How Did Buddhism Achieve Enlightenment
Buddhism Essay
One of the Buddha 's most significant teachings is that everyone is different, and hence each individual 's path to enlightenment is unique. For this reason, Buddhists acknowledge that they must take inspiration from a variety of sources to complete their individual journey to Nirvana. Belief in the concept of enlightenment is therefore important within Buddhism with different branches and schools giving varying emphasis to the many teachings of Buddha and his close followers, while some believe in Bodhisattvas, from whom they take motivation, all believe in shaping their individual effort to achieve enlightenment. Throughout this essay, the Buddha 's teachings on belief and enlightenment, how the four Noble Truths and Buddhist …show more content…
Similar to a doctor 's method for analysing a health issue, the Buddha has diagnosed the problem (suffering) and identified the cause (of the suffering) within the first and second Noble Truths. The third Noble Truth is the description of a cure, while the fourth is the prescription and instructions to recover. Buddhists believe in the Four Noble Truths in the hope of getting closer to enlightenment and find these teachings realistic and hopeful, rather than pessimistic. The first Noble Truth, suffering (Dukkha), describes suffering as presenting itself in many forms of which some are obvious, such as old age, sickness and death (which Buddha encountered immediately after leaving his palace), and others more subliminal. Buddha explained the problem in a more profound way, teaching that all human beings are subject to desires and cravings but acquiring satisfaction from these desires and pleasure is temporary and will not last without becoming monotonous. The origin of suffering (Samudaya) is the second Noble Truth, and consists of Buddha 's claims to have found the cause of all suffering - desire (tanha) - which comes in three forms (which have had various names including the Three Roots of Evil, the Three Fires and the Three Poisons). These forms are the ultimate source of suffering, and are; greed and desire, ignorance or delusion, and hatred and destructive urges. The way to extinguish desire is to liberate …show more content…
Investigating religion. Cambridge University Press, Port Melbourne, Vic.
Gunasekara, V., 2012. Basic Buddhism [WWW Document]. URL http://www.vgweb.org/bsq/basbud.htm#ch5
Gursam, L., 2009. The Importance of Meditation [WWW Document]. URL http://www.lamagursam.org/importance_of_meditation.html
Harderwijk, R., 2011. The Four Noble Truths [WWW Document]. View on Buddhism. URL http://viewonbuddhism.org/4_noble_truths.html
Heckert, L., 2012. An Overview of Buddhist Meditation [WWW Document].
Johansson, R., Tillekeratna, A., De Silva, L., 2012. Buddhist Studies: Nirvana [WWW Document]. URL http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd43.htm
Lyall, G., 2008. Buddhist Studies: The Rise of the Mahayana [WWW Document]. BuddhaNet. URL http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/maha2.htm
Nikaya, S., 2012. The Fourth Noble Truth [WWW Document]. BuddhaNet. URL http://www.buddhanet.net/cmdsg/truths5.htm
Oracle ThinkQuest, 2012. Buddhism: Buddha [WWW Document]. Oracle ThinkQuest Library: Projects by Students for Students. URL http://library.thinkquest.org/28505/buddhism/buddh.htm
Year 11 SOR, Term 2 2012 Page 3 of
One of the Buddha 's most significant teachings is that everyone is different, and hence each individual 's path to enlightenment is unique. For this reason, Buddhists acknowledge that they must take inspiration from a variety of sources to complete their individual journey to Nirvana. Belief in the concept of enlightenment is therefore important within Buddhism with different branches and schools giving varying emphasis to the many teachings of Buddha and his close followers, while some believe in Bodhisattvas, from whom they take motivation, all believe in shaping their individual effort to achieve enlightenment. Throughout this essay, the Buddha 's teachings on belief and enlightenment, how the four Noble Truths and Buddhist …show more content…
Similar to a doctor 's method for analysing a health issue, the Buddha has diagnosed the problem (suffering) and identified the cause (of the suffering) within the first and second Noble Truths. The third Noble Truth is the description of a cure, while the fourth is the prescription and instructions to recover. Buddhists believe in the Four Noble Truths in the hope of getting closer to enlightenment and find these teachings realistic and hopeful, rather than pessimistic. The first Noble Truth, suffering (Dukkha), describes suffering as presenting itself in many forms of which some are obvious, such as old age, sickness and death (which Buddha encountered immediately after leaving his palace), and others more subliminal. Buddha explained the problem in a more profound way, teaching that all human beings are subject to desires and cravings but acquiring satisfaction from these desires and pleasure is temporary and will not last without becoming monotonous. The origin of suffering (Samudaya) is the second Noble Truth, and consists of Buddha 's claims to have found the cause of all suffering - desire (tanha) - which comes in three forms (which have had various names including the Three Roots of Evil, the Three Fires and the Three Poisons). These forms are the ultimate source of suffering, and are; greed and desire, ignorance or delusion, and hatred and destructive urges. The way to extinguish desire is to liberate …show more content…
Investigating religion. Cambridge University Press, Port Melbourne, Vic.
Gunasekara, V., 2012. Basic Buddhism [WWW Document]. URL http://www.vgweb.org/bsq/basbud.htm#ch5
Gursam, L., 2009. The Importance of Meditation [WWW Document]. URL http://www.lamagursam.org/importance_of_meditation.html
Harderwijk, R., 2011. The Four Noble Truths [WWW Document]. View on Buddhism. URL http://viewonbuddhism.org/4_noble_truths.html
Heckert, L., 2012. An Overview of Buddhist Meditation [WWW Document].
Johansson, R., Tillekeratna, A., De Silva, L., 2012. Buddhist Studies: Nirvana [WWW Document]. URL http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd43.htm
Lyall, G., 2008. Buddhist Studies: The Rise of the Mahayana [WWW Document]. BuddhaNet. URL http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/maha2.htm
Nikaya, S., 2012. The Fourth Noble Truth [WWW Document]. BuddhaNet. URL http://www.buddhanet.net/cmdsg/truths5.htm
Oracle ThinkQuest, 2012. Buddhism: Buddha [WWW Document]. Oracle ThinkQuest Library: Projects by Students for Students. URL http://library.thinkquest.org/28505/buddhism/buddh.htm
Year 11 SOR, Term 2 2012 Page 3 of