Buddhism

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Buddhism is religion and philosophy, that originates from India and it includes variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, which are mostly based on teachings of Siddharta Gavtama, otherwise known as Buddha, which means in sanskrt and pali “awaken”. Buddha lived and taught on eastern part of Indian subcontinent between 6. and 4. centuries b. c. Buddhists approve him as awakened and enlightened teacher, who shared his insights with others, to help other beings to help their non-knowing, craving and suffering, so they come to knowing interdependetly formation and emptiness and by that way they reach nirvana.

There are two ways of buddhism: theravada (“school of elders”) and mahajana (“big dipper”). Theravada has large number of adherents on Sri Lanka and in Southeast Asia. Mahajana can be found in Eastern Asia; it incorporates tradition of clear land, zen, buddhism nichiren, tibetan buddhism, shingon and tendai. With some classifications is vadzrajana present especially in Tibet and Mongolia and in nearer parts of China and Russia – known as third way of buddhism, others classify it to mahajana. There exists also others classifications of these three dips (yan).

Buddhism is still popular in Asia, but today both ways of Buddhism can be found in other parts of world. Number of buddhists among the globe differs regarding that, how we define belonging to this religion. Rating of lower limit is between 350 and 500 million believers.

Buddhistic schools differ in their ways toward salvation (nirvana), importance and laws of different teachings and holly writings and even regarding practies. Two very important teachings are co-dependant creation and emptiness.

Foundations of buddhistic tradition and practice are Three Jewels: Buddha, dharma and sangha (community).

»Shelter in those jewels« was time ago obligation and approval, that individual steps on buddhistic way and this is at the same time main difference between buddhists and non-buddhists. Other practices can incorporate respecting ethic regulations, supporting monastery community, cancellation of secular life and consecration to monasticism, evolving attention and executing meditation, cultivation higher wisdom and discernment, scripture study, devotional practices, ceremonies, in mahajanski tradition as well as invocation of budd and Bodhisattvas.