, the future arrival of another buddha, Maitreya, is expected. Currently, as Buddhists believe, the bodhisattva Maitreya resides in the Tushita heaven (the “Garden of Joy”), and he will later appear on earth, attain enlightenment to become a buddha, and begin preaching the “pure dharma.”
Is Buddha a God or Not?
As mentioned earlier, Buddhism is a non-theistic religion. However, in Buddhist mythology, the “human” aspects of the life of Buddha Shakyamuni coexist with descriptions of his supernatural abilities, as well as cosmic-scale phenomena that accompanied various stages of his life journey.
He is described as a being who has existed eternally, capable of creating special worlds — “Buddha fields.”
The Buddha’s relics are perceived as evidence of his mystical presence in our world and are surrounded by special reverence. According to tradition, his remains were divided into eight parts and stored in the first Buddhist worship structures — stupas (which translates from Sanskrit as “top” or “earthen mound”). Additionally, Mahayana Buddhism introduced the concept of the eternal “dharmic body” of the Buddha, which he possessed alongside his ordinary, physical body. This body is identified both with the dharma and with the universe as a whole. It is evident that the Buddha is revered not only as a “great person” but also as a deity, especially in Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism.
Furthermore, Hindu deities have not been completely expelled from the Buddhist pantheon — the figure of the Buddha has merely pushed them into the background. According to Buddhist teaching, gods, like all other living beings, are subject to the cycle of samsara, and in order to escape from it, they must be reborn in the human world — since only there are buddhas born. Incidentally, before his final birth, Buddha Shakyamuni, according to legends, was reborn more than five hundred times, having lived as a king, a frog, a saint, and a monkey.
Do Buddhists Celebrate the New Year?
In popular Buddhism, there are many holidays — quite popular, though often only loosely related to religion. One of these is the New Year, which is celebrated differently in various regions. In general, the Buddhist festive cycle is based on the lunar calendar (everywhere except Japan). One of the main specifically Buddhist holidays is Vesak, which in different countries is associated with one to three key events in the life of Buddha Shakyamuni (birth, enlightenment, nirvana).
Other holidays include the Day of the Sangha, commemorating the Buddha’s meeting with his disciples, and the Day of Dharma, commemorating the Buddha’s first sermon. Additionally, in Buddhist countries, there is a Day of the Dead: pre-Buddhist ancestor worship is very persistent and plays a significant role.
Do Buddhists Have Temples?
The most well-known Buddhist religious structure is the stupa. Initially, stupas were built as reliquaries where the remains of Buddha Shakyamuni were kept and venerated, later as memorials to important events. There are several varieties of stupas, and their architectural appearance largely depends on regional traditions: they can be hemispherical, square-stepped, or have the shape of pagodas. To earn good karma, Buddhists practice ritual circumambulation of the stupa.
There are also temples with even more diverse architectural styles. It is believed that these temples house the three treasures of Buddhism — the Buddha (his statues and other images), the dharma, embodied in the texts of the Buddhist canon, and the sangha, represented by monks living in the temple or monastery.
Are Buddhists Vegetarians or Not?
One might think that one of the most important Buddhist principles — ahimsa — implies abstaining from eating meat.
However, in reality, dietary restrictions in different regions are mostly determined by local customs. Among Buddhists, there are both proponents and opponents of vegetarianism, and both sides cite legendary sayings of the Buddha to support their positions. For example, there is a Buddhist parable about a deer and a tiger, in which the deer ends up in hell for boasting about its vegetarianism while unknowingly killing small insects by eating grass, whereas the tiger, a predator, purified its karma because it suffered and repented throughout its life.
