| Buddhism was introduced from
India into China in 6th Century AD. One of the Hen Emperors sent a mission to the west of
China and brought back the scriptures, Indian monks and the images of Buddha. Since then
Chinese translation was made available and the further exchange of scholars among China,
India and other Asian countries brought about the rapid development of Buddhism in China.
Buddhist monasteries and temples were built to promote the Buddhism and some of the
Emperors were also the followers of Buddhism. Buddhism, just like Confucianism and Taoism,
guides people to behave, to be honest and responsible. It promotes harmony and peaceful
mind, sharing and compassion. Buddhists never force people into their belief. Buddhism
emphasizes in "awakening of mind". Through learning, one will develop
intellectual capacity to the fullest so as to understand, to love and be kind to other
beings.
Buddhism does not believe in God. It believes in People. In Buddhist
teaching, there is no aggressive promotion of Buddhism or strong rejection of other
religions. All these make Buddhism fall into the same scope of Confucianism and Taoist.
Its ability to co-exist with any other religions makes it being developed into one of the
largest religions in China.
The basic Buddhist concepts base on Four Noble Truths:
First Noble Truth - life is suffering mentally and physically in the
forms of sickness, injuries, aging, death, tiredness, anger, loneliness, frustration, fear
and anxiety, etc.
Second Noble Truth - all these suffering are caused by craving. A
self-centered person with continuous wanting from others will cause mental unhappiness. In
turn, it will cause physical exhaust and fatigue in life.
Third Noble Truth - all sufferings can be overcome and avoided. When
one gives up endless wanting and endures problems that life evolves without fear, hatred
and anger, happiness and freedom will then be obtained. Overcome the mentality of
self-center and selfishness, one will then spend time in meeting others needs and feels
life more fulfilled.
Fourth Noble Truth - There is a Noble Eigthfold path leading to
overcome the suffering. The Eightfold path includes Perfect Understanding, Perfect
Thought, Perfect Speech, Perfect Action, Perfect Livelihood, Perfect Effort, Perfect
Mindfulness and Perfect Concentration.
Buddhist practice the above in developing spiritually into a perfect
person. This is said to lead one into the ultimate happiness in life and even afterlife.
Buddhism also promotes code of conduct in life. That is what they
call Five Precepts of avoiding killing, stealing, indulging, lying and alcohol drinking.
Buddhist teaching introduces the way and concepts of meditation, rebirth, intellectual
development and comparisons. It leads to self-understanding, instead of blind believing.
"Giving up false speech he
becomes a speaker of truth, reliable, trustworthy, dependable, he does not deceive the
world. Giving up malicious speech he does not repeat there what he has heard here nor does
he repeat here what he has heard there in order to cause variance between people. He
reconciles those who are divided and brings closer together those who are already friends.
Harmony is his joy, harmony is his delight, harmony is his love; it is the motive of his
speech. Giving up harsh speech his speech is blameless, pleasing to the ear, agreeable,
going to the heart, urbane, like by most. Giving up idle chatter he speaks at the right
time, what is correct, to the point, about Dhamma and about discipline. He speaks words
worth being treasured up, seasonable, reasonable, well defined and to the point."
Further
Information
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