Modern Manifestation of Buddhism
Modern Manifestation of Buddhism
Buddhist practices have flourished throughout Asia for thousands of years. These practices didn’t reach the Western culture until the late 19th century. However, over the past decade Buddhist teachings seemed to have an attraction within our rapidly changing culture. Unlike many religions, which focus only within their institutions, the Buddhist focus point is to achieve inner peace within one’s self, in which can have a profound rippling effect. The manifestation of Buddhism throughout the western culture has slowly been increasing and has become more accepted within our political society. In order to fully understand this manifestation, one must first understand Buddhism and where it came from. Buddhism began about 2,500 years ago in India when Siddhartha Gautama, a wealthy prince, became dissatisfied with his lavish lifestyle ( in class). Siddhartha left behind his wife and children to set out on a path to find the true virtues of life. In leaving his kingdom he cut off his hair and renounced the selfish lifestyle that he once led. Upon his journey, Gautama saw sickness, old age, and death. He couldn’t understand how there could be happiness in world that was filled with suffering. Within his search, he survived off a very limited diet, only eating roots and berries (in class). He grew even more dissatisfied when he realized that, “Neither my life of luxury in the palace nor my life as an ascetic in the forest is the way to freedom.” As his impatience started to grow, he told himself that he would sit under a tree and would not walk away until he was free from suffering. Siddhartha fell into a deep meditation, in which he met copious amounts of evil that tried to lure him away from reaching his goal. As the struggle subsided, he was free from suffering and gained supreme wisdom. It was this moment that he was known as Buddha. Upon his enlightenment, the Buddha and his followers spent the next forty-five years
Buddhist practices have flourished throughout Asia for thousands of years. These practices didn’t reach the Western culture until the late 19th century. However, over the past decade Buddhist teachings seemed to have an attraction within our rapidly changing culture. Unlike many religions, which focus only within their institutions, the Buddhist focus point is to achieve inner peace within one’s self, in which can have a profound rippling effect. The manifestation of Buddhism throughout the western culture has slowly been increasing and has become more accepted within our political society. In order to fully understand this manifestation, one must first understand Buddhism and where it came from. Buddhism began about 2,500 years ago in India when Siddhartha Gautama, a wealthy prince, became dissatisfied with his lavish lifestyle ( in class). Siddhartha left behind his wife and children to set out on a path to find the true virtues of life. In leaving his kingdom he cut off his hair and renounced the selfish lifestyle that he once led. Upon his journey, Gautama saw sickness, old age, and death. He couldn’t understand how there could be happiness in world that was filled with suffering. Within his search, he survived off a very limited diet, only eating roots and berries (in class). He grew even more dissatisfied when he realized that, “Neither my life of luxury in the palace nor my life as an ascetic in the forest is the way to freedom.” As his impatience started to grow, he told himself that he would sit under a tree and would not walk away until he was free from suffering. Siddhartha fell into a deep meditation, in which he met copious amounts of evil that tried to lure him away from reaching his goal. As the struggle subsided, he was free from suffering and gained supreme wisdom. It was this moment that he was known as Buddha. Upon his enlightenment, the Buddha and his followers spent the next forty-five years
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