How To Practice Buddhism – A Guide For Beginners

1. How To Practice Buddhism – A Guide For Beginners For anyone interested in learning more about a spiritual belief system, it’s important to start with thebasics. What is Buddhism? Who was the Buddha? What different types of Buddhism are there? If you’d like to learn more about how to practice Buddhism, this handy guide canhelp. How To Define Buddhism BeforeweexplorehowtopracticeBuddhism,weshouldestablishthebasics. First and foremost: how do we define Buddhism? Of course, it’s easier said thandone!

2. Especially considering this spiritual tradition has over 500 million international practitioners and is known to be one of the oldest religions in theworld. So, what is the definition ofBuddhism? Buddhism is a spiritual tradition, also known as one of the most ancient religions that was started by the Buddha himself. (And don’t worry — we’ll tell you all about who he was in just asecond.) When did Buddhism begin? Well, over 2,000 years ago in Nepal, a young man sat beneath a Bodhi tree to meditate. After becoming Enlightened, he laid the foundations of this ancient spiritualtradition. What Does BuddhaMean? The word buddha means ―The Awakened One‖ inSanskrit. When we think of the word buddha, we often think of The Buddha — the man whose teachings became the core ofBuddhism. But it’s important to know that while The Buddha was an important figure in Buddhism, he wasn’t the only Buddha. In fact, there are branches of Buddhism that believe anyone can becomeabuddha—andthatincludesyou! A buddha is a person that is able to see the world with eyes unclouded by judgment or bias. Easier said than done, right? Maybe that’s why so few have earned thename.

3. Is BuddhismMonotheistic? The short answer is no. But let’s take a look atwhy. The Buddha was a man called Siddhārtha Gautama. He was born in Lumbini, Nepal between 563 – 480 BCE. When he saw the violence, sadness, and selfishness around him, he vowed to find a way to end humansuffering. After studying with many sages, gurus, and ascetics, he sat beneath a Bodhi tree. After 49 days of intense meditation, he rose, Enlightened and eager to share his newfound spiritual understandings. While Siddhārtha Gautamadid become the Buddha, Siddhārtha was not a god. He made no claims to divine origins or powers. He was just a mortal man who wanted to share his ideas with any who wouldlisten.

4. Monotheistic religions believe in the existence of the only one god and creator. Polytheistic religions believe in the existence of many gods and deities, often belonging to a divine pantheon. • Is Buddhism monotheistic? No. But it’s also not polytheistic. Buddhism is a nontheistic religion, which means that Buddhism has no official god ordeity. • What Are The Different Types OfBuddhism? • As is the case with many major religions, there are different schools of thought inBuddhism. • Everyone is entitled to interpret the teachings in their own way. Over time, those interpretations became the branches of Buddhism that attracted followers from all around the world. • There’s really no right way to learn how to practice Buddhism. If you need further evidence, look no further than the different branches that existtoday! • There are many different types of Buddhism,including: • TheravadaBuddhism • MahayanaBuddhism • VajrayanaBuddhism • ZenBuddhism • Thai ForestTradition • NichirenBuddhism • Pure LandBuddhism • As Buddhism spread, more branches began to develop. But two schools of Buddhism stand today as the oldest and most prominent: Theravada andMahayana.

5. Theravada Vs MahayanaBuddhism Theravada and Mahayanaare the two most prominent schools ofBuddhism. Theravada is the oldest branch of Buddhism, emerging directly from the teachings of the Buddha in the Pali Canon. In Sanskrit, Theravada means, ―The School of the Elders,‖ which is precisely what this branch of Buddhism standsfor. Theravada Buddhismfollows the teachings of the Buddha in the ancient Pali language. It’s most popular in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. This branch of Buddhism places a heavy focus on the meditative aspects of Buddhism. Theravada Buddhists believe that the ultimate goal of the Buddhist is to become an arhat, or Enlightenedbeing. Mahayana Buddhism places more emphasis on the bodhisattva and the collective attainment of Enlightenment. A bodhisattva is a holy person who is able to reach nirvana on their own but chooses to stay on Earth out of compassion for others — to guide andassist.

6. Mahayana means, ―The Greater Vehicle.‖ In Mahayana Buddhism, Enlightenment isn’t a state reserved only for monks. Mahayana Buddhists believe everyone can attain nirvana, and that the role of the bodhisattva is to stay on Earth to guideothers. What Are The Basics OfBuddhism? The core teachings of Buddhism came from the Buddha. While many branches of Buddhism exist, the core tenetsremain. There are two essential teachings that are universally followed by Buddhists around the world. These are the basics of Buddhism. They are the the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, as passed down by the Buddhahimself. The Four Noble Truthsare: All of human existence is suffering. The cause of suffering is craving. The end of suffering comes with putting an end tocraving. There is a path we can follow to put an end tosuffering. The path out of suffering? Well, that’s what the Noble Eightfold Path isfor. Noble EightfoldPath: Right understanding is understanding the power of the Four NobleTruths. Right thought is engaging in selflessness and loving kindness in yourthoughts. Right speech is speaking without verbal abuse, lies, hatred, orblame. Right action is abstaining from murder, sexual misconduct, andtheft. Right livelihood is engaging in work that fulfills you and helpsothers. Right effort is practicing the Noble Eightfold Pathconsistently. Right mindfulness is observing the patterns of your body, mind, and the world around you withoutjudgment. Right concentration is theregular practice ofmeditation. Besides the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, there is another important teaching the Buddha left behind: the fiveaggregates.

7. What Are The FiveAggregates? • The five aggregatesare also called the five skandhas, which translates into, ―heaps, collections, orgroupings.‖ • The five aggregates are the elements that make up human existence. They relate to the way we perceive the world, what we think, and how weact. • What’s important about the five aggregates is that the Buddha wanted his followers to see them for what they were: individual pieces that could be separated andexamined. • We’re tempted to view ourselves in the aggregates. But it’s important to be able to separate yourself from them to understand their fleetingnature. • The five aggregates of Buddhismare: • Form, physicalmatter. • Sensation, the sensory experience of anobject.

8. Perception, the mental labeling of a sensoryexperience. • Mental formation, biases, prejudices, interests, attitudes, andactions. • Consciousness, awareness of physical and mentalprocesses. • At first glance, the skandhas might not make much sense. But by meditating on these individual elements, Buddhist practitioners are able to separate themselves from their prejudices. By doing this, they’re able to draw closer to the state beyondsuffering. • So, there you have it! A quick crash course in how to practice Buddhism. If you’d like to learn more, look into local Buddhist centers or temples near you. Buddhists are a welcoming community and are often happy to speak with those curious about the practice. • Exploring how to practice Buddhism in your own way is an important step in the process. But keep in mind, there’s no right or wrong answer. If you want to learn how to practice Buddhism, the easiest way is to just dive in. Try a few beginner meditations, read up on the Four Noble Truths, explore Buddhistsutras. • As Deborah King, Author of Mindvalley’s Be A Modern Master Programsays, ―We are meanttoexpressthedivinethroughourbodies.That’swhywe’rehere.‖ • There’s plenty to explore and a great wealth of knowledge to begained.