Improving Your Knowledge About Buddhism

Buddhist studies

The history about Buddhism is one that has fascinated countless generations since its inception. Sure, many people have seen the big Buddha statue depicted in drawings and some may even have laughed at the happy Buddha statues that are sold in many shops around the world. The path to learning Buddhism all started thousands of years ago with a King named Suddhodana. It was through him that the world came to know the Buddha. His son, Siddhartha, would come to be one of the greatest holy icons in the history of the world.

A prediction was made by a holy man regarding Siddhartha. The holy man prophesized that the young prince would either grow up to become a great ruler or he would become a wise holy man. The king was obviously dismayed that his son might abdicate his princely life and so tried to shelter the young man from the outside world. Unfortunately for Suddhodana, this did not stop the outside world from coming into contact with his son. At the age of 29, Siddhartha came into contact with what is now known as the "Four Sights." He came across an elderly man, a corpse, a diseased man and a holy man. This gave him a glimpse into the sufferings of mankind and Siddhartha was so moved that he abandoned his princely throne to become a holy man himself.

The principle about Buddhism is one of enlightenment. It is a goal that Siddhartha sought through a variety of trials. He realized that pure fasting and enduring pain was not the way to end suffering within himself or in anyone else. His method and those of Buddhist teachings is to find the path to enlightenment, or Bodhi, by using meditation.

Siddhartha's meditation retreat came in the form of meditating beneath a tree outside of a village for forty-nine days. It was during these forty-nine days that he attained enlightenment and could begin teaching his findings to the rest of the world. From this point on, Siddhartha became known as Buddha. Buddhist studies teach followers that the true path to ending human suffering in this world is to follow a strict path set forth by the Buddha. It involves ritualized chants and meditations to alleviate the conflicts that plague humanity.

If you are interested in learning more about Buddhism and the principles that make up this religion and philosophy, then there are many websites and centers that you can turn to for information. Perhaps the Buddhist practice will become one that you wish to follow in your pursuit of higher endeavors. You can visit www.buddhism.about.com for more information.