Among the several religions in the world including the shores of some countries in the continent of Africa, Buddhism is one of the most popular after Christian and Islam. So, rousing the discussion of the definition and Buddhism place of worship in this article shouldn’t be a trouble. Having gone through the arrays of books and recorded facts, we have garnered verifiable information that should help see Buddhism in a very pure and original light of itself.
Definition of Buddhism Place of Worship
Buddhism is one of the world’s largest religions and originated 2,500 years ago in India. Buddhists believe that the human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana.
Buddhism is one of the world’s major religions. It originated in India in 563–483 B.C.E. with Siddhartha Gautama, and over the next millennia it spread across Asia and the rest of the world. Buddhists believe that human life is a cycle of suffering and rebirth, but that if one achieves a state of enlightenment (nirvana), it is possible to escape this cycle forever. Siddhartha Gautama was the first person to reach this state of enlightenment and was, and is still today, known as the Buddha. Buddhists do not believe in any kind of deity or god, although there are supernatural figures who can help or hinder people on the path towards enlightenment.
Founder of the Religion
Siddhartha Gautama was an Indian prince in the fifth century B.C.E. who, upon seeing people poor and dying, realized that human life is suffering. He renounced his wealth and spent time as a poor beggar, meditating and travelling but ultimately, remaining unsatisfied, settling on something called “the Middle Way.” This idea meant that neither extreme asceticism or extreme wealth were the path to enlightenment, but rather, a way of life between the two extremes. Eventually, in a state of deep meditation, he achieved enlightenment, or nirvana underneath the Bodhi tree (the tree of awakening). The Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar, India—the site of his enlightenment—is now a major Buddhist pilgrimage site.
The Buddha taught about Four Noble Truths. The first truth is called “Suffering (dukkha),” which teaches that everyone in life is suffering in some way. The second truth is “Origin of suffering (samudāya).” This states that all suffering comes from desire (tanhā). The third truth is “Cessation of suffering (nirodha),” and it says that it is possible to stop suffering and achieve enlightenment. The fourth truth, “Path to the cessation of suffering (magga)” is about the Middle Way, which are the steps to achieve enlightenment.
Buddhists believe in a wheel of rebirth, where souls are born again into different bodies depending on how they conducted themselves in their previous lives. This is connected to “karma,” which refers to how a person’s good or bad actions in the past or in their past lives can impact them in the future.
There are two main groups of Buddhism: Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism is common in Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia. It emphasizes the role models of bodhisattvas (beings that have achieved enlightenment but return to teach humans). Theravada Buddhism is common in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Burma (Myanmar). It emphasizes a monastic lifestyle and meditation as the way to enlightenment.
Buddhism has been a controversial religion. The head of the Tibetan school of Buddhism and traditional leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, fled from China-controlled Tibet in 1959 to India in fear of his life. Many Tibetan Buddhists actively resist Chinese control of the region. Recently, the current Dalai Lama, who is understood to be the fourteenth reincarnation of the first Dalai Lama, has raised questions over whether and where he will choose to reincarnate.
Why Buddhism?
The purpose of Buddhists is to reach enlightenment. Enlightenment occurs when a person has developed the wisdom to see life as it really is. Samatha meditation allows Buddhists to concentrate their mind and vipassana meditation allows Buddhists to gain an insight into the true nature of life. Therefore, meditation brings Buddhists closer to enlightenment and thus deepens their faith. Samatha meditation enables Buddhists to concentrate their minds. This meditation usually involves focusing on an object or their breathing. The human mind is often full of useless thoughts and worries and Samatha clears the mind of these pollutants. The Buddha said, ‘a discipline mind leads to happiness’, and this is exactly what Samatha meditation does, it trains and disciplines the mind so it is ready to learn the true nature of life. Therefore, Samatha meditation puts Buddhists on the starting block to learn the true nature of life and allows them to begin to deepen their faith.
Places of Worship for Buddhists
- Temple – a building that allows many people to come together to learn, meditate, celebrate and offer devotion. A temple will contain a shrine and space for community activities.
- Vihara – a monastery for monks or nuns who have decided to devote themselves to the Buddhist path. Members of the wider community support the vihara and earn positive karma. The vihara in return supports the members of the community in their spiritual growth.
- Shrine – the site of a statue or image of the Buddha, either within a temple or vihara, or alone.
- Stupa – a burial mound built to house relics of the Buddha or another important Buddhist teacher. People often walk around them while chanting to aid concentration.
- Meditation hall – meditation is one of the most important aspects of Buddhism. It is essential for growing one’s understanding and developing a calm, Buddha-like mind. Whether at a temple or vihara, Buddhists require large spaces dedicated to calm and concentration.
