7 Buddhism Facts that Will Surprise You
Wesley Baines Beliefnet
Even the world's calmest religion has its surprises.
From reincarnation to koans to the the selection of the Dali Lama, Buddhism is a fascinating and unique way of life with a few surprises in store for those unfamiliar with it.
Arising from the ancient teachings of the Buddha, it is currently the 4th largest religion in the world, with over 495 million adherents, representing 7 percent of the global population spread out across nearly every country in the world.
While Buddhism may seem to be all about meditation, calmness, and quiet monasteries, it has just as many interesting quirks as the other major belief systems of the world. Let’s explore those quirks by taking a look at 7 Buddhism facts that will surprise you.
It was started by a prince.
The title “buddha,” refers to an enlightened person who has awakened from their ignorance and achieved freedom from suffering. Hence, there is more than one buddha.
The historical figure known as the Buddha—capital “B”—was born near the Ganges River basin in ancient Northern India, in what we know today as Nepal.
Before he became the Buddha, his name was Siddhartha Gautama—his given name meaning, “he who achieves his aim”—and he came from a royal family. His life was one of luxury, sheltered and protected from the suffering and violence of the world.
Around the age of 29, Siddhartha witnessed suffering for the very first time while on a chariot ride outside his family palace. This had a profound effect on the man, and because of it, he subsequently renounced his wealth and royal ties in a quest to find the cause of human suffering, and to put an end to it.
For six years, he sought out the best teachers of meditation, living a life marked by the denial of his wants, begging for food in the streets. However, this produced in him a feeling of weakness and ill health—he suffered, and so concluded that this was not the way.
After this, he sought the truth of suffering in yogic meditation. But in this, too, he was unsatisfied.
Eventually, he settled on what Buddhists call the Middle Way—a path of moderation that steers an individual away from extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification.
Eventually Siddhartha sat beneath a pipal tree, where he vowed not to arise until he found the truth. But find it he did, and arose enlightened after 49 days of meditation, writing down what he learned—writings that became the basis for Buddhism.
It’s ancient.
Most modern scholars agree that the historical Buddha was alive between about 563 to 483 BCE. That means that the teachings of Buddhism have been passed down for over 2,500 years.
To give you an idea of how ancient this is, let’s look at what else happened around the time period in which the Buddha was alive.
Around this time, the contemporary English city of London found its origins amidst marshy waters near the River Thames, in the form of a few dozen huts and a small river landing built by the Celtic king, Belin. The catapult had also just been invented by the Greeks, and war was breaking out between Sparta and the city-state of Elis. Jesus, founder of Christianity, wouldn’t be born for hundreds of years.
With this in perspective, it’s hard not to be surprised at how long the Buddha’s teachings have been transmitted from teacher to teacher.
There is no single holy book.
Unlike the other major world religions, Buddhism has no single holy book from which all of its teachings come. Instead, there is a vast number of texts and teachings, but few that are accepted as authentic and authoritative.
Buddhist scriptures are called sutras, which means “thread”. This title indicates that the work is a sermon given by the Buddha, or by one of his disciples—many, however, have other origins.
There is a multitude of sutras, ranging in size from a few lines to that of a large tome. And beyond this, there are countless fables, rules for monks and nuns, and commentaries.
To complicate matters, Buddhism split into two major schools around 2,000 years ago, becoming what are known today as Theravada and Mahayana. Buddhist scriptures are divided into canons for each of these schools. And, to go even further, the Mahayana canon is split between the Chinese canon and the Tibetan canon.
Sound a little overwhelming? It is. Better get reading now!
There's no Buddhist god.
One major difference between Buddhism and other major religions is the lack of a central deity.
Siddhartha was just a man, albeit an enlightened one, and made no claims to divinity at all. Buddhists follow his teachings and try to live as he did, but they do not worship him.
Interestingly, the Buddha, in contrast to the gods of other faiths, encourages Buddhists to not take his word for anything, but rather to go find out what work for themselves—it’s all about exploring beliefs, understanding them, and testing those beliefs against experience.
The Buddha, himself, explains this best, when he writes, “Do not be led by reports, or tradition, or hearsay. Be not led by the authority of religious texts, nor by mere logic or inference, nor by considering appearances, nor by the delight in speculative opinions, nor by seeming possibilities, nor by the idea: ‘This is our Teacher’. But, O Kalamas, when you know for yourselves that certain things are unwholesome and wrong and bad, then give them up… and when you know that certain things are wholesome and good, and that the wise believe them to be so, then accept them and follow them.”
This is Buddhism—it’s more about practice than merely holding a certain set of dogmatic beliefs.
It's closer to psychology than religion.
One fact about Buddhism fact that will surprise you the most is that it is closer to psychology than religion—it’s really quite practical.
