Knowledge can increase compassion and kindness (Buddhism(1)

Buddhism part 1. You might remember the articles I wrote about our Universal Human Rights, which I wrote mainly for this reason: These days violence, intolerance, racism, discrimination seems to increase again. More and more people need to flee their homes and/or their countries, in the hope to find safety and peace elsewhere on our big world. When even leaders have forgotten our Universal Human Rights, I feel it’s time and very important to remind us all again of our Universal Human Rights.

In my opinion, it is not only the responsibility of leaders (political, financial, corporate, etc.) to educate themselves, but also our responsibility too…you and me, as neighbors living on our globe together. The saying “knowledge is power” can be used in a good way. Educating yourself about the views of your neighbor, will lead to more understanding, tolerance and even though you might not agree with other views, I strongly believe this will increase compassion and kindness towards each other.

John Astria of Mensensamenleving.me writes/creates highly educational articles and he gave me permission to translate a couple of them. Thank you again, dear John! Find out HERE (click), why I think you should visit this Beautiful Soul.

The original article in Dutch “Het Boeddhisme”  you can find HERE (click).
I decided to split the article in two. Next week, I will publish the second part.

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Buddhism

Origin:
Created in response to and reform of Hinduism. Buddhism rejects the entire Hindu gods-pantheon and is therefore not a religion in the strict sense of the word. The caste system and priestly mediation are rejected. Sacred books are not recognized and so there is no longer any task for the Sanskrit. The cycle of rebirths can be broken on its own by means of which the Nirvana comes within reach.

The founder:
Unlike Hinduism, Buddhism goes back to a historical founder, Siddhartha Gautama. He was born 560 BC, as the son of a rich tribal chief, married a widow and had a son with her. At the age of 29 he came into a serious religious crisis, left everything behind and first tried to find a solution through a strict asceticism and self-chastisement.

After having lived this way for six years and after a period of 49 days of solitary meditation, salvation came in the form of enlightenment. Gautama became Buddha (= THE Enlightened) and subsequently became the center of humanity and its history. Buddha gathered a group of monks to whom he passed on his doctrine verbally.

The doctrine:
Buddha taught the following four truths to his followers:

(1) Life is suffering
(2) The cause of suffering is desire or longing.
(3) The desire must be overcome.
(4) The appropriate means for this is the eightfold path.

The eightfold path provides, in an ascending series, a guideline for life:

(1) the right path,
(2) the right objective,
(3) the right word,
(4.) correct behavior (do not steal, do not kill),
(5) the right means of life sustenance / means of existence,
(6) the right effort (willpower, training),
(7) the right consciousness (knowing the motives) and finally (8) the right meditation.

Whoever attains the ultimate enlightenment, experiences Nirvana, described on the one hand as a state of greatest fullness and on the other as a state of complete emptiness. The central philosophy of life is that existence is actually an illusion (when material form merges with feeling, an idea arises that deepens into the awareness of something, and that something produces for a moment the illusion of existence).

In its purest form it leaves no room for worship since there is no being to whom worship can be directed. Later on, this was partly reconsidered and altered.

Unlike Hinduism, Buddhism is convinced to be the ‘good news’ for all mankind. It certainly has been very missionary in the beginning period.

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Sharing is allowed, if referenced to John and his website: mensenensamenleving.me
The first two articles I translated in this series “Knowledge can increase compassion and kindness” you can find HERE and HERE (click).