What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is a beautiful philosophy, and its essence can be summarized in seeking lasting happiness. The essence of their practice is to live in the present moment. Buddha comes from Sanskrit and means "the awakened one," ie, who is always attentive to the present. Past and future are only creations of our minds ... the only thing that really exists is the here and now.

The Buddha, after attaining full and perfect awakening, had to find the words to share his vision. The Four Noble Truths are the core of his teachings, which enable us to know the way to bliss. Buddha's wisdom transcends dogmatism, and its main teaching tells us that suffering exists, that can be overcome, and shows us the way to achieve this.

This way it can be called simply as "Middle Way". The Middle Way sums up the wisdom to avoid extremes in life, and to make appropriate efforts to attain enlightenment. Everyone can practice their teachings, whatever our beliefs, as the true Buddhism transcends the barriers of religion.

There are many types of Buddhism, but all of them are (like different religions and philosophies) because there are different cultures and ways of thinking. Buddhism has reached many countries, and each has acquired a unique value.

Someday, the same will happen in our countries, and that Buddhism needs to be renewed and mold to different cultures. Worldwide has been increasing interest in the beautiful teachings of Buddha. Let the true Dharma bud, opening our hearts to the life that is before us.

Many years we have lived through wars and conflicts. The world needs of Buddhism, like all religions and philosophies that promote love and peace. Do not look for more divisions such as the variety of colors enrich our view, different cultures, religions and philosophies should enrich our hearts.

Let us not neglect our happiness and that of others. Happiness is here and now. We must learn to find true happiness, and not the faults of others. To cultivate peace in our environment we must start with ourselves. Learn how to cultivate true happiness within yourself. This is the teaching of Buddha.

History of Buddhism

At the time of his death Buddha (481 BC apox.) his Dharma was established in the central part of India. The heart of Buddhist knowledge was in the monasteries, although many of his followers were laymen. Mahakashyapa was the first to adopt and collect the Buddha's teaching, which until then was only oral knowledge. After Buddha's death, the story goes, Mahakashyapa convened a great assembly, in which Ananda recited the Buddha's sermons (sutras), who was personal assistant. On the same occasion, a monk recited the monastic rules mentioned by the Buddha. As discussed Mahakashyapa the master's teachings. These three long speeches form the core of Buddhist scriptures. The assembly was recognized as the First Council.

Over the next century after his death, the teachings of Buddha spread especially throughout India. The cultural diversity of the people caused some differences between the followers of the Dharma and therefore Second Council was convened. It was censored ten points of monastic rules. Despite this effort to reach consensus, the congregation (Sangha) began to split into different schools. Many also attribute this to the huge size of the group of followers.

According to the Theravada school, which continues today in Southeast Asia, the Third Council was held in 270 BC to the time of King Asoka. The king said to the traditional school and oldest (Theravada) and the plant. Other schools reacted gradually migrating westward. King Asoka, ruler of the empire Mauran, greatly favored the expansion of the teachings. The empire soon fragmented, but the Buddha Dharma remained the dominant force in India during the first centuries of our era.

Under the reign of Kanishka (app.siglo I-II) was held the Fourth Council. At this time appeared the path of the Bodhisattva or Mahayana, characterized by the altruistic motivation to liberate all beings, as a counterpart to the monastic and personal style Theravada or Hinayana. It was this new form of the Buddha Dharma, Mahayana, which would eventually conquer the north, including China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and Mongolia.

Great teachers shaped the Mahayana during the first centuries of our era. One of them, Nagarjuna, recovered Prajnaparamita sutras, Mahayana scriptures core. Over the centuries III to IV, the Buddha Dharma flourished unhindered in India, but in the sixth century hundreds of Buddhist monasteries were destroyed by the invading Huns. It was a blow to the followers of Buddha, the Dharma but revived and flourished again, mainly in northeastern India.

By the seventh century, had weakened the Hinayana and the Mahayana in India, however, there was greater strength and awaken other form of Mahayana Vajrayana or Tantra. As the Mahayana, Vajrayana was attributed to the Buddha scriptures called Tantras. The Vajrayanistas considered the Hinayana and Mahayana as successive stages leading to the tantric level.

Vajrayana was far in accepting the world, maintaining that the experiences, even sensual, are sacred manifestations of the awakened mind, the principle of Buddha. He stressed the importance of liturgical methods of meditation, in which the practitioner was identified with deities represent different aspects of the waking mind. The palace of the deities, was known as a mandala.

By the thirteenth century as a result of the violent suppression by the Islamic conquerors, the Buddha Dharma was almost extinct in much of his native country. But by that time, Hinayana forms had settled firmly in Southeast Asia and other varieties of Mahayana and Vajrayana in most of the rest of Asia

Buddha and the Four Noble Truths

Nobody gave him the Buddha's Four Noble Truths, but he discovered them for himself, just as you and I must do. Although his life was unique in many respects, suffered lasting happiness and wished, like any other human being.

