Path of the Buddha
What is now known as the Buddha is an important part of religious culture through the world, as well as a significant part of history. Who was the Buddha? What did he contribute? This paper will look at the significance of the Buddha, his contributions, and impact on the world today through his religion known as Buddhism. Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), lived in North India during 6 B.C. Growing up, he was incredibly intelligent and was thought to be either a great warrior or a spiritual leader. Siddhartha’s parents wanted a great leader, so they gave him everything he could want to keep him to rule the kingdom. So, in his earlier years, Siddhartha became the ruler of Sakyas (modern Nepal). By age sixteen he was married to
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The repetition of the phrases is meant to be calming and liberating for the mind. Only with great practice and repetition can you truly be enlightened. The teachings of Buddha has been highly significant in the world, past and present. Buddhism is the result of the Upanishadic Period, a time in which many had speculations about the soul and mind and was often combined with yoga to reach enlightenment and spiritual equilibrium. Buddhism wasn’t, however, just restricted to Northern India where he was born. The religion spread to Southern Asia including Indonesia, China, and Japan. In later years it has made an impression on America and the western …show more content…
However, in the 20th century, the complex ways of Buddhism made its way back into the Indian community due to the people desire to escape the Hindu caste system. During that period, Buddhism made its mark on other countries. In 9AD the temple of Boroboudour was erected in Indonesia. The temple was composed of 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. (History of Buddha…). Originally, Buddhism was the religion of tradespeople. The ethics of Buddhism were similar to the ethics of the tradespeople that made them so successful. Hinduism, which was at the time the religion of the majority of India, was a less favorable religion for tradespeople as it seemed to mesh with the ethics of people they met on the road. Buddhism took a different turn in Japan. Zen Buddhism was born. Zen was based most on Nirvana and spiritual enlightenment through meditation and yogic practices. In this century, most people know the word Zen, as it is now a commonly used term. Also coming from Zen Buddhism was the artwork, which made the branch of Buddhism widely known through the world. As well as the art, Zen Buddhism became popular because of its more simplistic approach to Buddha’s teaching. It cuts away the beliefs that have formed as Buddhism has grown and changed over the years and sticks to the raw ritual and