The Buddha could be seen as an early psychologist, teaching his disciples the idea of acceptance—that the world is a certain way, and that wishful thinking only leads to sorrow.
One of the principal ideas of Buddhism is that suffering comes from craving—mainly, from wishing things were different than they are. We all wish that sickness didn’t take hold of our bodies. We want money, friends, and lovers. We want success and fame. We want and we want, and when the world doesn’t align with those wants, we suffer.
But Siddhartha, in his enlightenment, recognized the futility of this.
Buddhism fosters a mindset that helps adherents accept the world as it really is, and to abolish destructive cravings that lead to anger, sorrow, and suffering.
Doing this requires constant mindfulness—a concept that is becoming a huge trend in the psychology field. To be mindful is simply to focus your awareness on the present moment, while avoiding judging your thoughts and feelings as either bad or good. It means to live totally in the present, and it has proven to be incredibly therapeutic.
One of their leaders is found, not chosen.
Another Buddhism fact that may surprise you involves the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.
The Dalai Lama is found rather than chosen.
The Dalai Lama is believed to have the ability to choose the body he is reincarnated into, meaning that each Dalai Lama is a reincarnation of the last.
The High Lamas of the Gelupta tradition take on the search for the reborn Dali Lama each time the previous leader passes away. This can take years—it took, in fact, 4 years to find the current Dalai Lama, Tensin Gyatso.
When the High Lamas have a vision, the search begins. They meditate at central Tibet’s holy lake, waiting for signs that may indicate where the new Dalai Lama resides.
When the boy is found, the High Lamas enact a series of secret tests to make sure he is their actual reincarnated leader—this includes presenting the boy with a set of items, one of which belonged to the previous Dalai Lama, and seeing if he chooses the correct one.
If chosen, the boy, family in tow, is taken to Lhasa, where he studies the Buddhist sutra to prepare for his place as spiritual leader of Tibet.
They study k�ans.
A Buddhist kÅ�an is a paradoxical statement or question that is used in Zen practice to provoke doubt and test progress in Zen practice. Once the solution has been found, the kÅ�an is no longer paradoxical, and can be understood for what it is—a profoundly meaningful statement produced from the state of consciousness it is designed to awaken.
They’re usually just a few sentences in length. A well-known example is Master Hakuin Ekaku’s question, "Two hands clap and there is a sound; what is the sound of one hand?"
Contrary to popular belief, these aren’t simply nonsensical statements which suddenly bring about “Enlightenment”. They are meant to be creatively solved, although not in the way our Western minds may expect.
This isn’t an easy process, either. Students meditate on them for a year or more, and in some schools, it can take up to 10 years to master all assigned kÅ�ans.
At the most basic level a kÅ�an slowly breaks down a student’s conception of the way reality works, allowing them to begin to truly “see,” through the fog of presuppositions and expectations.
This last Buddhism fact may surprise you simply because of its effectiveness. Paired with a teacher, the solving of koans can breed immense clarity of mind.
Don’t believe that? Find a Zen master and try it out for yourself. You may just be surprised.
Learn about the path to a clearer vision.
Buddhism is very different from its Western stereotypes. It is a way of life that’s focused on alleviating suffering through a rational, emotional, and spiritual journey toward clarity. Surprisingly compatible with Western life, Buddhism is about cutting through prejudices and presuppositions to get to the truth of what reality is.
And these 7 Buddhism facts that will surprise you are only the beginning of this complex and ancient belief system. For more information about the core teachings of Buddhism, head here - http://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/buddhism/buddhism-at-a-glance.aspx.
are there different denominations to Buddhism, since it is technically not a 'religion'?
There are broadly 3 different denominations in Buddhism comprising: The Theravada, Mahayana and the Vajrayana. Within these 3 main branches, there are also many different subsects as well.
Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy?
www.religioustolerance.org
Lack of standard definition of "religion:"
Whether Buddhism is, or is not, a religion depends upon how the word "religion" is defined. Lots of people have their favorite definition; some think that theirs is the only valid meaning for the term.
Some definitions required a religion to include belief in the existence of one or more deities; this would classify most expressions of Buddhism as a non-religious since it is essentially a non-theistic religion.
Other definitions do not require religion to include belief in a deity; these would probably include Buddhism as a religion.
For example:
Webster's New World Dictionary (Third College Edition): defines religion as: "any specific system of belief and worship, often involving a code of ethics and a philosophy."
Buddhism would not be considered a religion under this definition, because it is basically non-theistic: it does not generally involve worship of a supernatural entity.
Wikipedia once defined religion as: "... a system of social coherence based on a common group of beliefs or attitudes concerning an object, person, unseen being, or system of thought considered to be supernatural, sacred, divine or highest truth, and the moral codes, practices, values, institutions, traditions, and rituals associated with such belief or system of thought."
Buddhism could be considered a religion because its various forms share a system of thought that is considered to be the highest truth. It involves moral codes, practices, values, traditions and rituals.
