preview

The Teachings Of Buddhism And The Buddha Essay

Satisfactory Essays

Buddhism is a very prominent religion followed by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. It was founded Gautama Buddha, who is also known as the Buddha or Siddhartha Gautama. The Buddha has 3 names much like there are 3 types of Buddhism. The different types of Buddhism are Theravada, Mahayana, and Pure Land. Though there are multiple schools of Buddhism, they all follow the teachings of the Buddha. Two of the main teachings of the Buddha are known as the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. The followers of Buddhism view these teachings as a set of guidelines to live a peaceful life free of suffering. Ultimately, these teachings are meant to lead the followers of Buddhism to Nirvana. But how was one man inspired to come up with all of these teachings? To begin with, Siddhartha Gautama was no ordinary man. Siddhartha Gautama came from a noble family and was actually a prince. Because he is viewed as a divine being, there are many mysteries surrounding his life. It is difficult to pinpoint which stories about him are true and which has been sensationalized over time. However, there are some basic stories about his life that are generally accepted. These stories say that “his birth was attended by miracles and that he was born with signs on his body indicating a destiny either as an enlightened Buddha or as a world-conquering emperor” (Smith, 243). As such he was raised to be a prince and grew up very privileged. It is difficult to imagine that a religion

Get Access