Born as a prince, Siddhartha lived a life of great luxury during their first eighteen years. He was surrounded by beauty, wealth, love and comfort. Although I did not have modern conveniences and luxuries to which many of us are used, the future was assured. Any desire of his was satisfied, whatever pleasure he wanted was filled.

Despite these extreme comfort and pleasure, the young man felt empty and longed for a feeling of fullness that pleasure was unable to fill, so that Siddhartha left his princely life to find a lasting happiness.

So he did what you and I have done so many times: it was the opposite extreme. Instead of satisfying your every whim, lived a life of deprivation. Thinned so that if the navel pressed with the finger could touch your spine. After following an austere life for six years, left. He discovered that his selfless existence only weaken your body getting his mind. His thirst for inner peace is not sated or the end of the excesses or the deprivation. However, the problem of how to find lasting happiness and emotional fulfillment remained unresolved.

The Middle Way

Unlike you and I, Buddha was between the end of the excesses (pleasure) and the deprivation (pain). He found that both ends were a painful and fruitless path. Although he lived some wonderful moments, did not fulfill completely their desire for peace and lasting security. Probably, you must have experienced moments also delicious (great food, a nice pair experience, wonderful holiday). But when it ends, ends, and discover that it is only temporary happiness and circumstantial, since everything depends on factors external to you.

Instead of looking elsewhere, Buddha decided to follow the Middle Way and focus on the present moment, rather than extreme solutions abroad. He drew attention to the interior and carefully considered what was happening in your body and mind.

Buddha sat under a tree, and decided not to rise to freedom from thirst quenching looking in the wrong place. During the night, legions of desire, lust, pleasure, pain, aggression, fear, temptation, frustration, hatred and doubt tried to divert him from his goal, but he remained unmoved. The longer I meditated, the more intense and demanding they became those forces.

Imagine that, while meditating under a tree, you're tempted by your visions, tastes, smells and sounds favorites, and fiercely attacked by what you hate and find unbearably repulsive. Imagine you meditate there hour after hour, after deciding not to get up to be absolutely certain of having discovered the key to happiness. That is what Buddha did exactly the night of his awakening.

Viewed from outside, could not be noticed how Buddha responded to these forces, all that was visible was who sat in that place. But what was inside was extraordinary. Focused on what was happening, but react to it. Sometimes, the forces of desire became so intense that the Buddha had to touch the earth as a witness and for support. Despite what appeared, from the celestial to the most demonic, simply meditate in silence and observe. It stuck to the joys nor rejected the bad things. He watched her natural cycle still emerging and disappearing without interfering with it. What he found was simple, yet profound. When did not adhere to the pleasure or pain rejected, saw their attackers lost their power. That's how he defeated those forces.

By looking deep inside your mind freed Buda. You too can achieve this freedom if you look inside. What the Buddha saw and learned that night we can make you and I like him. He found the fullness I wanted, but thanks to hard work and honesty. Before reaching the awakening and freedom from suffering, had many things to be met and learn.

He found the life of misery that had created the basic misconception that pleasure can last, and pain avoided. We hurt ourselves and others again and again, to hold fast to the changing experiences, like our bodies and our relationships. It is inevitable to experience some pain, because the losses and changes are part of everyone's life. However, much of the suffering that suffering is optional. We created it to resist the present moment and accept that everything that exists is destined to change, mutate and disappear, like it or not. In reality, there is nothing that should cause us attraction or rejection. When you look carefully each time you discover that things so opposite as pleasure and pain, or the fact of winning or losing, have their advantages and disadvantages.

The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path teaches you how to find peace amid the challenges and changes that are always present. Show how to detach the attachment to pleasure and fear of pain, to enjoy the live situation, whatever it is, knowing that sooner or later going to change. When you apply these lessons and suggestions in a conscious way, you learn to accept the truth of each moment as it is, without a fight. This is how you find spiritual nourishment in places where you can find it. This is simply your challenge and your practice.

The excesses, the privations and the Middle Way

Buddha compared the Middle Path and the Four Noble Truths with a trunk that slides floating on a river. One of the banks is excess, and the other deprivation. While the trunk is pulled through the river, avoid both extremes. If caught in any of them, the sinks or trunk rots.

Up to each individual to recognize those ends, as did Buddha on the night of his awakening. He watched and saw what appeared to him, whatever it was. Not seduced by the pleasures or betray the pain left, because he remained focused on the present moment, without attachment or clinging to anything. Bear in mind that the Buddha never said, "The extinction of suffering is easy," but that "the extinction of suffering is possible." Learning to look inside yourself and lead a good life and integrity, free from attachment, you can reach the Four Noble Truths Buddha achieved as 2,600 years ago. The accomplishments and changes that they generate give more satisfaction than anything else that you may live.

No one can practice and apply the wisdom of the Four Noble Truths for you. You're the only one who can experience the power and the possibility that contain clear vision and practice. So Buddha insisted that: "Do not believe blindly what others say. Find out for yourself what brings you clarity and peace. That's the path you choose. "