More recently, Wikipedia have adopted the definition of the late Clifford Geertz, an anthropologist from Princeton: Religion is: "an organized approach to human spirituality which usually encompasses a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices, often with a supernatural or transcendent quality, that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power, God or gods, or ultimate truth.
Here again, Buddhism would be considered a religion.
Anthony F.C. Wallace, a North American anthropologist who specializes in Native American cultures, suggested a definition as: "a set of rituals, rationalized by myth, which mobilizes supernatural powers for the purpose of achieving or preventing transformations of state in man or nature.”
Buddhism would not be considered a religion because it does not usually involve belief in supernatural powers.
Robert Bellah, professor at the University of California, Berkley, in a legal declaration concerning the nature of transcendental meditation (TM), defined religion as: "a set of symbolic forms and acts that relate man to the ultimate conditions of his existence."
If the word "forms" is defined broadly, this would seem to imply that Buddhism is a religion, along with TM.
H.L. Menken, 20th century editor, person of ideas, satirist, and Agnostic defined religion's "...single function is to give man access to the powers which seem to control his destiny, and its single purpose is to induce those powers to be friendly to him."
This would imply that Buddhism is not a religion, because it does not presuppose the existence of supernatural powers with whom humans can react.
Comments by some Buddhists:
The Drepung Loseling Institute, a center for Tibetan Buddhist studies, practice and culture, fully accepts Buddhism as a religion. They state:
"Like all major religions, Buddhism contains an explanation of the origin of existence, a morality, and a specific set of rituals and behaviors. ... Buddhism presents a transformational goal, a desire to improve one's situation, and a distinct moral code.
The Late Ven Dr.K.Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera JSM wrote:
"The Buddha's message as a religious way of life: 'Keeping away from ail evil deeds, cultivation or life by doing good deeds and punfication of mind from mental impurities'."
"For our purposes, religion may be defined in a very broad sense as a body of moral and philosophical teachings and the acceptance with confidence of such teachings In this sense. Buddhism is a religion."
Venerable Master Chin Kung of the Buddhist Educational College in Singapore, describes four different types of Buddhism, of which one is:
"... religious Buddhism. Originally, Buddhism was not a religion, but now it has become one. We can no longer deny that there is a 'Buddhist religion' because everywhere we look, Buddhism is displayed as a religion. Unlike the monasteries in the past which held eight-hour classes per day and provided another eight hours for self-cultivation, today's Buddhist 'temples' no longer uphold such a perseverance of the Buddha's Teachings. Today we mainly see people offering to the Buddha statues and praying for blessings and fortune. In this way, Buddhism has been wrongly changed into a religion”
A number of countries recognize Buddhism as their official religion:
Bhutan
Cambodia
Kalmykia, a republic within the Russian Federation
Tibet Government in Exile
Also:
Sri Lanka recognizes Theravada Buddhism as occupying "the foremost place" among its religions.
Practices in North America:
Many groups recognize Buddhism as a religion:
Census offices and public opinion pollsters generally include Buddhism as one of the world's major religion.
Books that describe the religions of the world generally list Buddhism as a religion along with Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc.
Even the Boy Scouts of America, who systematically root out and expel Atheists, Agnostics and homosexuals, accept Buddhists as members.
The Government of Canada denies registration of religious charities unless they teach the belief in one or more Gods or Goddesses. However, they allow Buddhist faith groups to register. They also register Unitarian groups even though they do not teach the existence of a deity.
Buddhism as a "bottom-up" religion:
Buddhism is not what we call a "top-down religion" -- one in which a deity reveals religious and spiritual truths to humanity. It is a "bottom-up religion" created by humans as an attempt to express spiritual concepts.
Kerry Trembath, former Secretary of the Buddhist Council of New South Wales, in Australia writes :
"Buddhism does not deny the existence of gods or of other worlds, and indeed the devotional practices of many Buddhist traditions involve the veneration and invocation of special beings such as Avalokitesvara (known as Kwan Yin to many Chinese, or Kannon to the Japanese). However, at its core Buddhism is a non-theistic religion and, unlike other world religions, Buddhism is not a doctrine of revelation. The Buddha did not claim to be the bearer of a message from on high. He made it clear that what he taught he had discovered for himself through his own efforts."
"The Buddha himself is revered not as a deity or supernatural being but as a very special kind of human being. He was a human who achieved the ultimate in development of his human potential. The Buddha taught that this achievement is within the reach of every human being, and he spent his life teaching a practical methodology which, if followed with purity of mind and great diligence, would enable others to reach the same objective. In other words, he taught a method rather than a doctrine. When questioned about the validity of his teachings, the Buddha did not refer to the higher authority of a deity. He explained that his teachings were based on his own direct personal experience, and he invited all who were interested to test for themselves whether the method he taught was effective."